Using Life-Skills Coaching Techniques to Empower Your Callers

What’s Your Game Plan:

Francesca Kranzberg, CIRS Francie.kranzberg@shalomdc.org301-348-7313

Kristin Ankrom, LSWkankrom@ohiopps.org740-687-0501

Empowerment Theory

Empowerment – “process by which individuals gain power, access to resources and control over their own lives. In doing so they gain the ability to achieve their highest personal goals” (Robbins, Chatterjee, & Canda, 1998, p.91).

Self-actualization (personal growth and fulfillment)

Esteem (achievement, status, responsibility, reputation)

Belongingness & Love (family, affection, relationships, work group, etc.)

Safety (protection, security, order, law, etc.)

Biological and Physiological (air, food, water, shelter, etc.)

Roles & Strategies

• Resource Consultant – Links callers to resources to enhance self-esteem and problem solving skills. – Enables the caller to gain independence and control over their

lives• The Sensitizer helps/allows the caller to recognize and

identify their own strengths and the strengths of others• As a Teacher you are the manager of the learning process

aimed at helping the caller find solutions. Educate the community and other professionals about barriers that families encounter.

• Cooperator – Caller is the one who is self-determining in achieving self-efficacy and empowerment. Connecting empowered person to others who share common histories, issues, and barriers.

Empower v. Enable

EMPOWER– Educate– Provide resources– Advocate– Promote personal

responsibility– Consistency– Listen– Validate feelings– Believe in change– Expressing empathy

ENABLE– Owning the customer’s

problem– Getting caught up in the

“cycle of excuses”– Ignoring the problem– Not allowing for personal

growth– Not addressing

barriers/concerns– Expressing sympathy– Failure to recognize personal

responsibility and goal attainment

Identify what needs to happen - clearly and measurably – in order for the causal factors to happen or exist.

• It is natural for causal factors to depend on a number of enabling factors.

• If necessary again research this. • Write these factors down and clearly define them, again so that

even a stranger could understand them. • Attach measures and timings.

• Then identify if there are any enabling factors which need to happen before this level of enabling factors.• If so, add a fourth level and complete the enabling factors

accordingly. • When you have completed your plan, you can then start to

work through the levels - from the bottom to the top.