By Shawn McQueen, Mentor for Two-Brain Group Coaching Course
We all want it.
We all crave it.
We all will work for it.
Without it we feel stagnant.
We feel like we’re going backwards or we’re falling behind.
Or worse, that we’re failing.
This one thing we are all after and all seek?
Progress.
Progress can come in many forms.
The obvious ones in the gym can be: I lifted more, I performed more reps, more rounds, or performed set work faster than I did previously.
In the group class environment it can be easy for little (or big) moments of progress to get overlooked, missed or not recognized.
Sometimes our members can be shy or even hesitant or reluctant to highlight or recognize their own progress.
At times, telling ourselves that it isn’t worthy of recognition, giving attention to, or “it’s not that special.”
When in reality all progress is a big deal.
And you and me and Coaches out there can begin to change the way our clients look at progress, communicate about it and the lens in which they see their own progress.
Here’s something I did today that worked really well.
We are at the beginning of a re-test week, re-testing certain aspects we performed 5 weeks ago.
While I was at the whiteboard, I used an important communication skill we call “framing.”
Framing stimulates the decision making process by highlighting particular aspects by eliminating the others.
At the conclusion of my whiteboard brief, I communicated to them that after each section of today’s test (there were 4 of them) I’d ask the room and we’d keep a tally on our success board.
Category 1 was “Came Close!” and proves you are consistent which is awesome!
Category 2 was “Tied! meaning you matched your best from test week, which proves you are extremely consistent!
Category 3 was “New Best!” meaning you set a new personal best or if this was your first time, you’re setting a new best.
Check out the following results once we completed the 4 tests:
At the conclusion of class I held up this board and I went around the room and I asked,
“Lodro, how does this make you feel?”
“Abby, how does this make you feel?”
“Nicole, how does this make you feel?”
What was so great was about the board and asking them was:
1- They were all proud of themselves and could easily SEE they and their friends all progressed.
2- They said it made them feel great to see this, not only for themselves but for others.
3- It was glaringly obvious to them that the program works, consistency pays off and they are making progress, the one thing they want to continually make.
Everyone left that class smiling, joyful, grateful and on a high they carried with them into their days.
How are you showcasing the progress your clients are making?