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.

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.

My recent ICF travels to Japan and South Korea

On October 7, ICF President Ed Modell, PCC, presented “what is coaching and the benefits of being an ICF member” at the American Chamber of Commerce Japan in Tokyo. His presentation included live coaching demonstrations and targeted human resource directors from large multi-national corporations and coaches in attendance.

On Saturday, the ICF Tokyo Chapter hosted a Global Coaching Forum in which Ed presented the value of ICF membership and the credential, ICF standards, the Global Coaching Study and Minimum Eligibility Requirements. Dr. Linda Semlitz addressed the psychological first aid in disaster recovery. The presentation included how coaches could provide appropriate support to people facing difficulties after the recent earthquake, tsunami and radiation.

A total of 70 coaches and personnel from coaching schools and human resource managers were in attendance. The forum ended with a party that went on through the evening celebrating coaching in Japan.

Finally, there was a meeting held that included myself and Ed, as well as key stakeholders from the coaching profession in Japan, including the ICF Tokyo Chapter, six coaching schools, a special interest group (SIG), and other groups. The conversation was around changes to the ICF Credential, membership eligibility requirements and other concerns affecting coaching.

Leaving Japan, we travelled to South Korea. The ICF Seoul Korea Chapter partnered with ICF Korea to host a one day coaching conference. Over 100 coaches, coaching school personnel, human resource managers and others attended a day coach learning. Ed Modell presented on “the value of ICF and the credential.”

Ed also did two coaching demonstrations to show the power of coaching. In addition, a panel of six PCC coaches told the audience why coaching was important in their lives and profession. Ed was also able to tell his life story about how he became a coach and his own personal transformation into coaching.

The coaching conference was a huge success. Members in both Japan and Korea were grateful that we came to visit them and honor them as members of the ICF global community of coaches.

Don Whittle is the ICF Director of Membership at ICF Global. He can be reached at don.whittle@coachfederation.org.  

2011 ICF Award Overview

The ICF annually awards individual members, chapters and organizations that have demonstrated remarkable commitment to advancing the art, science and practice of professional coaching in their community and beyond. These awards, embodied by the ICF President’s Award, ICF Chapter Awards, and International Prism Awards, are presented each year during the Annual International Conference.
This year, these awards were presented in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA during two special ceremonies.

During the Appreciation and Recognition Luncheon for ICF leadership on September 24, six chapters were recognized in two awards categories for their local marketing and community outreach efforts. The recipients of the 2011 ICF Chapter Awards were:

Chapter Award winners. Not pictured: ICF Spain.

Local Spirit, Global Presence—Community Activism Award

• Heartland Coaches Association—Greater Kansas City: for its partnership with the Heartland Habitat for Humanity (HHFH), a local nonprofit group, to provide professional coaching services to the HHFH team.
• ICF Gauteng Chapter: for implementing its Coaching Caravan, which enabled the South African coaching community to offer free coaching, training and facilitation skills/services to individuals and community groups who would not normally have the opportunity to experience and benefit from these services.
• ICF Metro DC: for its aggressive community outreach agenda which included partnerships with: Leadership Arlington (LA), Capital Youth Empowerment Program (CYEP), and Homeward Deployed.

Finding our Voice—Marketing/PR Award

• ICF Uruguay: for organizing the first International Coaching Workshop (which drew over 100 participants), and for creating the first local association (AUCOP)—all during their first year as an ICF Chapter.
• ICF Brazil: for the successful implementation of a cross channel advertising campaign, as well as the creation of a local website to facilitate the call for services and advertising of the ICF brand.
• ICF Spain: for organizing the eighth ICF European Coaching Conference held in Madrid, Spain in 2011—an event attended by more than 450 participants from 29 countries.

During the Annual Business Meeting on September 26, two individuals were honored with the ICF President’s Award: Peter Goryalov and Irina Goryalova of Bulgaria.

2011 ICF President Ed Modell, PCC, selected Peter and Irina, a married couple, for the great contributions they have made in the name of coaching over the last several years. They formed the first coaching company in Bulgaria in 2006 and subsequently founded the ICF Bulgaria Chapter.


Peter Goryalov and Irina Goryalova

In the year since the chapter opened for business, membership has increased to 22 (including seven coaches trained through ICF approved coach training programs and two who hold an ICF Associate Certified Coach credential) and they have begun providing a series of masterclasses using the most modern video conferencing technology to bring top notch speakers “into” Bulgaria.

Also during the Annual Business Meeting, the ICF awarded two organizations with the International Prism Award. ICF has been issuing the international award since 2005 as a way to recognize those organizations that have enhanced excellence and business achievement through their commitment to coaching as a leadership strategy. The 2011 award winners are BC Housing and JOEY RESTAURANT GROUOP, both of Canada.

BC Housing
In 2007, BC Housing partnered with MICA (now Knightsbridge) to create its Leadership Development Program in an effort to develop its leadership talent and create a coaching for performance culture as part of its overall people strategy.

The initiative was first introduced at the executive level and was launched with senior level leader participation. Following a successful pilot, the program was expanded to include all leaders throughout the organization.

BC Housing’s commitment to coaching has helped transform the culture internally by closing the leadership gap, increasing the pool of competent leaders and creating a coaching culture. And overall, they have experienced better performance results.

It has been calculated that BC Housing has experienced a 70 percent return on investment!

BC Housing continues to invest in coaching and most recently launched ‘Coach2Coach’ for its senior leaders to deepen their coaching skills, broaden their leadership perspectives and build a community of practice.


On site to accept the award on behalf of BC Housing was Agnes Ross and Dian Patterson. And from Knightsbridge: Julie Jones, Senior Consultant of Leadership Solutions.

JOEY RESTAURANT GROUP Armed with the knowledge that coaching can benefit leadership in virtually any area of an organization, the JOEY RESTAURANT GROUP began its coaching initiative as the rest of the restaurant industry was faced with recession-related dilemmas.

The coaching initiative began with the strategic selection of the most senior leaders in the organization, essentially so they could be coached and be trained as internal coaches, all while running their restaurant regions! Since then, numerous coaching strategies and processes have been used with employees across the organization for leadership development, conflict management and personal growth.

In the last 30 months, they have experienced more than 30 percent revenue growth, reduced turnover and made the Top 100 employers list for the first time ever. Not only that, but JOEY calculates a 682 percent return on investment from their coaching initiative!

JOEY believes in coaching as a key development tool and an integral part of supporting growth at all levels in the organization—particularly so they will have an abundance of talent ready to step up to the next level of leadership when needed.

On site to accept the award on behalf of JOEY RESTAURANT GROUP was Andrew Martin and Al Jessa. And from Essential Impact: Marjorie Busse, MCC; Dave Busse, PCC; and Carollyne Conlinn, MCC.

Stay tuned: the videos from the 2011 award winners will be posted to the ICF channel on YouTube shortly. Learn more about ICF Awards at Coachfederation.org/awards.

Living it up in Las Vegas

Late last month, more than 1,000 coaching professionals, including 295 first timers, met in *fabulous* Las Vegas, Nevada, USA at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino for the 2011 ICF Annual International Conference.

Audience during a general session

Before the conference even officially began, attendees were busy with the Global Leadership Forum (where the six Chapter Award winners were announced; congratulations to ICF Greater Kansas City Chapter—Heartland Coaches Association; ICF Gauteng Chapter; ICF Metro DC; ICF Uruguay; ICF Brazil; and ICF Spain!)* and the ICF Assessor’s Meeting.



2011 Chapter Award winners (not pictured: ICF Spain)

Once conference kicked off the evening of September 24, attendees from 43 countries played to the edge through 32 targeted breakout educational sessions (47 speakers from 39 countries facilitated)—including three world class keynote presentations provided by Michael Gelb, Sir Ken Robinson and Steve Farber.

Sir John Whitmore, September 26 keynote

Steve Farber, September 27 keynote

Tagged onto the September 26 general session was the Annual Business Meeting, led by ICF President Ed Modell, PCC. It was during this segment that the 2011 President’s and International Prism Awards were presented. Congratulations to Peter Goryalov and Irina Goryalova of Bulgaria (recipients of the 2011 President’s Award), and BC Housing and JOEY RESTAURANT GROUP (recipients of the International Prism Award)!*


Peter Goryalov and Irina Goryalova 



BC Housing and Knightsbridge representatives

JOEY RESTAURANT GROUP and Essential Impact representatives

In addition to educational offerings, attendees had the option to sift through the 48 exhibits in the exhibit hall, offering the latest tools and services to coaching professionals. [The ICF would like to offer a huge THANK YOU to all ICF Conference sponsors and exhibitors! Thanks for being a part of our 2011 conference!] And, of course, there were networking receptions each night to cap off each day.

The Exhibit Hall

The Opening Reception was especially popular. This event, led by opening keynote Michael Gelb, included a wine and chocolate tasting as well as a poetry writing contest. In fact, Michael took every submission back to his room that night and selected his top four poems—and gave out prizes at the conclusion of his keynote the next morning.


Michael Gelb (opening keynote presenter) at the Opening Reception

All in all, the event appears to have been an immense success! Were you in Las Vegas for the ICF Conference? We want to know what you thought! What was your biggest takeaway? Favorite feature

*Look for a more detailed post on all award winners coming next week to the ICF blog.

Playing to the Edge

The 2011 ICF Conference in Las Vegas is just weeks away! The theme for the Conference is “Playing to the Edge.” One of the members of the Educational Steering Committee, Katerina Kanelidou from Greece, wrote an insightful essay on this theme that I believe will stimulate your thinking and perhaps highlight some perspectives you haven’t thought about. Enjoy…and…I hope to see you in Las Vegas!

Lynn Meinke, PCCChair: 2011 Educational Steering Committee

Last December, as a member of the 2011 ICF Conference Education Steering Committee, I was requested to brainstorm for this year’s conference theme; extremely challenging for a non-native English speaker. By the end, one of the teams came up with the title “Playing to the Edge.” Everybody loved it! As a non-native English speaker, I was skeptical. In my consciousness this playing to the edge just meant risky business.

A couple months later, we were requested to share one thought on playing to the edge, what it meant for each one of us. I thought about it and consulted one of my best friends, the dictionary.

I started with the verb play. Checking the dictionary, some of the meanings of “play” were:

• Engage (in an activity);
• Deal in a light, speculative, or sportive manner;
• Take advantage;
• Move or function freely within prescribed limits;
• Perform (music);
• Act (theatre);
• Engage or take part in a game;
• Behave or conduct oneself in a specific way;
• Gamble; and
• Amount one’s efforts.

This made me think. And wonder. We have frequently heard coaching described as a dance. What if coaching is also a game? A game we play with our clients. A game that serves the purpose or goals of a much larger game: the game of life.

We do not want our clients to just live their lives. We want them to engage in this game, perform, act, deal with it and its challenges, have fun, take risks, and interact with it. We do not coach passive spectators; we coach players of the game of life!

And it is all done through another game: coaching. We do not just dance with our clients. We engage them in a more dynamic and interactive way. We challenge them. We encourage them to take appropriate risk. In a way we support them to gamble, not based on luck but based on their skills and strengths. We help them discover the fun of being in the game, and encourage them to celebrate all their victories, small and large.

What do we play for? Ultimately we play to win. The definition of what is won can be many things: achieving a goal, enhancing a career, improving performance, positively changing thinking and lives, reaching a vision, and most importantly growing. As coaches we are also challenged to grow. And so, in this game of life and work we grow, as do our clients. In this interactive and inter-developmental game of coaching, we support and encourage our clients’ growth and, in turn, our clients’ creativity and work stimulates and enhances our own growth as human beings and coaches.

So, if coaching can be considered a game in the service of this larger game of life, why play to the edge?

Again, going back to the dictionary. I found the follow meanings for edge:

• sharpness (of a blade);
• force, effectiveness;
• keenness or intensity of desire or enjoyment;
• the line where an object or area begins or ends;
• the narrow part adjacent to a border;
• advantage; and
• brink, verge.

The ICF International Conference happens once a year, so it draws a line that has a definite beginning and end. This drawing a line is also done in times where the world is seen to be at the edge from many perspectives. In my own country we are living at the edge economically and, as a consequence, socially and we are experiencing uncertainty and fear. The recent revolution in Egypt and the current situation in Libya and Syria are showing all of us how whole nations can live at the edge as they try to make their way to democracy or peace. And let’s not forget the recent crisis in Japan where the edge has become an everyday experience. So, perhaps our world is at the edge: socially, economically, environmentally, politically, and spiritually.

From the coaching perspective, when it comes to our work we play to the edge with our clients and ourselves. We “play” to our own limits of what we can do as we develop our own mastery and growth in the coaching field. We play to our own keenness, effectiveness and sharpness during every coaching session as well. We also invite our clients to play to their edge, as that is where they often need to go in order to develop. As said by another Committee member, we ask our client to step out of their comfort zone to move forward. As coaches, we move alongside them on this thin line, “the narrow part adjacent to a border”, to stretch them, and in so doing, we stretch ourselves to stand up to this challenge.

For me it’s a perfect coincidence that we are having this conference in a place like Las Vegas, a place where people go to challenge their fortune by playing to the edge. What an incredible opportunity we have this year to stretch ourselves and to play to our edge, especially at this particular moment in history when the world is at the edge. And, at the same time we can take a moment to recognize and celebrate a profession that also works and plays to the edge.

Katerina Kanelidou, ACC

One small step for man. One giant leap for joy.

"The universe has been evolving for 13 billion years. It's unlikely that its ultimate goal is consumerism" - Brian Swimme

Now there's a thought.

At the recent wonderfully organised ICF European Conference in Madrid many speakers highlighted the current malaise in economics, sustainability, happiness etc. And wherever you are living and working I'm sure there are examples of recent environmental impact, economic slowdown/collapse, social need. If there's one thing that is apparent right now it's that in some way we're all in this together. The big question that seemed to be hanging after Madrid (beyond where are the female voices in all this - I for one would love to hear a few more) was "OK, but what can we do?"

For me this leads to a more specific question - what am I personally helping to bring into the world? Many years ago John Elkington put together the neat idea of the Triple Bottom Line - people, profit, planet. It's age old wisdom, packaged for the current era. And it's really getting traction now. Charities I'm working with are very clear about their need to be financially responsible and indeed attractive to money in order to do their good work - money is an enabler, not a fiend. And businesses I'm working with are increasingly keen to demonstrate their social and environmental responsibility, for a long list of reasons including brand, reputation, customer loyalty, security of supply, avoiding government intervention, driver for innovation, cost savings and more.

So what about us as coaches? On the one hand much of what we do is inherently good. But I find it interesting at conferences how many questions I get asked which are actually fishing for how well am I doing, how much am I charging, where are the market opportunities and what is the next big thing. It's all about money. Which is fair enough given that it can be tough to earn a living in coaching and money is important for choices, freedoms (in some senses), and providing for those we care about.

But what about our social and environmental impact - not just through our direct actions in how we travel and do we do pro bono and the like, but in the fuller picture of what our collaborative work with clients brings into the world?

For me I reached tipping point a few months ago. Frankly I'm fed up with a me/more/now client agenda. So I'm upfront now in saying if this assignment is just about performance/profitability without bringing more net good and health into the world I'm probably not the best coach for you and I'd be delighted to recommend another coach who will likely serve better. I'm upfront in discussing what they feel the legacy of this work will be, how it will be seen in a local and global context, how our grandchildren may judge it, and is our aspiration for good big enough.

It's been a "coming out" experience. I was very scared of a backlash. I was very scared of ridicule. I was very scared of starving. That hasn't happened. It's a joy. It opens whole new conversations.

With clients as experts and guides, how about we step into the unknown and begin to discover the world beyond consumerism?

Neil Scotton, PCC, August 2011

ICF shares coaching with HR professionals

The ICF would like to thank all ICF members in the Las Vegas, Nevada area who assisted us last month at the SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) conference!

This was the ICF’s first appearance at a SHRM event—and what a great experience it was. SHRM is the world’s largest association dedicated to human resource management. More than 13,000 human resource professionals from around the globe were in attendance—providing a unique way for us to share the value of coaching in business. 

Alexis and Betty in the ICF booth

The multi-day event included an international expo hall where the ICF was situated. As we did at ASTD in May, we promoted the benefits of coaching through conversation and several targeted collateral pieces that showed people how to find an ICF approved  coach training program, how to apply for an ICF Credential, how to hire a coach, and why hire a coach. Very popular among the HR crowd was our case study that highlighted the 2010 ICF International Prism Award recipients, Genentech and the TINE Group.

Thanks to all ICF members, training programs and friends who dropped by our booth at SHRM! And a very special thanks is in order for our volunteers from the Nevada Professional Coaches Association: Sarah Christman, Stephanie Glover, Betty Mahalik, Alexis Vernon, ACC, and Richard Ziebarth.

ICF to make first appearance at SHRM annual conference

ICF will make its first appearance at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Annual Conference and Exposition this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. This event annually draws some 13,000 human resource professionals—setting up a unique opportunity for coaching to make its way onto the minds of people from companies across the globe.

Beginning June 26 (through June 29), Ross and myself will join local ICF members (a huge thanks to the willingness of the members of the Nevada Professional Coaches Association!) to run the ICF booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. They represent more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries and serve the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession.

As we did through our appearance at the ASTD conference last month, we will represent the ICF and coaching while promoting the benefits of coaching within organizations and the value of coaching in general. We will have numerous collateral pieces available to share such topics as how to find a coach training program, how to earn an ICF Credential, and how to hire a coach. In addition, we will promote the documented ROI of coaching through a case study highlighting our 2010 ICF International Prism Award winners, Genentech and the TINE Group.

Songquan Deng / Shutterstock.com

If you (or your clients) will be at the SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition, be sure to visit our booth, #2941! We will tweet during the show from our Twitter feed at twitter.com/ICFHQ and once we are back in the office, there will be a follow-up post documenting our experience in Vegas.

We look forward to our appearance at SHRM and the people we will meet as a result!

Interested in using the collateral we have created for these events?
Why become credentialed?
How to choose a professional coach
Coach Training Programs

Look for more information on the ICF’s presence at this event and others like it through ICF social media channels, primarily Twitter, Facebook and the ICF Blog.

ICF and ASTD = a fantastic combination

The ICF’s second appearance at the ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) International Conference and Exposition was a fabulous experience!


May 23 booth staff

 At the end of May, more than 8,000 training and development professionals from 70 countries convened at the Orange County Convention Center in sunny Orlando, Florida, USA.

The three-day event included an international Expo hall where the ICF was situated. Attendees from 24 countries visited the ICF booth asking for more information on membership, the ICF Credential, coach training programs.



May 24 booth staff



This setting was the perfect venue for the ICF to promote the value coaching can provide an organization. Attendees were very interested in coaching as several of their conference sessions mentioned it and some speakers even referenced our booth in the Expo hall!

The ICF was well-represented; volunteers from the Tampa Bay Professional Coaches Association and the ICF South Florida Charter Chapter assisted two ICF Global staff members in manning the booth. They fielded questions around coaching—how (and why) it works.

The ICF would like to thank those ICF members who dropped by our booth and those ICF member volunteers who made our experience at ASTD spectacular: Charlene Balleine, ACC; Pegotty Cooper; Lorraine Lane; and Maria Martinez, ACC, and Marcelo Bianchi Montana.

We are looking forward to exhibiting at this show next year in Denver!

How Edgy are YOU?



Lynn Meinke

As coaches we “dance” with our clients as we follow where they lead. This is a major premise of coaching and one that serves our clients well. There is another aspect of coaching that allows us to take coaching into the outer reaches of what is possible and that is when our clients and we engage in “Playing to the Edge.”

“Playing to the Edge,” means that we are willing to stretch or challenge our thinking, our ways of being, allow ourselves not to know and take appropriate risks. “Playing to the Edge” encourages us and our clients to step out of mediocrity and move into the vastness and excitement of potential. If age, money, health or education were not a consideration, what would you do? Who would you be? What is your wildest, most outrageous dream? What would it take for you to move in that direction?

“Playing to the Edge” is the theme of this year’s ICF International Conference. The Educational Steering Committee chose this theme for many reasons. First, the Conference is in Las Vegas, which is known for risk taking. Second, as coaching continues to mature, we need to stay fresh, look at new realities, and challenge our beliefs and knowledge. Third, “playing,” indicates a sense of spontaneity and freedom, so how can we light-heartedly continue our growth as human beings and coaches as we examine and explore new ideas, challenge old concepts and arrive at new plateaus of meaning?

Join us in Las Vegas from September 24-27 for the ICF International Conference and pick the topics and presenters that will stretch you and support you in “Playing to the Edge.”

Also, have fun during the entire Conference and especially at the opening reception that is designed to inspire your creativity as you enjoy a comparative wine tasting, or if you’re not a wine drinker you’ll engage in a comparative chocolate tasting.

Go to: www.coachfederation.org/conference for more in depth information.

Please introduce yourself…I’d love to personally greet you!

cheers!

Lynn MeinkeChair: 2011 ICF Conference Educational Steering Committee

Never too early to begin planning!

In less than four months, professional coaches from every corner of the globe will convene in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA at the Mandalay Bay Resort to be a part of the ICF Annual International Conference. Are you planning to attend?

Register by May 31 for a chance to win two tickets to a Vegas show! More details.

If you’ve already registered, great! Here are a few additional things you can do now to make the most of your time in Vegas this September 24-27:

• Follow the latest conference news at Coachfederation.org/conference. As updates are available, news items will be posted online. Most recently added news item? Registered conference attendees staying at the Mandalay Bay Resort will be offered a special 15 percent savings on Mandalay Bay Resort spa treatments, September 25-29.
• Explore education sessions and speaker biographies as they are posted. New information is posted to the website daily. This year’s sessions and speakers will stretch, provide a new way of thinking, offer alternative perspectives and get your “creative juices” flowing. You can access conference speaker bios here and education sessions here, as confirmed.
• If you (or someone you know) is interested in exhibiting at or sponsoring the 2011 International ICF Conference, learn more at Coachfederation.org/conference. There are many great opportunities still open for those interested in exhibiting or sponsoring the 2011 conference! See if the ICF Conference is a good fit for you.
• Begin making travel accommodations and flight schedules. Begin your travel booking search here. And if you want to begin looking at the fun things to do in and around Las Vegas, start perusing here.

"All real living is meeting"

The following is a brief overview of the ICF UK conference presentation that took place on April 9th:

We have just had a marvellous day with ICF UK in London! On April 9th, Miriam Orriss and I joined Aboodi Shabi (Newfield) and Liz McCann (BBC) in addressing the conference theme of 'The Art of Mastery in Coaching.' What emerged, as a group of about 100 coaches participated in this very successful event, was a shared desire to attend to the deeper enquiry that is possible in our work and the hunger for coaching 'beyond technique.' There was great engagement in the room as we co-created a space in which coaches could explore core aspects of their practice. We acknowledged the primacy of presence, the profound possibilities in the coaching relationship and the miracle that occurs when the 'gods and goddesses of coaching', sit among us.


Edna Murdoch

 I was reminded of Martin Buber's work, which established the principle of the 'I-Thou' – the mode of connecting when we are attuned to one another in a spirit of honour and awe. The 'I - Thou' occurs only as we meet with our whole being. As Buber said,

"All real living is meeting."

In the reflective practice that is coaching supervision, we aim to foster a ‘real’ dialogue, which enables the coach to return to their work, resourced and refreshed. This level of supervisory input enables coaches to converse with their clients with much more awareness, clarity and impact. This happens especially when coaches attend to what wants to emerge in the life of the client or the team with which they are working, while still holding the overt focus of the contract. It requires that coach supervisors 'let go' of our fantasy of what 'should' be occurring and play our part in co - creating an exploration that is real and open and which surrenders to a dialogic process that has meaning and muscle beyond what coach and supervisor may know at any given moment.

The day at the ICF conference reminded us all that in these fast-moving, highly-pressurised times, there is a huge hunger for real human engagement. As the poet David Whyte, puts it in Loaves and Fishes:


This is not


the age of information


Forget the news,


And the radio,


And the blurred screen.


This is the time


of loaves


and fishes.


People are hungry,


and one good word is bread


for a thousand.

Edna Murdoch Director: Coaching Supervision Academy www.coachingsupervisionacademy.com

ICF to promote coaching at ASTD

In just about two weeks, two of us (ICF Director of Brand Management, Ross Brown and myself, Marketing Coordinator Kristin Kelly) from the ICF marketing staff will travel to Orlando, Florida, USA for the ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) International Conference and Exposition. There we, along with various members from the local ICF Chapter (Tampa Bay Professional Coaches Association), will staff the ICF booth.

For those who are not familiar with ASTD, they are the world’s largest association dedicated to workplace learning and performance professionals. This particular show draws some 8,000 attendees (who work in thousands of organizations of all sizes) from more than 70 countries.

Our booth will promote the value coaching can provide an organization—what internal coaching is and how it can help. In pre-conference collateral, we have been promoting coaching through Coachfederation.org/value. Having local coach members on site will allow attendees to learn firsthand what coaching is, how it works, why it works and even what coach specific training entails—all within the comfort of our booth.


Chicago Coach Federation (CCF) members Pat E. Perkins (left) and Shawna Myers, ACC, along with other chapter members, shared information about the ICF and coaching at the 2010 ASTD conference in Chicago.



This show provides wonderful exposure for the coaching profession. We made our first appearance at ASTD last May, in Chicago. Members of the Chicago Chapter (Chicago Coach Federation) partnered with ICF Headquarters to staff the ICF booth and provided conference goers answers to questions about coaching and the ICF.

If you, or your clients, will be at this show, we would love to have you drop by! We will be at booth #422. If you won’t be there, check us out over on Twitter at twitter.com/ICFHQ. And be sure to drop by our blog—there will be a follow-up post once we get back from Orlando.

Internal coaching has made quite a splash in the media lately. Take a look at these two recent articles in Talent Management and Human Resource Executive Online.

Play to the edge this September

Have you ever attended an ICF Annual International Conference? Chock full of education, networking and best practice sharing, the annual conference is something many look forward to. This year is no different—1,000 coaching professionals are anticipated to convene this September at the desert oasis of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA at the Mandalay Bay Resort for Playing to the Edge.

The theme, Playing to the Edge, is about risk, fun and ultimately about taking coaching to the ‘edge,’ according to the Conference Education Steering Committee. The committee has been working diligently since late 2010 to create a conference experience that brings attendees fresh ideas and concepts to apply to coaching.

According to Coachfederation.org/conference, attendees can expect to see these ten features in Las Vegas:

• Opportunity to earn approximately 18 CCEUs.
• Dynamic, upbeat opening general session.
• Three keynote speakers.
• Opening reception with Michael Gelb (CCEUs offered).
• A "gathering place" for meeting with peers.
• Balancing space—a personal care space/place to take a break from a busy day.
• A balance of interactive and traditional (didactic) breakout sessions.
• Global Conversations with a new "reporting out" process.
• Variation in length of breakout sessions.
• Early ending on final day (to allow for easier travel).

Registration for the 2011 conference opens early next week (Monday, April 4). Register early to maximize your savings! Those who register before July 31 are eligible for special savings, known to conference goers as the Early bird rate. ICF members are subject to even more generous discounts as they are offered the special member pricing.

And, anyone who registers for a full conference registration before May 31 will be entered to win two tickets to a Las Vegas show, courtesy of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. ICF will randomly select a winner on June 1. Contest rules are listed here.

As in years past, the conference will feature world class keynote speakers, educational content for coaches of all experience levels, and opportunities for fun. Check out Coachfederation.org/conference for more information on the September 24-27 international conference.

Pull up a podium

The ICF is looking for speakers for its 16th Annual International ICF Conference that will take place this September in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. If you are an interactive speaker with something to say, you really should consider this opportunity!

The ICF International Conference draws more than 1,000 coaching professionals annually. They want to learn. They are eager to share ideas and opinions. They like to network. And they are the perfect audience for your presentation.

If you want to take advantage of this opportunity, you will want to start getting your materials together now. Proposals will only be accepted until Monday, February 7.

A few words of advice: you must include a link to a video stream (perhaps YouTube, your personal website or other website) that illustrates your skill as a presenter and your engagement with an audience. Proposals submitted without this will NOT be considered.

Ensure that your proposal is interactive. This is a biggie—Conference Education Steering Committee members (those who will review your proposal and ultimately select or deny your proposal) want to see sessions that are energetic, lively and involves everyone. They want to see a session that will allow attendees to “live in the moment.”

Your proposal should encompass a session in which you have experience. You need to be a subject matter expert in the content you propose to offer. For instance, you don’t want to propose a session where you will teach people how to use social media when you yourself don’t regularly use it. Your session should be around something you know about and you believe others will want to learn about it too.

The ICF is accepting proposals until 12 a.m. midnight (New York) on Monday, February 7. You can learn about the application process, as well as other criteria, here.

Have you ever spoken at an ICF International Conference? What was your experience like?

Global Conversations Continue Past the ICF Conference

Our "Internationalism Becomes the New Norm" Global Conversation table at the 2010 ICF Annual International Conference exchanged cards and we are continuing to stay in touch through e-mail. With coaches from Italy, Turkey, Mexico, and the US, our table enjoyed our global diversity and look forward to additional opportunities to connect, not only with each other, but also future culturally rich discussions within ICF.

How will you continue your Global Conversation and seek other ways to connect? Are you connecting through social media, a designated blog or website page, a yahoo group, Skype group calls…?

In case you missed this year’s conference, Global Conversations was a new offering, where we had the opportunity to choose a topic we were most interested in and listened as a subject matter expert presented on the topic. We then discussed the topic at our individual tables, and each table “captain” shared a two minute summary with the larger group. To tie it all together, one ICF participant per topic shared a brief summary in our Saturday closing.

Our table wants to know: as cultures become more mixed, how does that effect coaching? How does that effect the perception of coaching? Related to the conference, we want to know: how can the conference become a more international experience? (More intentional, fun opportunities to connect with participants from other cultures.) How can we honor those traveling a long distance (besides our wonderful conference opening)?

I have been a facilitator for citizen forums in Kansas City, USA, where I live. At the end of those discussions, participants have the opportunity to plan and commit to action from possibilities generated during the discussion.

We want to hear your ideas and action plans! Your ideas will be noted.

- Marilyn O’Hearne, MCC, vice president, global ICF Board of Directors

I Care For…unleashed at the 2010 International Conference!

Did you make it to conference this year? What an amazing event! More than 1,000 international coaching professionals were on-site in Fort Worth, Texas, USA for several days of networking, education and all-around growth.

The entire conference was infused with elements of our 15th anniversary celebration—we saluted our past and our beginnings, and were able to collectively look toward our future.

As such, it made sense that the ICF launched the I Care For campaign at conference…the first visible element in our ongoing brand evolution. Attendees had several opportunities to share what it is that we are passionate about…what we care for.

For some, their cares revolved around various ICF strategic priorities, including the growth and development of ICF Chapters and members. And for others, their cares and passions spread beyond the boundaries of the ICF community and into the rest of the world…from orphans in Uganda to coaching teachers in Nepal, there are so many stories that need to be heard! We encourage you to share what you care for (and why) at ICFICareFor.org.

One of the things we care for here at the ICF is coaching research…without it, we would be walking blindly without any facts or figures to back up why (and how) coaching works.

The ICF stands at the forefront of coaching industry research…our most recent research initiative, the ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study, asked some 15,000 people, aged 25 and older, in 20 countries to provide feedback in terms of their knowledge and experience around professional coaching. And you will be amazed at what this study found…

For instance, half (51 percent) of all respondents were generally aware (either somewhat or very aware) of coaching. Isn’t that great? Learn more and check out other findings from this study here: http://coachfederation.org/works/.

The intention of the I Care For campaign was not to end with the close of the Fort Worth conference, but to expand and include every ICF member and professional coach out there. We all deserve the opportunity to be heard. And through this, we really can create an IMPACT on the world!

So what is it that you care for? Share it with us at ICFICareFor.org.