Transformational and Transactional Dialogue
Coaches engage in broadly two types of dialoguing with clients: transactional and transformational
Transactional Dialogue
Transactional dialogue takes places when coaches and clients share and transfer ideas, knowledge and information. Learning occurs through the sharing of additional information rather than through a change in the client’s values, beliefs and attitudes.
Coaches providing business coaching frequently engage in transactional dialogue because they work with clients on topics such as strategic planning and financial management. In business coaching, the focus is often on the client (e.g. a manager, director or owner) acquiring new operational or technical skills and knowledge. Transactional dialogue often involves the use of logical and analytical tools and the use of problem-solving skills. Its nature is transactional.
Transformational Dialogue
In transformational dialoguing, the emphasis is on change through the transformation of the client’s values, beliefs and attitudes. The dialogue engages both the coach and client on an emotional and intuitive level. To master personal transformation or change, clients need to gain new insight and understanding, and long-standing habits and patterns of behaviour need to be broken and new ones established.
The High Growth Enterprise Coaching Process
Effective dialoguing, whether transformational or transactional, underpins the coaching process. During engagement, coaches share information and the dialogue is more of a transactional nature, whereas much of the dialogue in the visioning stage will be more of a transformational dialogue.
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