OSKAR Coaching Model – A Solutions Focused Approach

Originating from the Solutions Focused Approach the OSKAR coaching model is a powerful framework to help your coaching sessions focus on solutions rather than problems. Here is a brief description of the different stages (adapted from ‘The Solutions Focus’ by Paul Z Jackson and Mark McKergow) .

Outcome

At this initial stage of the OSKAR coaching model you are establishing a ‘platform’ from which to coach. Here you are confirming that your coachee really is a customer for change, in other words establishing that coaching them at this point in time is going to help them. At the outset you are also clarifying:

• what your coachee wants to achieve – this may be in the long, medium and short term
• what they want to achieve from the session itself and how they will know it has been useful to them
• the ‘future perfect’ in other words the perfect scenario desired by your coachee. At this point you might want to ask the miracle question which really helps the coachee strongly visualise and in detail their desired outcome.

Scaling

Once your coachee has a clear picture of their desired outcome you can then establish where they are already in relation to this. Using Scaling Techniques are a very good way of helping to quantifying this.
e.g. On a scale of 1 – 10, where 1 represents x and 10 represents y, where are you in relation to this goal.

Know How

Linking to the Scaling stage you can now build on this foundation by establishing what positives have given the coachee that rating – what skills, knowledge and attributes do they currently possess which give them say a 4 or 5 rather than a 0.This stage is all about uncovering your coachee’s strengths – their knowledge, skills and attributes and building up their awareness of these and developing confidence. The sort of questions you might be asking at this stage are:

• What skills/knowledge/attributes do you currently have that will help you?
• When have you done this/something similar before?
• What would others say is working for you?

This stage really is about ‘digging for gold’ and plenty of time should be taken to establish the resources your coachee has available to them.

Affirm and Action

Affirming - this is about providing positive reinforcement of what you have heard…reflecting back positive comments about some of the keys strengths and attributes your coachee has revealed e.g. I am impressed with the knowledge you have in this are?’or it’s evident from what you have just said that this is working for you

Action – this is about helping your coachee determine what small action or actions they will now take.

Review

This final stage of the OSKAR coaching model is for reviewing progress against actions and is therefore most likely to take place at the beginning of the next coaching session. The emphasis is on reviewing the positives:

• what is better?
• What did you do that made change successful?
• What do you think will change next?

See Also:-

GROW Coaching Model
TGROW Coaching Model
CLEAR Coaching Model
Scaling Techniques
Effective Coaching Models
Different Coaching Approaches
The Miracle Question

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