Session 2: Rapport & Engagement

Shipley Coaching · Level 1 Certification · Session 2

Rapport & Engagement

Rapport, the trust between coach and client, sits at the center of every session. Session 2 adds the ethical guardrails (ICF #1), the CORE session map, the Leadership Engagement Model, and Picture-in-Picture, the first process for growing client resourcefulness.

CORE: The Shape of Every Shipley Session

Each stage has a job and, after this session, a tool to do it with.

C

Connect

Job

Build trust; client feels heard

Tool

Rapport: match, backtrack, be curious

O

Outcome

Job

Name what the client wants

Tool

Outcome Frame: positive, in client's control

R

Resources

Job

Increase the client's resourcefulness

Tool

Picture-in-Picture (PiP)

E

Exit

Job

Close the session well

Tool

"Most valuable?" + appreciation

Rapportsits at the center of the CORE cycle: built in Connect, kept through Exit.

Building Rapport · Coach's Toolkit

What Can You Match?

• Posture, gestures, facial expression
• Voice: tone, pace, volume, energy
• The client's own words and key phrases

Do Coaches Always Match?

• No: match to connect, then lead
• Mismatch on purpose to shift state or focus
• Avoid obvious mimicry; it feels like a sales pitch

Paraphrasing vs. Backtracking

Paraphrasecoach's words for client's meaning

Backtrackclient's exact keywords, played back

Rapport Best Practices

• Backtrack highlights only: values, marked-out words
• Embed backtracks inside your next question
• Match, smile, ask from curiosity

ICF Core Competency #1 · Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Definition: understands and consistently applies coaching ethics and standards of coaching.

1. 1.01Personal integrity and honesty with clients, sponsors, stakeholders
2. 1.02Sensitive to identity, environment, experiences, values, beliefs
3. 1.03Appropriate, respectful language
4. 1.04Abides by ICF Code of Ethics; upholds ICF Core Values
5. 1.05Confidentiality per stakeholder agreements and law
6. 1.06Keeps coaching distinct from consulting, therapy, others
7. 1.07Refers to other support professionals as appropriate

ProfessionalismCollaborationHumanityEquity

Leadership Engagement Model · "Four Quadrants"

• Meaningful (top) · Emotional (left)
• Mental (right) · Physical (bottom)

Core Idea

• Engagement draws on four human dimensions
• Glossary: four desires: autonomy, mastery, relationships, meaning

The 4 Ws of Coaching

Wantdefine it

Wayfind paths

Willbuild commitment

Winexperience it

Picture-in-Picture (PiP) · Process

Picture→step In→Picture

1. Client defines a short-term outcome (1–2 weeks)
2. Apply the Outcome Frame
   Stated in the positiveIn the client's control
3. Create the "Picture": What do you want?
4. Step "In" and experience it
   How did you get it?How did you stay committed?
5. Step out and save the "Picture"

Practice target: one full PiP in 7 minutes or less. Manual adds a third frame check, SMARRTS; later sessions add "Good for all?" and a final test.

Exam Watch · ICF Tie-Ins

Counting Competency #1

• ICF: 1 definition + 7 sub-competencies
• Slides number the definition too (8 items)

Confidentiality Has Limits

• No clergy- or attorney-style legal privilege
• Harm to self/others, illegal activity: report per law

When to Refer

• Harm risk, depression, life-limiting phobia
• Client stuck outside your niche: refer onward

Rapport in the ICF Model

• #4 Trust & Safety; #6.02 reflect or summarize
• 2025 update kept #1 substantively unchanged

The Through-Line

A client will know you are listening by the quality of the backtrack or question that follows. (Tony Husted, MCC)

Sources: Shipley Coaching Certification Training, Level 1, Session 2 slides "Rapport & Engagement" (Cohort 17) and Student Manual (v. 2026-06-01), incl. glossary. International Coaching Federation, Core Competencies (2019 model; 2025 update) and ICF Code of Ethics core values, coachingfederation.org.

Leadership Engagement Model and Picture-in-Picture are Shipley Coaching models. Matching guidance reflects standard NLP pacing-and-leading; check against the class recording. Competency wording paraphrased; memorize the official text from ICF.