Co-Active Coaching: The Designed Alliance

In coaching, as in climbing, the Designed Alliance keeps both partners connected, trusting, and moving forward together.

In rock climbing, there are two key roles: the climber and the belayer. Your coaching client is the climber, scaling the rocky terrain of their personal and professional growth. You, the coach, are their belayer, holding the rope—providing just enough tension to support them, but never pulling so hard that they lose their footing.

The client leads the climb, choosing their path based on their goals.

The coach ensures safety, offering encouragement, strategic holds, and the occasional reality check.

Trust is everything—both need to agree on how the climb should go, how much challenge is needed, and when it’s time to pause and reassess.

This is the Co-Active Designed Alliance in action—a co-created agreement that ensures both climber and belayer (client and coach) are in sync. Sometimes, a climber reaches a plateau, and that’s the moment for a route check. Are they on the best path? Do they need a new approach? That’s when the Designed Alliance gets revisited and adjusted—making sure the coaching relationship supports their next move.

So, how do you design an alliance that keeps your client moving upward, while ensuring they feel safe, challenged, and empowered? Climb on.

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