Collaboration with Clients, Goal Setting & Self-Efficacy (Module 8)

What Is a Goal?

• Definitions volunteered by class:
  • Endpoint or target.
  • Aspiration that is measurable.

• Key characteristics (synthesised):
  • Provides direction and focus.
  • Maintains motivation.
  • Allows measurement of progress.
  • Serves as a bridge turning dreams into reality.

• Key principle: personally meaningful goals are more powerful than those imposed by others; ownership drives commitment.

• Quote discussed: “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

Reflection on Past Goal Experiences

• Reflection prompts used in class:
  • Think of a goal you succeeded in—what factors enabled success?
  • Think of a goal you did not achieve—what barriers interfered?
  • How will these insights inform future goal setting?

• Shared student examples:
  • Weight-loss success (10\,\text{kg} in 6 months) using a star-chart and small monthly targets (≈ 1\,\text{kg} per month).
  • Recurrent failure to adopt an exercise routine due to low commitment.
  • Assignment-completion strategy: incremental time blocks, extra 20 minutes when falling behind, revision buffer.
  • Realisation that external circumstances (e.g. family demands) can derail progress; planning must incorporate flexibility.

Why Bother Setting Goals?

• Summarised benefits:
  • Provides direction & purpose.
  • Enhances intrinsic motivation.
  • Enables tracking & comparison of actual vs. desired performance.
  • Builds confidence, self-esteem, and a growth mindset.
  • Prioritises time/energy and pushes individuals outside their comfort zone.

Types of Goals

• Short-Term
  • Time frame: days to a few months.
  • Examples: finish a school assignment by Friday, save 100 this month.

• Medium-Term
  • Time frame: ≈ 6 months – 2 years.
  • Examples: save for a new computer, improve grades over an academic year.

• Long-Term
  • Time frame: > 2 years.
  • Examples: earn a degree, buy & pay off a house, settle a mortgage.

Motivation & Readiness Assessment

• Clients (or self) must ask:
  • “What is my state of readiness to change in this area right now?”
  • “How hard am I willing to work?”

• Examine prior strategies:
  • Successful tactics to replicate.
  • Unsuccessful tactics or forgotten resources.
  • Potential roadblocks and contingency plans.

The SMART Goal Framework

• Acronym expansion:
  • Specific – clearly define the behaviour or outcome.
  • Measurable – identify quantifiable indicators of progress.
  • Achievable / Action-Oriented – feasible with available resources and concrete actions.
  • Realistic / Relevant – aligns with broader life context and constraints.
  • Time-Bound – anchored to a deadline or review interval.

• Class emphasised ownership: the individual (client or student) must craft and accept responsibility for their own SMART goal.

Worked Example (Walking)

Goal-Setting Exercise (In-Class)

• Students asked to create a personal SMART goal using provided worksheet.

• Example offered by peer: breaking an assignment into timed segments, tracking progress, building revision buffer—all mapped onto SMART criteria.

Transfer of Knowledge

• Definition: applying lessons learned within the professional relationship to life outside that relationship or to new contexts.

• Purposes:
  • Promotes deeper learning & generalisation.
  • Discourages dependency on the professional.
  • Instils hope and optimism through evidence of progress.

• Practitioner strategies:
  • Recap each session, highlight progress.
  • Explicitly connect skills gained to real-world applications.
  • Assign between-session tasks to reinforce autonomy.

Self-Efficacy

• Concept originator: Albert Bandura (social learning theorist; Bobo-Doll experiment).

• Definition: belief in one’s capability to organise and execute actions required to manage prospective situations.

• High self-efficacy leads to:
  • Greater motivation & persistence.
  • Better problem-solving under challenge.

• Observational learning links:
  • Children saying “thank you” after watching parents.
  • Imitation of aggressive behaviour after viewing adult models (Bandura’s Bobo-doll findings).

Supporting Transfer & Self-Efficacy in Practice

• Allow clients to “stay at the wheel” of their journey; professional steps back when appropriate.

• Provide tasks that build mastery to raise self-efficacy (e.g.
  progress ladder for an athlete’s time improvements).

• Anticipate lapses; co-design strategies for maintaining control during setbacks.

• Ethical note: pushing clients toward choices/actions can heighten emotional distress and sabotage outcomes—collaborative exploration is safer.

Action Planning Framework (10 Steps)

1. Psychological preparation (mindset, visualisation, positive self-talk).

2. Identify overarching goal.

3. Identify first step toward that goal.

4. Specify the first step concretely.

5. Decide how to carry it out (methods, resources).

6. Acquire necessary skills or knowledge.

7. Decide when to enact the first step.

8. Carry out the step.

9. Reward/self-reinforce completion.

10. Reassess overall goal and refine plan (iterative cycle).

• Monitoring & reflection are integral—progress reviews, star charts, journals, or digital apps recommended.

Professional & Ethical Considerations

• Always evaluate risk and client readiness before action plans.

• Encourage independence; repeated dependency can be disempowering.

• Maintain flexibility: modify goals or methods if barriers emerge.

• Celebrate small wins—bolsters motivation and reaffirms competence.

Key Takeaways

• Goals turn vision into action; plans turn goals into outcomes.

• SMART structure operationalises goals and makes progress transparent.

• Transfer of knowledge plus self-efficacy ensures sustainable change beyond the consulting room.

• Effective professionals balance guidance with client autonomy, always nurturing hope, resilience, and actionable insight.