by Lorraine Lee
The highly anticipated time had come. Nine
coaches from the Hong Kong IAC Chapter spent
a weekend on an intensive practicum retreat
to pursue the certification challenge. We
hired Coach Bonnie Chan (IAC-CC and IAC
Hong Kong chapter leader) as our mentor
coach to support us on this journey. She
picked the venue: the Agile Changjiang Hotel
Resort & Golf Course in Zhong Shan,
located on the southern part of the Pearl
River Delta in Guangdong Province, China,
about a 90-minute ferry ride from Hong Kong.
The facility was lovely. We felt like were
on a holiday getaway. I think this helped
set the scene and mood for our group to
experience relaxation, fun and loads of
learning ahead!
We met once before the retreat so we could
get an idea of what would happen. And as
the discussions evolved over the weekend,
I sensed the positive energy of the group
filled with openness for sharing, interactions
and feedback.
Through this intensive mentor and group
coaching practicum we enjoyed the beauty
of the Masteries and the art of masterful
coaching. We were also learning more about
the IAC and the road to certification. We
practiced—and practiced more—with each
other as we took turns being coach, coachee
and observer. For many of us, it was the
first time making session recordings—quite mind-boggling for the technically-challenged.
It took courage to listen to those recordings
and to be critiqued openly in a group. But
the debriefings as well as the individual
consultation with Coach Bonnie made it all
worth while. (Read more about planning your own coaching retreat
here.)
This group process helped each of us to
explore our coaching uniqueness. We shared
our favourite coaching questions. We identified
our intended target markets and specialized
areas of coaching like women executives,
leadership coaching, transitional coaching
and spiritual coaching. On a deeper level,
we shared learning experiences such as greater
self discovery, the powers of appreciation
and expansion of client’s potential—which are all keys to empowerment.
We all had a glimpse of what masterful
coaching is about. It seems light yet deep,
and shifts are achievable within a short
time. The most effective coaching at this
higher level seems effortless and powerful.
As the retreat drew to an end, we as a
group were more inspired, more confident
of our knowledge and what we are able to
achieve. The goal of IAC certification seems
closer and more reachable now. With support
from each other and our mentor coach, we
know that our coaching journey will continue
with greater enthusiasm, passion and success!
Lorraine Lee is passionate about
coaching and supporting people to be the best they can be in all areas of their
life. She is a personal and professional development coach who works with a
diverse range of managers and professionals. Lorraine is also a voluntary coach
to undergraduate students transitioning into the workplace. Lorraine can be
reached at
coachingmatters@hotmail.com.
