Assessing Strategies Toward a Goal - Coursework Example

Running Head: Assessing Strategies toward Assessing Strategies toward a Goal Submission Assessing Strategies toward a Goal I applied the balance-sheet approach to help my uncle design and implement his family budget. His problem was that he was unable to understand how to allocate the money he had for optimum benefits. Balance-sheet method is a part of Egan’s stage-wise directive for a skilled helper. Explaining Egan’s approach, Nelson (2007) writes, “The Skilled Helper establishes what the client really wants and needs”.

I aimed at helping my uncle to make certain important decisions in general. I found balance-sheet approach very apt in this regard. “Balance sheets deal with the acceptability and unacceptability of both benefits and costs.” (Egan, 2010: 373) I focused on utilizing “empathetic thought patterns” (Egan, 2010: 374) and “active listening skills” (Egan, 374) to examine my uncle through the critical question answer session. The main problem he was facing about budgeting was fund allocation.

I suggested the strategy of long term savings and addressing the long term liabilities to be most important. I asked my uncle, “What are the benefits of choosing such a strategy for you and the other significant ones?” Also, I asked, “To what degree are these benefits acceptable?” (Egan, 2010: 373) In answering my questions, my uncle expressed his concern about his children’s higher education. Also, by getting rid from the long term liabilities like mortgage and debts, my uncle could obtain more financial security for his family.

Thus I discovered that he was worried about the financial requirements of his children’s higher education. This was a plus for my uncle. However, he did not have a proper investment policy and was prone to neglect the existing liabilities. This was, of course, a minus point. Finally, I helped my uncle to set two most important goals. The first goal was to avoid refinance and allocate adequate funds to pay back the existing debts. The second goal was to create strictly restricted accounts for the children so that money could be saved for their higher education in the next 10 years.

References Egan, G. (2010). The Skilled Helper: A Problem-Management and Opportunity-Development Approach to Helping. (9th Ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole (Cengage). ISBN: 9780495604341 Nelson, P.J.M. (2007). An Introduction to the Egan Model to Use. Retrieved May 25, 2011, from http://www.mystrongfamily.org/downloads/PDFs/SFP-EasyIntroToEgan.pdf.