The PN Coaching Process Checklist

Good coaching requires a repeatable, systematic process.

Assess & Understand Strategize

gather data & explore & plan
Choose
& test

Analyze &
evaluate

Observe &
monitor

The PN Coaching Process is used for both Kickoff (initial session) and ongoing Check-ins.

Kickoff: Establish the action plan Check-ins: Update the action plan

KICKOFF CHECK-IN Strategize

& plan

Assess & Understand Strategize

Choose
gather data & explore & plan
& test
Choose
& test
Analyze &
evaluate

Prepare
Analyze &
evaluate Debrief

Debrief Observe &

monitor Prepare

Observe &
monitor Prepare
The PN Coaching Process Checklist (cont’d)

This form walks you through the checklist of what to do at each phase of the Coaching Process.

Use it as a template. Adapt this to the processes that work best with your own style and coaching programs.

Kickoff checklist
Kickoff: Establish the action plan Check-ins:

KICKOFF CHECK-IN

Assess & Understand Strategize

gather data & explore & plan
Choose
& test
Analyze &
evaluate

Prepare
Analyze &
evaluate

Debrief Ob

Observe &
monitor Prepare

(Prepare)
KEY OBJECTIVE: PLAN AND PREP FOR YOUR FIRST CLIENT MEETING

{ Calm yourself and focus. Try to minimize distractions and focus your attention on the goals and needs of your client in their
upcoming session.

{ Review any information that you’ve already collected about your client (e.g., through a completed intake form, coaching
interest form, emails, etc.).

{ Prepare any forms that you want your client to complete.

Some of the most common forms for Kickoff are:
• Initial Assessment and Triage Questionnaire
• Essential Skills Assessment
• Stress & Recovery Questionnaire
• Athletic Nutrition Needs Questionnaire
The PN Coaching Process Checklist (cont’d)

{ Review the PN Practice Library to familiarize yourself with potential skill and practice options for your client.

{ Review the First Five coaching tools to remind yourself of your priorities while you’ll be listening and coaching in your
upcoming session.

Kickoff
OPEN THE SESSION WITH CONNECTION

{ Establish a warm, friendly, welcoming vibe and rapport.

{ Connect and build the agenda together.

{ Identify and agree on the session goal (e.g., to have a clear, manageable next action that the client feels confident doing).

{ Start to build trust: Briefly introduce yourself and your coaching program / approach (e.g., client-centeredness, progressive
behavior change, evidence-based practice, deep health, etc.).

{ Show patience and empathy. While you’ll likely be doing a lot of talking in the Kickoff session, remain empathetic and attuned
to your client’s needs, questions, and concerns as they come up.

{ Let them know what they might reasonably expect as part of the normal process of change and coaching, and that you’ll
deal with those together. For instance, “Sometimes you may have challenges as you learn. That’s completely normal. We’ll
address those things together as a team, as they come up.”

{ Encourage them to ask any questions or raise any concerns they may have.

Step 1: Assess & gather data

KEY OBJECTIVE: COLLECT AND REVIEW KEY INFORMATION RELATED TO YOUR CLIENT’S GOAL

{ Gather basic client information. Identify and clarify their basic profile and goals. (E.g., go over the PN Initial Assessment &
Triage Questionnaire together, and use any other forms you need to get helpful information.)

{ Determine your client’s level, either through an assessment (such as the Essential Skills Assessment) or open-ended questions.

Step 2: Understand & explore

KEY OBJECTIVE: BUILD YOUR CLIENT’S DEEP HEALTH STORY

{ Try to understand their story. Beyond what you’ve collected through forms, be curious and ask open-ended questions to
understand the bigger picture of their goals, values, and lifestyle. If possible, help your client choose words and imagery that
clearly represent their identity, goals, and values.

{ Identify and confirm your understanding of their strengths and limiting factors.

{ Identify and confirm any normal anxieties or ambivalence (e.g., competing priorities, concerns, etc.).

{ Confirm what they’re ready, willing, and able to do (and not do) to reach their goal right now.
Common resources for exploring this are:
• Want-Willing-Won’t Worksheet
• Push-Pull Habit Anxiety Worksheet
• Deep Health Questionnaire
The PN Coaching Process Checklist (cont’d)

{ Listen actively. Try to reflect back and confirm what you’re hearing. Focus on listening, and avoid giving advice at this stage.

{ Confirm your understanding of your client’s deeper why, and document their why statement. If necessary, consider using the
5 Whys Worksheet to establish a clearer why statement.

{ Document your client’s goal in writing. Ideally, put it into a form that you can easily share with your client (e.g., in an email or
printed on paper).

{ Based on your client’s goal, start to document key desired outcomes and possible outcome metrics.

{ If possible, establish the cadence of measurements for outcome goals.

Step 3: Strategize & plan

KEY OBJECTIVE: DRAFT AN ACTION PLAN OF OUTCOME AND BEHAVIOR GOALS

{ Briefly describe GSPA as the process to achieve your client’s goals by breaking those goals down into skills, practices, and
small actions.

{ Convert their outcome goal (e.g., lose 20 lb) into broad behavior goal(s) (e.g., eat better, sleep better, exercise more, etc.)
connected to that outcome and that they are ready, willing, and able to work toward.
Some common resources to help are:
• The PN Practice Library
• From Goal to Action Worksheet

{ Brainstorm potential skills and practices that would help your client reach their behavior and outcome goal(s).
Some common resources to help are:
• Limiting Factors, Advantages, and Next Actions Worksheet
• Level 1 Skills, Practices, & Actions Cheat Sheet
• The PN Practice Library

{ Identify a small set of the most important skills and practices for your client (i.e., 1-2 skills with 1-2 practices each), based
on your client’s chosen behavior goal(s), desired outcome(s), existing strengths and limiting factors, and what they are most
ready, willing, and able to work on. Describe how these practices build your client’s skills and move them towards their goal(s).
Capture this in the From Goal to Action Worksheet.

{ Start to document possible metrics for measuring those goals. If possible, establish a process for measuring progress on
behavior goals.
Some common resources to help are:
• Essential Skills Assessment
• Checklist for Outcome and Behavior Goals
• Deep Health Questionnaire
The PN Coaching Process Checklist (cont’d)

Step 4: Choose & test

KEY OBJECTIVE: ESTABLISH SMALL, SIMPLE, SPECIFIC DAILY ACTION(S)

{ Collaboratively choose one (or two) practice(s) that your client is ready, willing, and able to try from the list of the most
important skills and practices that you created in Step 3 (e.g., you may have documented that list of skills and practices in the
From Goals to Action Worksheet).

{ Together, collaborate on one or two next action(s) for each practice. Clearly define and agree on what “doing the action”
means and involves.

{ Check for at least 90% confidence. If needed, shrink the action(s) down to a simpler version until the client has at least 9/10
confidence.

{ Anticipate and prepare for obstacles together.

{ Confirm your client’s structure for support.

{ Document your client’s action commitment for both you and the client, so expectations are clear on the chosen action(s).
You can capture all the key points here:
• Action Commitment Worksheet

{ Double-check with your client to confirm understanding of next actions, and how those actions fit into the bigger picture of
behavior and outcome goals.

{ If necessary, provide any information and/or resources that could help the client do the action (e.g., Hand-Sized Portion
Guide; Food Spectrums; Sleep & Recovery Ideas; Ideas for Movement; etc.). (Tip: To help your client accept and engage with
this material, first ask if it’s OK to share it with them.)

{ If necessary, provide any resources that could help the client reflect on the agreed-upon task before their next Check-in
(e.g., Looking Back, Looking Ahead Worksheet; Meal Consistency Worksheet; Bright Spots Tracker; etc.).

CLOSE THE SESSION WITH CLARITY AND OPTIMISM

{ Check in with your client. You can use the Coaching Feedback Questionnaire or simply make this an informal discussion:
{ How are they doing and feeling?
{ Have they understood what you’ve asked them to do?
{ Do they have any other questions, comments, or concerns?

{ Explain what will happen next. Confirm the next Check-in date and expectations on how to communicate until then.

(Debrief)
KEY OBJECTIVE: REFLECT ON AND RECORD THE KEY INFORMATION YOU LEARNED THROUGH KICKOFF

{ Program reflection: How did your client respond to the starting practice options?

{ Client reflection: What are you learning about how your client could be thinking and feeling about their goals?

{ Coaching reflection: How did you do as a coach? Which coaching techniques did you use, and how successful did they seem
to be?

{ Future visioning: Ultimately, what kind of insight or breakthroughs do you want to happen with this client?

Use the Debrief template for Kickoff and Check-ins to fully complete this part of the process.
 The PN Coaching Process Checklist (cont’d)

Check-in checklist

Follow these steps after Kickoff and for every subsequent Check-in.

Check-ins:
Progress Update
Check-ins: the action
Update planplan
the action

CHECK-IN Strategize
& plan

Choose
& test
Choose
& test
Analyze &
evaluate

Debrief

Debrief Observe &

monitor Prepare

repare
(Prepare)
KEY OBJECTIVE: PREPARE YOURSELF FOR YOUR CLIENT’S PROGRESS CHECK-IN

{ Review where you left off in your last Check-in. Review previous Debrief and notes. (E.g., what specific next actions did your
client commit to in the last Check-in? What breakthroughs or insight did your client have? Etc.)

{ Review any information that you’ve gathered from your client since your last Check-in (e.g., through completed forms,
worksheets, or communication). Anticipate where they may be blocked and what information or questions may be helpful to
unblock them (e.g., what motivational interviewing or solution-focused questions could you try?).

{ If necessary, review the PN Practice Library to familiarize yourself with potential new skill and practice options for your client.

{ Prepare any new resources, forms, or questions that you want to introduce to your client in your upcoming Check-in.

{ Pause and establish your own mindset. Temporarily set aside other concerns and issues so that you can give your client your
full attention.
The PN Coaching Process Checklist (cont’d)

Progress Check-in
OPEN THE SESSION WITH CONNECTION

{ Establish a warm, friendly, welcoming vibe and rapport.

{ Connect and build the agenda together.

{ Identify the session goal (e.g., to have a clear, manageable next action that the client feels confident doing).

Step 1: Observe & monitor

KEY OBJECTIVE: REVIEW YOUR CLIENT’S ACTIVITIES AND PROGRESS

{ Review your client’s engagement in any additional resources (e.g., additional forms, worksheets, or reading that you’ve
provided).

{ If necessary, remind your client (and yourself) there is no failure, only feedback. Whatever you discover together will simply
be data that helps you make better decisions in the future.

{ Discuss the previously agreed-upon action(s) and gather data:

{ How often / consistently / well did the client do the agreed-upon action(s)?
{ What went well, even just a little bit?
{ Did any challenges or questions come up?

{ If possible, document updates to your client’s progress measurements.

Step 2: Analyse & evaluate

KEY OBJECTIVE: IDENTIFY PATTERNS TO HELP INFORM YOUR NEXT STEPS

{ Review how your client’s progress indicators are trending (e.g., practice consistency, practice targets, outcome measures,
etc.). Has doing the action(s) moved your client closer to the results they want to see?

{ Together, discuss what’s working.

{ Celebrate any progress markers you can find!
{ Why is that working? How can they do more of that?
{ Document your client’s key wins, ideally in a place that’s easily shared with your client.

Step 3: Strategize & plan

KEY OBJECTIVE: CONFIRM OR ADJUST YOUR CLIENT’S ACTION PLAN

{ Review your client’s current action plan: outcome goal(s), behavior goal(s), skills, and practices.
{ What are the data telling you?
{ Are you looking at the right data for your client’s specific goal(s) and outcome(s)?

{ Confirm or adjust your client’s action plan using outcome-based decision making. (I.e., is progress moving in the right
direction? Do you both feel confident in sticking with the initial plan?)

{ If yes to both, keep going!

The PN Coaching Process Checklist (cont’d)

{ If no to either, work with your client to brainstorm how to shift. You can:
{ change actions,
{ shrink the original action,
{ make the original action more challenging,
{ add a new action, or
{ shift to a different practice, skill, and/or entirely new behavior goal to focus on.

{ If necessary, review any adjustments to goals, why statement, and desired outcomes and confirm your documentation is
up-to-date.

Step 4: Choose & test

KEY OBJECTIVE: CHOOSE A PRACTICE AND ESTABLISH SMALL, SIMPLE, SPECIFIC DAILY ACTION(S) FOR IT

{ If necessary, collaboratively choose one (or two) practice(s) the client is ready, willing, and able to try if you both
determined to change the practice(s) in Step 3.

{ If necessary, collaborate on one (or two) next action(s) for each practice, if you both decided to change the action(s) in Step
3. Clearly define and agree on what “doing the action” means and involves.

{ Check for at least 90% confidence. If needed, shrink the action(s) down to a simpler version until the client has at least 9/10
confidence.

{ Anticipate and prepare for obstacles together.

{ Confirm your client’s structure for support.

{ Document your client’s action commitment for both you and the client, so expectations are clear on the chosen action(s).
You can capture all the key points here:
• Action Commitment Worksheet

{ Double-check with your client to confirm understanding of next actions, and how those actions fit into the bigger picture of
behavior and outcome goals.

{ If necessary, provide any information and/or resources that could help the client do the action (e.g., Hand-Sized Portion
Guide; Food Spectrums; Sleep & Recovery Ideas; Ideas for Movement; etc.).

{ If necessary, provide any resources that could help the client reflect on the agreed-upon task before their next Check-in
(e.g., Looking Back, Looking Ahead Worksheet; Meal Consistency Worksheet; Bright Spots Tracker; etc.).

CLOSE THE SESSION WITH CLARITY AND OPTIMISM

{ Check in with your client. You can use the Coaching Feedback Questionnaire or simply make this an informal discussion:
{ How are they doing and feeling?
{ Have they understood what you’ve asked them to do?
{ Do they have any other questions, comments, or concerns?

{ Explain what will happen next. Confirm the next Check-in date and expectations on how to communicate until then.
The PN Coaching Process Checklist (cont’d)

(Debrief)
KEY OBJECTIVE: REFLECT ON AND RECORD INFORMATION THAT YOU LEARNED IN YOUR LAST CHECK-IN

{ Program reflection: How is your client’s program evolving, and how well are practices working?

{ Client reflection: What are you continuing to learn about how your client could be thinking and feeling about their goals?

{ Coaching reflection: How are you doing as a coach? Which coaching techniques did you respond to your client with? How
effective have your coaching techniques been?

{ Future visioning: Ultimately, what kind of insight or breakthroughs do you want to happen with this client? Is your client
moving in that direction?

Use the Debrief template for Kickoff and Check-ins form to fully complete this part of the process.

A final note (and reminder!)

This is your starter guide.
This coaching model is a guide of best practices, NOT a prescription or a list of to-dos. It’s meant to be an open-ended set of
coaching prompts that helps you remember what to do next, especially if you get stuck.

In the beginning (especially), this helps you develop your personal coaching practice and style.

You’ll make mistakes. Using this as a template is a way to see which steps you may be missing and to always keep improving.

It’s a roadmap to your coaching greatness.

Be creative. Put your own stamp on this.

Explore. The model was designed to be flexible. Take from it what you like, and find what works best for you. Test your own ideas
and assumptions.

Don’t let a model strip you of your style! That unique, personal touch and human connection is one of your greatest business and
coaching assets.