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.

Letting Go Letting Go

SIG  Energy Work and Coaching: The Next Wave Presenter: Rhona Post, MCC
When: Third Monday of Every Month, January 16 2012
Virtual +1.212.457.9879
Pin: 622186#
Title:  Letting Go Letting Go 

Welcome to the Energy Work and Coaching SIG where coaches from all over the world bring their knowledge and wisdom of natural and energy healing to their coaching practice.  Our SIG participants are interested in deepening their skills in various coaching competencies including cultivating a centered presence, powerful communication and listening.

December’s topic was Holding Patterns--how what we hold onto holds onto us. We explored how something innocuous like waiting in an airplane that is being forced to circle the airport (holding pattern) can ignite a variety of emotional, physical and psychological responses.

During the 2011 SIG sessions we got underneath our story lines to observe the real drivers that pull or push us in one direction or another. Why? Because we’re interested in bridging our own four aspects, mind, body, spirit and emotions, and learning creative ways to better assist our clients incorporate their four aspects.

January’s call is an invitation to investigate the art and science of Letting Go so that we can bring more of ourselves to the 2012 party.

Rhona Post, MCC

Whether you approach a new year on tiptoes or throw yourself fully into the month, how can you make the process of Letting Go more joyous for yourself and others? Letting go is not for sissies, as it requires a release of control. Our January topic is multi -faceted topic and it will arouse excitement and anxiety. For more information on how you can incorporate healing in your coaching practice, contact Rhona Post, The Healer Coach, at rpost@thehealercoach.com or by phone at +1.941.554.8466.

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.

Pricing a blended coaching offering

I have just about begun to familiarize myself with the world of coaching and the possibilities it has to offer are exceptional and so very energizing!
What has been playing on my mind of late, is the possibility of providing blended coaching.

I have been in the field of learning and development for over 13 years now and I can see that blended learning has never been taken as seriously as it is today. We talk about a learning continuum and various ways in which the same skill or topic gets reinforced in the life of an individual, through various media.

Applying that construct to coaching, I have been thinking what it would be like if we were to offer our clients, a blended coaching model and have a differentiated pricing for that.

I know many of us might argue that well, that is what we have been doing all this while though the question I have to ask, really, is how does your blended coaching model then impact your pricing model?

From what I understand, most coaches still charge per hour of coaching, or per set of classes. Some even offer free trial classes, which makes a lot of sense. How about we become purposeful about the way we coach? We all know the implications of varied learning styles – the fact that different people respond better to different forms of learning. Maybe we have data to prove that tele-coaching is the most effective – maybe we don’t. I am still learning so would love to hear from the people out there who are much more aware about this field.

What would I want to offer to my clients? A varied experience which is predictable and does not make me question the amount of time I spend on a client.

Let’s say, we start with a tele-coaching session, which is usually a free or optimally charged trial session. If the next class is a week later, we could consider offering to our client, depending on their openness to this, of course, a daily or twice / thrice a week text or a daily ping on chat or a daily email (I would avoid a daily call) – whichever works most for them.

This would reinforce some things that have been discussed, keep the discussion alive in the mind of the coachee and also remind them that needed to do some work which will help them achieve their goal. Elliott Masie refers to this part of coaching as Nano-Coaching. I think it is a powerful way of providing the client a window to reach out, a window to think and a moment to follow through.

I would perhaps add a fraction of my cost on top of the amount I would charge for the tele-coaching in case a client would like to go for this kind of a blended coaching model.

Some options might look as follows:

1. Weekly teleclass costs ‘x’ per week (for an hour long class or whatever duration is agreed upon)
2. Weekly teleclass + contact twice a week via one chosen mode of communication costs ‘x’ + ‘y’ a week
3. Weekly teleclass + daily contact via a blend of options costs ‘x’ + ‘z’ a week

What other pricing models do we have in prevalence? Any best practices / learning from practioners?

Namrata Arora

Namrata Arora is a learning and development professional and has been working with MNCs for over 13 years in India. She has been involved in various aspects of learning and development from learning design, development and evaluation to learning organization design, learning strategy and innovation. Namrata is passionate about issues related to women and is an active member of women related forums in her organization and in her city. She is currently pursuing a coaching certification course from ICA and intends to specialize in coaching working women who go through choosing to take up alternate careers or give up their careers owing to their personal circumstances. You can follow Namrata at http://whatiamiswhatichoose.wordpress.com or reach her at namrata.arora.singh@gmail.com.