How Attuned can help you become a more effective coach
Like many coaches, I find it helpful to begin a new partnership with a focus on self-knowledge. Whether you use a wheel of life or a psychometric assessment, the goal is the same: to provoke insight and empower your client to move forward with a greater understanding of themselves.
Your exploration of the results is the most important step with any coaching tool, and the type of assessment you choose will ultimately influence what gets discussed.
What I like about using Attuned is that the focus on Intrinsic Motivation provides a unique perspective: Instead of the more visible characteristics and behaviors that make up our personalities, Attuned looks at motivations that lie beneath the surface. This takes the conversation deeper, quicker and brings awareness to topics like fulfillment and personal values.
3 things to remember and discuss before reviewing the Motivator Report
There are no “good” or “bad” results in a Motivator Report
Each person simply has a different blend of motivational needs, and there is nothing better about one Motivator than another. Indeed, there are millions of possible combinations, so each person’s report is as unique as a fingerprint.
Encourage your coachee to stay in a mindset of non-judgment and take the time to review the “Understanding Your Report” section together.
Attuned does not measure personality, skill level, or behavior
You may need to remind your client of this during the discussion, as it’s one of the primary ways I’ve seen people get sidetracked when reflecting on their report. For example, someone whose need for Rationality falls in the “neutral” category may push back by saying “but I’m a rational person!”
Within the report, click on the Motivator name to get more information about how Attuned defines each one or use the 11 Motivator cards to go even further.
Fully utilize the resources provided by Attuned
The report itself is interactive and packed with information. In addition to the details about each Motivator, there is a whole section about preferred work environments. It’s interesting to see what comes up when you talk through those preferences, especially if you reflect on how they align with the current (or desired) work environment.
If your coachee is using Attuned with their team, consider doing a deep dive into their Motivator Report first, then explore how they can adapt their communication with team members to resonate with each person’s top Motivators. The Motivation Dashboards pull the most actionable data together with clear visuals, and are a great complement to the powerful questions below.
22 powerful questions for discussing Attuned results
*The Motivators mentioned below are examples. Swap in the Motivators that are most relevant for your client.
As we look at your report, what jumps out at you?
What rings true? What surprises you?
If we were to focus on one Motivator, which would be most useful?
What does this Motivator mean to you?
Who are you when your need for Progress is being fulfilled?
How do your actions align with this Motivator?
Reading the Motivator card for Innovation, what resonates with you? What would you add to the description? What would you remove?
How do you experience Autonomy at work?
What would increasing your fulfillment in that area mean for you?
How might your need for this Motivator impact the way you view your work environment?
How does Feedback enter into your leadership style?
What blindspots might arise when communicating with someone whose need for this motivator is the opposite of yours?
How does this Motivator show up in your daily work? In the way you set goals?
How do your “need to have” Motivators impact your communication style with your team?
How might your team members’ Motivators affect the way they perceive that communication?
What adjustments could you make to shift from emphasizing your top Motivators to incorporating theirs?
What’s the relationship between Security and Financial Needs?
What’s the distinction between Social Relationships and Altruism?
What are you learning about yourself right now?
What do you want to do with that learning?
What action do you want to take out of this conversation?
When will you follow through on that action?
All of these questions can be tailored specifically to the Motivators that are most relevant to your client, and they’re just a starting point. As you explore key Motivators I’d also recommend incorporating language from the Motivator descriptions for even greater nuance. Many of the 11 Motivators are multifaceted, and certain elements may be more of a driver for one client than others.
Here’s an example of some questions that are specific to Competition:
What is most challenging about your current role?
How can you assess your performance?
What does “winning” mean to you?
What is your relationship with losing?
How does your need for a competitive environment shape the way you interact with your teammates?
What are the benefits of your competitive perspective for colleagues? What are the potential downsides?
What would be an inspirational target for you?
How can you set the bar higher?
What would a successful outcome look like?
Incorporating Motivators beyond the first discussion
I often think of a person’s top Motivators as a lens through which they view their situation; different Motivators will “color” the same environment in a slightly different light. Like the fish that doesn’t realize it’s surrounded by water, someone who places a lot of value on Status (for example) may not be conscious of the impact that Motivator has on their decisions or behaviors. Because of this, self-awareness is an ongoing process that will extend far beyond the first discussion.
Fortunately, it’s easy to incorporate these Motivators into subsequent conversations because it becomes a shared vocabulary. Since your client has already considered how those drivers affect their perspective, you can pull them back to this mindset with simple questions like “what impact is Security having on your decision here?”
I’ve seen many managers who feel empowered by this knowledge, especially when they begin to leverage it to communicate more effectively with their team. Over time, you’ll find that your client begins to notice the water.
Download The State of Motivation Report 2024. It’s free!
