ORACLE Model and Tools
OUTCOME
What is the
goal?
EXECUTE
REAL ISSUE
Reflect and
Clarify the
plan to
problem
implement
LIKELIHOOD OF
ALTERNATIVES
SUCCESS
Obviuos
Evaluate and
ideas/action
check
already taken
consequences
CREATIVE IDEAS
Generate
alternatives /
new option
* Reference : adapted from Jones and Gorell, 2018
ORACLE Overview
Clients state overall issue.
Actively listen and use encouraging non-verbal behaviour.
Avoid asking ‘detail’ questions, so that you keep clients in the flow of their thought process.
Summarize the issue and reflect back to clients to check for accuracy.
Ask clients to describe what the desired outcome would be.
O Encourage clients to use all senses to describe how they would feel if
they achieved this outcome.
Ask what success would look like (visualize) or what others might be
Outcome
saying about them.
Test for underlying issues or concerns. Is the stated issue the real
issue?
R Are there any issues that need to be explored further to check for deeper
concerns?
Real issue Engage active listening. Use probing questions.
Use reflective summaries to uncover information.
Start by asking what clients have already thought about doing.
A
What actions have already been taken?
What successes have already been achieved?
Alternatives Are any of these worth exploring further?
Ask clients ‘What else could you do?’
Obtain as many suggestions as possible without evaluating any of
them.
Listen attentively and reflect back to clients all their solutions, so that
they can see the range.
C Include any suggestions that were said in fun or off the cuff but have
possibilities.
Ask clients again if they have any further ideas, listening attentively.
Creative
Once they have firmly exhausted all their ideas, summarize the ideas
Ideas
once more, without appearing to favour or judge any particular one.
At this point only, if you have any further ideas to add to a client’s
selection, then pose them simply as possibilities.
Ensure that you do not appear to favour your own ideas.
If clients already have a good range of ideas, then hold back on yours.
In order for clients to evaluate the likelihood of each suggestion, suggest
that they rank each idea on a scale of 1–10 as to the potential success
of each idea.
L Also suggest that clients rate each idea according to difficulty of
implementation.
Ask clients questions about each idea to check:
Likelihood
‘What would it take to make it happen?’
of success
‘What consequences are attached to each?’
‘What costs are attached?’
‘What might be the benefits of this solution?’
Reflect back the favoured solution. Ask clients what they think they will
do.
Check how they feel about implementing the solution.
Ask what possible barriers/hurdles they may come across and
encourage them togenerate solutions to overcome these.
E Ask if anything else needs to happen to increase their confidence to
resolve the issue.
Execute Probe for any final barriers or hurdles.
Encourage clients to double check their first actions, milestones, target
dates and resources required to ensure that they are feasible and
realistic.
Agree your support and next steps in the coaching journey
Questions for the different st eps of t he ORACLE model
What is your ideal outcome?
What would success look like?
If you could w ake up tomorrow and this was all resolved what
O would be happening?
What is a realistic time fram e within which to achieve t his?
Outcome What would be the logical first st ep?
How will you know when things are right?
How much control do you have over this outcome?
What is the current situation?
What makes you think it is not as it should be?
R
What is the real issue?
What impact does it have on you?
Real issue What else is concerning you?
What prevents you from resolving these issues?
What have you done so far?
A
What results did these actions have?
What ideas do you have?
Are there any other options?
Alternatives
What have you already tried?
What if money were no issue?
C
What if you did not need to consult anyone else?
Who could help you t he most?
Can you think of anything else?
Creative
(If the client says ‘I don’t know’): If you did know, what might it
Ideas
be?
Which option appeals the mo st?
Which option makes most sense?
What do you think you will do?
If you do this, how w ill things change?
How will you know that it has worked?
L
What will tell you?
How will you measure it?
Likelihood How sure are you that you can achieve this?
of success What is the likelihood, on a sc ale of 1 –10, that you will be
successful in c hanging X, Y, Z?
What prevent ed you from putting a 10?
What else could you do to make it a 10?
On a sc ale of 1 –10, how difficult is eac h solution to implement?
What support will you need?
When are you going to start this?
E
What will you do? What will be your first step?
If this works well, what will be the next st ep?
What other milest ones are there?
Execute
How will you overcome any obst acles?
If the desired result is not as expected, what will you do next?
