From the Editor
Spring is making its first timid appearance here in New England and many of us are grateful! Although I have spent the last week enjoying books by the fireplace and appreciating the light snowfall in the evening, I am ready for some warm weather, flowering gardens, and outdoor celebrations! This month our contributors take an internal look at support, empathy, and innovation. They highlight how these factors become an important aspect in developing a strong relationship with our communities and our clients. I hope you find valuable knowledge and insight in these articles. Thank you for reading! Is there something you’d like to see in the VOICE? A particular subject you’d like us to address? Please don’t hesitate to contact us at voice@certifiedcoach.org with comments, questions, event notices, or article contributions. We are always looking for new perspectives and look forward to hearing from you. Best,
Contents From the President – Vicki Zanini Empathy – Martha Pasternack Innovation – Natalie Tucker Miller Starting Out as a Self-Employed Coach – Maite Baron Updates on the Santiago, Chile Conference IAC Coaches Reading Club From the President Greetings! “Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!” –Robin Williams After experiencing one of the longest and coldest winters I can remember here in Colorado, the buds on the Maple tree in my backyard are finally waking up. They are increasing daily even though a local squirrel has developed an appetite for them. And this morning six Robins enjoyed their breakfast in my front yard – the first Robins of the season! Mother Nature, I am ready to party with you! I must acknowledge the ripple of sadness that still comes over me when I think of Robin Williams who took his own life in August of last year at the age of 63. Everyone goes through emotional cycles of winter when life feels colder and there’s a perceived disconnected from the people around us. Mr. Williams must have felt this at an extreme level when he said, “I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone.” While this makes me sad for Mr. Williams and his family, it also reminds me of the gift of community and true connection that I have come to appreciate in my own life. As a new student of coaching in 2001, I was immersed in a supportive environment that taught me to define success for myself and helped me to cultivate the inner resources and structures to sustain me on my path. I met people who held themselves to a high standard, and who inspired me by their passion, vision and generous spirit. One of the qualities that masterful coaches demonstrate consistently is that they truly care and value their clients. It’s tangible and present and you can hear more about this in the Master Coach Interviews series on the IAC website here. And while it’s true that coaches have many tools in their toolkit and they each have their place, the gift of being with your client with an open and caring heart cannot be faked. It is foundational to achieving a relationship of trust with our clients, which is mastery number one. Yes, this has certainly been my experience as a student of coaching and one of the reasons I am truly grateful and honored to be a part of the IAC coaching community. Robin Williams was a master at lightening up the heavy hearts of his fans. His comedy was his gift of healing to others and we should all be so lucky as to find our “gift” and put it in the service of others. With gratitude, Vicki
Many life coaching professionals speak about empathy. It has been written about in journals and taught in schools and life coach training programs. It is a Key Element in our own IAC Mastery #2 Perceiving, Affirming and Expanding the Client’s Potential. So, what does empathy mean? For me the operative word is expanding. When we expand the circle of exploration with our client, they can be clearer to perceive and affirm their potential. More simply put: We create more personal growth elbowroom. I speak from the perspective I have gained as a health care professional and as a certified Fearless Living Life Coach. Empathy, as defined in the Webster’s Dictionary I have had since I was a college freshman defines empathy as:
Notice the definition does not say to feel sorry for someone, or to try and fix someone by imposing our own experience on them. Nor does empathy suggest we really know anything at all about what another person might be feeling, enabling us to alleviate his or her pain. I would like to take poetic license and offer my definition of empathy as being able and willing to create space for another person to have his or her own experience of a feeling, situation and motive. The moments in my career that I was able to be most empathic were the times I was able to be present enough with my client or my patient to allow them the space to have their own experience. It was independent of mine. It had nothing to do with mine. What we shared in common was the fact that we have had unique and personal experiences of life. By doing so we teeter on the knife-edge of creating or encouraging client dependency, which is a Mastery #2 no-no. We may also inadvertently imply the “If I can do it you can do it” message, which may not be true for our client and, in fact, is noted as a common misunderstanding of Mastery #2: Pushing the client to do or be more. Potential, as mentioned in this article, awaits the client’s recognition. Just because we can see their potential does not necessarily indicate our client’s readiness to act on it. That patience on our part calls for empathy. How do you define empathy? Where are you able and willing to practice empathy with your clients? When are you open to receive empathy from others?
“Our only security is our ability to change” – John Lilly There are many reasons the IAC has attracted and kept my attention for the several years I’ve been involved. First as a member, then later a volunteer, a certified coach, and a certifier. Of the primary reasons, the willingness and ability of the Board of Governors and Certification Board to assess what members desire and require, coupled with the awareness of the changing needs of the profession, personally excites me. How this applies to certification is significant. Last month, the IAC introduced an innovation of the pathway to the Masteries Practitioner designation. This has been met with nothing short of vibrant enthusiasm, which certainly reinforces the decision. Another way to support members and evolve our process is being introduced this month. Effective this month, coaches will have the option of submitting their recorded sessions for scoring one at a time. The same requirements still apply (a different client for each recording, 30 minutes or less, etc.), and the scoring process remains the same. You can find all of the requirements here. Although this is being considered a “trial period”, assuring this to be a viable process for all involved, the hope is that it will be adopted permanently. This does not change anything with the current options — all previous options remain. This is an additional option for coaches who would prefer to submit one recording, receive scores, then submit a second recording shortly afterward. The intention is to offer more streamlined opportunities for coaches applying for certification, while maintaining the rigor that our members and coaching clients have come to value in an IAC certified coach. Please, as always, feel free to comment (below), or send a private response to LeadCertifier@certifiedcoach.org. After all, it’s our members who provide the feedback that fuel the IAC’s innovation and evolution! Do you have a question that you’d like to ask the certifiers? Submit your questions here: http://certifiedcoachblog.typepad.com/blog/ask-the-certifiers.html.
Please send your questions on the IAC Coaching Masteries® and the certification process to certification@certifiedcoach.org.
Starting Out as a Self-Employed Coach Many more people are realising that if you want to get ahead in life and in business, it pays to have a coach by your side. This has led to increasing opportunities for those who want to become a self-employed coach. But if you're tempted by the prospect of helping others achieve their life goals, you need to bear in mind a number of points. 1. Know your ‘Why’ 2. Niche for success 3. Be selective about your training 4. Keep developing your skills – in coaching and in business 5. Have a strong vision for your business All in all, coaching can be hard work and pretty demanding, so make sure you too have the right support. If you get it right, helping someone achieve their goals and change their life is an incredibly satisfying way to make a living and a difference.
Informativo Conference Latinamerica IAC
Dear friends and colleagues, This is an update about an upcoming conference held in Santiago, Chile on May 15th and 16th, 2015. For a little history: in early 2013 when I joined as a member of the IAC in Chile, the number of members was relatively small. This was this case in other countries as well and motivated me to create new spaces for conversations, until I had the opportunity to enter the Board of Governors. This was a milestone that has allowed me to learn more about organization, dynamics, and purpose. Today, the percentage is much higher than when I began, although numbers are still very low. The purpose of this conference is to use it as a platform to increase the presence of the IAC in Chile and Latin America — a dream is coming true. There were many barriers initially, from the inability to contact the chapter in Chile to generate a workflow with 6 schools that are now present in Chile – but we have overcome these obstacles. I hope you enjoy it and see the possibilities we have to impact the region. – Juan Manuel Alvarez-Salamanca Fuenzalida Speakers:
Regarding the fee and price for participants: The defined four conditions are:
Regarding the agenda and production: The order of the speakers is still under review. However, it is not a relevant point since the conference will address the modern reality of coaching and the many different schools Schools will make a financial contribution to co-finance the event. These funds will be used for the costs of travel and stay of foreign speakers, advertising materials, coffee services, human resource staff and production (design, advertising, publicity and logistics). If they had surpluses, schools have agreed to sharing on equal terms, a financial report with backups (invoices, tickets, etc.) for clarity financially be sent at the end of everything. Participating schools, with their respective links are:
Conference site: Agenda: AGENDA DE CONGRESO 15-MAYO-2015 (click on image to enlarge)
IAC Coaches Reading Club Date: Thursday, April 16th, 2015 It’s THE reading and book club for coaches, and it’s all about coaching and personal development books! The books for April are The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff. More awesome selections to stir powerful conversation. Interested in becoming a bigger part of the Reading Club? Our Reading Club facilitator, Terri Hase, is also looking for a co-facilitator to join the fun, help with book selection, and author outreach. Are you the bibliophile, and fun loving volunteer, that is perfect for the job? Contact Terri now: Treasurer@certifiedcoach.org
Congratutlations to Eduardo Vier from Los Angeles, CA, United States who recently earned the Master Masteries Coach (MMC) designation!
Congratulations to the following coaches who recently earned the Masteries Practitioner Designation!
Your Feedback We'd love to get your feedback on any issue related to the IAC. Do you have any questions, concerns, encouragement or ideas for improvement regarding membership benefits, certification, the VOICE, the direction of the organization or anything else at all? Please send an email to voice@certifiedcoach.org. Please help us improve. |
Hello there, 
Vicki Zanini is founder of Vicki Zanini Coaching & Training. As a certified holistic life coach, she works with individuals and groups who are ready to create new possibilities, boost personal effectiveness, and experience a deeper sense of meaning and inner peace. She has been leading coaching groups and workshops for over 15 years in personal development, self-care, creativity, and intuition. Visit her website at 
Martha Pasternack, MMC 
Maite Baron is known as The Corporate Escape Coach™ for helping professionals break free from the rat race to become self-employed. She is a motivational speaker, co-founder of The Corporate Escape™ and double award winning author for '
