Whose Agenda? (CCL Continuum)

In Short

Calibrate how directive or facilitative to be as a coach
Best for: CCL coaching stance continuum
Whose Agenda? (CCL Continuum) is a structured tool for coaching and facilitation. Calibrate how directive or facilitative to be as a coach. It provides a repeatable framework that can be adapted to individual, team, and leadership development contexts.
Type of tool: CCL coaching stance continuum
Expected outcomes:
- Improved ability to calibrate how directive or facilitative to be as a coach
- Improved capacity to what each mode produces
- A concrete action or development plan to take forward from the Whose Agenda? (CCL Continuum) process

In Detail

Whose Agenda? (CCL Continuum) is a professional development resource designed to help coaches, leaders, and facilitators calibrate how directive or facilitative to be as a coach. It sits within the category of CCL coaching stance continuum, making it particularly useful for practitioners working on capability development, team performance, and individual growth in organisational settings.

In practice, Whose Agenda? (CCL Continuum) is delivered as a 5-step process. The process begins by introduce the CCL Coaching Continuum: the spectrum from telling (advice, instruction, direction) to asking (inquiry, exp. The session closes by debrief what each mode produces. The structured approach ensures that participants move through a consistent experience while leaving room for the facilitator to adapt pacing and depth to the group's needs.

Whose Agenda? (CCL Continuum) is most valuable when practitioners need a reliable, repeatable approach that can be adapted to different contexts without losing its core structure. It bridges the gap between conceptual understanding and practical application, making it a durable addition to any coaching or facilitation toolkit.

How to Use

1. Introduce the CCL Coaching Continuum: the spectrum from telling (advice, instruction, direction) to asking (inquiry, exploration, co-creation). 2. Participants identify their current default position on the continuum. 3. Discuss when telling is appropriate (clear expertise gap, safety, time pressure) and when asking is more powerful. 4. Practice shifting position: take a real situation and respond in three different modes -- directive, consultative, facilitative. 5. Debrief what each mode produces.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Directly addresses the challenge of calibrate how directive or facilitative to be as a coach through a structured, repeatable approach Adaptable to different seniority levels, team sizes, and organisational contexts Generates actionable insight that participants can apply immediately in their work	Effectiveness varies based on the facilitator's skill level and familiarity with the tool Requires adequate time for both the exercise and a meaningful debrief to realise full value May not be appropriate for all cultural contexts without adaptation

Created by Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)

When to Use

This tool is suited to the following coaching and facilitation contexts:

Context	Relevant
Individual Coaching
Team Coaching
Leadership Development
Facilitation / Workshop	✓
Online / Virtual

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