Every client is different. Some feel lost without a clearly defined roadmap and have difficulty developing solutions independently. Others are highly self-reliant and simply need very little guidance to discover and commit to their solutions to their problems.
The latter can significantly benefit from a laissez-faire coaching style. Let’s explore this approach with clients and how to implement it in your practice.
What is a Laissez-Faire Coaching Style?
A laissez-faire coaching style is a hands-off approach where the coach provides minimal guidance and allows clients to direct their learning and growth.
They intervene only when necessary to offer support and resources as they see fit or when the coachee asks. Otherwise, they step back and keep their directions to the coaching process minimal.
This coaching style encourages clients to take full ownership of their progress. It works best with clients who are already self-driven and have a clear sense of their goals and needs.
The French term “Laissez-faire” means “let do” or “let go.” It refers to a philosophy that advocates minimal intervention and letting others exercise their freedom and autonomy.
Besides coaching, it’s an expression most commonly associated with managers adopting a laissez-faire leadership style. This leadership style provides minimal supervision and allows employees or team members to make their own decisions and manage work independently.
The Benefits of Using a Laissez-Faire Coaching Style
Here’s how coaching in a laissez-faire style can benefit your coaching process with clients:
- It encourages autonomy. Clients learn to take initiative and develop faster decision-making, thereby gaining self-reliance and confidence.
- It pushes clients to think outside the box: With more freedom, they might explore creative approaches that they might not have considered under more directive coaching styles.
- It’s highly adaptable: This style can follow the client’s pace and preferences. It allows for a more personalized coaching experience.
- It’s empowering for clients: By allowing clients to take the lead, they feel more responsible for their progress and are often more motivated to achieve their goals.
- It builds problem-solving skills: Clients can develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills while navigating challenges with minimal intervention.
The Risks of Using a Laissez-Faire Coaching Style
Though highly adaptable, this coaching style isn’t for every client. Here are some downsides you might want to consider before applying it:
- A lack of direction: Clients unsure of their goals or lack self-motivation may struggle without more structured guidance and support.
- It can lead to stagnation: Clients might feel unchallenged without regular check-ins and consistent feedback and get stuck in their progress.
- It may lead clients off-track: Without being questioned, some clients might pursue paths that aren’t aligned with their ultimate goals and waste time and effort.
What are the Four Types of Coaching Styles?
Besides laissez-faire, there are three other popular coaching styles. Let’s look at how they compare.
1. Democratic Coaching
In democratic coaching, also known as participative coaching, the coach and client work together as equals to set goals and make decisions. This style is built on collaboration and open communication and values the client’s input.
- Pros: It’s a highly engaging coaching style that allows you to tailor the process to the client’s needs while actively guiding them.
- Cons: Coaching sessions run this way are usually more time-intensive and may not suit clients who need more direct guidance.
2. Authoritative Coaching
Authoritative or directive coaches provide clear instructions and guidance through more well-defined frameworks. They have a more active role in the client’s growth process and offer specific advice and feedback to help them achieve their goals.
- Pros: Directive coaching provides clear direction and structure, which makes it easier for clients to follow a defined path toward their goals. This style is particularly effective for clients who need more support and guidance.
- Cons: It can limit the client’s sense of autonomy and may stifle creativity and independent thinking.
[ Read: 5 Different Coaching Styles and How To Use Them ]
3. Holistic Coaching
Holistic coaching focuses on the client’s overall well-being and growth, considering the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of their lives. This style helps clients achieve harmony in all areas of their lives and can be combined with other coaching styles.
- Pros: It’s a comprehensive approach to growth that can lead to more sustainable and meaningful progress.
- Cons: It may be overwhelming for clients who prefer to focus on specific goals or areas of improvement.
When to Use the Laissez-Faire Coaching Style
As a coach, you need to understand each client’s readiness and capabilities to decide whether a laissez-faire approach is appropriate for them. Here are some situations when it might be:
1. Highly Self-Motivated Clients
When your clients are already driven and have a clear sense of direction, the laissez-faire style can give them the freedom they need to thrive. These clients usually benefit from minimal intervention and prefer to set and pursue their own goals.
2. Experienced Clients
Clients with significant experience and expertise in their field may prefer a hands-off coaching approach. They typically know what to do and how to achieve their objectives with minimal guidance; they just need a space to reflect, occasional guidance, or a sounding board for their ideas.
3. Creative Professions
In fields that value creativity and innovation, such as the arts, design, or writing, a laissez-faire coaching style can offer an environment where clients feel free to explore new ideas without excessive oversight. This can lead to more extraordinary creative breakthroughs.
4. Leadership Development
Many leaders can benefit from a laissez-faire approach because it encourages them to make autonomous decisions. This can help them build confidence and leadership skills or develop their management style.
5. Building Autonomy and Confidence
If a client’s goal is to become more self-reliant and confident in their decision-making abilities, a laissez-faire coaching style can be an excellent tool for that. By stepping back, you allow them to take ownership of their progress and learn from their experiences.
6. Problem-Solving Skills
If clients want to improve their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, you can give them less direct guidance and encourage them to develop these skills independently. This way, they’ll learn to navigate challenges and find solutions independently.
7. Personal Growth Focus
Clients seeking personal growth and self-discovery may benefit from a coaching style that allows for introspection and self-directed exploration. The laissez-faire approach supports their journey without imposing a structured path.
What is an Example of Using a Laissez-Faire Coaching Style?
Here’s an example of how this coaching style may play out in practice. Let’s say you’re coaching a manager called Alex who wants to develop a strong team. Your coaching conversation may go something like this:
Coach: Hi, Alex. What’s on your mind today?
Alex: I’ve been thinking about how to improve our team’s productivity.
Coach: What ideas have you considered?
Alex: Well, I think we could streamline our processes, but I’m unsure where to start.
Coach: What’s the biggest challenge you see?
Alex: Communication gaps, I guess. Sometimes things get lost in translation.
Coach: How do you think you could address that?
Alex: Maybe more regular check-ins or clearer documentation.
Coach: What’s your first step?
Alex: I could start by scheduling weekly check-ins.
Coach: How will that help?
Alex: It will keep everyone on the same page and ensure everyone is aligned.
Coach: What else could you try?
Alex: I could also create a shared document for updates and tasks.
Coach: What impact do you expect?
Alex: Better coordination and fewer misunderstandings.
Coach: What’s your timeline for implementing this?
Alex: I’ll schedule the check-ins today and set up the document by the end of the week.
Coach: Great. How will you measure success?
Alex: I’ll track our project timelines and see if we consistently meet our own deadlines.
Coach: Sounds like a solid plan. Anything else on your mind?
Alex: No, I think this is a good start. Thanks for your support.
Coach: You’re welcome, Alex. Keep me posted on your progress.
As you can see, Alex didn’t need any expert advice or direction from their coach. They just needed powerful questioning to come up with their own solutions and commit to implementing them.
This is a prime example of how you can offer guidance and even constructive criticism only when necessary and let the coachee get to their own conclusions.
How to Incorporate the Laissez-Faire Coaching Style in Your Practice
Ready to see how this coaching style works in practice? Here’s how you can incorporate it into your sessions.
- Assess your client’s readiness: First, make sure your client is ready for this level of autonomy and has the necessary skills and motivation. You can observe this through active listening or asking them questions directly about their preferences.
- Set clear expectations: To avoid misunderstandings, clarify what role you and your client will play in sessions moving forward. Also, let them know how to proactively ask for help when necessary.
- Monitor progress: Monitor your client’s progress to ensure they stay on track and offer support when needed. Check-ins are still essential, even with a hands-off approach.
- Be available: Make it clear that while taking a step back, you are still available for guidance and support if the client needs it. Stay open to their ideas but recognize when they’re getting lost and losing clarity of their way forward.
Using the laissez-faire coaching style this way can empower your clients to become self-reliant in their growth in your sessions and beyond.
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