Become A Certified Coach » Coach Training

Why Would a Therapist Want to Become a Life Coach?

Barbra — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:12:56 +0000

Melissa Quiter, MA

Guest article by Melissa Quiter, MA

Why would a therapist want to be a life coach, and vice versa? Here’s my personal story.

I started out as a coach and then decided to become a psychotherapist. I remember often wondering why so many coaches were ex-counselors? I learned quickly it is because the counseling world is FULL to the brim of regulations and red tape. There are so many levels of tape to ensure that counselors are up to par that they end up losing many counselors. When coaching started to become more widely known and accepted, I believe that many counselors found a way out of the tape!

What I discovered is that psychotherapy is like marketing. Under the umbrella of marketing are advertising, PR, sales, etc. Under the psychotherapy umbrella there is coaching, mentoring, teaching, etc.

What I learned in coaching, and specifically the program I went through with Marion Franklin, is that coaching is very closely aligned with one theory that I learned in my counseling program called Solution Focused Therapy (SFT). The premise of SFT is to focus on goals and make plans for their achievement. There is a psychological bent if you are working on that type of goal, but there doesn’t really have to be, which is why I believe it is what coaching uses (not to imply that there are not many methods for coaching as well).

When I was a coach, there were many coaches offering services that I now realize are truly counseling. I know there is a fuzzy line and we all may have different definitions of what is appropriate to work on with a coach and what isn’t.

I know that as a coach it seemed almost impossible for me not to go deeper into the psyche, which is why counseling was so much more appealing. Of course, I know that I am more energized by the deeper layers while simultaneously being able to offer ongoing goal acquisition.

All of that said, I believe my coaching ability mixed with my psychotherapy training is why I have had a full schedule since almost my first month of practice. I called my practice Melissa Counseling & Coaching. I wanted to take advantage of both of my skill sets and offer layered assistance.

When I was in school, I was often criticized by professors for my “coaching” approach. I used it when I felt it was appropriate (based on my exposure to both skill sets). I often heard that I was being too “coachy.” (I don’t really think these professors even know what coaching is fully!)

What was very validating for me was that the clients I was working with or practicing with always reported that my approach was helpful, direct, and much more to their liking than past experiences with counselors. I have had the same comments in my own practice. I believe that is what sets me apart from other counselors. My ability to coach and counsel and to know when it is appropriate to use which skill set. (If you can offer that distinction, Marion, you will be doing a great service to your counselor students!)

I believe this is a good trend for counseling as it widens the breadth of services that we offer. I do wonder, though, if it doesn’t make coaching businesses that don’t/cannot offer the deeper work limited (not including business-focused coaching as I believe this has a huge leg-up on any psychotherapy offerings)? I would be interested to know how this trend will help the coaching world?

About the author: Melissa Counseling & Coaching offers services in the Austin/Round Rock area of Central Texas. Individuals and couples seeking new perspectives, skills and strategies for engaging life’s adventures are invited to call. For detailed information, contact Melissa Landi-Quiter, MA, LPC, NLP at 512-381-0833 or via email: Melissa@MelissaQuiter.com

Appreciative Inquiry Questions

Barbra — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 05:04:33 +0000

what has worked in the past?
what have others told you are your strengths?
what’s your unique superpower that you can bring to this situation?
what are other situations like this that have gone well?
what’s an example of a recent success?
what’s a small win you could have in the next few days?
what’s your vision of what’s possible if this succeeds?
who do you know who’s really successful at this who could help?
who could you influence?

How to Coach a Client on Personal Vision

Barbra — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:11:30 +0000

I was typing out some notes today for a mentee preparing for the IAC certification exam, and when I finished I realized that others might find this useful as well. It’s by no means “the right” way to coach a client on personal vision, it’s simply the framework I use.

The idea is to have the client describe where they are at now, and where they would like to be. Then identify the gaps and make a plan.

1. Start by asking them where they are now. Draw out their strengths and achievements, as most clients tend to overlook what they’ve already achieved.

2. Ask them to close their eyes and describe what they are ideally doing in five years. Prompt them to describe details about what they are doing, with whom, what the environment looks like, how they feel, etc. If time allows, it’s nice to do a short guided visualization

3. Debrief with them about the vision. Depending on what they have visualized, you may need to do a reality check or more likely, help them think bigger:

what would be the ultimate thrill?
where are you stopping short of all you could be?
what is a big enough game?
why bother? what makes it worth it?
what have you wanted to do but haven’t?

4. This is the point where you will hear the client’s energy shift, if they are working on their true vision. If the energy seems either hesitant or over-the-top excited, the visioning needs more work.

5. Now you want to tie the vision into their values. If you’ve already worked on values together, you can remind them of their values and ask how this vision aligns with their values. (note: this is Mastery #9, Supportive Environments because aligning vision with values makes the vision intrinsically sustainable). At this point I like to ask some version of:

how does this tie in with your top three values?
who will you be when you do this?
what impact will you have?
how could you make this align with your values even more?

6. Summarize, and move on to identifying the gaps between where they are now and where they want to be.

7. Help client identify what they will need to move forward on vision. Help them see strengths and resources they already have.

what resources do you already have?
what successes have you had in the past with ________?
what do you need to do or get?
who could help you?

8. This is usually where I stop with a session on vision. There’s a lot for the client to process, and moving immediately on to action plan robs them of the time needed to sit with the learning from the visioning process.

I hope this has been helpful. What framework do you use? Would you be willing to share it with us?

My 2011 Goal

Barbra — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:36:31 +0000

Will Coaching Go the Way of Windsurfing?

Barbra — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 23:18:12 +0000

This morning I was talking with another experienced coach trainer about the state of the coaching industry. She commented that after 10 years providing coach training, she’s concluded that 90 – 99% of people who want to be coaches aren’t really serious, and that’s the real reason they are struggling.

I’m afraid I have to agree. It’s astounding to me how many people expect to enter a highly paid profession without investing in appropriate training and business development.

“I want to be a coach but…”

Several times a week I get an email that is a variation on this:

I want to be a coach but I don’t have any money. What should I do?

On my grumpy days I’m tempted to reply:

So you want to enter a profession that pays on average $100 an hour. That’s two or three times what a school teacher or nurse earns. And yet you think you can do this without investing in training?

But I don’t do that, of course. The questions are posed sincerely, so I answer sincerely. I usually refer the questioner to my Beginner’s Guide to Become a Life Coach, Julia Stewart’s guest post on Top 10 Reasons to Become a Certified Coach, and suggest some free resources such as the SCM free coach training.

Reap what you sow

And you know what? You can’t really blame people who want the short-cut to a coaching practice. The coaching industry itself has perpetuated the “teach from the beach” and “everyone’s a coach” message right from the start. It’s a shame, because it shortchanges both coaches and clients: coaches because it sets up unrealistic expectations; and clients because they get mediocre coaching and then conclude “coaching doesn’t work”.

So where is the coaching profession heading?

Here’s an analogy that comes to mind for me. My husband is a serious windsurfer. About 20 years ago everyone was getting into windsurfing, only to find out that it’s actually a really technical sport that requires a great deal of dedication to get good at. The majority of people dropped out and now there are much fewer people doing it, but the ones who remain are really serious about investing the time and money into doing it well.

I wonder if the same thing will happen with coaching. It will be interesting to see.

How To Coach a Client When Nothing Seems to Help

Barbra — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:24:18 +0000

Of all the coaching materials that Thomas Leonard produced in his lifetime, the How To Coach Anyone (HTCA) series of 68 lessons is my very favorite. In fact, I’d venture to say that much of what I know about coaching was learned from those lessons. The first lesson that Thomas wrote was on how to coach the “stuck” client, which I think speaks to the importance of this issue.

Last week in our pilot program mentor coaching call Jacqui asked how to coach a stuck client when nothing they are doing seems to be working. She gave as an example someone working on weight loss, who never seems to be able to lose weight. Or a new business owner who is marketing the heck out of their services but still hasn’t got clients.

That’s a big question, and not an uncommon situation. The answer is covered in detail in this article: How to Coach Anyone, Lesson #1 by Thomas Leonard. Enjoy!

Teaching What We Most Need to Learn

Barbra — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:35:59 +0000

A nice bonus of teaching the habit change coaching program is that it makes me more aware of habits that I’d like to change. The old adage “we teach what we most need to learn” certainly applies to me!

What are my worst habits?

lateness
email “addiction”
sweet tooth

I’m using the principles that I teach in the habit change coaching program to improve each of those bad habits. These are long-standing habits for me, so it’s a challenge. I’ll let you know in future posts exactly what I’m doing to overcome these habits, and how I’m doing.

Apparently I’m not alone in recognizing and addressing my own bad habits. One of the pilot program coaches sent me this email today:

Doing this course has highlighted and brought to the fore a ‘serious’ habit of procrastination which I honestly didn’t even ‘know’ was there … one never stops being challenged!!! I am so grateful to you for offering to have me on your pilot programme … I cannot wait to get started and, short of nagging, am following up furiously on my 5 offers to host workshops.

Top Ten Reasons to Become a Certified Coach

Julia Stewart — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:11:36 +0000

Julia Stewart

Julia Stewart is a coach, coach trainer and seminar leader who uses her creativity and humor to expand people’s thinking and inspire them to work brilliantly. She’s President of School of Coaching Mastery and has been helping coaches pass difficult certifications since 2003.

Is there really any good reason for a business or life coach to get certified?

That’s a common question amongst coaches and it’s hotly debated on a variety of coaching blogs. Some say no, coaching is an entrepreneurial business, that there’s no reason for any coach to get certified and that certification is just a money-making scheme made up by coaching schools and organizations.

Others say coaching is a profession and that it’s in every coach’s best interests, not to mention consumers’, for standards to be set and upheld, otherwise any charlatan can call him/herself a coach. Clearly coaches, themselves, are divided on this topic.

Are there any laws that require coaches to get certified?

Currently, most nations, such as the US and Canada, have no laws that require coach certification, although in the State of Israel, which may have that largest number of coaches per capita of any nation, there is currently a serious attempt to pass a Coaching Law that would require credentialing in order to practice coaching there. What happens in Israel could influence coaching’s legal status in a number of other nations in the near future.

If there’s no law requiring coach certification where you live, should you get certified?

That depends on who you are. To understand why, I’m going to share some facts and opinions that I’ve gathered from over 300 coaches, to help answer the question, ‘Do You Need Coach Certification?’

Just to be clear, these coaches self selected to fill out a survey that I created that could help them decide if they should pursue coach certification. They may or may not represent a good cross sampling of coaches. However, the survey has run for over two years and since then, I’ve checked the results a number of times and the percentages remain remarkably similar; so I think the numbers a pretty revealing, at least about coaches who are curious about becoming certified coaches.

Let’s first go back to that age-old argument between coach-entrepreneurs and coach-professionals.

Professionals tend to believe in training and credentialing and their own integrity often dictates that they pursue both when they choose to become a coach. Entrepreneurs, on the other hand, learn by doing and innovating and they tend to get impatient or skeptical or both, when it comes to formal education or jumping through hoops. So which group represents most coaches?

[Time out: Was it Family Feud where the game-show host would yell, ‘Survey Said?!’ Anyhow…]

Survey Said?!

Less than 18% of our 300+ coaches identifies him/herself as an entrepreneur, only. But then, only slightly more than 23% identifies as a professional, only. A full 59% identifies equally with being an entrepreneur and a professional! No wonder so many coaches are confused about coach certification! Their inner entrepreneurs and inner professionals are at odds over it. But you could look at these findings another way: 82% of coaches surveyed believe coaching is at least partially a profession, so…

#1 Reason to become a certified coach: Your inner professional tells you that you should get certified.

Not surprisingly, a similar number of coaches to those who feel like professionals, just over 83% in this case, say they believe getting certified will help them feel more competitive in the marketplace. Less than 17% believe certification will have no effect on their competitiveness in the market, so…

#2 Reason to become a certified coach: It will help you feel more competitive in the coaching marketplace.

I also asked this question in a more pointed way: Will getting certified help you sign more paying clients? 74% said, yes it would. That’s almost ¾ of the coaches who responded! Only 26% thought coach certification would have no effect on their ability to get coaching clients.

#3 Reason to become a certified coach: It will help you get more clients.

Here’s a related question: Are you thrilled with your level of coaching success? 20% say, yes. Another 80% wishes they were more successful. Most people, coaches or non-coaches, wish they were more successful. Given that most coaches surveyed believe certification will help them be more competitive and get more clients…

#4 Reason to become a certified coach: It’ll help you be more successful.

That brings me to another quality that differentiates entrepreneurs and professionals: it’s how they feel about having to jump through a few hoops. As mentioned above, Entrepreneurs tend to not like jumping through hoops, but professionals are willing to do that in order to earn the right to be called professionals. In fact, they actually feel kind of good about it.

So what does the survey say?

When asked about how they feel about jumping through hoops, 20% of survey respondents said it makes them feel rebellious. 53.5% said it gives them a sense of accomplishment. 26.5% said, both! Hmmm…80% get a sense of accomplishment, at least in part, from jumping through hoops! Could that be pretty much the same group that feels like professionals? Yes, upon deeper analysis, I find this is the case, so…

#5 Reason to become a certified coach: Jumping through hoops to get certified gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Here’s a different kind of question: Are you a famous author, speaker or TV personality? If you’re famous already, you can skip getting certified, because you already have credibility. Of those surveyed, 99% said they weren’t already famous. Less than 1% said that they are famous (a total of 2). I’d love to know who they are! Anyway…

#6 Reason to become a certified coach: You’re not famous.

Here’s another question that may speak most to the professional coaches: Do you prefer to be the best? 79+%. Good enough? 15%. Don’t care? 5%.

#7 Reason to become a certified coach: You prefer to be the best.

Professionals who want to be the best are generally keen to learn all they can. Getting certified is a huge motivator for learning more and becoming better at what you do. So no surprise, 40% of coaches prefer to learn all they can before they do something. 12% (entrepreneurs?) would rather just jump in and do it. 48% like to jump right in AND learn all they can! That’s 88% who want to learn all they can either before or after they jump into coaching, so…

#8 Reason to become a certified coach: You want to learn all you can.

But what if coaching is just your hobby? Certification is probably a lot less important than it would be if coaching were your career. What did our respondents say about that? 89.5% say coaching is their career. Only 10.5% say it’s just a hobby. So…

#9 Reason to become a certified coach: Coaching is your career.

Finally, coaches are a pretty intuitive bunch of people. They don’t just make decisions to do something just because logically they ‘should’. So I asked them, Based on your intuition/gut/spirit (Not you fear or insecurity), do you want to get certified or not? Over 75% said intuitively they do want coach certification. The remainder said they did not.

#10 Reason to become a certified coach: Your intuition/gut/spirit tells you to.

So there you have it! Regardless of whether coaching is an entrepreneurial business or whether you legally have to get certified, 75% or more of coaches said they WANT to get coach certification. Are you one of them?

If so, I have a special offer just for readers of this blog: I’m offering five free 30-minute coaching consultations on your biggest certification problem. No strings attached. If you’d like to take me up on this offer, share your biggest question or concern about coach certification below in the comments section and then go here to sign up. I’ll choose the five coaches who I think I can help the most. Thanks for reading!

Why the Habit Change Niche?

Barbra — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:55:34 +0000

My idea has hatched!

I’ve been hinting for the past few weeks that I’m up to something big.

That “something” involves a particular coaching niche that my research tells me has TONS of clients looking for coaching.

I have been coaching in that niche for years, and want to empower other coaches to do the same. More than that, I want coaches to be COACHING, not messing around trying to learn how to set up a business. So I will provide coaches with everything they need to “hit the ground running” as a working coach.

What is that “something” I’ve been hinting at?

It’s a template-driven system that provides coaches with a ready-made coaching niche, including:

training in how to coach in this niche
a marketing plan that tells them exactly what to do to get clients
a niche website with blog, and ready-made written materials and templates for ordering business cards, etc.

But what’s the niche?

The niche is… (drum roll)… Habit Change.

Why the Habit Change niche?

it’s specific and easy for clients to grasp. Unlike general life coaching, clients know in advance what they are purchasing and what they will achieve
clients will PAY to eliminate an unwanted habit and replace it with a healthy habit
clients are often directed to change a habit or else (from their doctor, spouse, creditors, etc)
there are many sub niches (nail biting, fitness, sleep, junk food, procrastination, chronic lateness, excessive Internet use, over-spending)
it’s a niche that lends itself well to a systematic coaching program based on effective, well-documented techniques – therefore I can design a coaching program that even relatively new coaches can deliver with confidence

Here’s the thing

I’ll be totally frank with you. The last thing I want to do is create yet another program that drains coach’s wallets without paying off in increased income.

In other words, I only want to offer this system if it works. So I’ll be testing it with a small group of coaches first.

If you’re interested in being part of the pilot project, send a blank email to the address below, and I’ll be in touch with details.

Send a blank email here to get details:

habit-change {at} aweber.com

You’ll receive all the details by return email.

Habit Change Coaching – Pilot Program outline

Readymade Coaching Business: Would This Work for You?

Barbra — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:27:20 +0000

I’m sitting on an egg that’s getting ready to hatch. It’s a system that provides coaches with a ready-made coaching business.

I think it could make a huge change in how quickly and easily coaches start earning money.

I don’t want to say too much about it right now, because it’s still in the incubation stage (pardon the bad metaphor!) But I would like to share the general idea and get your feedback.

OK, here goes:

I’ve been mentoring coaches for over 7 years and one thing never changes: the majority of coaches find starting a coaching business side a major challenge. As many coaches have lamented, “I know how to coach but I don’t know how to start a coaching business.”

In particular, new coaches get stuck on these 3 things:

deciding what services to offer (their niche)
getting a website up
finding clients

Sadly, many coaches give up because they can’t get their coaching business off the ground. And that’s a shame because they have so much to offer the world.

My idea:

What if I could provide new coaches with a ready-made coaching business? One that is in a hot niche (that I know has tons of paying clients eager to hire them), a website already populated with content, and a step-by-step plan for getting clients that WORKS.

So that all they have to do is follow the coaching business plan.

You’re probably wondering what coaching niche I’m talking about.

I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag prematurely (or should that be the “chick out of the egg” – oh, a cliche and a bad joke all in the same sentence!)

What I can tell you now

- I’m setting up an institute that will address a particular coaching niche that my research tells me has TONS of clients looking for coaching

- this niche has many sub-niches within it, so coaches will be able
to choose their own specialty within it

- I have been coaching in that niche for years, and want to empower
other coaches to do the same

- I want coaches to be COACHING, not messing around trying to learn
how to set up a business

- so I’ll provide coaches with everything they need to “hit the
ground running” as a coach in my institute

Where I’m at with this idea

I’m trying to define exactly what I will be providing to member coaches. I know coaches will need some combination of these three things:

1) training in how to coach in this niche
2) a marketing plan that tells them exactly what to do to get coaching clients
3) a coaching website with blog, written materials and templates for ordering business cards, etc.

The thing that I am mulling over is whether the program should
include all three things, or just #2 and #3. Basically I’m trying to decide whether to offer both the coaching program and the business program, or just the business program.

Maybe I should offer all three things but priced as separate modules so people can choose what meets their needs? But my gut feeling is that most coaches will need all three in order to be successful.

What do you think? Pros and cons? I’d love to get your reaction to this. Just post your comments below.

Coaching Certification Bootcamp – For Pro Coaches Only

Barbra — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 23:26:08 +0000

I’m pleased to recommend this brand new course to you. It’s called Coaching Certification Bootcamp – For Pro Coaches Only.

As the title makes clear, it’s only for pro coaches. And it’s intensive.

But if you know you’re coaching at a masterful level, and you just want to get the certification bit off your “to do list”- this is the course for you.

The bootcamp is being taught by Julia Stewart, so you’ll be in expert hands. Julia has personally coached, trained or certified most of the current IAC Certifiers, the people who will either pass or fail you for IAC Certification. More details here.

Will the Coaching by Example CDs Help You Pass the Test?

Barbra — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:47:14 +0000

I received this enquiry today:

Coach Bob T Moran told me about you, and I think I am interested in your 9 cd series. He said if I become a member of the IAC, I could get a discount on the cd’s. Is that correct, and how does that work? I couldn’t find anything about it on IAC website. I am currently in a coach training program, and am wanting to further my learning, but do not want to invest thousands of dollars more right now. I may be interested in the IAC certification. Do you think I need to take the full School of Masteries Program eventually, or will your cd’s and any other program you may suggest help me pass the test?

My reply: Nice to hear from you! The discount for IAC members is $150 off – so it would be $197 vs. $347. The discount is available on the membership page of the IAC website.

What I would recommend for you would be to get the CDs and listen to them. If after listening to them you feel confident that your coaching is at the masterful level, then go ahead and send in your tapes for certification!

If you are unsure whether your coaching is at that level (and many people are – it’s hard to be objective about your own skills), then I would suggest you get an objective evaluation of your coaching by someone who is well-versed in the IAC certification process. People I can recommend are Doris Helge, Nina East (both of whom taught in my training program when it was active) or anyone associated with Julia Stewart’s School of Coaching Mastery. This evaluation will probably cost you in the $150 – $200 range.

Based on the results of the evaluation, you’ll know whether you need to take further training. If you do, I highly recommend the School of Coaching Mastery. You may want to check out their website for free classes as well – I know they have some really informative ones.

Job Opportunities for Life Coaches

Barbra — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:13:19 +0000

Job opportunities for life coaches normally involve being self-employed or working for a coaching firm. Although an increasing number of organizations hire in-house life coaches, those job opportunities for life coaches are rare.

There are several different ways to begin a career as a life coach. Many people choose to start their own life coaching business on a full-time basis. Others choose to do it on a part-time basis, and still others get involved with coaching simply to boost results within their current job.

Taking life coach training is incredibly rewarding, in that you learn communication skills that will help you in all areas of your life. And the practice of life coaching – helping clients overcome a personal obstacle or attain an important life goal – is extremely satisfying. This is what you can expect on a regular basis if you choose to become a life coach.

As a self-employed life coach, you will typically meet with clients in-person or over the telephone on a weekly basis. In fact, the majority of life coaches meet with clients on the telephone. This is a popular and viable way to deliver coaching services, but there are many other ways. For example:

• Group coaching
• Coaching franchise
• Workshops and retreats
• Print, audio or video courses
• Email coaching
• Instant messaging coaching
• Coaching membership site
• Teleclasses
• Writing and speaking

In addition, there are lots of ways to coach without actually having the title “coach”. Many people get coaching skills training in order to be more effective in their main job – whether that is as a parent, mentor, manager, or even something as seemingly unrelated as a doctor or a salesperson.

Is a career as a life coach for you? First, ask yourself if you enjoy working independently, and if you have what it takes to start a small business (because that’s what you’ll most likely be doing). These are all things which are possible when you become a life coach, but of course you need to realize that starting a life coaching business presents some challenges. In order to motivate others, you yourself also need to be motivated!

If you’re thinking of becoming a life coach, be sure to read my article Beginner’s Guide to Become a Life Coach

30 Day Coach Training Intensive

Barbra — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:26:18 +0000

Note: The 30 Day program is no longer running. We recommend the Coaching By Example CD series as it covers all the material previously included in the 30 Day program.

The 30 Day Coach Training Intensive covers the fundamentals of modern life coaching, based on Barbra Sundquist’s CCEC coaching model. CCEC is an acronym for Connect, Clarify, Expand, Create (see more details in the Curriculum section below).

Who is the course for?

This is a great course for new coaches wanting to learn core coaching skills, as well as for experienced coaches who want to brush up their skill set.

How does the course work?

There will be one 90 minute teleclass and five home-study lessons with fieldwork each week (total of 20 lessons). The home-study lessons will be emailed each week. At the end of the course participants will be able to explain and demonstrate the coaching skills listed below in the curriculum outline.

When does the next course begin?

Dates: 4 Wednesday evenings, Nov 18, Dec. 2, 9, 16
Time: 8:00 – 9:30 pm EST / 5:00 – 6:30 PST
Cost: $297 USD

How do I register?

Registration for the November course is now closed.

Curriculum Outline

Week 1: CONNECT fully and deeply with the client

1) Create a collaborative relationship

2) Listen for client signals

3) Validate client feelings

4) Let go of need to fix

5) Be who you are

Week 2: CLARIFY dynamics, motivations and information

1) Ask curious questions

2) Clarify focus

3) Listen for themes

4) Challenge limiting beliefs

5) Recognize what is needed in the moment

Week 3: EXPAND awareness, knowledge and abilities

1) Point out client strengths and resources

2) Draw distinctions

3) Promote self-responsibility

4) Open new doors for client and invite them in

5) Teach client something new

Week 4: CREATE action plan

1) Ask if client is ready for action planning

2) Discuss what has worked for them in past

3) Build on client’s strengths and experience

4) Co-create sustainable support structures

5) Anticipate and address potential problem areas

About the instructor

Barbra Sundquist has over two decades experience as an entrepreneur, business coach and coach trainer. She has been described by clients and colleagues as “focused, wise, and masterful in her understanding and use of coaching models.” Barbra has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Public Administration. Her coach training was through the Graduate School of Coaching and the Centre for Executive Coaching. She holds the IAC certified coach designation and was an IAC Certifying Examiner from 2004 – 2007. Barbra is a native Vancouver-Islander who currently lives in Nanoose Bay with her husband and three cats.

Note: The 30 Day program is no longer running. We recommend the Coaching By Example CD series as it covers all the material previously offered in the 30 Day program.

A Video Message from Barbra – Announcements!

Barbra — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:22:18 +0000

Announcement #1 – Introducing new instructors Nina East and Doris Helge

Nina East, IAC-CC: Nina is our newest instructor in the BACC program. She brings a wealth of experience to coaching, coach training, and coach certification. Nina was one of the first coaches to become certified by the IAC and was immediately asked to become a certifying examiner. She has been certifying for 6 years, and for the last 3 has also been the lead certifier for the IAC. Nina can be reached at PersonalGrowthPrincess.com.

Here is a 7 minute snippet of Nina teaching a BACC class: Click here to listen…

Doris Helge, Ph.D, IAC-CC: Doris is a BACC graduate and an IAC Certified Coach. Not only is Doris a masterful coach, she is also a masterful teacher. I’m thrilled to have her teaching in the BACC program. Reach her at SuperSalesConfidenceForCoaches.com.

Listen as Doris coaches a BACC class participant, and then draws out the teaching points for the listeners.
Click here to listen…

Announcement #2 – More classes each month

BACC has expanded to 4 classes a month. With the increased teaching capacity we are now able to offer three different instructors, and 4 classes a month.

Announcement #3 – Lock-in before the price increase

BACC price is increasing from $99 a month to $149 a month on September 15, 2009. Anyone who joins BACC prior to the price increase will be “grandfathered in” at the old price for the duration of their uninterrupted membership. So if you’ve been thinking of joining, now is the time.

Note: the BACC program is now closed. We recommend the Coaching By Example CD series as it covers all the material previously offered in the BACC program.

How to Coach Anyone, Lesson #1

Barbra — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:01:13 +0000

Although I have electronic copies of HTCA saved on my computer from my Coachville days, I’m eagerly awaiting my print copy of the just-released book to arrive in the mail.

And knowing how I feel about HTCA, Andrea Lee has kindly given me permission to share with you Lesson #1 – how to help a client who is “stuck”. Enjoy!

How do you help a client who is big time stuck with their goal and nothing you, or they, are doing seems to help?

It is NOT uncommon for a client to find themselves in this position.

Typically, “stuckness” indicates that…

The client needs a much bigger game to play.
If the goal is too small, some clients simply aren’t motivated enough to fire on all cylinders.

The client needs a smaller game to play.
If the goal is too large, some clients get overwhelmed or feel that they’ll never get there. So, either make the game smaller or identify important milestones along the way and target those.

The client’s paradigm needs to be shifted or expanded quickly.
If the client is thinking too small, or too historically, help them to upgrade their paradigm.

The client may need to start doing the opposite of what they’ve been doing.
Don’t laugh at this one. It can work. Just ask the client what would happen, or what they would feel if they started doing the opposite of what they’ve been doing to reach this goal. If nothing else, it’s a creative exercise. Remember, the client is stuck, and it’s not a natural state to be stuck, so sometimes a 180 or 90 degree turn is what’s needed.

The client doesn’t really want the goal even though they say they do.
I see this a lot. The client has a goal in mind but it’s actually a “should” goal vs. a “want” goal and so they don’t get very far with it. The trick is to help the client work on “want” goals, or to shift the “should” into a “want.” “Should” goals, while important, are likely to derail the client. “Want” goals, however, usually keep the client motivated. Again, it’s a cool coaching skill to help the client reframe or redesign a “should” goal into a “want” goal.

The client needs a very different goal.
In my experience, the client is rarely able to clearly, simply, and cleanly articulate what they most want, so an important part of the coaching process is to tease out what matters most to the client using words that are meaningful to them (vs. jargon, vague or Hallmark card, mushy language).

The goal needs a very different strategy.
There are many ways to cause an outcome; these are called strategies. Our job as a coach is to help the client find the most appealing and effective strategy that gets them from point A to point B without going through point Z. And if the client isn’t making progress with their goal, consider using a different approach/strategy instead.

The client may be concerned about perceived loss or consequences.
Hey, success can be very, very stressful because a person is replacing the old, the known and the familiar with something else. Welcome to evolution. Even if everything is going to be terrific when they reach their goal, the fear of losing someone’s love, their old friends, their routine, etc., can be more than enough to get a client stuck in the present.

The client is resisting the pressure they may be feeling from you.
Clients can be touchy. Sometimes, your eagerness is off putting, or the client will sense pressure if you’re more excited about or committed to the goal than they are. Clients may resist so much, they actually get stuck around the goal. If this happens, ask the client how much pressure they are feeling from you. And ask yourself whether you’re pushing, pulling or otherwise trying too hard.

The client’s environments are not properly set up to support this goal.
The types of goals that people set today are much more complex than the goals our parents set, and the environments we are surrounded by need to be tweaked in order to give us the 24/7 support we need. Environments include family, friends, networks, emotional environments, memes/concepts, paradigms, paradoxes, creative stimulation, performance support (like a coach), what we eat (for the energy we need) and how clean our energy is.

The client may need a break from coaching.
There comes a time when a client needs a break from you or a break from Coaching, but either they don’t know it, or they don’t want to tell you, so they “get stuck” and then have a reason/justification/explanation to opt out.

The client is just plain scared.
Sometimes, the goal is so exciting that it becomes overwhelming to the client and they get mired in the process. Find out if this is true and work on the distinction “excitement vs. fear.” It can be a subtle distinction. I’ve found that by identifying and then reducing/eliminating the perceived consequences of reaching the goal, the client can then move back toward excitement and away from fear.

The goal is not a clear enough expression of the client’s true values.
This happens a lot because the body slows/shuts down when goals aren’t aligned with one’s internal values. Work with the client on their top 5 values, and find the connection between the goal they are stuck on and the value that it expresses.

Questions to ask your client…

Do you know why you’re stuck?
If we back burner this goal, what goal would you rather work on?
Do you sometimes get stuck when you’re this close to reaching a goal?
Do you need a supportive kick in the pants?
Tell me what I should do in order to “un-stick” you in the next 10 minutes?
How much longer are you willing to be stuck on this?
Are you willing to try a backdoor approach to reaching this goal?
What else should we try?

Final thoughts…

Be patient, but don’t be the tail of the dog.
The client may need time to figure out what big changes to make in their life in order to reach this goal more easily, or perhaps they’ll need to select a very different goal instead. I’d give a client no more than 3 sessions to work it out and to have them propelled forward with plenty of energy to reach the goal or complete the project. Otherwise, it’s too tiring for both of you and it’s probably not even coaching by that point. Personally, I prefer to resolve this type of thing within 20 minutes. I don’t want it carried over to the next call.

Goals are meant to be exciting to reach.
If the client is resisting, laboring, complaining or just not into it, find another goal or develop another strategy that IS self-motivating. The alternative is that both you and your client get dragged down. Do NOT be afraid to require the client to pick another goal if the one they are working on isn’t getting anywhere. Abandon hope. Feel better. Move forward.

I hope this was helpful,

How to Coach on Life Purpose

Barbra — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 19:52:14 +0000

In our BACC coaching classes this month we are talking about the value of having a coaching “repertoire” – a set of tools and exercises that you can “pull out” in different coaching circumstances. You can listen to an excerpt of our class below.

Below are the class notes on the Life Purpose exercise (adapted from the book Co-Active Coaching, by Laura Whitworth).

Life Purpose Exercise

Instructions:

Read the visualization to the client, pausing after each sentence to allow the client time to process.
Debrief the visualization, and write down the themes or important words that the client shares.
Help the client draft an impact statement: I am the ___________ (a metaphor, such as “catalyst” or “tiger”) who ____________ (what impact the client wants to have in the world).

Visualization:

Imagine that you’re in a large group of people milling about in front of a stage. Up on the stage is your future self. Your future self begins to speak to this large group of people. Suddenly you become aware of a shift that has come over you and the entire audience. Your future self has in some way had a profound impact on you and on the rest of the people in the audience. You are all altered or changed in some fundamental way. Aware of this impact on yourself and others, you leave the room altered for the rest of your life.

Debrief Questions:

What was the impact your future self had on you and the others?
How were you and the others transformed?
Who was your future self being to have such an impact?

Do you have clients who would benefit from doing an exercise like this? Do you have other exercises you could recommend? If so, please leave a comment below. Thanks!

When the Pain Disappears, The Beauty Remains

Barbra — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:44:36 +0000

"The world outside" by Barbra Sundquist

Many of us get discouraged when results don’t happen as fast as we think they should. The fact is, most change happens in a “two steps forward, one step back” kind of way. It takes dedicated effort and sticking with the program.

We get what we want through practice

Many BACC participants are now at the end of their third month. This is typically the point where people start to drop out. It’s important to realize that wanting to drop out at this point is very normal. The euphoria of “beginning” has passed, and now it feels like hard work. We start to think “maybe this isn’t the right time” – when in fact it is exactly the right time to stay in the process.

The real irony of growth

The following passage is from Journey into Power, by yoga teacher Baron Baptiste. Although he is talking about yoga practice, I think his words fit very well for any kind of challenging goal we are working towards:

The real irony of spiritual growth is that instead of being some miraculous experience, it feels a lot more like going to pieces. As soon as we open ourselves and our lives up [for growth], suddenly all kinds of unpleasant feelings come to the surface. We experience fear, disappointment, shame, even rage – certainly not the rosy, glowing epiphanies they promised in the brochure!

If you ask for wisdom or higher virtues, know that they only come through trials and tribulations. If you ask for inner peace, [the universe] will send you a storm in which to practice and cultivate peace. We get what we want through practice. There’s no such thing as a free lunch in the spiritual realm. You can stay stagnant in your comfort zone… but in order to transcend yourself and gain wisdom, you need to go through the fire, walk on hot coals, travel through the desert of your own mind, and come through on the other side transformed.

There is a famous story about Renoir and Matisse, who were friends. One day, Matisse visited his friend Renoir and watched him paint. Renoir suffered from terrible arthritis, and every stroke of the brush caused him immense pain. “Why do you do this to yourself?” Matisse asked. “Because when the pain disappears, the beauty remains,” Renoir replied.

The road to growth always passes through confusion, frustration, and pain. People sabotage their growth because they give up in those difficult moments. But if you stay in it, stay open, relax and breathe, a breakthrough is right there on the other side.

How much practice to become a masterful coach?

Barbra — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:11:45 +0000

A member wrote this on the BACC forum today:

My goal this month is to find 5 ‘clients’ or classmates, to do more audio recordings. I’m offering free 30 minute coaching sessions in exchange for permission to record the session. My goal is to have 100 audio recordings to learn from.

I applaud her dedication and realistic assessment of how much practice is necessary to become a masterful coach. This is what I like to hear!

I’m surprised at how little practice some people think is necessary to become a masterful coach. I’ve had people bemoaning the fact that their coaching is not yet masterful, and when I ask them how many coaching sessions they’ve done they say 10 or 20. Sometimes even fewer.

Would any of us entrust our well-being to a professional practitioner (e.g. doctor, accountant) who has only 10 or 20 hours of experience? I don’t think so!

Beginner’s Guide to Become a Life Coach

Barbra — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:55:27 +0000

Are you interested in becoming a life coach? If so, this article is for you. I’ll be sharing what I tell people when they ask “how do I become a life coach?”

Keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive guide to becoming a life coach. Rather, it’s practical advice based on my experience over the past eight years as a professional coach, mentor coach and coach certifier. The advice offered here is my educated opinion, not necessarily “the truth”.

How do I become a life coach?

That’s a question I hear often. It’s usually asked by people who love helping other people, who are interested in personal and professional development, and who are looking for a rewarding career. This type of person often has a wide range of interests and life experiences. All these things provide a good foundation for becoming a life coach, but as you might imagine, there’s more to it than that.

Do I need special training to become a life coach?

Yes and no. Yes, you do need training. No, it does not have to be a particular course or degree.

You could compare the training requirements to be a life coach to that required to be a consultant. A consultant needs to have a high level of skills in her area of consulting, but there is not a “consulting degree”. Similarly, a coach does not need a degree or certification to begin coaching.

So what kind of training do I need to become a life coach?

Many people who enter the coaching field come from careers that already involve people skills – such as teaching, counseling, personal training, human resource management, business consulting, sales, health care, journalism, ministry, parenting, and social work, to name just a few.

These people can build on their existing skill base with additional coach-specific training. Depending on how well their background has prepared them for coaching, they may need anything from a weekend workshop to a 2 year program to bring them up to a professional coach skill level.

In addition to learning new coaching skills, some people will need to “unlearn” certain habitual ways of responding. For example, consultants often have great questioning and problem-solving skills but tend to jump into “fix-it” mode right away. They will need to learn how to back off and let the client develop their own solutions. Similarly, parents may have lots of experience dealing with their own family dynamics, but need to learn how to keep an open mind when dealing with other people’s family situations.

How do I know how much more training I need?

The best way to determine how much and what kind of additional training you need to be a professional coach is to get an assessment of your present level of coaching skill. You can get that assessment in some coach training programs (surprisingly, not all training programs provide personal assessment. Always ask for details before registering).

Where can I get an assessment of my coaching skills?

Julia Stewart’s School of Coaching Mastery is one highly reputable school that provides assessments.

Doris Helge and Nina East are two excellent coach mentors who are well-versed in the IAC exam requirements. They will do a consultation with you for a reasonable fee (probably $150 – $200) to assess your current level of coaching skill, and provide you with feedback on what you need to work on.

All three of the afore-mentioned resources are directed towards IAC (International Association of Coaching) certification. If you are interested in ICF (International Coach Federation) certification, I recommend you contact mentor coach Marion Franklin.

Do I need to be certified to be a life coach?

At present, there is no legal requirement that coaches be certified. Personally, I think working towards IAC or ICF certification is important because it shows commitment to the profession. But not all coaches agree with this, and there are many good coaches with successful practices who are not certified.

Here is a link to a 10 minute audio recording called “Straight Talk on Coach Certification” where I explain more about coach certification.

Click link to listen…
http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WxvykqvK

What’s the difference between ICF and IAC certification?

IAC stands for the International Association of Coaching. I used to be a Certifying Examiner for the IAC, and my 9 CD Coaching by Example coach training program prepares coaches for IAC certification. ICF stands for International Coach Federation. Both are well-respected independent coach certification bodies.

The main difference between them are:
1) ICF certification is based on education completed and number of paid coaching hours
2) IAC certification is based solely on passing a series of exams. The IAC certification does not require completion of any particular training program or number of hours of coaching.

ICF website www.coachfederation.org
IAC website www.certifiedcoach.org

Which certification, ICF or IAC, would be best for me?

It depends on your needs and your client group. Right now ICF certification is more recognized than IAC certification, because the ICF has been around longer. For coaches wanting to work with corporate clients, ICF may be better because corporate clients are more familiar with that designation. For coaches wanting to work with private individuals or groups, certification does not seem to be as much of an issue.

The appeal of the IAC certification is that if you already have the skills, you don’t need to complete more schooling to get your coach certification. The IAC certification is based solely on demonstrated skill, and is well-suited to people who want to be recognized for prior training and ability.

What’s involved with passing the IAC exams?

The IAC certification based on demonstrating knowledge and ability in The Coaching Masteries™. A workbook describing the 9 Coaching Masteries™ is available at www.certifiedcoach.org. The test involves an on-line exam and evaluation of two taped client calls.

Although it may seem that the IAC certification is a faster or easier way to become certified compared to the ICF, the reality is that achieving the level of mastery required to pass the IAC exam requires a great deal of coaching skill and experience. My 9-CD coach training program covers what you need to know to pass the IAC exam.

I’ve been “coaching” all my life but I just haven’t called it that. Would being certified benefit me?

You don’t necessarily need to be certified, but you do need to be trained. When people say they “have been coaching all their life” they usually mean they’ve been a good and caring listener all their life. Or they’ve been the one people turn to for advice. There’s much more to coaching than this (and in fact, giving advice is a very small part of coaching).

Can I really make a living as a life coach?

I’m going to be frank: it’s not easy to make a living as a life coach.

Why is this? Well, there are a number of factors. In my opinion, the most significant factor is that in its traditional form (i.e. client meets the coach each week in-person or on the telephone for 30 – 60 minutes, for a typical fee of $300 a month), it’s just too expensive for most potential clients.

Many coaches will argue that the fee is not at all expensive when you consider the progress that the client will make in terms of career satisfaction, meeting life-long goals and possibly even making a higher salary. I don’t disagree with that. Nonetheless, it’s hard for most coaches to get clients.

I want to be really clear about this, because when you start searching for information on the Internet about becoming a coach, you’re going to come across all sorts of sites that promise you the moon (maybe you’ve already encountered that). That’s because they want to raise your expectations about how easy it is to become a professional coach and how much money you’re going to make.

Keep in mind that most Internet websites exist to sell you something. The coaching field is no different. The exceptions are sites from independent certification bodies such as the ICF and the IAC, and discussion forums such as the New Coach Connection.

Do any coaches make a good living from coaching?

Yes, certainly! There are many successful coaches with a full practice. And there are many coaches who prefer to make a part-time or supplemental income from coaching. But there are also a lot of coaches who struggle financially.

From what I have observed, there are three factors that make for a financially successful coach. To be successful as a self-employed coach you need:

1) A niche or specialty that is in demand. When I say “in demand”, I mean something that clients are willing to pay their hard-earned money for. Examples include career transition coaching, divorce recovery coaching, stress management coaching, and small business marketing coaching. Each of these examples provides a very tangible benefit or solves a pressing problem for the client.
2) Masterful coaching skills. This is where training and assessment comes in. It’s not enough to be a good listener, or be able to provide advice (in fact, most untrained coaches provide too much advice). Masterful coaching sounds easy but it’s not. It requires highly developed and nuanced communication skills.
3) Business and marketing skills. If you choose to be a self-employed, private practice coach, you will spend at least 60% (in the beginning, probably more) of your work time running your business. This means administration, computer stuff, networking, billing, professional development, and most importantly, marketing.

How much money could I make as a coach?

If you fall into the small percentage of coaches that meet all three of the criteria above, you could anticipate making as much as $80,000 a year working full-time as a coach.

I’ve arrived at this figure like this:

40 hours a week x 50 weeks = 2000 hours a year

40% of those hours are paid (60% is administration and marketing)

800 hours x $100 an hour* = $80,000

That means that in a typical work day you might coach 4 – 6 clients for 30 – 60 minutes each. The remaining time would be spent in administration and marketing.

I do want to stress that only a small percentage of coaches make this kind of income. The ones who do are the ones who:

1) meet all three of the criteria above, and

2) want to work full-time (many people prefer coaching as a part-time or supplemental income).

*I’m using the rate of $100 an hour as an example only. Coaching fees typically range from $40 – $100 an hour for new coaches, and $100 – $200 or more for experienced or in-demand coaches.

What are the different ways to be a coach?

Public awareness of coaching as a profession has really increased in recent years. When I started coaching eight years ago, the typical response to “I’m a coach” was “what sport?” Now, people are likely to respond “Cool! I’ve heard of that”, or “I know someone who does that.”

As public awareness of coaching has changed there has been a parallel evolution in the profession’s concept of service delivery.

The traditional way to be a life coach was modeled on the counseling model. You signed up a client with a “client agreement” and agreed on a day and time to meet for “sessions” each week. These sessions might be in-person or over the telephone (the majority of life coaches meet with clients on the telephone). This is still a popular and viable way to deliver coaching services, but there are many other ways. For example:

In addition, there are lots of ways to coach without actually having the title “Coach”. Many people get coaching skills training in order to be more effective in their main job – whether that is as a parent, mentor, manager, or even something as seemingly unrelated as a doctor or a salesperson.

I think the future of coaching lies in less expensive service delivery models. As an analogy, think of the fitness industry. There are so many people who want to get fit, but how many of them invest $40 – $100 an hour in a personal trainer? A pretty small percentage. Much more popular are group fitness classes that cost perhaps $10 – $15 dollars a session.

The same applies for coaching – there are a small percentage of clients who invest in individual coaching, and a much larger group that invests in less expensive options such as group coaching, workshops, products and courses. It’s important for coaches to keep this in mind when planning their marketing and service offerings.

CCEC Coaching Model

Barbra — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:57:32 +0000

Click here to listen…

And click here to get the CCEC chart that shows how the four CCEC components relate to the IAC Coaching Masteries™.

I’ve developed a coaching model that is simple, easy to remember, and powerful. It has just four things to remember: Connect, Clarify, Expand and Create (CCEC). If you can remember to do these four things — Connect, Clarify, Expand and Create — in a coaching session, you will be coaching very well.

Here’s an elaboration of the four components of the CCEC coaching model:

Connect fully and deeply with the client
Clarify dynamics, motivation and information
Expand client awareness, knowledge and abilities
Create possibilities for full self-expression

We talked about this in our BACC members call on January 9. Click the link at the beginning of this article to listen to a 9 minute excerpt from that call. This audio explains more about how to use the CCEC model, and how the model relates to the IAC Coaching Masteries.

Note: the BACC program is now closed. We recommend the Coaching By Example CD series as it covers all the material previously offered in the BACC program.

BACC Coach Certification Program

Barbra — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:17:11 +0000

Note: the BACC program is now closed. We recommend the Coaching By Example CD series as it covers all the material previously offered in the BACC program.

We had a lively and informative Open House call yesterday. Here’s the recording, and the summary notes below.

Click here to listen…
Click here to download…

Q: Will I be certified at the end of this?

I don’t know, it all depends on you – where you are starting from in terms of your coaching skills, and how much work you put into it. Everybody’s at a different starting point.

Q: Will you actually be listening to our tapes and telling us which ones to submit to the IAC?

Yes and no. No. Under the terms of the IAC teaching license, I cannot do that. However, I will be listening to your coaching in the live classes and giving you feedback and letting you know where you measure up against the IAC certification standards.

I’ll also be teaching you how to score your own coaching sessions — much in the same way that the IAC Certifying Examiners do– against the IAC Masteries. I’ll be encouraging you to score all your sessions, and those of your triad partners. That way you learn how to do it yourself (“give a man a fish” vs “teach him to fish”)

Q: Will you teach how to do the recordings and submit to the IAC?

Yes indeed! I have arranged a service that has free bridge lines and free recordings for you. I have a video that shows you exactly how to do it. You’ll be surprised at how easy it actually is once you know how.

Q: How much time will it take me to be certified?

As I mentioned above, it depends on your starting skills and how much work you put into it. For people who come into the program with what I would call good coaching skills (about 60% level), the average length of time would be 6 – 8 months to raise your level to masterful coaching skills (80% and above level).

Q: Is there a Cole’s Notes version?

My whole way of teaching is the Cole’s Notes version :) I simplify and organize the material. Concise, straight-forward lessions explain exactly what you need to know, with no fluff.

Q: What’s the criteria for the scoring?

When the IAC Examiners listen to a tape, they score each Mastery from zero to five. So for the 9 Masteries, there’s a total of 45 possible points (9 x 5). Your total points are converted to a percentage, and you need to get >80% on each tape. If you pass one tape but not the other, you don’t have to start all over. Your passing tape is held in your file, and you just have to send in another tape (and and additional fee of $175).

Q: What’s the format of the BACC program?

- private members website
- 3 live teleclasses a month (first and third Wednesday of each month at 4 pm Eastern; second Wednesday of each month at 7 pm Eastern)
- all classes are recorded- discussion forum where you connect with triad and buddy partners for practice and taping
- free recording service and support for recording
- no start or stop dates: join whenever you want and leave whenever you want
- training in how to critique and assess against the IAC standards
- multimedia teaching format: audio, written transcripts, and videos
- dedicated support person to answer all your questions quickly

Note: the BACC program is now closed. We recommend the Coaching By Example CD series as it covers all the material previously offered in the BACC program.

Feedback Template for Coaching Triads

Barbra — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:37:36 +0000

This feedback template may be used as a guide for the Observer in a coaching triad to structure constructive feedback.

If time is limited ask Coach which of the three areas (skills, presence or expertise) they would most like feedback on.

Feedback Template

The Coach asked for specific feedback on ______________ and ____________.

1) COACHING SKILLS

The strongest thing I noticed about your coaching skills was …
This was particularly evident when…
If I had to suggest one area for improvement it would be …

2) PERSONAL PRESENCE

The gift you bring to others is your…
The impact it seemed to have on the client was…
An area to work on might be…

3) SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE

You really helped the client when you offered expertise in this area…
This was particularly evident when you said…
It would have been helpful if you had expertise in _______to offer.

Recap: when giving feedback in a practice triad…

* take notes so you can give specifics
* focus on feedback to coach, not ideas to client
* give two “positives” for every “negative”

Practice Triads for Coaches

Barbra — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 02:52:21 +0000

The purpose of this article is to give you some hints on how to set up coaching practice triads that are effective, supportive and meet the needs of all participants. The Observer may also want to use the feedback template when giving feedback to the Coach.

When You’re The Client

Pick a real issue … something that is current and relevant for you.
Remember the point of this is for the coach to practice, so pick your session topic accordingly.

When You’re the Coach

Actually coach … be yourself.
This is a space to try new things and take some risks.
Know what you’d like to get out of each practice session, and let your triad partners know (e.g. “I want to speak more succinctly” or “I’m working on letting go of the need for the client to change”)
Ask for specific feedback if you want it, and accept the feedback in the spirit it was intended. Try to resist the temptation to argue with the feedback or defend your choices.
Manage the time, and thank your partners for their efforts.

When You’re the Observer

Remember, you’re observing the coach, not coaching the client, so focus your attention on giving feedback to the coach.
Don’t divert attention away from the coach’s learning by offering suggestions to the client. If there’s something you want the client to know, write it down and send it as an email. Or reserve time at the end of the entire meeting to share those thoughts and observations.

Take notes of what seemed effective in the session. Writing down specific things the coach said is very helpful.
If you would have taken the session in a different direction, make note of that (when and how), but don’t get distracted by it. There are a million possible directions that a coach could go in at any given point.
Say what you’re reluctant to say, but be tactful. A sensitive way to give constructive criticism would be to say something like “If I had to pick one thing that would have strengthened your coaching, it would be …”
Always give two positive comments for every negative one, and limit your suggestions for improvement to two or three at the most. People can only absorb a small amount of criticism at a time.
Be concise and use specific examples.
Know what the Coach is working on (e.g. are they here to practice a particular coaching model? to practice not attaching to outcome?) and give feedback accordingly.
Make a note of the time, and if necessary remind the coach to wrap up.
Have relevant reference materials in front of you (e.g. CCEC model, IAC Coaching Masteries, ICF Core Competencies)
Remember that everyone coaches with their own flavor. The main thing to consider is “was it effective for the client?”

For The Triad In General

Make a commitment and stick to it. Your triad members are counting on you to show up every time.
Have an idea of what your goals are, and share them with your triad members.
Coach even if no one feels like coaching that day. Consistency is key to progress, and it’s very easy to let the triad slide into a general chitchat meeting.
Decide the time-keeping responsibilities (who’s timing the sessions, as well as the feedback period).
Know how long your sessions/evaluations will last and stick to the schedule to make the best use of everyone’s time.
Discuss ahead of time how long you’re agreeing to meet (typically triads agree to meet for two to three months and then reassess).
Agree on when you’ll reassess, and what things you’ll be reassessing.

For example: After 2 months we’ll talk about:

do we want to continue for another 2 months?
do we want to refocus our triad purpose?
is there something that has worked really well that we’d like to do more of?
is there something we’d like to change?
is there a system that needs to be put into place?

I’d like to thank Beth Lyons www.techiecoach.com for her significant input to this article.