A most fitting close to International Coaching Week

Some of the ICF Staff

In honor of International Coaching Week, staff members from ICF Headquarters spent this morning volunteering at the locally based International Book Project (IBP).

IBP is an “international nonprofit whose mission is to promote education and literacy while broadening Americans’ understanding of their neighbors by sending quality used books overseas. Each year, IBP sends more than 150,000 books to schools, libraries, churches, nonprofits and Peace Corps volunteers in over 40 developing countries.” (Read more about their work here: http://www.intlbookproject.org).



Packing boxes!



After a brief orientation, we spent the morning locating and boxing books that will be sent to the Philippines. These books, primarily being sent to students in grades 8-12, ranged in topic from algebra to biology and literature to health. Once we finished this, we went on to sorting books that had recently come into the warehouse.

It was a great opportunity for our staff—and so fulfilling to know that these books will benefit children around the world. Check out the IBP blog to see firsthand the kind of impact IBP has in the world: http://intlbookproject.wordpress.com/.

From our office to yours, Happy International Coaching Week!

Energy Work & Coaching: The Next Wave

“Matter can neither be created nor destroyed; it just keeps changing form.” Albert Einstein

Rhona Post, MCC

As a child I always thought this statement pithy in some unfathomable way, yet felt its veracity important to maintain. Throughout my life I have circled around this concept and have finally been successful including Einstein’s thinking in my coaching practice.

I started first with Ontological coaching (the meaning of being a human being), progressed to Somatic coaching (the integration of mind, body and spirit) and finally rested with Core Individuation, an energy healing discourse that has helped me integrate all four aspects of the self (mind, body, intellect and spirit). I can look at my thirty years of study and report that it is the energy work that truly informs my coaching.

I think we mirror for our clients what we want most for ourselves, whether that is the freedom to express our best self, the yearning to feel whole, even the renewed confidence to keep grappling with life issues.

The inclusion of energy work in a coaching practice deepens our skill to establish trust and intimacy with clients, and most important, an energy healing practice, alongside a spiritual practice helps us access our own intuition so that we can move effortlessly between head and heart. When we listen to the wisdom of all our parts, mind, body, spirit and emotions, we move with greater ease towards what truly matters.

My orientation as a coach has shifted to include a much stronger commitment to nurturing what is best in a person, even as they fight for their limitations.

With support from ICF and in particular, Don Whittle, Membership Director, I am starting a new telephone SIG, Monday, February 21, from 11:00 to 12 noon, and meeting every third Monday of the month, to explore the value and benefits of adding an energy healing practice to our coaching. I do hope you join me and our colleagues in what promises to be the next wave of coaching.

For more information on Energy Work & Coaching, please contact Rhona Post, MCC, via e-mail at rpost@thehealercoach.com. Learn more at http://www.thehealercoach.com/.

Coaching research for coaching week

You might be hosting an event this week where having recent coaching research will prove beneficial. Or maybe you aren’t. Either way, we have compiled some of the top findings from the Global Consumer Awareness Study* into a single listing. Read over it. Print it out. Use it. Share it.

How aware are people of professional coaching?

• More than half of all respondents (51 percent) were generally aware of coaching. This includes those who indicated they were either “very aware” (12 percent) or “somewhat aware” (39 percent). General awareness varied by country from a high of 92 percent in South Africa to a low of 20 percent in Germany.

• When probed, nearly half (49 percent) of all respondents who indicated they were unaware of coaching, did in fact have an understanding of professional coaching.

Why are people involved in a coaching relationship?
• More than two-fifths (42.6 percent) of respondents who had experienced coaching chose “optimize individual and/or team performance” as their motivation for being coached. This reason ranked highest followed by “expand professional career opportunities” (38.8 percent) and “improve business management strategies” (36.1 percent). “Increase self-esteem/self-confidence” and “manage work/life balance” rated fourth and fifth to round out the top five motivation areas.

How satisfied are those who have been coached?
• Satisfaction levels are very high (83 percent) among those who have been involved in a coaching relationship, 36 percent of which were “very satisfied.” The level of satisfaction rises even higher to 92 percent among those with an ICF Credentialed coach, 55 percent of which were “very satisfied.”

How likely are people to recommend coaching to others?
• As a whole, those who have been coached gave a mean advocacy score of 7.5 (out of 10) in terms of their likeliness to recommend coaching. Overall, 31 percent of those who had been coached indicated that they were “extremely likely” to recommend. Advocacy was even higher for those who had an ICF Credentialed coach—45 percent were “extremely likely to advocate coaching to others.

How important are certifications/credentials for coaches?
• 84 percent of respondents who had been in a coaching relationship considered certification/credentials important. Even among those who indicated they were not aware of the coaching profession or the ICF, 83 percent considered credentials or certifications important for professional coaches to have.

• More than two in five respondents (44 percent) knew if their coach had a certification/credential.

What demographic is most attuned to coaching?
• Of the four age groups analyzed in this study, the youngest segment (ages 25–34) had the highest rate of awareness of coaching (57 percent), highest awareness of the ICF (26 percent) and highest levels of satisfaction with their coaching experience (85 percent). The level of satisfaction of this age group with an ICF Credentialed coach was higher again with 92 percent satisfied; more than half (55 percent) stating they were “very satisfied.”

*The Global Consumer Awareness Study surveyed 15,000 individuals (aged 25 and older) from 20 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

This Coaching Week – Can coaching help bring peace on earth and goodwill to all people?

It’s coaching week! In some ways it seems to me it’s a bit like Christmas in the coaching profession–a time when we go out into the world, bearing (our) gifts and bringing a message (and method) of goodwill for all people.

Perhaps you are doing something for Coaching Week? If you are, I hope you have much joy and success with it. I’m mindful of the words of two people I admire; Martin Bell, a former BBC correspondent who saw more war zones and troubled situations than perhaps it’s fair for anyone to see, who said “Good things happen because we make them happen, bad things happen because we allow them to.” I hope that whatever you are doing, it’s helping more people to make good things happen. And that dear friend of collectors of wisdoms and quotes, Winston Churchill, with his “We make a living from what we get. We make a life from what we give.” I hope that through your sharing your gift of coaching you are receiving not just a living, but a fuller life.

And I’m also mindful of sometimes how hard it is to take coaching out into the world. Including the difficulty explaining something as intangible as coaching. I recently came across this wonderful video of a coach openly, honestly, and humorously struggling to say what he does–http://www.nicaskew.com/commission/coach/ FILM EXAMPLE THREE

‘INTANGIBLY INARTICULATABLE’. I’ve been trying to help ICF Bulgaria raise awareness of coaching in their country–so we’ve put together a series of masterclasses, where coaches and people in the profession are beamed from around the world into a videosuite in Sofia. Coaching someone live by webcam as they sit in front of a large audience is definitely an experience! But it’s working well–membership up 300% since the series launched two months ago and monies coming in to enable them to do great works. It seems that giving people the experience of coaching is more effective than talking about it.

And even so I’m still wondering what it is that’s at the heart of what we bring. I love the line in Nic Askew’s video– “A truly honest conversation.” For me that comes close, and it certainly is a gift to bring to most peoples lives.

And these words from an article in The Times of 1st February 2011 are ringing in my ears: “One Royal Marine officer active in Iraq asked “What could we do differently?” was told time and time again: “ You could start by just listening.” He said that the most effective tactic was to do just that.

As coaches this is at the heart of what we do in the world. If there is a profession that can help bring more listening into lives, it’s us.

So there you have it. Coaching can indeed help to bring peace on earth.

Have a Happy Coaching Week.

And just to say–for all those currently in the news in their struggles for democracy, fairness and a future for their children, and for all those affected by the natural disasters, I hope I can speak on behalf of many in our global community to say you are very much in our thoughts, and we are there for you if you need us.

Neil Scotton, PCC, February 2011

Top 5 things you can do with little to no planning this week

So here we are…International Coaching Week (ICW) 2011 is finally here! To celebrate, there are coaches across the world doing different things throughout the week to show coaching to their communities.

Maybe ICW snuck up on you this year. Don’t fret! You can still do something this week to commemorate the weeklong celebration. And it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. In fact, we have a few relatively painless options for you to consider:

1) Offer specials. People love deals—perhaps you can offer your existing clients a discount on your services. It doesn’t have to be during this week per se, but maybe something you offer through the month of February. This special can be anything; the possibilities are absolutely endless! Examples: two coaching hours for the price of one, etc.

And you don’t have to limit this to your existing clients. You could create a special for those clients who sign with you in February.

2) Make time for networking. Many ICF Chapters are hosting events during ICW—from standard chapter meetings with guest speakers to single day workshops and multi-day conferences. If you aren’t already, plan to take part in whatever your local chapter has planned for ICW2011. If your local chapter doesn’t have anything planned, connect with other members to start brainstorming ideas for ICW2012!

Nearest chapter too far away to attend regularly? If it is within reasonable driving distance, take time out to go to their next meeting to network with peers. If that is not an option, take a look at upcoming Virtual Education sessions and add one to your calendar.

3) Give your business a once-over. Take time during this special week to better your practice. You know there are things on your to-do list that you want to check off—set aside designated time this week to do these things! For some it could be designing new business cards or taking a good hard look at your marketing plan. For others, it could be revising your pricing scale or starting a blog. Whatever it is, take time out to do it!

4) Gather testimonials. ICW isn’t only about your current or future clients. Make it about your past clients! Nothing can make a business more credible than through the use of client testimonials. Reach out to those you have coached in the past and ask them to provide a testimonial you can use in your upcoming marketing initiatives or on your website.

5) Volunteer locally. There is nothing more satisfying than the feeling that you have helped someone else. As a coach, you get to experience that sort of fulfillment on a regular basis. Reach beyond your comfort zone and volunteer some time at a local organization. The best part? There is truly something for everyone when it comes to volunteering. Want to work with animals? Check a local Humane Society. Want to work with kids? Talk to a local school or adoption agency. Want to use your hands? Check out Habitat for Humanity. And these are just three ideas! Opportunities are only limited by your imagination*!

*Note: ICF Headquarters is holding a Day of Service later this week in honor of ICW. Staff members are volunteering at locally based International Book Project. Check the blog on Friday for an update on the Day of Service.

Happy International Coaching Week!