Situational Coaching Model (SCM): The 6 Paradigms

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Learn the 6 paradigms of the Situational Coaching Model (SCM), plus questions & guidelines to navigate any coaching conversation using this framework.

Highlights

Situational coaching is a dynamic model where a coach adapts their blend of directive and non-directive approaches to a coachee’s specific needs and circumstances to facilitate self-discovery and learning. Thanks to its responsive nature, the framework plays a key role in driving more effective conversations, enhancing individual growth, improving performance, and increasing engagement.
The model is comprised of 6 paradigms: defining Goals, generating options through Exploration, evaluating possibilities via Analysis, addressing emotions in Releasing, making a clear Decision on the path forward, and committing to concrete Action steps.

Table of Contents

What is Situational Coaching?

Situational coaching is a dynamic coaching model that places a strong emphasis on the coach’s ability to tailor their style to the unique needs and circumstances of their clients/ coachees. Created by Dr. Peter Chee, it recognizes that different situations call for different levels of guidance and support – and that one needs to be flexible enough to adapt to varying conditions. As such, it is a powerful tool for conducting meaningful coaching conversations.

Central to the model is a blend of directive (i.e. providing more guidance and feedback to the coachee) and nondirective coaching (i.e. actively listening and asking open-ended questions to facilitate self-discovery and learning). By striking a balance between these two approaches, the coach makes individuals better equipped to realize and unlock their own potential.

In a professional setting, situational coaching equips managers with the tools and knowledge needed to drive ongoing coaching conversations with employees. Based on it, those in leadership positions may better align their behaviors with the readiness and needs of team members – as well as enhance performance utilizing a variety of techniques.

A genius coach knows how to shift seamlessly from one conversational paradigm to another – to best meet the needs of the situation for optimum results.
Jack Canfield & Peter Chee

6 Paradigms of the Situational Coaching Model

The Situational Coaching Model (SCM) is comprised of 6 components, namely:

Goals

Key questions: Where are you going? What have you accomplished?

Setting clear goals is fundamental to effective coaching, as it provides focus, direction, and a basis for measuring progress. In this stage, the coach works with the coachee to define what they hope to achieve through the relationship.

If coaching time is limited, the focus should be on defining realistic targets achievable within that specific conversation or short period. For longer-term engagements (e.g., several months), the coach and coachee may identify a few overarching goals to guide their work together over time.

Examples:

For a coaching relationship spanning nine months with bi-weekly sessions, a client might set a broad goal like “clarifying my career path & life purpose, and identifying steps to move towards a more fulfilling life.”
In contrast, a client with only a few sessions to address a specific work challenge might set a more focused goal, such as “developing a strategy to effectively manage a challenging project deadline.”

Exploration

Key questions: How are you going to get there? What else do you need to consider?

This stage is about generating ideas and exploring different possibilities to enable the coachee to move towards their aspirations. The coach’s role is to support the coachee in thinking broadly and considering a variety of perspectives.

Creating a safe and open environment is crucial here. It is vital that the coachee be encouraged to share all ideas, even those that seem unconventional at first. The coach is expected to listen actively and ask questions that stimulate innovative thinking and uncover new angles.

By exploring diverse options, the coachee is better equipped to gain new insights and identify potential paths they hadn’t considered before.

Analysis

Key questions: Where are you now? What is the best way of getting there?

Once potential ideas and approaches have been explored, the next step is to evaluate them and define which options are most relevant and viable for the situation.

Most of the time, a single session may not be enough to analyze every possibility in depth. The coach and coachee should closely collaborate to prioritize and select the most promising solutions. Meticulous evaluation allows the latter to better understand their current position relative to their desired outcome and the steps needed to close that gap.

Through insightful questioning, the coach assists the coachee in thinking critically about their options and making informed decisions about the best way forward. This process also strengthens the coachee’s own problem-solving and analytical abilities.

Releasing

Key questions: How do you feel? How can you feel better?

Coaching typically involves navigating emotions that may be impacting the coachee’s progress. Unlike therapy or counseling – which may delve into the past, coaching in this context focuses on present feelings related to their goals and the process.

The coach’s role is to provide a supportive and non-judgmental space for the coachee to acknowledge and process their feelings. By listening with empathy and asking open-ended questions, they give the coachee the opportunity to gain clarity about their feelings and how they might be influencing their thoughts and actions. This translates to increased self-awareness and a sense of relief from emotional burdens.

It’s important for the coach to remain present and objective, allowing the coachee to express themselves at their own pace. Showing genuine care builds trust and facilitates an environment where the coachee feels safe to be vulnerable, which is a powerful step towards feeling more positive and resilient.

Read more: Living in the Past – The Problem of Dwelling on What Was

Decision

Key questions: Which path are you taking?

Moving forward, its’ time for the coachee to arrive at a clear decision on the path forward based on previous exploration and analysis. The coach supports this process, ensuring the coachee feels ready and committed to their choice.

If a coachee is struggling to decide, the coach should help them figure out the reasons – by asking questions to uncover missing information, explore underlying concerns, or clarify priorities. If a decision isn’t possible in the current session, the coach can aid the coachee in defining actions needed before the next session.

Sometimes, having too many options may feel overwhelming. If that’s the case, the coach should assist the coachee in structuring their options and prioritizing the most important factors to consider, enabling them to move towards taking action sooner.

Action

Key questions: What action steps do you need to take? By when?

Taking concrete action is where the coaching process translates into tangible progress. However, it’s essential that the coachee is genuinely ready and committed to the steps they identify.

There are several reasons a coachee might hesitate to take action, such as a lack of clarity on the steps, unforeseen obstacles, or doubts stemming from previous experiences.

If a coachee isn’t ready for action yet, the coach can revisit earlier stages, such as clarifying goals, further exploring options, or addressing underlying feelings in the Releasing stage. If generating a plan is difficult, further reflection and idea generation should be encouraged.

Once an action plan is established, the coach supports the coachee in staying accountable to their commitments. This might involve reviewing progress in subsequent sessions and celebrating milestones, empowering the latter to take ownership of their journey and visualize desired changes.

Paradigm	Key question	Brief description
Goals	Where are you going? What have you accomplished?	Goals and accomplishments
Exploration	How are you going to get there? What else do you need to consider?	Generating more ideas and possibilities, and considering wider perspectives
Analysis	Where are you now? What is the best way of getting there?	Knowing where one currently is – and finding out the best options for goal attainment
Releasing	How do you feel? How can you feel better?	Letting go of negative emotions and evoking positive feelings
Decision	Which path are you taking?	Making the best choices among alternatives
Action	What action steps do you need to take? By when?	Developing and committing to an action plan with a specific timeline

How to Apply the Situational Coaching Model

The Situational Coaching Model (SCM) was developed to address the challenges of coaching in the contemporary world. Many other frameworks tend to promote and rely on a simple, step-by-step approach to structuring coaching conversations, which can become rigid, uninteresting, and mechanical over time. While such patterns may be useful for those just starting out, experienced coaches are likely to find them more of a setback.

The SCM can be applied flexibly to virtually any situation. Although the 6 paradigms outlined above are presented in a linear sequence, in reality – coaching conversations are typically more complex and require one to be adaptable. There is no single rule applicable to all scenarios; coaches should strive to navigate each conversation by seamlessly transitioning from one step to the next – based on the client’s needs and the unique circumstances of each case.

Read more: 7 Key Coaching Principles for Long Lasting Results

Situational Coaching Examples

Time: 75 minutes

Paradigm Sequence: Analysis – Exploration – Decision – Action – Releasing

Sarah connected with her coach, feeling overwhelmed and unsure how to improve her team’s performance. After establishing a comfortable and trusting space, the coach immediately recognized the need to understand the situation fully, moving into the Analysis phase.

Analysis: Where are you now? What is the best way of getting there?

The coach asked questions to help Sarah describe the current team dynamics in detail. Instead of vague complaints, Sarah was guided to identify specific instances: “We missed the last two project deadlines,” “Team members are quiet in meetings, not sharing ideas,” and “I feel like I’m doing most of the critical tasks myself.” The coach helped her look at potential contributing factors, like recent changes in company direction or individual team member challenges, grounding the conversation in the present reality of the situation.

Seeing the situation more clearly, Sarah felt ready to brainstorm solutions.

Exploration: How are you going to get there? What else do you need to consider?

The coach encouraged Sarah to think broadly about how she could approach these challenges. Instead of just suggesting standard team-building exercises, the coach prompted her with questions like, “If you had unlimited resources and could try anything with your team, what might you do?” and “What have you seen other successful team leads do?” This opened up thinking beyond immediate problems. Sarah generated ideas like having one-on-one check-ins with team members, delegating ownership of small tasks, implementing a quick weekly team huddle for updates, and publicly acknowledging small wins.

With several potential ideas on the table, the coach guided Sarah to the Decision stage.

Decision: Which path are you taking?

The coach helped Sarah evaluate the explored options. They considered factors like which ideas felt most manageable to implement given her current workload, which were most likely to have a positive impact quickly, and which aligned best with her personal leadership style. Sarah decided to focus on a few key actions: scheduling brief individual check-ins with each team member over the next two weeks, introducing a 15-minute standing weekly team huddle, and identifying one specific small task she could delegate by the end of the week. The coach confirmed her commitment to these specific steps.

Moving from decision to implementation, the conversation naturally progressed to Action.

Action: What action steps do you need to take? By when?

Sarah clearly defined her first steps: “By Wednesday, I will send out calendar invitations for the one-on-ones,” “By the end of the day today, I will schedule the first team huddle for next Monday,” and “By Friday, I will delegate the task of researching new project management tools to [Team Member Name].” The coach helped her anticipate any immediate challenges to these actions and how she might address them.

As the session drew to a close, Sarah acknowledged feeling a mix of hope about the plan and anxiety about having these potentially difficult conversations. This opened the door to the Releasing paradigm.

Releasing: How do you feel? How can you feel better?

The coach acknowledged Sarah’s feelings, normalizing the anxiety that comes with implementing change. They spent a few minutes allowing Sarah to voice her concerns about potential resistance from the team or the possibility of failure. The coach listened empathetically, offering simple words of encouragement and reinforcing Sarah’s capability to handle challenges as they arise. This brief moment of emotional processing helped Sarah feel more grounded and prepared to face the upcoming week.

This session demonstrated how the coach adapted the sequence to address Sarah’s immediate need to understand and plan, incorporating emotional processing at a point where the anxiety of action arose, creating a truly responsive coaching experience.