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.

Integrating Our Private and Public Selves

SIG Energy Work and Coaching: The Next Wave
Presenter: Rhona Post MCC
When: Third Monday of Every Month, Monday October 17th, 11:00am ET
Telephone: 1-212-457-9879
Pin: 622186#

In the mid 80’s, when I first studied coaching with James Flaherty, CEO of New Ventures West, he asserted that we all wanted the same things for ourselves. More love. More joy. More peace.

Although we adored, even loved our clients, we did not sell love, peace and joy in business environments. We designed our communication to address business issues, like increased effectiveness and efficiency. Our corporate packages aligned with clients’ hopes, goals and concerns.

Some of us shelved the desire to address a person’s deeper concerns, about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as we sought to keep what’s personal separate from what’s professional. Like our clients, we had private and public identities. Oftentimes, there were great disparities between our internal lives and what we showed the world. What kinds of examples come to mind for you when you think about private and public identities?

After more than 25 years in this profession, I’m circling back around the concepts of peace, love and joy, because I’ve observed that being more effective does not produce greater love, peace or joy.

How does this relate to Energy Work and Coaching? Since I incorporated the energy healing protocols in my coaching, I can more easily assist clients to face and bridge their personal and public identities. The goal of healer coaching is to help folks integrate the head and heart reducing the compartmentalization upon which we have effectively shaped our existence.


Rhona Post, MCC



During our October call we will explore how we create and work from two identities. Do you have two selves? Is the self you show the world in better shape than the self you keep private? Or vice versa? Would you like to heal the rift or sense of separateness you experience even as you extend yourself to others?

Please join us on Monday, October 17th, 11am ET for our monthly SIG call.

For more information contact Rhona Post, MCC by telephone +1.941.554.8466 or by email rhona@thehealercoach.com.

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.

Is This Thing On? 3 Tips for Waking Up Your Full Voice

Barbara's book, available today.

Vocal habits area like any other habit – they’re persistent, unconscious, and difficult to budge. Here are three tips for making your voice come alive.

Break out of your “voice box”

Stretch your voice beyond the way you usually talk. Think of it as a kind of “voice yoga.” A good way to begin is to speak as different characters. Say the sentence: “I am a brilliant coach” as Darth Vader. Now as Luciano Pavarotti (go ahead and sing that one!). Now as Julia Child, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Marilyn Monroe. Notice the changes that occur in your voice. Which ones felt comfortable and familiar? Which ones made your skin crawl?

Challenge yourself to choose the right voice for the job
You unconsciously change your tone of voice all the time. (I hope you don’t talk to your pets the same way you talk to a prospective client!) I invite you to be deliberate about choosing a tone of voice that is congruent with your words and intentions. If you need to project authority, speak low and slow. If you need to incite passion, bring a little Luciano into your sound. If you want to extend compassion, speak with a warmer, gentler tone.

I explain this idea more thoroughly in this short video.

Invite your body to the party
Most of the vocal issues I see are a result of the “dead body syndrome.” The voice gets trapped in the throat. There isn’t enough breath to support a viable sound. The face goes flat and unexpressive. The simple act of bringing more vital physical energy into how you speak will improve your vocal presence.

Barbara McAfee is a voice coach, singer/songwriter, keynote speaker, and the author of Full Voice: The Art and Practice of Vocal Presence (Berrett-Koehler Publishers). She has released six music CDs and lives across the street from the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. She blogs at http://www.fullvoice.net/. Learn more at http://www.barbaramcafee.com/. 

A Few of my Favorite Coaching Mantras

Any coach worth their salt (what does that mean anyway?) knows how difficult it is to follow the tenets of coaching in all circumstances. Especially for those clients that are a “challenge.” As a result I have developed some Coaching Mantras that help me maintain my cool and coach like a seasoned swami. I’ll be glad to share a few with you.

“Wanna Bet?” – This is my first inaudible and unspoken response when my client starts out our session by saying “My problem is….” It’s not that I only take on clients that are Big Liars, but years of coaching have taught me that a little digging will reveal the REAL problem which is never what the client thinks it is.

“The Solution Is In The Struggle” – Particularly helpful when you are banging your head against your desk, putting new teeth marks in your pencil, and drawing blood with your fingernails as you clench your fists and attempt not to scream “I have the answer!” The struggle must be theirs, not yours, in order for a lasting effect to take place.

“Silence Is Golden When You Can’t Think Of A Good Question” - This isn’t to say that minutes should pass as you attempt to word the perfect inquiry, but if you trust in the fact that your client is as uncomfortable with silence as you are, then you must believe that he/she will eventually rush to fill in the aural void. Clues and prompts will blessedly abound. And if they don’t, you can always fall back on “Tell me a little more about that.”

Who says coaching is an easy profession? I’m constantly coaching myself to be a great coach while I’m coaching my clients – a whole lot of self-talk going on. I’d love to hear some of your personal favorite coaching mantras. I can use all the help I can get!

Laurie Lawson


Laurie Lawson’s philosophy: Coaching is life-changing business but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun while you’re doing it.



Laurie Lawson

 She is a Certified Empowerment Coach (www.eljny.com), a Professional Credentialed Coach, a Certified EQ Mentor, a Mentor Coach for iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching), President of the Board of the International Coach Federation in New York City (www.icfnyc.org), Executive Producer of Coach World TV, Creator/Host of Coach Chat Radio, a previous member of the ICF Global Membership & Community Committee, and a current member of the ICF Global Ethics and Standards Committee. She facilitated a workshop at the 15th International ICF Conference in Texas, participated in Fitness Magazine's "You Can Do It Challenge" as a Life Coach on their Panel of Experts, and appeared on ABC’s Business Week Weekend television show.

She is also a Writer/Reviewer for Electronic Link Journey, a published author, a US distributor for Points of You, The Coaching Game, and in her spare time, she dabbles in numerology (http://www.doingitbynumbers.com/).