[an error occurred while processing this directive] Tomorrow's Life Coach In This IssuePat's Ponderings: 24-7coaching.com interviews Pat Williams Editor's Pen: Invitation to this issue's focus on behavioral assessments Focus - Behavioral Assessments
Mother Teresa of Calcutta - My Marketing Hero! Pat's PonderingInterview Conducted and Published by 24-7coaching.comDr. Patrick Williams brings with him
a wide variety of training in psychology and professional
experiences, as well as training as a Coach. Pat presents
workshops and speaks on a variety of topics related
to personal and business excellence, and is a graduate
and a former trainer with Coach University, one of the
early coach training schools. In 1998, he recognized
the need to provide training to mental health professionals
who desired to add coaching to their business or who
wanted to improve their therapy practice. He founded
Therapist University (now The Institute for Life Coach
Training), a "distance learning" forum with all classes
taught by teleconferencing. His Panel of Advisors are
all seasoned therapists and successful coaches with
varied backgrounds in formal Coach training. The curriculum
for ILCT's Foundational Coach Training Program has been
researched and drawn from Sports Psychology, Humanistic
Psychology, NLP, Corporate and Organizational Development
and the growing body of Coaching Literature. The Interview Williams: I
live in Ft. Collins, Colorado with my wife of 5 years,
Jill, and our dog and two cats. We also travel to
the Caribbean yearly where we hope to live someday
soon. WILLIAMS: As
a Psychologist who did some corporate consulting,
I was hired to be the Executive Coach for a training
company and coached the CEOs and top managers, of
Hewlett Packard, Kodak, Waterpik, IBM, Advanced Energy
and other Colorado |Corporations. Interview by 24-7coaching.com, copyright 2003, The world's leading coaching portal for Professional Coaches, Future Coaches, Corporate Coaches (CEO's, Exec's, Managers, Team Leaders, Entrepreneurs etc.) and anyone who coaches others with passion! Standard Lifetime Membership only $69 / £49 / ¤79, allows unlimited LIFETIME access to 24-7coaching.com and all it's free teleclasses & online resources. OR as a reader of this newsletter you qualify for a massive 30% discount on 24-7's 'Coach Lifetime Membership' (as Standard Lifetime plus a lifetime listing in coach referral service) only $199 / £149 for a lifetime (usually $299 / £209 / ¤339) - for a discounted membership email their team at team@247coaching.com (include a contact number, good time to call and time zone).
Editor's Pen It seems the most important service for a coach to add to their basic coaching services may be assessments. That is why we selected "Behavioral Assessments" to be the focus for this issue: everyone's talking about assessments, asking questions, researching, experimenting. However, please note that this is not an exhaustive representation of all behavioral assessments. Also, we don't necessarily claim endorsement of the products, except of course those that are being offered through the Institute for Life Coach Training. Our purpose is to highlight some of the major behavioral assessments and to provide some related resources to help you, the coach. Did you know that you don't need to take extensive training nor be certified to use some of these assessments with your clients? Some assessments can be learned through self-study, or you can outsource the assessment/consultation to an appropriate coach or behavioral expert. This can be a seamless service where you direct the "show" and the other coach/behavioral analyst only performs the assessment consultation. Next issue's focus will be coaching in religious organizations - this is definitely a growing industry! Please submit your articles by March 30. Let me know if you need a copy of the "Guidelines for Submissions" or you can refer to it online on the last page of the February issue. May our coaching take the world to new heights! Annette Miller, Editor Authorized Affiliate for Extended DISC of North America; contact us for information on certification training. We also provide practice development groups for new coaches to help them run their coaching practices with higher success, less stress and more satisfaction. Coach Featured on Sky Radio The following airlines will be featuring an interview with our own Pat Williams on their sky radios. You can also hear the interview during those months at www.skyradionet.com.
Focus - Behavioral Assessments
Classes at ILCT on AssessmentsPlease contact Diane Menendez, Director of Faculty and Training, at diane@lifecoachtraining.com to register your request for the courses below to be scheduled before the fall semester. (These will automatically be offered during the final quarter of the year. But if there is sufficient demand, we will schedule offerings during the summer and fall, too.) Using AssessmentsThis teleclass is designed for new and experienced coaches who want to understand the uses of 8 basic assessment tools in their coaching practice. The course provides an overview of the most commonly used and established personal and corporate coaching assessments, including he Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the DISC, the PIAV, and the Firo-B. It also covers 2 relatively new assessment tools: The PeopleMap, and the Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI), both of which emerged during the 1990's. Basic issues in using self-assessments and 360-degree assessments are addressed. One class provides a summary of other tools commonly used in career coaching for exploration after the course. You'll get a lengthy list of assessments and a brief review of each to add to your coaching toolkit. Scheduled for November 2003 Course: $225 Instructor: Diane Menendez, Ph.D. Advanced Course in Using the DISC and the PIAV in Coaching ILCT is pleased to offer a unique 8-week Certification Program to prepare class participants to become Professional Analysts both in the DISC Behavioral Language and the Personal Interests, Attitudes and Values (PIA&V) programs. This class will emphasize the 'how to' value and strength associated with using both of these assessment vehicles. While many DISC assessments can be used with only basic or rudimentary training, we highly recommend becoming Certified if you want to work with these instruments in a business, corporate, coaching, or therapeutic environment. This training will prepare you to sit for both the Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst (CPBA) and Certified Professional Values Analyst (CPVA) exams. Once you have taken and passed these exams (at your convenience within 2 weeks of completing the course) you will receive both certifications, i.e. CPBA & CPVA, directly from Target Training International, the premier leader in DISC language assessments and training tools. Be among the best -- get certified! Participants must register ahead of time as TTI distributors in order to receive the materials required for the course. Course: $995.00 (includes $300.00 for Certification Exams) Course Materials: $499.00 (separate Distributor fee to TTI) Instructor: Dr. Jim Vuocolo, CPBA, CPVA PeopleMap Training for Coaches You will be trained in the use and interpretation of the Peoplemap™ Questionnaire. Instructor: Dr. Michael Lillibridge Executive Coaching Practicum You will participate in 20 one-hour bridge calls for six months. You will be trained in the use and interpretation of 3 assessment devises: The Peoplemap™ Questionnaire, the FIRO-B, and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. Each executive will have completed these 3 assessment questionnaires. Training will also include the Peoplemap™ Leadership Model, a session with the CEO of the engineering firm covering corporate culture, the results of all 2,700 employees' Peoplemap™ profiles, executives and stress, success and people skills. Also included will be a model for achieving goals and peak performance. Finally, executives and their marriage will also be covered. In addition, Dr. Lillibridge will have monthly group calls with groups of five participants to practice, discuss, and present cases. He is also available for one on one consultation as scheduled at no additional charge. Instructor: Dr. Michael
Lillibridge Using the Enneagram in Coaching The Enneagram is an established exploratory tool based on nine different styles of viewing the world, each with its own gifts and its own dilemmas. Frequently used in spiritual direction, it is an assessment instrument consistent with the view that wholeness and spiritual maturity are at the heart of what it means to be fully human. Diane has been using the Enneagram for 15 years with life coaching clients. Contact her at Diane@lifecoachtraining.com with questions or if you want to be added to a list of interested students. Course:
8 weeks, $350, 8 hours credit DiSCThe foundation of personal and professional success lies in understanding yourself, understanding others, and realizing the impact of personal behavior on others. For nearly thirty years, the DiSC® Classic has unlocked the door to productive communication and relationships for over 30 million people through its DiSC® Dimensions of Behavior learning approach. It helps people explore behavior across four primary dimensions:Dominance (source: http://www.inscapepublishing.com/products/c128.asp?product=4) Researchers at the University of Minnesota developed the original DiSC Classic in 1972. Inscape Publishing performed extensive research to revise and re-validate the instrument, and as a result, created the Personal Profile System® 2800 Series. (To read the research report, see http://www.inscapepublishing.com/pdf/PPS2800O-255.pdf.) The DISC Language is based on the work of Dr. William Moulton Marston, whose book "The Emotions of Normal People" stands at the basis of the DISC Language and TTI's [Target Training International, Ltd., www.ttidisc.com] Assessments, and "is in complete mathematical harmony with the works of Jung." The Style Analysis form (which forms the basis for the DISC Assessments) and its various uses are all derived from Marston's work. Born in Cliftondale, Massachusetts, in 1893, Dr. Marston was educated at Harvard University. He also received three degrees from that institution, an A.B. in 1915, an LL.B in 1918 and a Ph.D. in 1921. Most of Dr. Marston's adult life was spent as a teaching and consulting psychologist. Marston's most well known contribution was his success in lie detection. His work was done at Harvard University and in 1938 his book, "The Lie Detector," was published.** **From http://www.soulbusiness.com/DISC3.HTM. Used with permission of James S. Vuocolo, D.Min., MCC, CPVA, CPBA. We also offer individual and/or group Tele-Coaching sessions for the purpose of furthering a client's understanding of all assessment results. We also offer group Tele-Coaching classes to individuals and/or groups who wish to learn the DISC Language, and conduct on site workshops and seminars regarding the DISC Assessment Tools. Call for special assessment and coaching rates for groups and/or non-profit organizations. Phone: (909) 794-2136. Extended DISC® Assessments ©Copyright 2003 - Extended DISC North
America, Inc. Extended DISC® Analyses are based on the world's most accepted concepts of human behavior and over 75 years of behavioral studies. The foundation for Extended DISC® is a psychological theory developed in the 1920's by Carl G. Jung in his book Psychological Types. The DISC-system and theory is based on the four basic personality types: D-Dominance, I-Influence, S-Steady and C-Compliance. The Extended DISC® System and Diamond were developed in 1994 by Jukka Sappinen in Finland. The product was made available to the United States in 1997 and is now in 35 countries and in 37 languages. The Extended DISC® is recognized as the world's fastest growing assessment system. The Extended DISC® Diamond is the 1990's addition to the DISC-theory. It provides an additional dimension to behavioral assessments; therefore, the results are significantly more accurate. Most importantly, Extended DISC® Diamond creates a powerful framework for practical applications. The Extended DISC® Diamond is based on the Jungian four-quadrant model and this framework is used to visually present behavioral styles and well as a presenting a tool to make appropriate modifications in behavioral styles. The Extended DISC® Diamond can identify 160 specific behavioral types. The Extended DISC® Personal Analysis is the foundation for the other assessments. It is a behavioral inventory based on self-evaluation and does not have right or wrong answers, provide high or low scores, or by any other means classify people into better or worse. Neither does it measure skills, intelligence or attitudes; it purely concentrates on measuring natural and adaptive behavioral styles. We all have the opportunity to learn to recognize our own behavioral styles, those of other's, and make adjustments appropriately to improve personal effectiveness. This assists in avoiding unnecessary problems in communication and helps people, teams and organizations to become more successful. Applications for the Extended DISC® products include all forms of personal and personnel development, coaching, management and executive development, sales/customer service skills development, organizational management, team building, conflict resolution, career development and more. Products include: · Personal Analysis · Work Pair Analysis · Team Analysis · Team Assessment (360) · Team Alignment · Job Analysis · Open 360 · Online Survey Platform Certification training is available for Extended DISC® products (no annual fee or continuing education units required). The number of professional coaches certified in Extended DISC® products is growing. The reports are available in 19 languages. Advances in technology allow clients to answer the questionnaire (for Personal Analysis) online 24/7 and for the report to be automatically generated and emailed to the coach in PDF format. Additionally, software is provided along with the certification workshop to allow the coach to generate custom reports. ©Copyright 2003 - Extended DISC North America, Inc., www.extendeddisc.com, (800) 257-7481 By Annette Miller, MBA, president of LifeSync Coachingsm (www.lifesync.com) and authorized affiliate of Extended DISC North America, Inc. LifeSync Coaching services for coaches include Extended DISC® certification training, Extended DISC outsourcing, coaching, practice development groups and more. To find out more about Extended DISC® products, certification training, or to request certification training in your area, call Annette Miller at 972.539.6907 (annette@lifesync.com). Mention this newsletter and receive 20% discount (valid if register by April 30) on public certification training (available onsite if minimum numbers attend or in New Orleans 4/23-24 or 7/30-31). Coaching with the Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator (MBTI) by Lynda Goellner and Brenda A. Smith The use of the MBTI can accelerate the discovery process that takes the coach/client relationship to a more profound level. It is a way to discern the core values and motivators of ourselves and our clients. The foundational truth of assessments is that we are marvelously designed and no pattern is better or worse. The power lies in the embracing of our design and relishing it! As self-discoverers we are free to listen, hear and facilitate shifts in others. Let's start with a brief history of this tool. In 1920 a Swiss physician named Carl Jung wrote on psychological types creating the foundation of typological studies. His work defined archetypes that are inherent and intrinsic. He made it clear that no value judgments were placed on one type over another --- we are distinctly different, but not created in a hierarchy of value. During the 1950s the mother-daughter team of Isabel Myers and Kathryn Briggs rediscovered the Jung work and passionately repackaged it for general use. They were convinced that we were formed into temperament patterns, so the name Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator was born. It does not primarily focus on behavior or motivation, but seeks to uncover the basic profile of an individual's temperament. In lay terms, the MBTI explores and exposes the hard wiring of the person. It expresses our preferences and makes no value judgments. It allows us to understand and use the differences among individuals to expand rather than to limit ourselves. The four preferences are: 1) Energy source/direction: Extraversion is the outward energy flow to the external world; Introversion is the inward flow to ideas and thoughts. Extraverts act first and think; introverts think first and then act. 2) Information-gathering process: Sensing using experiencing and recalling or iNtuiting using brainstorming and visioning. Sensers tend to trust what they can measure with their five senses while intuitives prefer to gather information through ideas, patterns and inferred meanings. They often appear to use a sixth sense. 3) Decision-making process: Thinking is systematizing and analyzing; Feeling is harmonizing and valuing. Thinkers value objective logic and analysis while feelers value subjective criteria based on the people involved. 4) Life style approach to the outer world: Judging makes plans and achieves closure; Perceiving is open-ended and flexible. Judgers are most comfortable after a decision has been made while perceivers love to leave options open or reverse decisions on a dime. The sixteen preference combinations are shown below:
David Keirsey formed temperament couplets representing core values and motivations. These are represented by SJ, SP, NT and NF. SJ: exemplified by Colin Powell is driven by responsibility and duty, wishes to serve and protect. The driving force is to be part of a group or a team and contribute to a concrete whole. SP: exemplified by Barbara Streisand lives one day at a time, seizing the moment and maximizes freedom. The core driver is to be noticed and to make an impact. They are often seen as pleasure seekers. NT: exemplified by Bill Gates seeks knowledge and competence in everything. The drivers are expertise, autonomy and control. They are life's constant learners. NF: exemplified by Martin Luther King is the soul-searcher who relentlessly searches for purpose and significance. The driving force is to be unique and develop the potential of themselves and others. What are some of the practical ways that MBTI can help the coach? 1. Energizing the coaching process 2. Bringing the core profile into view; speeding insight into the client 3. Eliminating value judgments; providing reassurance of "normalcy" 4. Creating a platform of understanding 5. Giving the coach and the client a common language 6. Opening conversation about key relationships 7. Developing a realistic "best and highest use" model that supports shifts 8. Staying real with the client Identification leads to understanding that ultimately leads to powerful coaching. The MBTI gives us a dynamic tool to consider the unique way that each individual is wondrously designed and to maximize this giftedness. Lynda Goellner is President of AWOL Consulting
working with entrepreneurs and professionals to create supportive
environments and build vision. She is convinced that Achievement
WithOut Limits is possible for all of her clients. She has
worked with international entrepreneurs and national sales and
marketing organizations. She can be reached at 214-415-5962 or
lgoellner@att.net. The Peoplemap™ Personality Questionnaire and Training Programs by E. Michael Lillibridge, Ph.D. The Peoplemap™ is a new way of learning about yourself and other people. The books I have written and the concepts are based on a very short questionnaire that you can take in less than five minutes. The results of the questionnaire will give you an accurate read on your personality type. With this information, you can identify your greatest strengths and your greatest weaknesses and learn how to achieve your potential in both your work and your personal life. Understanding your personality type will help you to manage change successfully, cope with stress, relate to others effectively and achieve the goals you desire. Background on the Questionnaire In 1990, I teamed up with my colleague and partner of twenty years, Dr. Andy Mathis, to construct a short questionnaire measuring personality type. As psychologists, we had a strong interest in personality type. We had been doing a good deal of marriage counseling and we believed that by teaching couples about personality type, they would be able to understand and relate to their spouses more successfully. For years, we had been using the Meyer Briggs Type Indicator to assist us in understanding and counseling couples. While an excellent instrument, the Meyers Briggs measures 16 different personality types. With 16 personality types, the potential marriage possibilities seemed endless. This did not make for easy understanding by couples. Our goal was to develop a brief questionnaire that would measure only four personality types (that we call leader, people, free spirit, and task), would be easy to understand, and would be a valid measure of personality. The Peoplemap™ Questionnaire was the result of our work. With just seven questions, it takes only five minutes to complete, one minute to self-score, and has over a 90% accuracy rate for measuring personality type. Research shows The Peoplemap™ Questionnaire has great validity and reliability. Over the last seven years, 50,000 people have gone through one of our Peoplemap™ workshops taught by either myself or one of our certified trainers. Training Since we developed the Peoplemap™ Questionnaire, I developed four workshops that we offer throughout the country. We have a four-day Peoplemap™ Leadership Program, a two-day Teambuilding Program, a one-day program on Peak Performance and a standard one-day basic Peoplemap™ Program on Understanding Yourself and Others. Our work with companies has been extremely exciting. We typically train top management in our Leadership Program, as well as all managers and supervisors. Everyone in the organization goes thru the one-day basic Peoplemap™ class. In some organizations this involves two and three thousand people! We assess the corporate culture and assist them in building a strong "people" culture. We also add the Teambuilding and Peak Performance programs with selected teams, and have a Peoplemap™ coaching and mentoring model that we provide as well. Finally, we have developed a 15 page computer print out Peoplemap Peak Performance Job Report that helps people understand themselves and gives steps they can follow to become a peak performer. The Peoplemap™ is the most exciting project I have ever undertaken and I find it absolutely thrilling to work with organizations, both large and small to create positive, people change. Dr. Mike Lillibridge is a licensed psychologist, former university professor, professional speaker, and president and founder of Peoplemap™ Training. He is the author of five books on the Peoplemap™ system, as well as other books, videos and audiocassette tapes. Dr. Lillibridge can be reached at: Peoplemap Training, 144 Whitaker Road, Suite A, Lutz, Florida 33549, Ph: 813-949-1125/949-6495, Fax: 813-949-4828, Email: peoplemap@aol.com, www.peoplemap-training.com. Note: To teach a Peoplemap class you must become certified. Certification training is available on various weekends throughout the year through Peoplemap Training. Consultation is available for your clients if you are not certified. You can be trained to use Peoplemap (and authorized to use with your personal clients only) through the "Executive Coaching Practicum" or "Peoplemap Training for Coaches" classes offered through the ILCT. Certified Peoplemap™ Trainer Program The Peoplemap™ Training Program for Trainers is designed to train you to teach the seven-hour Peoplemap™ Program as well as market and sell the program. To become a trainer you go through a one-year training program provided by Peoplemap Training. It is divided into the following four parts. Part One - Administer about 15 Peoplemap™ Questionnaires, review the videos, read the Peoplemap™ book and handouts and listen to the audiocassette Peoplemap™ Program. Part Two - 16 hours of intensive training; marketing and selling techniques including a 60-page manual on marketing, sales, and the policies and procedures of the Peoplemap™ Program. After the weekend training you can begin teaching Peoplemap™ programs. Part Three - You will be assigned a Peoplemap™ Coach and on a weekly basis you will be doing a teleconferencing call covering the nuts and bolts of the Peoplemap™ Program as you teach classes. These calls are one-on-one and last 10 to 30 minutes. Part Four - Throughout the year you will participate in periodic bridge-calls with Dr. Lillibridge and other trainers covering a variety of topics that will help you become a better Peoplemap™ Trainer. Assessments Reference Table Note: The purpose for this table is not to list all assessments, but to provide an easy reference for coaches needing more information on the four behavioral assessments highlighted in this issue.
Links to Additional Resources on Assessments (many more available on the World Wide Web) http://www.inscapepublishing.com/pdf/PPSMBO-231.pdf: Report comparing DISC and Myers Briggs· http://www.insitetraining.com/training_articles/comparison.htm: Comparison between MBTI and Extended DISC. · http://www.soulbusiness.com/DISC3.HTM#TOP: Opinion on DISC vs. MBTI · http://www.trilogycoaching.com: training in DISC Behavioral Assessment, Personal Interest Attitudes & Values (PIAV), Discovery 360 Degree Feedback, and DNA Assessments; Target Training International, Ltd. certification in DISC and PIAV · www.discinsights.com: various training and assessments including Introduction to Behavioral Analysis - Online; become a certified behavioral consultant · http://www.discninja.com/creatingyourDISCpresence.htm · www.coachview.com, assessments with reports for coach and client · FIRO-B™, http://www.cpp.com/products/firo-b/index.asp Issues in Assessments Related to Overlap Between Coaching and Therapy by Rey Carr, Ph.D. The continuing and comprehensive discussion on assessment in coaching has been one of the most interesting [discussions]...Two trends in the discussion that worry me are: the "psychologization" of coaching and incongruence between what assessments provide and what clients seek. By coining a new term (which is unfortunately hard to say) psychologization I am referring to practices associated with psychology creeping into coaching services; practices such as diagnosing, testing, and classifying. I like Mike Jay's diagram of how therapy and coaching "intersect" with each other [http://www.mindwriting.com/masterfulcoach/whatiscoaching.shtml] because it acknowledges that there are some areas the two practices have in common while at the same time illustrates the larger distinct areas. What concerns me is that coaching could lose part of its distinct territory because of the increase in using psychologically-based assessment practices. This is just one example of psychologization. A second thread that concerns me has more to do with my own coaching experience with what clients want. So far I have yet to have a client ask me at the beginning of our coaching relationship about information that is relevant to the various assessments discussed on our list. That is, when a client makes a decision to engage a coach, most clients do so because they want to achieve particular outcomes, make certain changes, gain specific results, or become clearer about goals. I have yet to hear from a client prospecting for a coach that he or she wants to "learn more about myself and get feedback from others." Now clients might eventually come to this point; I'm just saying it usually doesn't happen near the beginning of our relationship. And here's the rub. Assessment experts often believe that assessments like the MBTI and DISC, etc. ought to be given at "intake" thus providing the practitioner with information that can be more quickly gathered than through observation and interaction. Maybe I work with a group of unusual clients, but in my experience asking clients to participate in such "intake assessments" at the beginning of our connection does not honor what it is that they want to work on. Eventually, maybe. So my concern is the incongruence between client challenge and assessment practice. by Rey Carr, Ph.D. is CEO of Peer Resources (www.peer.ca/coaching.html). This information was a communication from a listserv, used with permission.
Making the Shift By Adele Fuller It's good to be back after a month's hiatus, and I hope those coaches who follow this column don't think I've forgotten you. Remember, it's your response that keeps my ideas flowing, so please take a few minutes to read the question at the end of the column and send me your thoughts for next month. It never hurts to see your ideas in print. March is a time of preparation for spring's burgeoning promise and the fullness of summer beyond it. Appropriately enough, our question today centers around your preparation—for your clients. I asked several coaches how they prepare for their upcoming sessions with clients and found that their responses fed my own thinking on the subject. As a novice coach I find it quite easy to spend the bulk of my business hours in networking, marketing, email, and administrative tasks. Then a tiny voice emerges, obviously that of my overwhelmed Higher Self, whispering fiercely, "Remember me? The person who wanted to coach? Have you fed me lately? Are you preparing thoughtfully for your clients?" Darn that woman! Always throwing reality at me when I'm on such a good adrenaline rush. But I do remember her, and, remorsefully, I reorder my priorities, cordon off some downtime and begin to revisit the joys of solitude and introspection. In those moments, my coaching essence is nourished and expanded, and I am grateful for getting back to basics. If I don't take time to feed myself as a competent and caring coach, then what shall I have left to market? This thought brings me back to the basics of good preparation. How do you prepare? Our first coach responded: I typically spend around five minutes grounding myself in my client's life again--what their stated goals, mission, passions, values, personality are, etc. I envision this person in all they are and hope to be, their potential, and then I picture myself as a light, much like a flashlight, that they hold to illuminate what's in front of them as well as illuminate themselves. I also typically review what homework was assigned to be able to quickly debrief with the client ... anything that may have surfaced during the exercises. Also, this quick debrief lets the client know that the homework was important and valuable. Our second coach takes a slightly different approach: My preparation takes lots of different forms. I generally go over the goals and agenda that a client has communicated to me. With that in mind I create a vision of addressing that agenda. I visualize the session as I would like to see it played out. It becomes a process not unlike a chess game, where I try to play out all the scenarios of all the moves and countermoves I can imagine. There is no way, obviously, to be completely comprehensive. This is part of a limited time. I might also write out their goals during this time I set for myself. This is especially common in newer clients, whose goals and agendas have not yet become intrinsic to me. This fuels a brainstorming session of ideas on what strategies might best work with a particular client. After that set time period I will then set it all aside. I get into a process of disinvestment from any particular path to take, regardless of how good I think the ideas may be. When the appointment time comes, I have some general focal points to the session, yet at the same time I am open to all of the possible directions the client may want or need to take the session. Because I have the foci, I can reel any stray conversations back and relate any tangential material to what is most important. In the end they both approach the work with a thorough review of both the external facts and histories of their clients as well as their internal agendas, spoken and unspoken needs and an intuitive sense of what is going on with this client. The first coach explained his specific stance for reaching that intuitive place: As a Christian life coach, I also pray that God would give specific words to me as the coach as well as ears for hearing the client's mind and soul so that the client may benefit from our session. I ask that He would lead the client into revelation about him/herself to allow for fuller freedom and growth under His purpose and pleasure for their lives. My own approach, I realize, is evolving into a preparatory ritual. I generally put on quiet, contemplative music about 30 minutes before the session, reread the prep form and previous session in detail, then glance over the earlier files for review. I underline or question anything that jumps out at me as unclear or seeming to warrant further discussion. Occasionally, I have an intuitive flash over something written in the prep form or put several things together that are forming into a pattern for me, but not always. I make a note to address that with the client if there is time and it's appropriate to the session itself. Right before the session I generally make a cup of hot tea and light a candle before curling up with my notes, a fresh tablet and the phone. The candlelight is my way of remembering what is sacred about the process of two spirits attempting to connect. Occasionally my cat, Sam, partakes in the ritual by settling in my lap and purring to add an extra sense of calm. He charges me nothing for this privilege and I gladly accept it. While we may all end up at the same place in preparing for our clients, comparing these two styles with my own has helped me realize how much our individual personalities, values and styles influence our preparation rituals. But the common denominator seems to be a sense of integrity about emptying ourselves and filling up with the client's agenda in a sincere and committed manner so that we bring our best to the coaching conversation. Review, reaffirm and reconnect are the 3 R's of preparation. Feel free to add a few more R's to the recipe. Next month: What would be the most useful support or knowledge you could ask of an experienced coach? Please email your comments to me at adelefran@hubwest.com by March 24th to be included in the April newsletter. Many thanks and happy crocus hunting.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta - My Marketing Hero! © 2003 by James S. Vuocolo. All rights reserved. by the Rev. Dr. James S. Vuocolo, Master Certified
Coach Mother Teresa of Calcutta was a saintly woman. She was born amid an Albanian community in Macedonia as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910; and died almost 87 years later on September 5, 1997 in her beloved Calcutta, India. She was also, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest entrepreneurial marketing geniuses the world has ever known! Think about this with me for just a moment. The first thing any successful entrepreneur requires is a product or service that others need or want, whether they initially realize it or not. Mother Teresa's product was compassion -- and she had an abundant inventory of it! Indeed, she had reserves of abundant compassion warehoused deep within her soul! Later in life, she would hand out slips of paper on which a photograph of herself, and a prayer, appeared. The text read, "The fruit of silence is prayer; the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace." She would smile and call this her "business card". Compassion for others is her service. What is your product or service? Be able to state this in no more than two sentences. A second thing any successful entrepreneur requires is a well-defined target market, or niche. Mother Teresa discovered her niche the day she unexpectedly found a woman dying in the street, being eaten by rats. The slight, under five-foot, nun managed to take this poor soul to a nearby hospital, but found them reluctant to take her in and treat her. In this defining moment, Mother Teresa discovered her target market amid the poorest of the poor, the downtrodden, the sick, the mentally ill, and the dying who no one else wanted to treat, be near, or assist in any way. Mother Teresa's target market was the poor. Define your target, to whom you wish to market your service. With the perseverance of an entrepreneurial spirit, Sister Teresa began lobbying the officials of her own church for permission to reposition herself from teaching and serving as the headmaster of a school so that she could begin working in her newly found target market amid the suffering and the poor. Their permission was not immediately forthcoming. In fact, she was not allowed to leave her Loreto community until August of 1948 when her patient persistence finally pays off, and the then 38-year-old woman relocates to Patna in order to train as a nurse. To what degree are you persistent in achieving your desire? Any successful entrepreneur must position himself or herself for success. Sister Teresa goes back to Calcutta, a place that can provide a seemingly endless supply of prospective clients in need of her services. She loves them all. She was a passionate advocate for them and championed their cause -- first, within her own beloved Roman Catholic Church wherein she lobbied tirelessly to gain permission to assist "the least of these, my brethren"(see Matthew 25:31-46); then in lobbying the Indian government for a place in which to conduct her work; and then, in lobbying the entire world on behalf of those whom she loved! She establishes the Missionaries of Charity order of nuns, and the rest is history! Having identified your service, your target market, and your willingness to persevere, what action can you take to expand your own position, or reposition yourself, in the marketplace? In 1979, this small but mighty woman by then known the world over as Mother Teresa of Calcutta is awarded the Nobel Prize. And, like any true entrepreneur, she graciously accepts the funds that accompanies this award, and uses them to further promote her business by expanding the order of nuns she had founded. Known as the Missionaries of Charity, this order becomes, in fact, a well-known brand throughout the world, serving tens of thousands of the poor and dying to the present day. Like many successful entrepreneurs, Mother Teresa did not permit ill health to stop her. She survived two heart attacks and a bone disease that knotted her spine, hands and feet. Yet she proceeded to establish far more than a business in the form of a legacy that can and did survive her own span of years, and continues to serve her beloved clientele with more than 2,535 missionaries working in 72 different nations. Today, Mother Teresa's memory is revered throughout the world, and she is reportedly on the "fast track" toward becoming a canonized saint within the walls of Vatican City! Well deserved, if you ask me! Her example continues to inspire millions around the world each day to be better people; to love mercy and kindness; to do justice, and walk the talk of compassion. She also inspires me to be a better marketer by daring to open new relationships with others, by taking no one for granted, and by going the second mile to serve my own constituents from a love that never ends. There are far lesser examples to follow in the sometimes-cutthroat world of business. Mother Teresa stands as a stunning reminder that we can usually find a better way to do business each day! A quality product or service; a well defined target market; position in the marketplace; a unique brand; perseverance; a positive attitude; faith in God and in others; and a legacy to leave behind. Mother Teresa had all the makings of a successful entrepreneur! How about you? For more information about Mother Teresa, visit: http://www.tisv.be/mt/en/indmt.htm http://www.s2f.com/stanmeyer/ann/stories/aweb2.html ©2003 by James S. Vuocolo. All rights
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with the author's contact information. Email: jim@soulbusiness.com Web
site: www.Soulbusiness.com |
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