States that goal setting is a crucial way to ensure success in coaching and coaches should use a range of approaches to achieve this
People Management
Identifying and setting the right kind of goals is the “very essence of coaching”, according to Anthony Grant, director of the coaching psychology unit at the University of Sydney in Australia.
Coaches should use a range of approaches to help realise clients’ goals. “We need to set goals in line with the coachee’s ability to change – or risk alienating them,” Grant said.

For example, performance goals can impede performance in complex tasks where a person does not have the right skill-set. This can be overcome by re-framing the task to focus on the learning associated with mastering, rather than performing, the task.
In other circumstances, “amplifying undesired outcomes and re-framing the desired outcome can be very useful”, he added.

Goal setting should be realistic or else it can lead to negative behaviour.

“People with unmet goals are more likely to overstate achievements,” Grant said.

Goals may also be in competition with each other and should be dealt with appropriately. “A great coach can work with competing goals and re-frame ideas to bring them together,” he said. “If the goals are congruent, they can facilitate attainment and well-being.”