You wanted to become a coach, but you're not sure how to convey coaching value. You invested in coaching education, but you're not sure how to successfully apply it. You wrote a business plan, but you're not sure if it will succeed. Now what. What will propel you forward and grow your business? ICF Competency #7: Direct Communication It’s one of the [...]
Jim (not his real name) reached out to me for coaching, stuck to the point of wanting to give up. With his whole heart, Jim wanted to break out of the corporate world and start his own Information Technology Consulting (IT) Firm. His resume included extensive IT experience. His toolbox contained everything imaginable to build [...]
Nehemiah, a cupbearer to King ArtaXerxes, who ruled in the citadel of Susa in 444 B.C., heard that his people (the Israelites) were in distress because the wall of their city, Jerusalem, was broken down. Like the prospect that comes to you because he or she finds it difficult to move forward. Nehemiah asked to [...]
Perhaps you coach a client like one of mine. She comes to the session excited to meet with her coach. She reports her wins with enthusiasm. She states her focus and goal. Cue the music and let the exploration begin! You ask a powerful, visioning-type question. You listen, actively, and reflect. You create awareness. You’re [...]
At an in-person Christian Coaches Network International conference years ago, I heard a coaching demonstration that changed how I coach from that day forward. An experienced coach worked with a volunteer “client” and masterfully deepened the client’s awareness. He listened carefully, helped the client sort through details, and at one point asked the client, “What did that represent?” “What [...]
One of the challenges coaches face is silencing the noise that can distract us during a coaching session. For those of us who work from home without a designated office space, it can be especially challenging. Most of us do well when it comes to eliminating external noise and distractions and giving our undivided attention [...]
Are you a professional Christian coach? Do you sometimes struggle to find the right words to answer potential clients' questions? What is coaching? What makes it professional-grade coaching? What is distinctly Christian coaching? Let’s parse out all three parts of that phrase—Professional Christian Coaching—and examine each of them. What is Coaching? The “ICF (International Coach Federation) [...]
What’s a manifesto, and why do Christian coaches need one? Building a coaching business is hard. Really hard. But… it will change lives. Your life. And the lives of those you coach. Thus, on this difficult and rewarding journey we need to plan, prepare, and most of all, commit. A manifesto is a public declaration [...]
“Coaches are change agents.” We sometimes use this phrase when explaining professional coaching to those who are unfamiliar with it. Although change is core to what we do as professional coaches, many of us don’t fully understand and apply the research and models available to us today. Benjamin Bloom, an educational psychologist, along with a [...]
One of the toughest lessons I've had to learn is handling conflict well. As a residence assistant on my hall in college—at the ripe age of 20—I can recall a few instances where I could’ve benefited from some training in conflict management. Guys on the hall didn’t always see eye to eye, and I didn’t always [...]