Crossing the Strait: The First IAC Exchange Conference in Asia
By: VOICE Bites Editorial Team (Based on C.J. Ng’s report)
Last September, the city of Hangzhou became the epicenter of an unprecedented event: the First IAC® Cross-Strait and Three-Region Exchange Conference. Under the theme of unity and professionalism, more than 30 coaching experts and leaders gathered to shape the future of our profession in the region.
A Bridge of Culture and Excellence: Under the leadership of C.J. Ng (Member of the IAC® Board of Governors), the conference demonstrated that coaching transcends borders. The event was a “heart-to-heart” connection among coaches from various regions, including guests from Vietnam and Singapore.
“Welcome home, dear coaching partners!” With these warm words, Xu Jiale, President of the IAC Zhejiang Chapter, instantly closed the distance between participants. Xu emphasized that regardless of the training school—Erickson, ICF, or IAC®—or years of practice, the word “Coach” is the common bond that unites us. We gather for the same calling and journey together for a shared mission.
On-site survey data highlighted the richness of this connection: seasoned practitioners with over a decade of experience alongside passionate new coaches; experts focused on executive empowerment and life coaches devoted to personal growth. This diversity set a tone of openness, inclusiveness, and shared learning.
Exploring the Deep Value of Coaching: 7 Mastery Conferences
The core of the event offered a deep dive into various dimensions of professional practice, where each speaker shared their unique experience:
- Aesthetics and Productivity from the Song Dynasty – Coach Liu Tianzhi (Aaron): Aaron illustrated four keys in coaching: Relaxation (letting go of assumptions), Simplicity (focusing on core needs), Nurturing (fostering dialogue with warmth), and Spaciousness (leaving room for client discovery). He emphasized that coaching’s value is helping clients grow from within, shifting from being “pushed” to being self-driven.
- Searching the Inner Self through Mindfulness – Coach Jessica: Jessica highlighted mindfulness as the foundational skill, guiding participants through body awareness to mirror emotions and help clients access deeper truths.
- The Power of Three Breaths – Coach Wang Jinzhu (Jinny): Through the “Three-Breath Practice,” Jinny demonstrated how breath anchors awareness and releases tension, transforming vague feelings into tangible insights.
- Executive Breakthroughs and “Spiral Creation” – Coach Tracy Chen: Tracy introduced her Spiral Creation framework (Vision, Presence, Cognitive Iteration, Collaboration, Outcomes, and Flow). She also explored the intersection of AI and coaching and presented the TOP Coaching brand.
- Wisdom from Chapter Presidents – Nancy and Jasmine: Nancy (Shanghai) encouraged persistence in practice, while Jasmine (Jiangsu) reflected on coaching as a way of life that teaches us to dialogue with ourselves and live at peace with the world.
- Assessment Tools to Add Value – Coach Alic: Alic introduced tools like StrengthsFinder and SoundWave to help recognize strengths and blind spots, enabling clearer and deeper journeys of growth.
- Narrative Coaching and New Self-Awareness – Coach Jonny: With humor, Jonny explained how reframing personal stories reshapes identity, helping clients step outside limiting patterns.
Toward the Future As C.J. Ng stated in his closing remarks: “We are united by the same mission: awakening human potential with warmth and professionalism.” As we celebrate our 23rd anniversary, the IAC® continues to build global platforms where coaching aesthetics and technical excellence meet to transform lives.
Disclaimer: This article is based on the official report provided by C.J. Ng regarding the IAC Exchange Conference in Hangzhou. The views and descriptions of the presentations reflect the event’s activities and do not constitute an official IAC® position on the methodologies shared.
Team IAC VOICE Bites
Intentionality: The Art of Moving with Purpose
By: Martha Pasternack, IAC – Master Coach
Intentionality. Now there’s a big word that can stop you in your tracks. As coaches, we often speak about intention, but have you ever paused to consider what that word really implies? I, for one, was curious.
So, I did what I always do. I went to the dictionary. And I had fun with it because I had no idea the word carried such broad implications. I found definitions spanning philosophy, medicine, theology, and education. The concept of intentionality has been defined and developed throughout history in a remarkable variety of ways.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines intentionality as the act of being deliberate or purposive. Don’t worry, I had to look up purposive too. It essentially means being “on purpose” with full awareness of what one is doing. Present. Conscious. Awake to the moment.
How does this awaken our practice?
In the IAC® world, Mastery #7 is about “Helping the client set and keep clear intentions.” But what does that mean exactly?
In coaching, we use the word intention to describe the mental space where our clients’ thoughts, desires, and hopes are directed toward a desired outcome—a destination they are moving toward, even when the path isn’t yet fully clear.
In Mastery #7, we don’t just help clients define that outcome; we support them in developing ways to remain focused on the dreams that matter most. This naturally connects with Mastery #9, ensuring their path is sustainable. When a client creates a clear intention, a profound shift occurs: they feel inspired and empowered simply by the act of focusing.
As coaches, we hold that space through inquiry and curiosity. By asking exploratory questions and helping clients re-evaluate their actions, we gently return them to their deepest truths. It is quiet, steady, and powerful work.
What is particularly meaningful to me is how this focus draws the client into the present moment (Mastery #4). A clear vision of where they are headed makes “right now” feel purposeful rather than uncertain. As they see forward movement—no matter how small—confidence builds, Possibility (Mastery #8) opens, and life comes into motion.
That is the true gift of intentionality. It is not just about knowing where you want to go, but becoming the person who moves toward it—deliberately, awakened, and on purpose.
Disclaimer: The reflections expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and are based on her personal and professional experience as an IAC – Master Coach. Her interpretation of the Masteries seeks to enrich educational dialogue and does not replace official IAC® certification materials.
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Coaching: Activating the Innate Language of Human Greatness
By: Brineska Conde, IAC – Master Coach
We are vibrational beings, individual notes in the great symphony of life. We flow like rivers of vital energy and are sparks of the creative fire in communion with everything around us. It is in this energetic ocean where human greatness germinates: our gifts, our intuition, and the heartbeat of our evolutionary mission. All of this vibrates on the strings of consciousness that bind us as One.
The Coach as a Tuner of Potential
Coaching is the art of tuning those strings to activate our innate potential. Through questions that ignite vision, we mold expansive realities and recall those exceptional talents we came to channel. In essence, coaching expands the boundaries of what we believe is possible as a species (Mastery #8).
As an educator with 25 years of experience, I maintain that integrating coaching from the primary school stage opens a universe of extraordinary possibilities. Children live connected to their inner compass; they are dreamers in perpetual wonder. They already embody the essence of coaching as a natural language that channels their creative genius. Their universal tool? The question: “And… why?”
Transforming Education, Elevating Consciousness
By embracing coaching in education, we nurture not only the mind but also the spirit of students. We can cultivate environments that foster compassion, creativity, and connection, allowing each student’s maximum potential to flourish through their own process of self-discovery.
In this journey, observation, listening, and presence (The Coaching Masteries®) become key elements. As measurable and observable behaviors, their integration into our roles as teachers and learning facilitators makes a profound difference: not only in the lives of students but in our own essence as promoters of systemic change. In a world with increasing automation and Artificial Intelligence, coaching allows us to ensure that the future also counts on more critical thinking, more compassion, and more consciousness.
As a teacher, I have seen seeds of light germinate in the classroom; as a Coach, I have seen adults change their lives by changing their questions. The moment of truth has arrived: we can continue replicating schemes of the past or take a quantum leap towards the greatness that already beats in the hearts of the little ones.
Being from the Being
The invitation is open to transform education, uniting from the heart with the intention of elevating collective consciousness. We are essentially potential human beings, capable of evolving from love and for love. Simply, Being from the Being. Definitely, coaching is an extraordinary alternative to activate the language of human greatness and transcend as a species.
Yes, it is possible!
Disclaimer: The views and interpretations expressed in this article are those of the author and based on the author’s background in education and coaching. They do not necessarily reflect those of IAC®.
Team IAC VOICE Bites
Beyond Efficiency: Leadership and Humanity in the Age of AI
By: VOICE Bites Editorial Team (Summary of the Learning Circle – February 2026)
Last February, the IAC® global community gathered for the year’s first Learning Circle to explore a crucial topic: how leadership is evolving in the face of technological advancement. Under the title “Beyond Efficiency: A New Era of Leadership,” we shared a space for deep reflection on the role of the coach and the leader in an increasingly automated world.
We live in an extraordinarily efficient world… yet a deeply exhausted one. For decades, leadership was defined by growth, optimization, and scaling. However, today’s organizations, as living systems, do not collapse from a lack of talent but from a decline in the quality of their relationships. This Learning Circle invited us to reflect: What if leadership is no longer about efficiency, but about regeneration?
To delve into these aspects, we were joined by two prominent members of our community:
- Niurka Arévalo (IAC – Masteries Practitioner): Niurka reminded us of the vital importance of self-care and energy management. In an environment that demands immediate results, the leader must first “care for oneself” to sustain and guide others. Her approach underscored that conscious leadership begins with presence and self-awareness (Mastery #4).
- Brian French (IAC – Certified Coach): Brian focused on developing a leadership mindset to harmonize teams and explored how AI is redefining efficiency, while highlighting what makes us irreplaceable: critical thinking, compassion, and the ability to connect from our human essence.
Key Learnings and Insights
- Technology as a Mirror: AI is not here to replace the leader but to challenge them to be more human. While machines manage data, coaches and leaders manage meaning and emotions.
- Conscious Leadership: We discussed the transition from control schemes to collaboration and trust models, where Mastery #3 (Engaged Listening) – listening with commitment – becomes the most powerful tool for creating safe environments.
- The Circle as a Refuge: These connection spaces are not just for learning tools; they are for “stopping and listening to one another.” It is our responsibility as professionals to maintain spaces for continuous learning that keep us expanding our views on our role and profession.
Looking Ahead
This learning circle closed with a call to action: to become “promoters of consciousness.” If we want a technological future that is livable, we must be the ones to inject humanity into every coaching conversation.
Do you want to relive this connection?
If you couldn’t attend or wish to dive deeper into the concepts shared by Niurka and Brian, we invite you to watch the full recording on our YouTube channel. 👉 Click here to enjoy it!
Team IAC VOICE Bites