Session Flow · 20-minute check-in to 60-minute coaching session
OSKAR Coaching Model
A solution-focused coaching model by Paul Z. Jackson and Mark McKergow. Instead of analysing the problem, it starts from the desired outcome and builds on what already works, which makes it brisk and encouraging for regular one-to-one conversations.
When to use OSKAR Coaching Model
Manager one-to-ones, coaching and development conversations where you want progress, not a long problem analysis.
How OSKAR Coaching Model works
Use the five steps as the running order of a one-to-one, coaching or development conversation; the review step opens the next meeting. In a group session, run it in pairs as a peer-coaching block.
Phases of OSKAR Coaching Model
- Outcome: Agree what the person wants from this conversation and what better would look like.
- Scaling: On a scale of 0 to 10, where are they now, and what puts them there rather than lower?
- Know-how & Resources: Explore skills, past successes and people that already help, and when the problem was less present.
- Affirm & Action: Acknowledge what is going well, then agree the next small step, often one point up the scale.
- Review: In the next conversation, look at what got better and what helped.
Key principles
- Focus on the desired future
- Build on what already works
- Use the scale to make progress visible
- Small next steps
- The person is the expert on their situation
Best for
- One-to-ones
- Coaching conversations
- Development and performance conversations
- Peer coaching
Considerations
- Can feel too upbeat when someone first needs to be heard about a problem
- Scaling questions need practice to avoid sounding like a survey
- Less suited to delivering hard performance messages
Attribution & sources
Developed by Paul Z. Jackson and Mark McKergow, early 2000s (The Solutions Focus, first edition 2002)
Design a session with OSKAR Coaching Model
METODIC builds a complete OSKAR Coaching Model-based session — methods, timing, worksheets, and facilitator guides — in minutes.