Lend a hand in your community

Last month, we asked our Facebook fans “coaches, how do you give back to your community?”

Just as we suspected, coaches are very giving individuals! If you are looking for a way to get involved, read on to find out how other coaches give back to their local communities:

“Each year I offer pro-bono coaching to a specific number of deserving people. (Deserving = willing and capable to do the work required, but don’t have the financial means).” (Demyan Rossouw)

“Offer complimentary workshops and coaching at local Gay and Lesbian centers.” (Rick Clemons)

“We engage ourselves into some not for profit projects like Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland.” (Meissner & Partners)

“Organize ‘equal opportunity’ programs for the children of women prison inmates in Delhi.” (Seth Rosario)

“By working five years as a board member of the ICF Chapter in Germany and since, four years as ICF Chapter leader in Berlin, Germany.” (Martin Jessen)

“Being present in as many opportunities as possible with any member of the community where I am: experiencing consciousness as is.” (Rodolfo Rosales)

“I volunteer my time by providing free advice/consultation for those who need help and also involve others in these communities: 1) coaching resources (expanding and increasing awareness of the coaching community); 2) Global Voices Bulletin (being a voice for all global philanthropy initiatives).” (Queenie TCoach)

“That is a great question, I’m considering starting a group called ‘Coaches in the Community’ to provide volunteer services to organizations and/or community projects that need a little extra helping hand.” (Tracey Pitts)

“Through a Hand Up Coaching.” (Nora Whalen)

“By offering a pro bono coaching package (four free sessions) ongoing, for those who need my services, are willing to follow through, but cannot otherwise afford them.” (Carol Pressnall Leek)

What about you? How do you give back? We’d love to know—share it with us on at Facebook.com/ICFHQ.

They’re Just Not That Into You: Why The Way You Describe Coaching Might Be Repelling Your Prospects and What To Do About It

“Hi. My name is Alexia Vernon, and I’m a coach. I help all kinds of people—leaders, new grads, nurses, social entrepreneurs and small business owners—close the gap from where they are to where they want to be. I do this by asking powerful questions, mirroring back what I’m hearing (and not hearing) and by asking people to take big risks to achieve big results.”

The above description, I’m embarrassed to say, is pretty close to what used to come out of my mouth and decorate my website for the first few years of my coaching business. Like so many well-intentioned coaches I know and work with, I spent a lot of time talking about what I do and who I do it for at the expense of NEVER identifying the problem that the people I work with have and how I solve it.

Whether you’re currently working with one coaching client or one hundred, step back for a moment and ask yourself the following. “What’s the reoccurring obstacle that the people I work with have that they would pay every dollar they possess to solve—once and for all?” That’s what needs to be coming out of your mouth—your identification of that problem and a vision of who that person will be once it’s solved.

Unless your clients are looking to be coaches themselves, they don’t care how you do what you do or who you do it for. They care that you understand how they are stuck. And more importantly, they want you to show them what unstuck will look, taste, smell, sound and feel like. Walking into a room feeling confident and competent. Making big bucks and even bigger impact. Having the greatest love affair of their lives—with themselves.

Your sexy copy is always in painting a picture of the payoff for arriving at your prospect’s desired result.

Alexia Vernon, ACC is the President of the Nevada Professional Coaches Association (NPCA) and is an in-demand career and workplace author, speaker, coach and trainer. She empowers people to build careers and companies that are successful, sustainable and full of soul. She is the author of Awaken Your CAREERpreneur: A Holistic Road Map to Climb from Your Calling to Your Career and has been featured on CNN, NBC, CBS MoneyWatch, ABCNews.com, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com, Mint.com and dozens of other media. Learn more about Alexia at AlexiaVernon.com and follow her on Twitter @AlexiaVernon.

What does it matter to me?

As discussed in the August 12 blog post, ICF Strategic Plan: 101, the ICF operates according to a strategic plan. Having this plan in place ensures that the ICF remains focused and prepared to work toward specific goals that will provide the best value for members.

But how is the strategic plan pieced together? Do the contents of the strategic plan actually mean anything for ICF members? How does it ensure that members will receive the most value for their membership? Why should I care? How do the decisions made by the ICF affect me?

Will you attend a call next week so you may have a better understanding of the ICF Strategic Plan? Three calls, hosted by the ICF Board of Directors, are scheduled next week to allow members the opportunity to ask these sorts of questions. If you have ever asked yourself the above questions, will you make time in your schedule to be present during one of these calls?

Call schedule:

• Monday, September 19 at 9 a.m. (New York);
• Monday, September 19 at 4 p.m. (New York); or
• Call in Spanish: Tuesday, September 20 at 1 p.m. (New York).

Bridge line: +1.866.215.3343 (PIN: 4889)

See additional dialing instructions if calling from outside North America (PDF).

If your schedule will not allow you to join a call, send your questions to us via email at icfpr@coachfederation.org , via Facebook (post on our wall) or Twitter (tweet us), or post a comment to this post.

Energy Work and Coaching SIG Starts Back

Hello coaching colleagues and members of the Energy Work and Coaching SIG. I missed everyone this summer but am glad I took the time to buy a house, move, and begin remodeling. Opening up the living space to expand my practice, and clearing my energetic structure so that I can heal my physical concerns are two areas where I focused my attention. What about you? Did you take any classes that invigorated your spirit? Have you continued deepening your coaching by adding meditation to your daily practice? Please jot me a note at rpost@thehealercoach.com or tweet me (Rhona Post) to share your summer adventures.

This fall we are going to delve into the conversation about energy, and what it means to set our intention to use our sensing skills, bringing our awareness to what’s in front of us, as we use our attention to heal. I am inviting my colleagues, both coaches and healers to co-lead some of our discussions this fall so stay tuned.

The reliance on intuition and sensing skills helps us get underneath a client’s narrative to see the emotional triggers pulling or pushing the person. It is the difference between treating the symptoms and getting to the root cause of an issue. This kind of work is deeper, and the results are transformative, as what is revealed is resolved.

Rhona Post, MCC

We will continue to discuss the value of having a strong spiritual practice as we work with others, and we will spend time discussing how we position ourselves in the marketplace.

I invite my coaching colleagues who are interested or who already incorporate an energy modality in their coaching to join our call on September 19th, 11:00am EST.

For more information on Energy Work and Coaching please contact Rhona Post, MCC, 941.554.8466 or www.thehealercoach.com.

Save a life today

Today you can help end malaria. Half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria, but people in Africa are especially prone to the disease. There, one in every five childhood deaths is due to the effects of malaria. The hard facts? Every 30 seconds a child dies from malaria.

End Malaria book cover

But you have the power to save a life! Today marks the release of End Malaria: Bold Innovation, Limitless Generosity and the Opportunity to Save a Life. 80 percent of the book’s cover price will be donated to Malaria No More, an international charity whose goal is to end malaria in Africa by 2015.

In essence, $20 USD of every book sold will allow Malaria No More to send a mosquito net to a family in need. The use of mosquito nets is a proven method of protection against malaria—especially for young children and pregnant women in high transmission areas. This book will save lives. Literally.

The editor, Michael Bungay Stanier, partnered with 62 thought leaders including Dan Pink, Tom Peters, Nancy Daurte, Brené Brown, David Allen and Sir Ken Robinson to produce End Malaria. The book contains their visions of leadership and what it means to do “great work.” Broken into three sections (Create Freedom, Disrupt Normal and Take Small Steps), the book is full of wisdom on how readers can do more of the work that makes a difference in their lives and in the lives of others.

As a citizen of the world, do your part today. This is such a simple way to lend a hand.

Learn more
Essay excerpts from the book
Buy the book