Are Action Steps Essential?
by Dr. Keith E. Webb
Boil the practice of coaching down to its core two functions and you are left with reflection for insights and actions steps for application. Yet, some people struggle with coaching action steps. They view stimulating reflection as virtuous and the main job of a coach, while generating action steps as too pragmatic and therefore optional.
Let's look at where these attitudes may stem from and take a closer look at a spiritual process of setting action steps.
Reflection as Contemplation
Coaches use active listening and powerful questions to help people reflect on their situation and explore their own hearts. This process produces insights, expanded perspective, and new "ah-ha" moments.
Reflection most clearly resembles the discipline of contemplation. Historically, the Church has exemplified those who take generous amounts of time to pray, meditate, and reflect. This trend continues today.
At coaching workshops no one has ever suggested that we spend less time helping people reflect. In fact, some coaches-in-training realize their tendency to minimize reflection, jumping straight to action steps, and feel guilty about it. They want to learn how to help others reflect more deeply. This attitude is very different from those who tend to minimize action steps, as we will see.
The Trouble with Action Steps
Coaches help people to create action steps using the same reflective skills of active listening and powerful questions. Action steps put feet to insights and discoveries.
Yet, for some coaches-in-training action steps feel too pragmatic and worldly. They prefer the safety of theory and ideas. Wrapping themselves in the spiritual mystery of reflection and insights. For to act on these insights requires a clarity that removes mystery and means placing their ideas at risk.
Some use the high value of contemplative spiritual disciplines to justify focusing on reflection, while leaving action steps vague, undefined, or ignored.
Faith and Works
The reflection-action steps dichotomy isn't a new one. The book of James speaks to it. James 2:14-26
"... faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead."
"... I will show you my faith by what I do."
"You see that his faith and his actions were working together and his faith was made complete by what he did."
Faith and deeds - insights and action steps - they are not mutually exclusive, they are symbiotic. Actions complete insights. Faith un-acted upon is only potential faith, which, according to James, is dead.
Source of Actions Steps
Few question the role of the Holy Spirit in providing insights through the reflection process. The same Holy Spirit is the source of action steps. Look at Philippians 2:13:
"...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
God gives people the will and the ability to act. He is the source of action steps - those actions that complete the insights He provided during reflection.
Don't shy away from helping people set action steps. Use the same spiritual discovery process that you use in reflection to generate Spirit-willed action steps to live out those insights. Insights without action steps is only half formed. God's purposes require completing the insight with actions.
Questions
- How symbiotic is your current practice of stimulating reflection and generating action steps?
- In what ways could you improve the creation of action steps?
- How might you incorporate more spiritual discovery into the creation of action steps?
-------Join the dialogue and leave your comments here-------
Copyright © 2009 Keith E. Webb & CRM
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 Dr. Keith E. Webb is a trainer and experienced cross-cultural leadership coach helping organizations, teams, and individuals multiply their cross-cultural impact. Find free articles at http://www.CreativeResultsManagement.com.
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