ABCDEF: A Cognitive Behavioural Coaching Tool
Challenging self-limiting beliefs through structured conversation
TL;DR Summary
The ABCDEF model is a cognitive behavioural coaching tool that provides a structured framework for challenging self-limiting beliefs. It guides conversations through six stages: identifying the activating event, exploring current beliefs and their consequences, then disputing those beliefs and developing new, more effective perspectives.
The model works in two phases:
- A-C: Understanding the current role of self-limiting beliefs (Activating event, Beliefs, Consequences)
- D-F: Challenging and reframing those beliefs (Disputing, Effective new beliefs, New Feelings)
This tool is particularly valuable in Scrum environments where team members face situations that trigger self-doubt — such as facilitating retrospectives, presenting to stakeholders, or taking on new responsibilities within the team.
Why This Tool Is Useful
Self-limiting beliefs can significantly impact performance and well-being. When someone believes "I must be perfect or people will think I'm incompetent," they create unnecessary anxiety and may avoid valuable opportunities for growth.
The ABCDEF approach provides a structured framework for coaching conversations that challenge these beliefs. Rather than simply telling someone their thinking is unhelpful, this model guides them through a process of self-discovery and reframing.
The structure is particularly helpful because it:
- Makes implicit beliefs explicit
- Connects beliefs to their emotional and behavioural consequences
- Provides a systematic way to challenge unhelpful thinking patterns
- Helps develop more realistic and empowering alternatives
What Is the ABCDEF Model?
ABCDEF is a cognitive behavioural model that starts with the situation where self-limiting beliefs are triggered and moves through to exploring and reframing as appropriate.
The model has two distinct phases:
Phase 1 (A-C): Understanding the current state — what triggers the belief, what the belief is, and what consequences it creates.
Phase 2 (D-F): Challenging and transforming — disputing the limiting belief, developing effective alternatives, and experiencing new emotional responses.
A — Activating Event or Situation
The specific situation that triggers the self-limiting belief (e.g., giving a presentation, facilitating a difficult conversation, taking on a new role).
B — Self-Limiting Beliefs
The beliefs about the situation that create difficulty (e.g., "I must perform perfectly otherwise colleagues will think I am stupid").
C — Consequences
The emotional, cognitive, and behavioural consequences of those beliefs (e.g., anxiety, poor concentration, avoidance).
D — Disputing the Self-Limiting Beliefs
Challenging questions that test the validity and usefulness of the belief (e.g., "How is this helping me? What's the worst that can happen? Am I being realistic?").
E — Effective New Beliefs
More realistic and empowering beliefs that emerge from the disputing process (e.g., "Holding onto this idea will make me more anxious. This is an opportunity to get people excited about this topic and get others involved").
F — New Feelings
The emotional shift that results from adopting the new beliefs (e.g., more confident, seeing the presentation as a challenge and opportunity rather than an ordeal).
How to Use the ABCDEF Model
As a coach, guide the conversation through the six stages of the model while keeping all your coaching skills and beliefs front-of-mind. The key is to help the person discover their own insights rather than imposing your interpretations.
Practical Steps:
- Establish the context: Help the person identify a specific situation where they feel stuck or limited.
- Explore A-C: Use open questions to uncover the activating event, the beliefs at play, and their consequences. Listen for absolute language ("must," "always," "never") which often signals limiting beliefs.
- Move to D-F: Once the pattern is clear, help the person challenge their beliefs through questioning. Avoid telling them what to think — instead, ask questions that prompt reflection.
- Test new beliefs: Ensure the new beliefs feel authentic and empowering to the person. If they don't resonate, continue exploring.
- Notice the shift: Pay attention to changes in body language, tone, and energy as new beliefs emerge.
Key coaching principles to maintain:
- Stay curious and non-judgmental
- Let the person do the thinking
- Use their language, not yours
- Trust the process — insights often emerge gradually
Example: Using ABCDEF in a Scrum Environment
Scenario: A Developer Avoiding Sprint Retrospectives
Context: You're coaching a developer on a Scrum team who has been noticeably quiet during retrospectives and has started finding reasons to miss them. In a one-on-one conversation, you decide to use the ABCDEF model.
A — Activating Event
Coach: "What is it about retrospectives that feels difficult for you?"
Developer: "It's when we're discussing what went wrong in the sprint. Everyone's looking at each other, and I feel like I'm being judged."
B — Self-Limiting Beliefs
Coach: "What are you telling yourself in those moments?"
Developer: "That if I speak up about problems, people will think I'm not good enough. That I should already know how to handle these things. If I was a better developer, we wouldn't have these issues."
C — Consequences
Coach: "And what happens when you hold that belief?"
Developer: "I stay quiet. I feel anxious before retrospectives. Sometimes I avoid them entirely. And then I feel guilty because I know the team needs everyone's input to improve."
D — Disputing
Coach: "Let's test that belief. What evidence do you have that speaking up about problems means you're not good enough?"
Developer: "Well... I suppose everyone raises issues. Even our most senior developers."
Coach: "What's the purpose of a retrospective?"
Developer: "To improve as a team. To identify what's not working."
Coach: "And if you were a perfect developer who never encountered problems, what would the team lose?"
Developer: "I guess... they'd lose my perspective. The things I notice that others might not."
E — Effective New Beliefs
Coach: "So what might be a more helpful way to think about retrospectives?"
Developer: "That problems are normal. That speaking up is actually helping the team, not exposing my weaknesses. That my perspective is valuable even when — especially when — I'm struggling with something."
F — New Feelings
Coach: "How does that feel?"
Developer: "Lighter. Less like I'm being judged and more like I'm contributing. I actually feel like I want to go to the next retrospective."
Why This Matters in Scrum
Scrum relies on transparency, inspection, and adaptation. When team members hold self-limiting beliefs that prevent them from speaking openly, the entire framework suffers:
- Retrospectives lose effectiveness when people withhold observations
- Daily Scrums become status reports rather than collaborative planning
- Sprint Reviews miss valuable feedback when team members fear stakeholder judgment
- Self-organization struggles when people don't feel safe taking initiative
By helping individuals challenge their limiting beliefs, you enable the psychological safety that Scrum teams need to thrive.
Other Scrum Applications
With a Scrum Master
Situation: A new Scrum Master believes "I must have all the answers or the team won't respect me."
Outcome: Through ABCDEF, they reframe this to "My role is to facilitate the team's thinking, not to have all the answers. Admitting I don't know something models the vulnerability that creates psychological safety."
With a Product Owner
Situation: A Product Owner thinks "If I change priorities based on new information, stakeholders will think I don't know what I'm doing."
Outcome: They develop a new belief: "Adapting to new information is exactly what empiricism requires. Stakeholders value responsiveness over rigid adherence to outdated plans."
With Leadership
Situation: A senior leader believes "If I let teams self-organize, they'll make mistakes and I'll be held accountable."
Outcome: Through disputing, they recognize: "Teams learn fastest from their own mistakes. My role is to create the conditions for learning, not to prevent all failure. The biggest risk is teams that never learn to think for themselves."
References and Further Reading
- Ellis, A. (1962). Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy. New York: Lyle Stuart. — The foundational work on Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), which the ABCDEF model is based on.
- Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. New York: International Universities Press. — Core text on cognitive behavioural approaches.
- Neenan, M., & Dryden, W. (2002). Life Coaching: A Cognitive-Behavioural Approach. Hove: Brunner-Routledge. — Application of CBT principles to coaching contexts.
- Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth. Hoboken: Wiley. — Essential reading on psychological safety in teams.
- Sutherland, J., & Schwaber, K. (2020). The Scrum Guide. — The definitive guide to Scrum, emphasizing transparency, inspection, and adaptation.
Final Thoughts
The ABCDEF model is a powerful tool for helping people recognize and challenge the beliefs that limit them. In Scrum environments, where transparency and continuous improvement are essential, addressing self-limiting beliefs isn't just about individual development — it's about enabling the entire system to function as intended.
Remember: the goal isn't to eliminate all negative thoughts or to convince someone their beliefs are "wrong." It's to help them examine whether their beliefs are serving them, and to develop alternatives that are both more realistic and more empowering.
Use this tool with care, curiosity, and respect for the person's own capacity to find their way forward.