Co-active coaching – example script

Here’s an example script of a Co-Active leadership coaching session where the coach demonstrates the balance between personal and leadership coaching, highlighting the Co-Active model’s principle of viewing the coachee as a whole person.

Coach:
“Hi John, I’m really excited to begin this journey with you. Today, I want to introduce you to what Co-Active coaching is all about, mainly by example. In Co-Active coaching, we focus on you not just as a leader, but as a whole person—your thoughts, emotions, goals, and how these all connect to your leadership role. Leadership is more than just the strategies you employ at work, it’s also deeply intertwined with your personal values, your sense of purpose, and who you are at your core. How does that resonate with you?”

Coachee:
“That sounds interesting and a bit overwhelming at the same time. However, I like the idea of connecting the personal with the professional. I guess I don’t always think of them as linked.”

Coach:
“Yes, often we don’t. But as a leader, who you are influences how you lead. You bring your whole self to your leadership role every day. Co-Active coaching is about helping you explore the balance between those aspects so that you can lead more effectively while staying true to yourself.”

“I’d like to start by asking you: when you think about yourself as a leader, what comes to mind? And on a personal level, what’s most important to you right now?”

Coachee:
“Well, as a leader, I think about setting direction, making sure the team is motivated, and achieving results. Personally, what’s most important to me is balance. I’ve been feeling like I’m juggling a lot and losing sight of the things I value most outside of work. I find that really challenging for already quite some time”

Coach:
“That’s a powerful insight. What I hear is that both in your leadership and your personal life, balance is a theme—managing the team’s direction while also feeling like you might be losing sight of your own direction. How do you think your personal sense of balance—or lack of it—shows up in your leadership?”

Coachee:
“Hm, I haven’t really thought about it that way, but I guess when I’m feeling overwhelmed, it’s harder for me to be present for my team. I start becoming more task-focused and less people-focused.”

Coach:
“That’s such a strong observation. This is what I mean by seeing you as a whole person. The way you feel personally impacts how you show up as a leader. When you’re grounded in your personal values, you’re able to lead with more clarity and intention.”

“What would it look like for you to bring that balance you’re seeking into your leadership style? How might you show up differently for your team when you’re aligned personally?”

Coachee:
“I think if I had more personal balance, I’d be more present with my team. I could focus on not just the work that needs to get done, but on really understanding their needs, too. I’d probably feel less stressed and be more open to their ideas.”

Coach:
“That’s a beautiful vision—being present, connected, and open. It sounds like creating that balance for yourself could have a really positive impact on your leadership. What’s one small step you could take this week to start bringing that balance into your personal life and leadership?”

Coachee:
“Maybe I could start by setting clearer boundaries for myself, like actually stopping work at a certain time each day and spending more time on things that recharge me.”

Coach:
“That’s a great action step. By giving yourself that space, you’re also giving your leadership more room to grow. In Co-Active coaching, we’ll work together to find that balance and align both your personal and leadership goals.”

“To wrap up today, how does it feel to explore yourself both as a leader and as a person in this way?”

Coachee:
“It feels refreshing. I didn’t realize how connected the two were. I’m excited to see where this goes.”

Coach:
“I’m excited, too! This balance will be our guiding focus, and as we move forward, we’ll continue to check in on how you’re aligning your personal values with your leadership goals. You’ve got so much potential, and I can’t wait to explore it with you.”

Key elements highlighted in this example script:

• Whole-Person Focus: The coach balances personal exploration with leadership development.
• Co-Active Philosophy: The coach empowers the coachee by inviting them to explore connections between personal values and leadership style.
• Empathy & Curiosity: The coach uses active listening and powerful questions to help the coachee arrive at insights.
• Action-Oriented: The session ends with a clear action step that integrates personal well-being and leadership effectiveness.

This style of coaching can have a profound impact on coachees, as they realize that addressing their personal well-being and leadership skills in tandem will strengthen their ability to lead effectively.

Much more about co-active coaching in this blog post: co-active coaching – why?

Interested in how the script would develop if you were the coachee? Book a discovery session to find out. Its free of course.

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