How do you make things complicated?

We can all benefit from simplicity. In business, in our activities, with our team, simplicity is that one element that not only makes processes easier to perform, but can make every system adaptable as well. However, simplicity is not an “easy conclusion to draw “– because it seems that it’s easier to make things complicated.

Alexandra was running a company in the banking sector for some time and was anxiously waiting to close a deal with another important company which would have strongly boosted her business activity. But for an unknown reason, the General Manager of the company was always postponing the deal.

Alexandra was sure that the reason for this delay was related to several financial issues her company was confronting with recently, which made her business seem unprofitable for that specific year. In order to change this, Alexandra began to invest in serious efforts: organizing new strategies, delegating new tasks, firing a few employees…After a while, things began to change in a positive way, but by the end of the business year, the deal still hadn’t taken place. Alexandra was convinced that her company still didn’t build enough trust and so she felt like she needed to push her limits even further.

But one day, during a conference which involved the two companies, Alexandra organized a meeting with the General Manager of the company she wanted to be partner with and talked about every aspect of their business, except the reason for which the deal would not close. Each of the two leaders avoided direct confrontation on this matter, which left the situation unclear. Both were waiting for the other one to bring the subject in the conversation, but neither actually did it.

Time passed and the deal was not closed even in this very day and Alexandra is now frequently thinking about the real reasons why this situation happened.

The question Alexandra asked was: How do you make things complicated? How or why would you change a simple action you have to fulfill into a complicated one?

How do you make things complicated?

What are you postponing now, when the action is still simple to fulfill and wait until it becomes difficult and involves more effort and resources?

Writer at Financial Times, Tim Harford, named this type of behavior “the God complex”, which means that no matter how complex a situation is, you have an overwhelming belief that you are right in the solutions you bring. The problem with this type of behavior is that it gives us a shallow perspective based on the ego of a vast business experience.

Rodica Obancea, ACC

If you are looking for different answers, you will only get them if you act differently – if you act the same way you did, you will always get the same results.

Rodica Obancea, ACC, is passionate about change, emergence, living systems. She works within business environment, with managers, teams for achieving ambitious results. For more information, visit www.successcoaching.ro.

Congratulations, 2012 ICF Chapter Award winners!

Local ICF Chapters are the core community of the coaching profession…they provide a voice for coaches in countries all over the world. The ICF annually recognizes exceptional Chapters that have either given back to their communities through coaching or demonstrated outstanding success in a key area during the year.

Two new award categories were introduced this year…the I Care For – Pro Bono Coaching Award and the Breaking Barriers Award. An outstanding 22 applications were received for the 2012 awards.

A total of six Chapters were chosen by an awards task force and were honored at a special awards and appreciation luncheon in conjunction with ICF Global 2012 in London, UK.

For the I Care For – Pro Bono Coaching Award, two Chapters were selected based on the establishment of a significant coaching presence in their communities.

ICF Hungary

For medium chapter: ICF Hungary.
In February of this year, MALEV Hungarian Airlines went bankrupt leaving many unemployed and a country in shock. Members of ICF Hungary offered coaching services to former MALEV employees—the total initiative provided 700 hours of coaching at an estimated $100,000. National media outlets saw the power of coaching through the work of ICF Hungary.

ICF Italy

For large chapter: ICF Italy.
In May of this year, an earthquake struck an area of Northern Italy. The earthquake was devastating: it took the lives of 25 people and damage was estimated at five billion Euros. ICF Italy took action and in just a matter of weeks, 40 certified coaches began participating in a project offering free coaching sessions for organizations or entrepreneurs affected by the earthquake. The program will continue through December.


For the Breaking Barriers Award, four chapters were selected based on success in membership growth, an innovative special event, creative strategic alliances with allied organizations, extraordinary fundraising efforts, impactful media relations program; and/or other notable achievements or activities.

ICF Jakarta

For small chapter: ICF Jakarta.
It has been a year of firsts for ICF Jakarta…they were officially inaugurated, their membership multiplied, and they organized two major events. Following their inauguration, the Chapter immediately set to work to educate the public about coaching—first during International Coaching Week 2012 and again at the first ever Indonesia Coaching Summit.

ICF Russia

For medium chapter: ICF Russia.
ICF Russia spearheaded a weeklong event over International Coaching Week 2012 that led to the growth of their Chapter and contributed to the growing awareness of the coaching industry. Throughout the week, more than 70 events organized by ICF coaches, coaching companies, and coaching schools were attended by some 2,500 participants across several regions and cities in Russia.

ICF Bulgaria and ICF Victoria

And for large chapter: ICF Bulgaria and ICF Victoria.
Though far apart geographically, members of these Chapters teamed up to extend their influence by creating the Australian-Bulgarian Cross Development initiative. By doing so, they were able to address membership issues and specific challenges more effectively. One year ago, ICF Bulgaria was a young Chapter with newer coaches and ICF Victoria was experiencing a decline in membership and less involvement with their experienced coaches. The Chapters teamed up, joining young coaches in Bulgaria with experienced coaches in Australia for pro bono coaching sessions. The initiative has led to an increase in attendance by attracting several new members to ICF Bulgaria and re-engaging 17 inactive senior members in ICF Victoria.

Congratulations to all 2012 Chapter Award winners!

Savor the moment

Do you remember your birthdays when you were a kid?

What I remember best was the cake!

My mother would make something very simple, yet it was a cake fit for a queen! 

It was a round and chocolate with rich, sweet icing and Smarties (the Irish equivalent of M&Ms) decorating the top. 

It was always the same special birthday cake.

I remember that most times I would eat the cake, carefully leaving the icing and the sweets for the last.  Then this gooey, sweet treat awaited and became the last perfect, mouth-watering taste.

As I write this I can feel the Pavlovian effect, my taste buds peaked, my mouth watering!

Yesterday I thought about this birthday treat and how I still do the same thing, savoring the very best bits of life.

Let me explain.

Every morning I walk my dog to this really special place.  There is a spectacular view across the valley and each day it looks different; the light changes, the sun is in a slightly different position, sometimes it's hazy and each season brings different colors and light.

Well, I noticed that yesterday I walked with my head bowed for most of the way.  Then as I got to that very special place where I stand each morning, that spot where the view is most beautiful, I lifted my head.  It was breath-taking. 

I had savored the special moment until I could practically taste it.  I didn't look around me at all during the walk.  I waited until I got to the place with the landscape would be most stunning.  It was just like the chocolate icing and sweets that the end of the cake.  Until that moment I hadn't noticed that this is so often what I do, I simply savor the best bit!

We have so many moments to savor in life.  So many special places and amazing people, so many everyday experiences that are truly wonderful!

Lisa Bloom, PCC

How do you savor them?

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.

Flash Mob Coaching

The below message is from a participant of the Flash Mob Coaching activity with Shivani Mair that took place at ICF Global 2012.    

Flash Mob Coaching in action!

How would you feel, if you had to go in the street to offer people a 10 minutes coaching session? Well, I tested it for you. And I’ve been…positively surprised! Despite the bright Smurf-colored T-shirt and the sheet to sign which were together strangely close to the perfect Fund raising kit, despite the horrified – but understandable – reaction most of the people had to this first image, some of them were curious and open-minded enough to give it a chance. And as the outcome was something like “Whoa, thank you, I was sincerely not expecting this at all,” I spontaneously answered that “Me neither!”.

On this fast-everything planet, I strongly believe in the “take your time” approach. Therefore, is it technically possible to have an efficient session of 10 minutes only? And could a flash mob coaching really make a difference in someone’s life? The answer might definitely be yes, if we refer to the feedback given by most of the 35 people’s coaches loose in London’s streets as flash mob guinea pigs.

In conclusion, flash mob coaching could be an innovative and powerful way to allow people to get to know by experience what the coaching is: isn’t it an awesome option? Only the frame of the session could be improved, in my opinion: why not, for example, being dressed as usual and holding a sign with a “Free coaching” mention on it? Zero obligation, only proposition: I bet free hugs and free coaching have the same genes, haven’t they?

Submitted by Martine Corthésy

Test Kitchen: Serving up new recipes for coaching

Below is part of an occasional blog series highlighting the Catalysts and sessions of ICF Global 2012.

Belma González, PCC

Johnny Manzon-Santos, ACC

Innovation: something new or different introduced.  Test Kitchen: a place used for the process of developing new kinds of food and to develop new recipes - a learning community!

That’s what Johnny Manzon-Santos and I (Belma González) are up to: bringing together coaching innovators to create new ways coaching can be used.

Johnny and I are longtime social justice activists in the USA. We worked with coaches when we were Executive Directors of NGO’s, and eventually decided to become coaches ourselves.

In our practices, we’ve worked 1:1 with social justice/NGO leaders. We work together through Prism Coaching to look at the importance of and value in ‘culturally aware’ coaching as essential to supporting social justice efforts.

In the last few years, we’ve worked with projects around the US utilizing coaching to strengthen communication, build relationship, and encourage innovative responses to issues stemming from social injustice. 

Johnny and I, together with our colleagues involved with these projects, have been meeting in our “Test Kitchen” - where we share ideas, discuss new “recipes”, and identify essential “ingredients” needed for success. The ICF Conference presents an ideal opportunity to invite more people into the Test Kitchen learning community, and to further enhance the ways coaching can support social justice efforts.

Know of projects utilizing coaching in innovative ways? Have ideas of how coaching can be used to further social justice efforts? Come to the Test Kitchen eager to meet other “chefs,” curious to learn, prepped with ideas to discuss and information about innovative projects in your community to share, and ready to commit to utilizing coaching in ways that further social justice!
The Test Kitchen: Serving Up New Recipes for Coaching, Friday October 5, 2:30-4:00 p.m.!

Belma González, PCC, and Johnny Manzon-Santos, ACC, are Catalysts at ICF Global 2012, October 3-6 in London, UK, where they will be presenting “Test Kitchen: Serving up new recipes for coaching." Learn more.