ABSTRACT
In motivational interviewing, questions are used to help the mentee understand his or her own strengths, to clarify goals, to understand the discrepancy between their goals and behaviors, and to make a plan to change. Through empathetic listening, accurate summarizing, and helping the mentee create a plan for change, motivational interviewing can help encourage people to make changes that they want to make, but often have trouble following through on or sustaining. Most of us who have taken coursework in leadership have been taught a few frameworks to set effective goals. The traditional method is SMART goals, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely. This can be as simple as setting goal of filling out five college applications by a specific date. Another research-based method of setting goals is WOOP, Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan. This involves defining the goal, how it might make people feel if accomplished, what some obstacles people can predict are, and how people can mitigate the obstacle.
