A Year’s Plan Starts with Spring

"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” - Percy Bysshe Shelley

This is a message of hope and positivity, and a reminder that difficult times don't last forever - Spring is coming!

The 29th of January 2025 is China’s New Year, literally translated in Chinese is the “Spring Festival".   This year is the Year of the Snake, in Chinese culture, the Year of the Snake is filled with meaning: the snake’s agility and patience are believed to represent the wisdom needed to tackle problems and embrace challenges.

The spirit of the Chinese Spring Festival is to celebrate goodness, look forward to the future with optimism, and inspire motivation and action.   This tradition of renewal and forward-thinking is beautifully reflected in the coaching process, where we help clients set a clear path toward their goals.  One coaching framework that captures this approach is the GROW model, which guides individuals through the process of goal setting and beyond.  

The GROW Model

• Goal Setting  

In Chinese culture, there has always been great emphasis on setting clear goals, believing it is crucial to achieving success. This principle dates back to ancient wisdom. Over 2,500 years ago, Confucius (a Chinese Philosopher of the Spring & Autumn period), said the now famous quote: “If you plan ahead, you succeed; if not, you fail”.

In celebration of the Spring Festival, people often say: “A year’s plan starts with spring”. Since the Spring Festival is a celebration of spring, marking its onset when all things start to grow, people plan their year’s activities while looking forward to a season of abundance.

• Reality

Coaching as a technique and service is still new to many Chinese people. In over 500 coaching sessions I have conducted - half of them with Chinese people - I have noticed that in the Reality stage of the GROW model, when asking them to recall past successes and identify their strengths, many Chinese people initially find it hard to think of their own strengths.  Modesty is a characteristic of the Chinese, however, once prompted in the coaching conversation, they often reach a good place of self-reflection. By the end, the impact is excellent. They have described the result as being a true awakening, and they feel highly motivated.

This highlights a cultural difference, as coaches it so important to be aware of how people from other cultures are experience the coaching process and where we may need to explain or adapt our approach.   With Chinese people, I specifically use “strengths” as a focal point to help boost their confidence and break limiting beliefs. I have developed a range of art-based tools to make such reflection more direct. One involves tracing an outline of the client’s hand on paper and labelling each finger with a key strength. This approach has been very effective.

• Options

Chinese people are positive, optimistic, and full of imagination. In the past, living conditions were harsh, which helped cultivate this positive outlook. 

The Book of Changes (I Ching) is an ancient Chinese text, written over 4,000 years ago, deals with managing change and offers a powerful framework for understanding how change unfolds in life. With its 64 different permutations, it shows that change is not linear but comes in many forms—some predictable, others more unexpected. This mirrors the "Options" stage of the GROW model, where the focus is on exploring all the potential ways forward. Just as The Book of Changes highlights different paths that can be taken in response to change, in coaching, it’s essential to help clients see all their possible options, not just one fixed way forward.

By drawing on this ancient wisdom, the key is being prepared to adjust and evolve as new opportunities or challenges arise, allowing our clients to stay aligned with achieving their overall goal.

• Way Forward

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” (From the Dao De Jing, written 2,500 years ago) This saying reflects how Chinese people work diligently and excel at taking action. It also speaks to the importance of breaking down a larger goal into manageable steps, a concept central to the "W" (Way Forward) stage of the GROW model. In this stage, the focus is on creating an action plan that divides a bigger objective into smaller, more achievable tasks, making it easier to make consistent progress toward the final goal.

The Chinese New Year celebrations offer a great example of this approach. The Spring Festival is full of traditions and activities, each scheduled on specific dates according to the lunar calendar. These tasks—whether it’s cleaning, preparing food, or setting up decorations—are all part of a larger celebration, yet each one is a clear, manageable task that contributes to the success of the whole event. 

For hundreds of generations, families and communities have carried out these actions with purpose and precision, knowing that each small step leads to a meaningful outcome. In the same way, breaking down a goal into clear, manageable chunks—like the steps of the New Year festivities—ensures steady progress and helps maintain focus as we move toward the bigger picture.

Tips for Cross Culture Coaching

1.    Adapt Your Coaching Approach and Style:

Different cultures may have distinct ways of approaching learning and personal development. What feels natural in one culture might not always resonate in another. As a coach, it's important to stay open-minded and adapt your approach based on your client’s background. For example, when working with Chinese clients, I’ve found that using a culturally familiar concept can help bridge that gap. A phrase like “Unity of Knowing and Doing” (“知行合一”) resonates well with Chinese clients and aligns with the coaching process. When working with Chinese school principals, I’ve labelled coaching as “Knowing-Doing Coaching,” which succinctly captures the essence of coaching and has been very well-received. This is a great reminder that finding a cultural reference point can ensure coaching resonates and feels familiar.

2.    Building Trust Takes Time: 

Trust is the foundation of any coaching relationship, but the time it takes to establish that trust can vary across cultures. For Chinese clients, trust-building tends to take longer because many are more reserved and introverted. With my Chinese clients, I find it is helpful to build the relationship not just during coaching sessions, but also outside of them so I stay in contact and communicate frequently between sessions.

 3.    Adjusting the Pace of Sessions:

Cultural differences can influence the way people process information, so you may need to adjust the pace of your session. Chinese clients often think deeply and slowly, so sessions can be conducted at a more relaxed pace to avoid rushing to complete the whole procedure. From my experience with my Chinese clients, a 90-minute session can yield better results than normal 60 minutes. For those experiencing coaching for the first time, an extended initial session (e.g., 90 minutes instead of 30) can be beneficial and tends to increase the likelihood of signing a longer-term coaching contract.  

4.    Adapt to Different Communication Styles:

Communication styles can vary significantly across cultures, affecting how clients express themselves and convey key information.  For example, many of my Chinese clients tend to present the most important information toward the end (time, place, people’s activities, etc.) In a coaching conversation, to manage time effectively, it can be appropriate to gently remind the client to refocus on their goal.

5.    Language Considerations:

Language differences can play a significant role in coaching, especially when working with clients whose first language is not English.  While most Chinese people in the UK can speak English, their English proficiency may be limited. Coaching is a deep form of communication, so if the session is in English for a non-native English speaker, it’s best to use simple language. Incorporating visuals—such as drawings, diagrams, or tools like the “wheel of life”—can help clients feel more at ease and enhance understanding.

Conclusion

"A Year’s Plan Starts with Spring" – Let’s embrace the new year, set meaningful goals, and take inspired action to create a bright new chapter in our lives.

Spring is a wonderful time to help clients set clear intentions for the year ahead, breaking down their goals into manageable steps and taking action with patience and purpose. Just as the snake moves with agility and wisdom, clients can approach the year ahead with a renewed sense of focus, overcoming obstacles, and embracing new opportunities. Let’s encourage our clients to use this time for reflection, growth, and the creation of a path toward success in the year to come.  

About Author:

Iris Cai is a Coaching Academy graduate coach and the Founder and Director of Positive Speaking, teaching language and culture to business people working with China. Before moving to London, Iris was a Finance Manager at WPP Group in China and also Saatchi & Saatchi China. As a China business expert, Iris participated On the Money programme in BBC Radio Five Live from 2011-2014. She also lectures in London Business School since 2009. Iris is Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.  Iris has also published a series of articles in the "UK-Chinese Times" to promote understanding of Chinese ancient wisdom and traditional values. Iris received a Mu-Lan Achievements Award, which celebrates Chinese women's achievements in the UK, at House of Lords, London in October 2009.