Give these online resources a whirl!

The Internet is full of all sorts of resources and tools that offer marketing and public relations suggestions and solutions. Below you will find links to pages we find useful—perhaps you will find one or two beneficial to your practice!

• Mashable: This online news site is dedicated to covering digital culture, social media, and technology. Mashable is an excellent source for articles and infographics, including these recent reads: like Which social network should you use – and when? and How to Perfect Your Elevator Pitch.
• Social Mention: This website allows for real time social media search and analysis. Conduct real time searches to see where/when your brand (or any other search term you choose) is used in social media. You can also set alerts when your search terms are picked up across social media channels. This tool is an excellent means of tracking your brand on the web.
• Hootsuite: This online source is the leading social media dashboard used to manage and measure your social networks. If you post messages across multiple social media channels, this is an excellent source for scheduling posts in a single, easy-to-use location.

What online tools and resources do you find beneficial? Share them with us here or over on Facebook!

Wrestling with “I Don’t Know”

There you are – you’ve asked what you think is a great, insightful question. You sit back in your coaching chair, looking forward to hearing what your client has to say, and then comes the response: “I don’t know.”

I doubt there is a coach anywhere who hasn’t at some point been faced with a client’s blank stare and the words “I don’t know” in response to a challenging question.  (Of course, if you’re asking powerful questions, you probably should face a few “I don’t knows” once in a while!)

So, what do you say in that kind of situation? Often, the client is just temporarily stuck and unable to get past a self-judgment. Sometimes, it just takes a completely different question or simply phrasing the question in a slightly different way to help your client find a solution or to begin to work through the problem.

Here are a few possible answers and techniques to the “I don’t know” response that have proven helpful over the years.

• “Who does know?”  (Most of the time, the client will smile, laugh, and say “I guess I do.”)
• “How could you find out?”
• “Let me challenge that ... do you really not know?” (said with a smile)
• “Something is telling me you really do know – maybe the answer is just not bubbling up for you right now. How could you get at that answer that lies deep inside?”
• “Maybe you don’t know [that specific point], but what do you know that’s related to that situation?”
• “If you don’t know, who else do you know who might?”
• “If your [father, mother, boss, colleague, daughter, et al] were here, what would they say?”
• “If the wisest person you know were here with us right now, how would that person respond?”
• Repeat the question again.
• Remain silent.

Which ones of these have you tried? What were the outcomes? What other techniques or questions have you used with success? Please share below and help us build each other’s coaching tool chests!

Brenda Bence

Brenda Bence is an experienced senior executive coach, dynamic trainer and speaker, internationally-recognized branding expert, and author of four award-winning corporate and personal branding books.

With an MBA from Harvard Business School, Brenda spent the first 20 years of her career building mega brands for Fortune 100 companies, where she was a senior executive responsible for billion-dollar businesses across four continents and 50 countries.

In 2002, Brenda left the corporate world and founded BDA International. Now, with clients that span the globe and with offices in both the U.S. and Asia, Brenda travels the world speaking, training, and coaching individuals, entrepreneurs, and corporations to greater success through creative yet practical brand development.

Ready, set, organize!

April is Records and Information Management Month. Do your part by taking a look at your records—are they organized? Kept efficiently? Disposed of properly? Take some time this month to get a better grip on your records.

Organized records and efficient information management is key to increasing your overall productivity. It is also beneficial for better performance, encouraging free thinking and better brainstorming, and thus, better results.

Tips for better organization of your records:

• Include filing and record management as part of your weekly (or even daily) schedule. This will help you to avoid being lost in a mountain of files and will allow you to be better organized and know exactly where items are exactly when you need them.
• Peruse existing files and organize them. Take time to label or color code documents by type—are there files you use more than others? Files you only use for reference? Files you don’t use at all anymore? Organize them in a way that makes sense to you and dispose of those files you no longer need in an appropriate manner.
• Don’t forget about digital files! They are just as important to keep organized.

What are your tips for better record and information management organization?

April - Spring is here!

Spring has certainly arrived.Warmer weather, flowers everywhere and a fresh feeling in the air.

Whether you are celebrating Easter or Passover or any other seasonal festival, the chances are you've been doing some cleaning and sorting, organizing and maybe disposing.

I love that it's the perfect opportunity to think about what we really need; what we don't have space for and what we can let go of.

It seems to me that this is so important when we apply it to running a business.

It's also what happens in a good coaching session.

I want to explore this on a few levels.  Will you join me?

So let's take your physical space.  How do you feel when you go into your office and sit down to work? 
Is the space comfortable and clutter free? 
Do you feel stressed about the filing you need to do or the drawers filled with papers that you haven't yet sorted? 
Does your office become a storage place for toys, bags or junk belonging to other members of the family?  I can really relate to this one!

And let's consider your mental and emotional space.Are you living in stories of stress and overwhelm?
Do you have a scarcity mindset – are you worried about having enough income or the rising costs of your business and life?
Do you work too hard and support your clients, family and friends without considering your own needs?

Well, spring is here.
It's time to clean up your life!

Here are 2 simple ideas – no excuses, do it today!

1. Take a morning to sort out your physical space.  Clean out the drawers, tidy your table and get rid of the items that should not be there.  You've been avoiding this forever, but it'll only take a few hours to sort out. 
2. Acknowledge that we are living in an abundant universe.  We don't have to create abundance, we simply have to recognize and open up to what is already there.  Once you truly accept this, you're life and business will change, promise!!!

Lisa Bloom, PCC

Take a walk, breathe in the beautiful sounds and scents of spring, and create the story of your perfect spring day – rebirth, re-energize and celebrate as your story creates your reality!

Lisa Bloom, PCC is founder of Story Coach Inc. and the Certified Story Coach Program.  Download her ebook ‘Using Stories to Get Great Clients’ at http://www.story-coach.com.

Three key mistakes to avoid in setting goals

The below post first appeared on CBS MoneyWatch:

If you set goals for yourself or for others as part of your job, it is imperative you don't make the goal-crushing mistakes discussed below. You already learned how positive fantasies hurt real-world success -- namely, that when you imagine the positive result too vividly, you experience some of the joy and become less energized to actually do the work. But that's just the beginning. Not all goals are created equally. According to research from Harvard Business School, you need to avoid these common errors in setting goals:

1. Goals that are too specific. One benefit of goal is that is focuses your attention. It forces you to focus all of your attention, resources, and energy on a single objective, rather than a range of disparate and even conflicting goal. That can be incredibly powerful. People without goals diffuse their energy across multiple objectives. But have them train their sights on something specific and you will begin to see results. That's the good news.

The bad news? Goals can be too specific. The biggest problem is when you set the wrong goal. You decide to lose 15 pounds. Seems reasonable, but it may be too focused on a specific number and distract from what you really want -- better health. Remember Enron? Their goal was laser-focused on hitting revenue targets -- so much so that bonuses and other incentives were pegged to sales, when a much better goal would have been to target profits.

Another side-effect of excessively targeted goals is that you can become blind to important, but seemingly unrelated, issues. A tragic example of this is the Ford Pinto, which had a tendency to explode in rear-end collisions. The automaker's goal was to bring the car to market, overriding safety concerns.

2. Too many goals. According to the Harvard report, "Individuals with multiple goals are prone to concentrate on only one goal." But which one? Research shows that when we have both quantity and quality goals, we will focus on meeting the quantity goals because they are easier to achieve and measure. The lesson here is to strip away as many of your goals as possible and focus more intensively on a smaller number of objectives.

3. Inappropriate time horizon. We see this play out every quarter in the stock market. For many companies, it's all about hitting this quarter's earnings, even if if that harms long-term growth. It's the kick-the-can approach to goal achievement. And if your time frame is off, your goals may act as a ceiling to performance.

Take an enduring question that the Harvard report addresses -- why it is so hard to get a taxi on a rainy day. Too much people looking for a cab, right? Yes, but there is more to it than that. Cab drivers typically set daily fare goals -- usually double the amount it costs them to rent their cabs for their shift.

With rain comes more customers, so they hit their daily goal early and then go home early. In short, for cabbies the daily goal time-frame is not the most effective. If they set weekly or monthly targets, they could work longer hours when it rains and get off early on days when it is dryer (and slower).

Robert Pagliarini

What are your goals? Are they too focused? Do you have too many? Or do you have time limits that aren't realistic? Review each of your goals so you don't commit the mistakes above and to ensure your goals are designed for maximum success.

Robert Pagliarini is a CBS MoneyWatch columnist, bestselling author, professional life coach, and founder of Richer Life—a community for people who want to achieve more at work and in life. He has appeared as an expert on 20/20, Good Morning America, Dr. Phil, Dr. Drew's Lifechangers and many others. Sign-up for Richer Life Tips at RicherLife.com to get a daily email that provides inspiration and insight each morning.

Is an ICF Credential in your future?

Throughout 2012, ICF Global is offering quarterly webinars on the process of earning an ICF Credential. The subject of these webinars will be two-fold: 1) the process of applying for an ICF Credential using the online application (learn which application type you should apply for and how you can upload the required documents); and 2) a review of skills expectations (this part of the webinar will be led by a current ICF Assessor and will include information on what Assessors are listening for during the ICF portfolio live or recorded exams and will include a review of ICF Core Competencies).

The first of these webinars took place on Friday, March 16 (access audio here and the presentation here). 

If applying for an ICF Credential is in your future, be sure to mark one of the below dates in your calendar:

• Friday, June 15
• Friday, September 14
• Friday, December 14
  

Coaching international style : starting a coaching practice while living abroad

Coach training programs have become truly international. I am currently completing a program at CoachU and I am impressed by the number of coaches who are training at locations around the world. In any given class more than half of the students may be in a location outside of the United States. Many of these people, like myself, are expatriates living and working abroad.

I am an American living and working in Copenhagen, Denmark. Before Denmark, I lived in Hamburg, Germany. I have been living and working abroad for about two years. I felt drawn to the field of coaching and decided to do my coach training program while abroad. The coaching field is witnessing a growth of expat coaches – people who live outside of their country of origin due to work or family and who are coaches.

In living abroad and starting my journey to creating a viable coaching practice, I wanted to share some ideas and tips I picked up along the way:

1. Coaching is perceived differently in different countries. Some countries have a very advanced understanding of coaching while others have a very basic understanding - or no knowledge at all. When creating a coaching practice abroad, it’s important to evaluate whether the local culture is receptive and knowledgeable about coaching. If your country is new to coaching, creating a business will require extra effort and extra client education about the benefits of coaching.
2. Don’t focus on coaching expats. Usually expat coaches focus their ‘niche’ on coaching local expats. The problem with this is that the field is usually pretty saturated with coaches in your new country who got the same idea. Unless you have years of expat life and coaching experience, it’s often hard to establish credibility and compete with other coaches doing something similar in your local area.
3. Learn about starting a business in your new country – in some countries it’s prohibitively difficult to start a business. Or creating a business may adversely affect your family’s tax situation. Find out the rules and regulations of creating a business and paying taxes. You may discover that you need to structure your coaching practice a certain way for maximum tax and financial benefit.

Starting a coaching practice is never easy and the added pressures of living abroad can make it seem impossible. However, I meet successful coaches abroad every day. If you are determined to start a coaching practice don’t let living and working abroad be a deterrent.

For international coaches or expats who are coaching abroad, do you have any suggestions you can share with the coaching community?

Robin Patin

Robin Patin is an American living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Before embarking on her international adventure she lived and worked in San Francisco as a Managing Consultant for a healthcare organization for five years. Robin had a passion for all things international, so in March 2010 she took two suitcases and a one way ticket and moved to Hamburg, Germany to teach English abroad.

She has a Bachelor degree in Finance and Psychology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Master degree in Health from New York University. Robin is completing her coach training through CoachU and has a TESOL (Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification.

She writes a blog for those folks who want to sell everything and go abroad called ‘The Choosy Beggar.’ http://thechoosybeggar.wordpress.com/.

What story are you noticing today?

The storm began in the late afternoon with strong winds and heavy rain.  
This morning it’s still raging.  The kids were bundled up with coats and umbrellas and instructions to keep warm and dry. 

And I take refuge in the local café with the comings and goings of people sheltering and the coffee machine noise gently soothing the words from my thoughts on to the screen.

One whole wall of the local coffee shop is mirrored so though I'm sitting facing the wall, I can watch the people with a glance up from my screen.  It's fascinating.

We're all living out our stories!  It's clear that the woman clutching the cup to her breast and scanning her mobile phone has had a stressful morning.  She's anxious and concerned.  I wonder what's her story?

The couple sitting across from me are negotiating a home rental contract, they're smiling in that superficial 'let's pretend we're friends' way so that they can get the business done. 

The young woman at the table is reviewing a presentation with her quirky ear muffs and constant texting.

The two women beside the window are telling a familiar story.  The older woman has a laptop half closed while she leans forward and talks animatedly.  The younger woman is holding a tiny baby, smiling and nodding in automatic response while sneaking glances out of the window to the pouring rain.

We are all storytellers.  Our stories define our reality.  What we tell ourselves about our experience creates our experience.  Sometimes our stories serves us well, often they sabotage us. 

Powerful coaching allows us create and hold the space for storytelling and story listening – so that we can transform our reality and live to our greatest potential. 

I notice the stories all around me…and realize that these are indeed my stories.

What story are you noticing today?

What story creates your reality?

Lisa Bloom, PCC

Today, as you start noticing your stories, make them great!

Lisa Bloom, PCC is founder of Story Coach Inc. and the Certified Story Coach Program.  Download her ebook ‘Using Stories to Get Great Clients’ at http://www.story-coach.com.

A penny for your thoughts

Last month, we asked our Facebook fans for the best piece of advice they have ever been given. Take a look below to see how our Facebook fans responded:

“You have choices…many of them, so feel free to make another one.” (Sinead Moffatt)

“All my advice comes from my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!” (Ricardo Em)

“John 3:16.’” (Ricardo Em)

“Know thyself – do thyself.” (Paul Coughlin)

“Learn first from the client.” (Anne Drake)

“Charge more than you think you are worth.” (Dean Miles)

“You don’t have to have everything perfect to start your business…just start!” (Dawn Osborn Langerock)

“Have faith in God.” (Patti DuBose)

“Listening is not the same as waiting to talk.” (Eric Laramée)

“The more time you let pass to fight for your dreams, the farther they will be.” (Adolfo SG)

“ONLY make decisions that move you toward your goals…if the decision is taking you away from your goal, you are making the wrong decision.” (Debbie Ruston)

“Breathe!” (Laura McCafferty)

“Be yourself, be there and resist the pressure to give advice!” (Mandu Lilian)

“Be present!” (Magdalenda Giec)

“From my father: there isn’t a problem without a solution, there is always a way to make things happen. Just pause, think, search and you (we) will find it.” (Katerina Kanelidou)

“If you love that you do, there is no way you cannot succeed.” (Don Young)

“Just do it! ~Nike” (Veronique Pigeon)

“We do not give any advice to our coaches but we ask with distinctions. My coaches give me great open questions to explore.” (Carmen Lloveras)

“Trust yourself.” (AuthentiCity Coach Laura)

“There’s never a wrong time to do a good thing.” (Ajith Kumar Chelote)

“Life is not about ‘finding’ yourself—create yourself!” (Sherry Prindle)

“Fly like a butterfly, girl! You can do amazing things! Just go with your gut and fly!” (Debbie Brown Kemp)

What about you? What is the greatest piece of advice you have ever been given? We’d love to know—leave a response below or join the conversation at Facebook.com/ICFHQ.

The best award: Learning, serving and recognition.

“The south also exists”

Receiving the Chapter Award in Las Vegas was a great honor and recognition. Though the best part of it is the support of the Uruguay Chapter members, who believe that a promise of professional coaching and ethics support by a global organization could be the future for a better living.

This is a story of vision, persistence and a great deal of time devoted to members, actually 80, may be one the secrets to create something bigger. You also need an organization offering leadership opportunities and ICF was that chance.

During the 2nd Congress of Coaching in Argentina, August 2007, I made a public statement: Uruguay will have a formal Coaching organization that will begin joining the few professionals in the market and develop a community of Coaching working towards a change. The vision of creating the ICF Uruguay Chapter is the blog of the Coaching Community of Uruguay where all this started: www.coachinguruguay.com.

"América invertida" ("Inverted America"), by the Uruguayan painter Joaquín Torres García

Uruguay is a country with 3,5 millions of inhabitants. Coaching appears about 7 years ago with very few coaches who have almost no relation between each other.  Within South America, Uruguay is one of the latest countries where the Coaching practice has been developed.  Despite being considered a traditional country due to its conservative beliefs, it has a great potential. We face the challenge of creating something new, going through local resistance to this kind of disciplines. 

People were invited to join the idea of leadership, coaching and thinking different with the view of developing a profession that was pretty unknown. More than 250 people join this community, but not more than 10 professional coaches could be identified at that moment.

In 2010 Coaching bloomed as the bamboo analogy. We carried out the 1st International Coaching Workshop with about 120 participants, created the first local Association (AUCOP), and launched the idea of the ICF Uruguay Chapter. Only four ICF Members where identified.

Being invited to the ICF Leaders’ meeting in Peru at the 1st LATAM Conference in July 2010 was the first step to see a wonderful work of existing chapters.

Founders of ICF Uruguay, Dec 2010

Then attending the Dallas Conference was the opportunity to see a global view and reinforce the challenge to go for it.

We founded the Chapter with almost 30 ICF members December 9th, 2010.  Since then, we have been growing not only as a Chapter but also as coaches.

In 2011 Coaching has been developed faster than ever.

• More than 7 different learning offers of coaching are offered in the Uruguayan market.  Most of them opened this year.
• Local business associations and government are being visited establishing cooperative work.
• Initial contacts have been established in order that ICF LATAM Chapters may work together with the LATAM Network of Human Resources Associations.
• Three Mentor Coaching Groups were held to align 30 local coaches into the credential process.
• We have met with local Coaching institutes and are working with them in order to help them to accredit their programs.
• Media interviews were carried out announcing ICF Uruguay Chapter.
• On March we launched our website http://www.icfuruguay.org with a look-and-feel as the new ICF Global Website.  It was offered as a model to other chapters in the search of creating a regional voice and image for ICF. 
• We also launched our Newsletter Coaching Uy in March.  At the present moment we are in the process of preparing the next issue.
• An initial blog was added to the web.
• Our ICF Uruguay Facebook Page with almost weekly news and pictures is on almost 100 members.
• Near 20 meetings with an average of 28-32 members and invited coaches were held by the Chapter during this year.  President of ICF Colombia; Vice President of ICF Argentina; Director on Ethics of Argentina; former liaison with LATAM from ICF Spain (via video-conference call); and VP Damian Goldvarg MCC were some of our invited speakers for our meetings. 
• During August we sponsored an International Human Resources Congress (300 participants) bringing Ivonne Hidalgo as speaker expert and president of ICF Venezuela.
• We also sponsored the visit of Tim Gallwey, with near 300 participants, as a way to locally position ICF.
       o We had a private breakfast conversation between Tim and our members, the next day of Tim’s Conference.
• During May, 100% of our members renew their membership.
• A radio program about Change and Possibility was co conducted during the last three months of the year.  Coaching and ICF were the main messages to creating awareness within the community.
• Creative ideas are in process for the growth and renewal of memberships as of 2012. 
• Our goal for 2011 was100 members before the end of the year, we reach almost 80.
• Uruguay was the first LATAM Chapter launching the “I Care For…” campaign in Spanish.
• ICF Uruguay Chapter has the biggest percentage of penetration per capita by far (members / coaches / future coaches).
• Uruguay is now in the Coaching world and we will deliver global coaches to serve worldwide.

During this year we learned a great deal of experience about ICF not only in its committed global view from Ed´s initiative but also as being part of the Marketing Global Committee helping in the development of the new Coaching World and the Brand Plan which I think is a great step that goes much further than the use of a logo.  Leadership means Coaching… not to be listened but listening and giving time one person at a time.

Closing 2011 I would say it was one of the best years of my coaching career.  Not from a business point of view, but the experience itself of coaching and developing a Coaching community was remarkable rewarding.

It was unthinkable to live this experience more than a year ago. I strongly motivate all ICF Members to get committed to their chapters and develop themselves as leaders. There is no limit to reach whatever you want.

Thanks to all the new ICF friends, Global Committee, ICF staff and colleagues and Damian’s coaching, who helped to go through!

2012 will be a great year for Coaching discipline and for LATAM development.  That is the next Challenge.

http://www.silbert.com.uy

Gerardo Silbert is coach trainer, founder of Silbert Coaching /Comunicación. With focus con Life Coaching, he is applying for his PCC. With 30 years of experience in advertising and marketing in Argentina, due to coaching he choose to change his live into service and help and he moved to Uruguay and began his Coaching carrier 8 years ago. Actually he is president of ICF Uruguay and part of the Coordination development Team for Latam.

ICF request for proposals

If you are interested in serving as a catalyst (a breakout leader), you are invited to submit your request for proposal by March 21, 2012.

Click here for submission details. Hear more about the submission process.

The ICF is going to take London by storm in October! Coaching professionals from across the globe are anticipated to make their way to London, UK, October 3-6, 2012 for ICF Global 2012 – Connect. Learn. Inspire.

Learn more at Coachfederation.org/London2012.

Your Coaching Business Can Thrive In Any Economy

“Have you ever had down times in your business?”

“During downtimes, what kind of mindset did you need to have in order to not be distracted or derailed by the negatives?”

“What do you think is the most important thing a coach needs to do to sustain himself or herself in the coaching business?”

These are all questions I asked 11 established coaches, nine of whom are ICF-Master Certified Coaches, for Inspired and Prosperous: 11 World-renowned Coaches Reveal Their Success and Sustainability Secrets – my book that launched during International Coaching Week.

In honor of International Coaching Week, through Feb. 19, 30% of all Amazon Kindle and paperback proceeds will be donated to Coaching The Global Village, a nonprofit that teaches coaching and leadership skills to grassroots leaders in under-developed communities around the globe, in order that these leaders might ignite significant and lasting possibilities in their worlds.

So, what made me write this book? It was the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009. I watched in silent horror as I lost a five-figure corporate contract. As an ICF Chapter President, I found that many of my fellow coaches experienced the same fate. That led me to query: how do coaches who have been in business for more than 10 years make it through this volatile economy and other tough times in the past? What kind of marketing activities bring them consistent results? How do they decide on which business-building strategies to adopt when there are so many to choose from?

My inquiry led me to these 11 coaches who very generously shared with me intimate details of their business journeys – the ups and downs, the good, the bad and the ugly. What I learned from them is priceless, and I wanted to share these insights with my fellow coaches and as many out there as possible. This wish gave birth to the Inspired and Prosperous book.

Whether you are a Life, Business or Executive Coach who wants been-there insights on how to succeed in a volatile economy like this, or an established coach who is thinking of taking on credentialing and wondering if you need it to succeed, this book is for you. To learn more, visit http://www.inspiredandprosperousbook.com.

Like the other blog writers here, I am deeply honored to be part of this profession. It is one of those vocations that can positively revolutionalize the world. My wish for you, dear coach, is that you will access the wisdom, knowledge and priceless insights that these master-level coaches reveal so that you can have a business that outlasts any tough times. Because our world needs you to serve the best of what is possible – right now.

Duanna Pang-Dokland is a Certified Coach who started her coaching business without knowing a single soul when she moved to America from Singapore. An ICF Chapter Past President, she works with coaches, entrepreneurs and corporate executives to design inspired and prosperous businesses they love. Connect with her at http://ignitingpossibility.com. 

Welcome, EcoSoma

The trajectory of environmental, social, and economic change is inseparable from our own development as humans.

There is plenty of evidence that the recently dawned year will present extraordinary opportunities for choices that matter. On the menu this year? Presidential elections in a polarized US. Unresolved debt crisis in Europe. An extraordinary array of grassroots initiatives for social justice and global economic development. Accelerating species extinctions. Deteriorating relations with Pakistan and Iran. More extreme weather events. Women coming into more power. Melting Arctic ice.

The media grabs our attention on some of these. Others we won't see unless we look. All are indicative of the tremendous spasms of change sweeping our earth. All provide opportunities for discernment and choices.

These dramatic events are the inevitable product of human habits. We interpret the world in particular ways, and take actions rooted in our interpretations. Our actions intersect with natural laws, and produce consequences. Since each of us is the perfect reflection of our history, we make the best choices we can see and act on, given our unique constrictions in how we see and interpret our world.

In a Buddhist sense, the collective mess that we have created is literally the only thing that could have happened. It is the only possible result of the uncountable "best possible choices" made by myopic and mostly well-intentioned humans, over generations and millennia.

We have all engaged in a certain detached observation of these phenomena. In so doing, we sometimes make new choices or respond differently.

We suggest it is more accurate, and more galvanizing, to experience ourselves directly AS the earth, and to invite the dramatic felt realization that we are both characters in this tremendous unfolding drama, and authors of it.

We call this way of being the EcoSoma: at home in ourselves, at home in the world. The EcoSoma directly experiences our connectedness and our aliveness in an astoundingly creative corner of the universe at a poignant time in the 13.7 billion year story of evolution, when that very creativity is in serious jeopardy. EcoSomas are authors of this story; our actions and commitments collectively create the story precisely as we live it. We don't know how it all comes out. We do know we are authors.

Thus oriented, our actions, our commitments take on a different meaning. Awake to our context, destructive choices become impossible, and life-affirming choices become the only thing we can do. As developing EcoSomas, our actions increasingly align with these possibilities. We become generative authors of an emerging story.

The work of our generations is to embody this awareness in our commitments, and to catalyze it in others.

************

Doug Silsbee, PCC

Doug Silsbee, PCC is an author and coach who teaches and writes from Asheville, NC. He is the creator of an ICF-approved training program in Presence-Based Coaching,  a frequent presenter at ICF conferences, and author of two influential books The Mindful Coach, and Presence-Based Coaching. In partnership with CTI Co-Founder Henry Kimsey-House, Doug is offering a September intensive on EcoSomatic Leadership. Visit the EcoSomatic Leadership page for more information, recorded audio exchanges and Henry, and access to a free Feb. 21 conference to explore this more.

Coaching’s time to shine

International Coaching Week (ICW) is the coaching profession’s time to shine. Held the first full week each February, the premise of ICW is to allow coaches everywhere the opportunity to share the value professional coaching brings.

Coaches across the globe celebrate ICW in different ways—some offer pro bono coaching, others (in conjunction with the ICF Chapter they belong to or with other local peers) provide workshops, and still others reach out to local media channels to share coaching with the public. The sky’s the limit when it comes to promoting the value coaching offers! (Use this page as a starting point.)

ICW will be here February 5-11, 2012. That leaves just about two weeks to get those final plans in place!

How are you planning to commemorate ICW? We’d love to hear about it—let us know what you are doing.

Haven’t planned anything yet? There is still time! Take a look at how others have celebrated in the past. 

Don’t have a lot of time to plan anything? Take a look at these five simple ways to get involved during ICW without a lot of effort or pre-planning.

And don’t forget: findings from the greatly anticipated ICF Global Coaching Study will be released during ICW. This is the perfect way to promote coaching at the local level. Find out more.

Learn more about International Coaching Week.

A coach’s toolkit

Last month, in an effort to see what kinds of assessment tools coaches are using, we asked our Facebook fans to share their “must-use” coaching assessment tools and why they like to use them.

Here’s what we heard:

"1. Innermetrix DISC - behavioural and communication styles. This is where we can uncover and work with the cause of interpersonal conflicts, workplace stress etc. This relates to the environment mostly.
2. Innermetrix Values - motivators and drivers. This is where we uncover passions - and how we need to be recognised and rewarded. This relates mostly to culture, vision etc.
3. Innermetrix Attribute Index - natural talents based on how you think and make decisions. This is where we uncover a person's deep value structure - not their specific values, but 'how' they value. This area is the key to fulfillment and high performance.

The first two are psychometric, and rely on self-reporting. The last is valuemetric (based on the Hartman Value Profile) and is does not rely on self-reporting. Number 3 enables us to measure soft-skills such as emotional intelligence, empathy, strategic thinking - which translates into being able to reliably measure and predict performance in particular roles such as leadership, management etc.

Most importantly, it enables us to uncover a person’s natural talents, which is their key to fulfillment, higher levels of performance, and the often elusive 'meaning and purpose' that the right kind of role and can provide.

When coaching - the combination of all three shows us a person's areas of innate strength (rather than skill) - which is the place to focus on and use when creating change. Self-awareness is key - and I believe these assessments are the best 'self-awareness' tools on the market.” (Paul Coughlin)

“StrengthsFinder 2.0 provides great insight to clients. Every time I have used it, the impact was impressive and very empowering.” (Katerina Kanelidou)

“I would have to second Katerina’s vote. StrengthsFinder is a great way to give clients clarity into strengths they weren’t aware of because our talents to us are nature. It can also help build the foundation for future coaching sessions.” (Jasmine Goris)

“I like to keep the life balance wheel handy because it’s simple and yet highly effective in uncovering where we are at present, just as quickly as we can uncover where we want to focus or move forward in our lives.” (Shontay Dumas)

“Two—I have a cultural diagnostic by Human Synergistics I use with teams that is fantastic! And it doesn’t label people!! And I have an eight question new client diagnostic that finds where people currently are with their goals/wants/needs/dreams. Why do I used them? It takes the temperature where people are for the moment and helps them to open the dialogue for where they want to go (and more but no room to fill in).” (Tammy Redmon)

“1. I use the life wheel—very true, as Shontay says very handy. 2. I use a fantastic tool called “Inner Engineering”—unique as very few coaches use this tool! But very powerful!” (Sonia Sant)

“I use Angeles Arien’s ‘Preferential Shape Test’…meets the diversity of all with multi-cultural perspectives. It brings out full areas for reflection, focus, discussion, decision, and change.” (Janet Ver)

Would you agree or disagree? What would you add to this list…and why? We’d love to know—leave a response below or join the conversation at Facebook.com/ICFHQ.

The “Power of Three” Coaching Brand Challenge

The below post is by Brenda Bence, a 2011 ICF Annual International Conference speaker. Watch for posts from other 2011 conference speakers on the ICF blog over the next several months.

I recently ran across a fascinating article about “The Power of Three.” The basic premise of the article is that three is an important – and almost ‘mystical’ – number for a whole host of reasons.

Here are just a few:

• Three shows up in mythology: three fates, three muses, three graces.
• Three is a prevalent component of fairy tales: three wishes, three little pigs, three bears.
• Three is enough to create a series – a pattern of cause and effect.
• There are three stages of truth: first a concept is rejected, second it is violently opposed, third it is accepted as self-evident.
• Three is a basic structure of life: carbohydrates, protein, fat: electron, proton, neutron.
• There are three dimensions of time: past, present, future.
• And three forms the basic structure of stories: beginning, middle, end.

Interesting, isn’t it?

So, as we enter a new year, I figured we could benefit from this same ‘Power of Three’ concept to look back and reflect on your brand building efforts as a coach in 2011.

If you joined us at the ICF Conference in Las Vegas in September 2011, you’ll know that I define your “brand” as “the way you want clients to perceive, think, and feel about you as a coach.”  With that definition in mind, here are a few “three-related” questions for reflection…

• What are the three biggest actions you took in 2011 that strengthened your brand as a coach the most?
• Knowing what you know now, what three branding actions would you have done differently in 2011 if you could do them over again?
• Reflecting on your answers to the questions above, what three actions will you take in 2012 to grow your brand as a coach even further?

Let’s share the learning!

(Of course, after you’ve given these questions some thought, I would also encourage you to take time out and thank at least three people who have helped you build your brand this year. Who would that be for you?)

Brenda Bence

Brenda Bence is an experienced senior executive coach, dynamic trainer and speaker, internationally-recognized branding expert, and author of four award-winning corporate and personal branding books.

With an MBA from Harvard Business School, Brenda spent the first 20 years of her career building mega brands for Fortune 100 companies, where she was a senior executive responsible for billion-dollar businesses across four continents and 50 countries.

In 2002, Brenda left the corporate world and founded BDA International. Now, with clients that span the globe and with offices in both the U.S. and Asia, Brenda travels the world speaking, training, and coaching individuals, entrepreneurs, and corporations to greater success through creative yet practical brand development.

Coaching study findings to be released during International Coaching Week

History was made five years ago when the groundbreaking ICF Global Coaching Study was released, providing the coaching industry a global perspective and valuable baseline data on the coaching profession as a whole. This “first look” at the life of the industry was considered one of the largest pieces of research undertaken prior to that time and provided insight into some of the key issues facing the coaching industry at that time.

And in only a matter of weeks, history will be made again when findings from the greatly anticipated follow-up to the 2007 ICF Global Coaching Study will be released during International Coaching Week. Like its predecessor, the 2012 ICF Global Coaching Study was commissioned by the ICF and undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). It is one of the most ambitious pieces of global industry research ever conducted on the field of professional coaching.

In the six months of 2011 it was conducted, 12,133 responses were received from coaching professionals across 117 countries [the 2007 study saw 5,415 respondents across 76 countries].

The findings from the new study will prove especially useful in highlighting the growth of the coaching industry and uncovering those trends that have emerged over the last five years.
Findings will be released throughout International Coaching Week, February 5-11. Those who participated in the study can expect to receive an advance copy of the Executive Summary at that time.

Later that week, a copy of the Executive Summary will be made available at Coachfederation.org/Coachingstudy2012. Bookmark that link for the most up-to-date information regarding the 2012 ICF Global Coaching Study. And, be sure to sign up to receive the latest ICF press releases directly in your inbox as the ICF plans to release findings to the press throughout International Coaching Week.

In addition to the release of this research, special presentations around the study findings will be held at both ICF international and regional events around the world. Look for more information on these appearances throughout 2012.

Questions about the study? Contact the ICF at icfpr@coachfederation.org.

Creating a new habit for the New Year

Some researchers say it takes as little as 21 days for a habit to form (this certainly depends on the person, and perhaps more importantly, on the habit).

Regardless, forming a habit it strictly that: you have the power to start (or break) habits. The start of New Year often has people thinking about changes they want to make in their lives. Many a good-intentioned resolution winds up being lost or forgotten in the busyness of day-to-day life.

However, if you were to do something differently in 2012, and you were to begin today, you could (potentially, or at least be well on your way to…) have a habit made of this action before January is over. Pretty great thought, huh?

What is something you would want to make a habit of in 2012? Maybe it’s something like daily journaling, working on/updating your business or marketing plan one more hour per week, or meeting a coaching peer for lunch at least once a week for accountability purposes.

No matter what it is for you, start today and make a goal to stick with it for the next 21 days—just to see what happens.

Happy New Year!

Take your life from good to great in 2012...

The below post is by Jayne Warrilow, a 2011 ICF Annual International Conference speaker. Watch for posts from other 2011 conference speakers on the ICF blog over the next several months.

Do you know what determines absolutely everything in your life?

Every thought, every feeling, every person, every event is the result of your energetic state of being. Who you are, what you have and what you do is directly linked to how you show up energetically to the world. It is your vibrational state, your energy which resonates out into the world.

Your energy is comprised of your physical body’s energy, your emotional and mental energy and the energetic properties of your soul itself. It is the most precious asset you have. It determines everything you experience. The quality of your energy determines the quality of your life and most importantly you can change your energy and change your world.

Unfortunately, most of us are unaware of this and we just let it all happen unconsciously. We don’t treat our energy with much love or respect. We allow the state of our physical body, our emotions and our thoughts be affected by our external environment. We put other people first. We say what we don’t mean. We impersonate ourselves. We follow paths that are not aligned with our soul purpose, or even what we really want. We can end up in a life we don’t want to lead, surrounded by people who don’t support the truth of who we really are. Our energy becomes blocked and our life reflects this mess.

Don’t let this happen to you. Choose a different path and take good care of your energy. What would your life be like if you took better care of your energy? If you had more energy to invest in your relationships, your coaching business and your life? If you didn’t leak energy on being the coach you think you should be and became authentically who you already are?

You can’t manifest what you want if your energy is a mess. The simple truth is the more you bring your energy into alignment with your authentic self, the easier life gets. You will attract more abundance.You will resonate clearly. You will re-ignite your passion, come out from behind yourself and stand in your truth.

Jayne Warrilow

You are an energetic being. It is time to learn more about your energy so you can come into alignment with your thoughts, emotions and soul. It is time to get out of your head and into your body, to bring your thoughts, words and actions into vibrational integrity. Time to become all that you can be... and take your life from good to great.

Jayne Warrilow is CEO of Resonant Coaching, specializing in advanced level training for coaches. Jayne’s powerful work which she has successfully implemented in the C-Suites of global organizations, integrates a holistic, energetic approach into coaching ultimately leading to resonance, to the next level of mastery and beyond. For more information: www.resonantcoaching.com.