Tomorrow’s Life Coach
Volume 3 Issue 8 - August 2004

In This Issue: Spirituality and Coaching

• Upcoming Classes at ILCT
• Pat’s Ponderings ~ Patrick Williams, Ed. D., MCC
• Editor’s Pen ~ Annette Miller, MBA
• Spiritual Coaching ~ Judy Santos, PCC
• Cut through the Hype: The Truth about Building a Prosperous Coaching Business: a virtual weekend conference
• Marketing Tip: Stories for Crafting a Comfortable Sales Approach ~ Annette Miller, MBA
• Mindful Coaching: Recognizing Your Habits ~ Doug Silsbee
• Teleconference For Coaches, Therapists and Facilitators Who Use “The Work of Byron Katie”

Tomorrow's Life Coach is a professional monthly online journal of the Institute for Life Coach Training that nourishes the intellect, intuition and inspiration of the personal/business coaching community. TLC continues to gain in popularity among diverse coaches and is highly recommended by Peer Resources:

"One of the best free newsletters, Tomorrow's Life Coach consists of well-researched, informative articles on a variety of key topics for coaches. While a publication of the Institute for Life Coach Training, many of the articles are written by other well-known coaches."

In an February 2004 article in our newsletter there was a mistaken reference to a coaching pricing and practices agreement between ICF and IBM Corporation. We apologize for the error and have removed the article from our website.

The Editors

Upcoming Classes at ILCT

Foundational Courses

• Foundational Coach Training for Therapists - starts August 17 or September 20
• Foundational Coach Training for Christian Counselors  - starts October 4

Coaching Tools and Skills

• Group Coaching - starts September 2
• Coaching Skills Practicum - starts September 8
• Using the DISC and PIAV in Coaching - starts September 8

Practice Building Courses

• Creating a Referral Based Business - starts September 7
• Practice Made Perfect: Marketing Your Coaching Business For Maximum Success - starts September 8

Coaching Applications/Specialties

• Executive Coaching and Development - starts September 7
• Relationship Coaching with Couples - starts September 13
• Foundations in Wellness Coaching - starts September 13
• Specialty Training in Wellness Coaching - starts September 13

Additional classes, details and online registration at our course section. Some schedules may change; check listing or contact Edwina Adams, Administration/Registration, at edwina@lifecoachtraining.com or Diane Menendez, Director of Faculty and Curriculum, at diane@lifecoachtraining.com

Pat's Ponderings

Dear Fellow Coaches:

When I was first attracted to coaching, one of the big pulls of coaching was about purposeful living and assisting people to play large. My interest in psychology was always focused on mind/body/spirit as a concept of total living. So this issue of the newsletter has some articles on spirituality and coaching. Sometimes this might mean faith-based spirituality; sometimes this means more of a non-religious view of the human spirit. Either way, spirituality and coaching is about the inner being of the client...the search for deeper meaning, purpose, values, and character. Please let me know in the weeks to come how you find spirituality showing up for you in your coaching and in your living. We might print some of the responses in the next newsletter.

Happy Coaching!

Pat
Patrick Williams Ed.D., MCC
Chief Energizing Officer, ILCT
Department Chair, Professional Coaching 
International University of Professional Studies: "Get a PhD in professional coaching from a reputable university without walls. Go to www.iups.edu...the quickest and least expensive way to achieve a PhD in professional coaching."

Editor's Pen

Dear Coaches:

Look into the articles this issue for great texture and content on "Spirituality and Coaching." Judy Santos, ILCT faculty, and Doug Silsbee have provided richness from different perspectives on this theme of spirituality. We also have a marketing tip, "Stories to Craft a Comfortable Sales Approach" to help boost your public relations and income, too! Plus, read about two new teleconferences.

We are looking for good writers for our next issues: September--Coaching Leaders, October--Retirement and Next-Gen Coaching, November--Coaching Ethics and Standards and December--Self-Care for Caring Coaches. Please see our Guidelines at  http://www.lifecoachtraining.com/resources/newsletter/guidelines.shtml and send me an email!

Wishing you summertime pleasures and business success,

Annette

Annette A. Miller, MBA, Executive Coach
Editor, Tomorrow's Life Coach
Graduate, ILCT
Member, ICF, CCN, IAC
Founder, LifeSync Coaching®
annette@lifesync.com
http://www.lifesync.com
Virtual Certification Workshop for Extended DISC Assessments - September 8 & 9

Spiritual Coaching

Can you effectively coach someone who does not share your spiritual beliefs? Do you have any boundaries established around that? Can you readily define your line in the sand? Are you at ease talking with your clients about their issues of faith? Does it matter to you if spiritual beliefs are the basis for a client’s decisions or judgments? These are all questions that every coach needs to think through. If you aren’t now comfortable coaching around spiritual issues now and then, it’s time to get comfortable.

The late Thomas Leonard used to say that a masterful coach can coach anyone about anything. Think about that for a moment. It might well be the most brutal test of your coaching skills to work with someone whose values are diametrically opposed to your own. You may well pass the test by asking the questions that will move the client toward their goals, denying the temptation of giving advice and consciously resisting your own agenda. But even if you pass the test of effective coaching, you may not choose to have such people in your clientele. You may find that coaching such a client drains your energy, impedes your joy and restricts your freedom. 

We are all drawn to others with whom we have something in common. This may be as superficial as enjoying baseball or as deep as shared convictions of faith and values. At the Christian Coaches Conference held in June, there was a thread of unity that was powerfully demonstrated throughout the days spent together. While numerous denominations were represented, the focus was on shared beliefs, faith and purpose.

We all have our values and for many, they are intrinsically woven by faith. Just as everyone has a belief system about what is right and wrong, everybody, including atheists, has a belief system about life, the reason for being, death and eternity.

It’s not a secret that within each life there is a spirit and a soul. This acknowledgement has been unleashed significantly in the workplace over the last few years. Spirituality is the catchword that covers a wide range of worldviews, from a humanistic approach to those who believe that they are God, with many variations in philosophies and religions. It is no longer a taboo topic. 

The coaching profession attracts an overwhelming number of people who identify themselves as “spiritual”. As coaches, we have many characteristics that weave into common denominators, but who we are and what we believe are factors that we bring to the table for our clients. 

Where is Christianity in all this buzz about being spiritual? Safe to say that all Christians are spiritual, but most certainly not all who define themselves as spiritual are Christian. The difference concerns Jesus Christ.

Because I am known as a Christian coach, I tend to attract Christian clients, although my practice is not limited to coaching only Christians. The challenges are the same. The perspective is different. I have coached high profile Christian executives, missionaries in third world countries and also mentored dozens of Christian coaches. Some want to talk about faith issues, others just like knowing that we have a rooted connection. By the same token, as a business development coach (sometimes working with people outside my own faith), clients always, at some point, raise issues of life and values. We all take ourselves to work. Purpose, values and quality of life are some of the big rocks in the jar for all of us.

I encourage you to know the root of what you believe, how it shows up in your life and how it translates into your coaching business. Let your mindset, language, and actions be a true reflection of who you are. Being comfortable in your own skin is an important part of coaching with confidence. Authenticity is attractive.

Judy Santos is the founder and president of the Christian Coaches Network and co-leads the Christian Track program for ILCT. In private practice, she works with small business owners in leveraging their experience and expertise to new directions. Visit www.judysantos.com and www.christiancoaches.com. 

The vitality and passion and wakefulness of God be mine that I may be fully alive this day.

~ J. Philip Newell, Celtic Benediction

Cut through the Hype: The Truth about Building a Prosperous Coaching Business
a virtual weekend conference 

includes 3 day conference complete with
two teleconferences, breakout sessions, vendors, and a bookstore, by being on your computer at your convenience

www.DrPatWilliams.com 
Register early and SAVE! Early bird registration ends August 15th.

Marketing Tip: Stories for Crafting a Comfortable Sales Approach

It’s easy for me to explain the coaching benefits and process and to screen the prospective client when compared to letting them know my fees! And many other coaches I know feel the same way—we like to help people and deliver top-notch services, but not deal with the money part of the business!

So why not delay the money part? One of Jim Vuocolo’s tips last month was “Give something of value away.” Here are a couple of stories that may help you craft your own “sales” approach that is comfortable for you.

I approached a non-profit organization whose mission I personally supported, and through a board member was connected with a vice president. I offered free coaching to a manger of their choice (if screening indicated they were a good candidate for coaching) for 3 months. The vice president was so excited to hear about coaching, but money-lean, that I offered to coach the VP for free for 1 month as well. Now that the organization has seen a positive impact from these coaching experiences, they are interested in purchasing (yes, purchasing) more services.

In another organization, that has a mission of developing leaders, I approached them to explore the ideas of coaching and workshops. After an initial conversation, I dropped back by their office a few weeks later to casually demonstrate the PowerPoint presentation of the workshop. I offered to do their first leadership development workshop at a much-reduced rate by eliminating the speaking fee (just charging the assessment fees.) The director was so impressed that he said he was considering personally contributing money so that the initial workshop could happen quickly.

Approaching these two organizations with an attitude of exploring, sharing and giving, rather than probing, selling and asking for money, made it more comfortable for me and the prospects, although it may not work in every situation. And offering such large amounts of free services is not something I do with every prospective client, certainly. But I enjoyed giving back to my community in this way, and it fostered good relationships and new business.

Annette A. Miller, MBA, Executive Coach, is enjoying her third year as an entrepreneur in Texas. She is a graduate of ILCT-Christian Track and is active in local coaching organizations. Visit LifeSync Coaching at www.lifesync.com or email her at amiller@lifesync.com. 

"We are not human beings on a spiritual journey.  We are spiritual beings on a human journey."

~Stephen Covey

Mindful Coaching: Recognizing Your Habits

Jim Sobosan, in his April article on Living Mindfully, spoke eloquently about the process of cultivating present moment awareness. In particular, Jim makes the point that “knowing what is driving my train... allows me to identify and master my distractions.” Recognizing distractions as they arise, and choosing to come back to our present experience with our client is central to coaching mindfully.

Through development as a Buddhist practitioner and as a coach, I’ve identified a number of mental habits that distract us from mindful presence with our clients. While they may have served us in the past, our mental energies continue to follow these established pathways in our minds, like a stream following a worn groove over bare rock. Meanwhile, like seeds stranded on the bank above, new ideas, new ways of thinking, and new possibilities fail to sprout for lack of water. 

Becoming aware of ways in which our own conditioning “hooks” or distracts us is inherent in our self-development work. This work, I believe, is essential if we are to know the territory as we coach our clients through their own conditioned patterns order to become more fulfilled and effective.

This article briefly describes several common habits of mind that challenge all of us to remain both humble and mindful. 

• Projections: We look at the world through the filters of our experiences. The sense of comfortable intimacy and our feelings of irritation with our clients’ limitations say more about us than about the client. This confusion of ourselves with our clients may lead us to approaches based on our own history and needs, rather than those of the client. Recognizing this potential is the first step towards seeing the client more clearly.
• Self-Judgment: We can judge ourselves for mistakes or missed opportunities. For example, if I notice that I’m distracted and not listening well, I might be hard on myself. It’s useful to see that my self-judgment about being distracted takes me away from my client just as surely as the distraction did in the first place! The trick is to cultivate the ability to observe myself without judgment.
• Identity: We all have a story about ourselves that we believe and desire to be true. We can sometimes present ourselves to others in ways that invite them to reinforce this identity. For example, wanting to be seen as smart or as a good listener may subtly distort our interactions with others. Seeing the subtleties of our identity, and the ways in which we seek to affirm it, allows more space in the coaching relationship. 
• Expert Mind: It is easy, in developing competency in any area, to begin to settle for approaches that have worked in the past. The more comfortable and expert we feel, the easier it becomes to follow routines. Models, proven lines of questioning and templates, while helpful, can put us in a metaphorical sleep as our minds default to established neural pathways in our brains. True mastery comes from being present, from seeing the client as new and fresh in this moment, and providing what best supports the client’s learning.

Recognizing and freeing ourselves from these and other habits requires rigorous and constant practice. We can learn to see and accept the unique set of habits that has defined us as a personality, and they begin to lose their hold on us. Doing so expands our experience of ourselves, and a clearer, less filtered view of what is around us.
Service to our clients requires all of who we are. The constant practice of cultivating presence and authenticity with our clients is mindfulness work at the highest level. We can be grateful that our chosen profession of coaching illuminates our blind spots, shows us new aspects of our selves, and provides limitless opportunities to deepen our own practice and growth. 

Doug Silsbee is an author and coach in Asheville, NC. Based on his Buddhist practice, Doug’s coaching provides mindful support for personal and professional change. His 2004 book, The Mindful Coach: Seven Roles for Helping People Grow, discusses these and other habits of mind, and provides a wealth of practical tools for developing mindfulness in coaching. Doug can be reached at silsbee@septetcoaching.com or http://septetcoaching.com. His book can be previewed or ordered through this website.

"Spiritual living is a fulfillment from moment to moment, in which the outer person is in a state of living rapport with the inner being and becomes an extension thereof."

~N. Sri Ram

Announcing a New Teleconference For Coaches, Therapists and Facilitators Who Use “The Work of Byron Katie”

Are you one of the growing number of coaches, therapists or facilitators who use “The Work of Byron Katie” as a tool in your work with clients? If so and you want to learn more about how others are using it, this 90-minute teleconference is for you. 

Katie will join us for the first part of the conference for a question and answer period. This will be followed by a sharing period in which a 10-member panel will share ideas, learnings and general thoughts about their experiences in facilitating “The Work” with clients. 

• September 28, 2004

• 10 AM Pacific Time (11AM Mountain, 12 Noon Central, 1 PM Eastern)

• 90 minutes

• 1-646-519-5883, PIN 6583

There is no fee and no need to register in advance. Just call the bridge line on the day of the call. If you have a question for Katie e-mail Maggie Carter at inquiryone@comcast.net with your question.

If you would like to be part of the 10-person discussion panel e-mail Maggie at inquiryone@comcast.net. The topic for the panel will be: What have you learned or experienced for yourself in sharing “The Work” with clients? You will be notified in advance about your selection for either the Q and A or the Panel.

Future teleconferences are scheduled for October 19th and November 9th. Times will be the same, but the bridge line number may change. 

Tomorrow's Life Coach™

Patrick Williams, Ed.D., Publisher
Annette Miller, Editor, annette@lifesync.com
© 2004 Institute for Life Coach Training
www.lifecoachtraining.com
Phone: 888-267-1206
info@lifecoachtraining.com