Coaching models: Part 5
A Multi-tool Coaching Approach: The BETTER YOU Method
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Part 5 of 5: Concluding our series on powerful coaching frameworks, today we explore a model that adds emotional intelligence to the coaching toolkit. Have you missed any? Start here:
In our ongoing exploration of coaching models, the BETTER YOU method stands out as a framework that skillfully balances structure with deep self-assessment. This nine-stage approach has been gaining attention in professional coaching circles for good reason: it transforms traditional coaching from goal-setting exercises into a comprehensive journey of personal evolution.
What Sets BETTER YOU Apart
While many coaching models rely on acronyms, BETTER YOU, created in 2014, distinguishes itself through its focus on cyclical rather than linear development. The model embraces a holistic view that extends beyond simple goal achievement to incorporate values exploration, pattern recognition, and continuous growth.
The coaching framework follows a natural progression through nine stages:
Bottomline your current reality
Explore your values and priorities
Track patterns and results
Target your vision
Engineer action steps
Recognize potential obstacles
YES to accountability
Observe and adjust actions
Unleash your next cycle
This structure flows intuitively from assessment to action to adjustment. Perhaps most tellingly, the model concludes not with an endpoint but with "Unleash your next cycle," highlighting its commitment to ongoing development.
The coaching journey begins with clients completing the Exploratory YOU assessment to map their current thoughts and feelings across different life domains. This is followed by the Value YOU assessment, which helps identify their top 10 core values. These insights inform the Better YOU Blueprint questionnaire, with all three elements combining to create a comprehensive coaching plan that brings clarity and focus.
Key Strengths
The BETTER YOU method excels in its comprehensive scope. By giving equal weight to the client’s insights and self-assessment as much as the coaching process itself.
The "Explore your values and priorities" stage serves as a crucial foundation. By addressing values early, the model ensures that subsequent goals align with what truly matters to the client, preventing the hollow success that comes from achieving misaligned objectives.
The "YES to accountability" stage represents another innovative approach. Rather than treating accountability as a routine requirement, BETTER YOU frames it as an affirmative choice. This subtle reframing helps clients transition from viewing accountability as external pressure to embracing it as personal empowerment, and a valuable tool.
Considerations and Limitations
The depth of the BETTER YOU approach comes with time commitments—typically 12-18 sessions—that may not suit everyone. Clients seeking quick results or organizations with limited coaching budgets might find this investment challenging.
The model's effectiveness also hinges on the coach's ability to facilitate meaningful reflection. Less experienced coaches might struggle to move beyond surface discussions, particularly during the pattern tracking and values exploration phases.
Client readiness is another factor. Those seeking highly directive coaching or strictly business-focused outcomes might find the emphasis on values and broad-view self-assessment too abstract initially, potentially benefiting from a more streamlined approach as an entry point.
Final Assessment
The BETTER YOU coaching method is currently available exclusively through certified Better YOU Coach Training. The certification process is self-guided and integrates easily with existing coaching practices. If you’re interested, simply drop an email to support@impactcoaching.academy! But the elements are spelled out for you here, and can be easily replicated if you so choose to.
As coaching evolves beyond simple goal-setting toward more holistic development, the BETTER YOU method represents an important option for your clients.
