When I started my organizing business, Chaos Commandos, Inc, I had no idea just how often I'd have to play the role of cheerleader with my clients. I love it, and I now serve as an organizational coach with just about every individual I work with.

When I worked with my first ADD client, my responsibilities as an organizer changed because my client had so many doubts about his ability to alter the patterns he had adopted. These patterns usually involved various levels of anxiety over a task, an errand, or what to do with a certain piece of paper. My words of encouragement came not only out of respect for this individual and the problems he was having, but out of a need to support a troubled soul that didn't know which way to turn. His needs were that basic and genuine. 

Organizing this client involved going over many personal and sentimental items. He'd hold one of them up, with a quizzical look on his face, and rather than tell him what to do with this this item, I'd ask him to try and select one of the folders, or envelopes, or boxes we had selected for the task at hand. Truth is, he knew what every item meant to him, so deciding where to put it was just a matter of trust. Having me there to support and understand his needs and the importance of his belongings allowed him to find a home for just about everything. He felt that I understood him, and that he wasn't alone.

SMALL STEPS:

Now, I employ this understanding to every client I work with. Not that I wasn't understanding before - what I mean is that I see what they see more clearly, including the fear and reluctance they exhibit when we work together. I have a new perspective. I also realized that people don't necessarily have to have ADD/ADHD to need to move in small steps.

One of the approaches I use with a client might be to call me just before they are about to do a [task]. They do the [task]. Then they call me when the [task] is done. There is a system in place. They are so happy that they were able to follow such easy directions - that they don't even realize they purchased all those office supplies, or made that pile of shoes to donate, or got their receipts together for the accountant.

Small steps = big changes. Coaching is about encouragement, sure. But more importantly, it's about getting people to perform - to be pro-active in the very areas they were so overwhelmed with in the first place. This is why I coach.