Reflective coaching practice is not formal research, which is guided by theoretical, methodological and ethical considerations. It is, nonetheless, a form of individual practice research which is consistent with a professional emphasis on continuous learning. The practice begins with sound documentation of all aspects of our coaching interactions. Many of us already collect such data in the form of coaching agreements, assessments, coaching plans. Most coaches also take notes or record individual sessions. The documentation for reflective coaching practice requires that we note both sides of the interaction–i.e. what we as coaches are thinking, saying and doing, as well as what the client is saying and doing. When we ask a powerful question, for example, what are we hoping to achieve with that intervention?  When we notice ourselves feeling baffled or stymied, thinking “Hmmm, where can I take this?”, that internal dialogue needs to be recorded as well. Eventually, what we have is our own version of a 360, a global view of what happens in the coaching process: our intentions, the goals for the session, our actions and the client’s agenda, the responses to and the outcomes of those coach intentions and interventions. It’s important, and ethical, to be transparent with the client as we do this and invite co-participation in the reflection process.

The next step of the reflective process entails making meaning of the information we’ve collected. We may keep a coaching journal, for example, and look at the notes and reflect after each session, comparing the two sides of the conversation. What happened here? What worked? What was the turning point? What did I do with this client that made a significant difference? Reflection questions can take several directions. Here are four that I’ve found helpful. First, how did my actions as a coach match with my theory of coaching? Am I coaching in ways that are congruent with or contrary to the values and vision I present to clients? A second direction invites looking at the intentions, interventions and outcomes. This kind of reflection helps us make the best possible match between the specific coaching strategies and competencies we use and their effectiveness with individual clients. A third reflective direction encourages looking at where we, as coaches, are in “flow” and where we get stuck. A fourth direction for reflecting involves looking for themes or recurring patterns within or across client conversations. Each focus for reflection provides a framework for organizing and making sense of the information we’ve captured and suggests possible directions for action.