Chapter 2: Incorporating the Wheel of Life into Your Coaching Practice

By using the center of the circle as a 0 and the edge of the circle as a 10, clients then rank their current level of satisfaction in each area and draw a new perimeter along that section. The bumpier the new finished circle is, the more a client can benefit from focusing on improving certain areas of their life.

The eight sections of the Wheel of Life can be labeled by any priorities that a client happens to want to focus one, but their are two traditional uses for this tool. The most common life wheel is used in life coaching to evaluate a client’s level of satisfaction in eight major life priorities, including:

• Physical Environment – Does a client’s home and workplace meet his or her expectations?

• Career – Is a client where he or she wants to be in his or her professional life?

• Money – Is a client financially stable? Is making more money a major factor in seeking out a professional coach?

• Health – Health related priorities can vary from weight loss to dealing with a difficult disease or injury. How happy is the client with his or her general health?

• Friends and Family – Is their room for improvement with a client’s social and family life?

• Romance – Does the client have a significant other? How does he or she feel about the amount of romance in his or life?

• Personal Growth – This priority means different things to different people. Some people consider spirituality a major part of their personal growth while others are focused on life long learning.
• Recreation – How much fun is a client getting out their life?

Business coaches and coaches who specialize in coaching on specific topics tend to choose priorities pertaining to a particular activity or professional aspiration. For example, a business coach who is working with a client on core management competencies might choose priorities like:

• Communication – How well does the client communicate with different personality types?
• Results – Can the client deliver when it counts and follow through on a plan of action?
• Managing Change – Does the client thrive on change or prefer to stick to the status quo?
• Strategic Planning – Can the client identify attainable project objectives and find the best way forward?
• Customer Service – Is the client willing to go the extra mile to exceed a customer’s expectations?
• Team Development – Does the client have a knack for building effective teams or tend to do most of the work for himself?
• Risk Taking – How comfortable is the client with handling risky or stressful situations?
• Decision Making – How well does the client handle calling the shots and making important decisions.

The Wheel of Life is a versatile tool that can be tailor-made for just about any area of professional or personal life. What types of priorities might you include if you were coaching a client who is a small business entrepreneur or struggling with a difficult family life? By spending some time thinking about how the Wheel of Life could be useful in different coaching scenarios, you will be prepared to use this tool effectively if you decide to include it in your own coaching practice.