Collaborative Coaching
The goal of collaborative professionals is to facilitate clients achieving a positive resolution that minimizes the negative economic, social, and emotional consequences to the family. Lawyers work alongside coaches and financial advisers in a process which aims to:-
Empower the client
Help them manage conflict
Enable them to express their interest (what is important to them)
Find creative solutions without reverting to going to court and letting a judge decide what is best for you.
Indeed, collaborative divorce requires both parties and their lawyers to agree at outset that they will not go to court. This adds extra motivation for all parties to work together constructively to find amicable solutions.
The collaborative coaches play an important role working with the individual client, and as part of the collaborative team of professionals, to help achieve these objectives. The coach shares information with the collaborative team to aid the process and helps the client deal with any matters which would otherwise be outside the lawyer’s area of expertise or be expensive to provide.
The collaborative coach:-
• Provides tools and processes to manage emotions effectively and provide an outlet for the client to deal with what might otherwise lengthen the legal process.
• Draws out what is truly important to clients. This helps create meaningful ‘anchor statements’, and enables participants to think through life shaping decisions
• Shares responsibility for managing conflict and teaching effective ways to build a co-operative working relationship and good communication
• Facilitates aspects of the process which they have specific skills for, or which costs less than a lawyer.
• Examples might include: creating a workable parenting plan to agree how children will be cared for and future decisions made regarding their well being; overcome mental blocks to completing form E; come to terms with the impact of moving home, not living with children full time, having reduced disposable income, dealing with children, wider family, who looks after the dog.
As each situation is different the level of support would be tailored to individual requirements.
Click here to find out about The big 5 myths and mistakes to avoid
when it comes to collaborative divorce and coaching
INITIAL STEPS
Both parties complete a simple self assessment to establish if coaching would seem to be appropriate for your collaboration and discuss it with your lawyer or possible coach.
• Meet your coach and ask each other questions - no fee for the first 30 minutes
• If both parties agree, proceed to record your main areas of hope and concern for the process and life beyond it. This will be particularly useful for preparing the anchor statement
• Feedback to the collaborative team
• Agree next steps
• Share skills and explain ground rules for effective communication during the meetings
Great Coaching Services Wise Steps Programme is perfect for the collaborative process.
