We are releasing the IAC Coaching Masteries™ Note Sheet: a very practical tool for assessing your own coaching recordings. If you’re working towards certification, don’t miss this!
This month Coaching Moments comes in two parts, with a bonus practical piece as Janice shares a simple strategy for passing coaching recordings.
As the end of the year approaches, I want to appreciate all the support that the IAC has received this year. Those volunteers who have contributed their time and efforts all share, to some degree, a commitment to a progressive, transparent system of coach certification that welcomes coaches from all backgrounds and encourages innovation both on how to coach and how to learn coaching.
So why is this organization worthy of our efforts, when we have so many other things to do? I believe that the widespread use of masterful coaching is a key to the human evolution that is now necessary. That’s why I’m here: to accelerate the learning and use of masterful coaching.
In the northeastern US, we have been graced with a lovely blanket of white snow. It’s early in the year for this much of a covering, even for Vermont. I adore snow and don’t live in this part of the world by accident. Sparkly is my favorite color, so sun on snow suits me just fine.
Another northeasterner, Donna Karlin of Ottawa, Canada, joins the IAC board of governors this month, and we could not be more excited! She brings with her a plethora of experience and passion and will be an invaluable asset to the IAC. Welcome, dear Donna!
We have condensed all the information in the IAC Coaching Masteries E-book into a one-page-per-Mastery format which allows you to view all the criteria for each mastery at a glance. We recommend you use this format as you listen to your coaching recordings to assess how well they meet the requirements. Divide the pages between a small group to assess all Masteries at the same time!
"Coaching Moments" takes a thoughtful, and sometimes lighthearted, look at how coaching can be interwoven into our daily lives.
A coaching hallelujah by Janice Hunter
Last year at this time, I’d sent in my tapes for certification and was winding down, ready for the Big Wait. These past few days, I’ve been looking back over what I’ve done with my home life, my coaching and my writing since then, taking stock of the year’s unexpected joys and challenges as well as the dreams I’ve had to let go of. You may not be a Christian or even celebrate at this time of the year, but please bear with me, stay open and join me in a coach’s exploration of a well known story, especially if you’re still recording and planning to submit tapes before we say goodbye to the Proficiencies at the end of this month…
Thinking about my abandoned goals usually leads to me moodling about George Bailey from the film ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’; this time I found myself wondering about Joseph. Were his dreams of a simple family life turned upside down when he heard the momentous news about Jesus? How quick was he to recognise the perfection in the situation or was he simply stunned for a while, following his own instincts as well as trusting the guidance given to him by a greater power? What we do know is that he was supportive and loving and that he didn’t give up and walk away when things got tough and scary. But in this story, it isn’t just Joseph who embodies the coaching qualities that we can use to strengthen our coaching and enrich our lives.
Imagine in the dark, frosty crispness of night, a bright band of angels bursting into glorious song, the most perfect example of matching the radiance, joy and vibrational energy of the occasion. And what a triumph of clear communication and channelling too! In any choir – even the angelic kind – it takes all kinds of unique voices and a love of synergy, resonance and harmony to create the kind of soul music that fills you from your heart to your toes with amazing Aha!’s.
Imagine too the humanity of the shepherds, their hearts and minds filled with a tumult of human thoughts and emotions as they grapple with shock, overwhelming panic, awe and hope in the face of an astonishing new reality. Then there’s the little shepherd boy, bringing his gift of childlike innocence, wonder and curiosity to the tableau in the stable.
And while the shepherds remind us to love the simple dignity of our humanity, it pleases me to think of the hardworking ox and ass instinctively providing warmth with their bodies and their breath, standing there powerful yet still in the silence, breathing, looking on, listening, understanding…
I also like to think of the innkeeper (and his wife?) contributing practical solutions and resources – shelter, blankets, food, a jug of fresh water and directions to the well – all of this while bustling around, tending to an innful of guests, reminding us that people still need to have their basic needs met, no matter what life changing events are taking place.
And imagine, silhouetted against the starry night sky, gliding along on camels, the three mysterious magi, following a shared dream, a vision, never stopping till they reach their destination and deliver their gifts. Gifts which remind us that value is subjective and that our skills and senses are to be cherished: gleaming gold, bringing with it the power to do great good if it’s used wisely and with compassion; frankincense, its heady, smoky fragrance evoking the power of holy places, prayer and contemplation; myrrh, the balm that reminds us to treat our bodies with love and respect and to tune in and enjoy and them while we can. The three kings also bring the gifts of magic and mystery, wisdom and knowledge, intuition and synchronicity. They travelled together, sharing support, solidarity and resources on their long journey towards the unknown, reminding us that if we remain open, alert and responsive, we have a lot to learn from the wisdom and experience of others, from people of all cultures and faiths.
But behind this rich tapestry and the birth of one special child, let’s not forget the tragedy that arose from Herod’s terrible personal agenda born of power and fear, his quickness to judge and his conviction that he was right. We all have the power to hurt or help each other, to react or respond, to forgive or let ourselves be consumed by fear, pain, bitterness, anger and overwhelm, but we, as coaches, have the power and skills to ask the right questions.
And the answer to them all, the simple answer that glows like a hallelujah in the silence? Mary, serenely holding the greatest gift we’ve ever been given. Love. Pure, unconditional love.
Wishing you a season filled with miracles and love, wherever you are, whatever you believe in… Janice
PS ~ A seasonal gift… As it’s Christmas, the editor allowed me a few extra paragraphs to share a practical gift with those of you who may be daunted by the certification process and the changes to the IAC exam, despite knowing your stuff and being great coaches. Amidst a sometimes bewildering array of coaching styles, tips, techniques, paradigms, competencies, proficiencies, masteries and trends, don’t forget the power of keeping it simple. A stress-free approach to passing Step 2? Focus on the ‘who’, the ‘what’ and the ’how’ and make sure all three are covered in thirty minutes.
Let’s look first at how these three can be applied to you, the coach. Make sure your own confidence and authenticity are sound; know yourself. Know who you are and be very aware of your values, strengths and skills, your challenges, limitations and dodgy defaults and patterns. Your whole life and your life’s experience are encompassed in who you are and it’s a precious gift to give to your client. Working hard on your ‘who’ helps you to be present, to be comfortable with silence and discomfort and to get out of your own way and become agenda free if you’ve nothing to prove. It also helps you to be bold enough to challenge and dig deep, to name elephants and be responsive enough to match your client’s energy levels without becoming affected by them.
Then add the ‘what’. This includes the skills you’ve learned and have become unconsciously competent in using. Add to that the passive knowledge you’ve acquired, perhaps from years of reading and study; it’s in there waiting to show up in the form of resources, new suggestions and bird’s eye comments on life. The ‘what’ also encompasses your knowledge of the criteria by which you’ll be examined, the things you need to demonstrate. Could you prepare for a school exam if you didn’t know the syllabus or hadn’t checked out some past papers? In addition, the ‘what’ covers what’s worked for you in the past, what your motives and inspirations are for coaching in the first place and what you know your coaching can deliver.
Marry the two, the ‘who’ and the ‘what’, and you get the unique blend that is your coaching, no-one else’s. The ‘how’ – how you coach, how you’re heard, how you share and how you inspire and co-create to deliver results.
Applying the who/what/how principle to the coaching session itself gives you structure.
Love and enjoy who they are, respect and relish who they are, recognise what’s perfect and great about who they are, be curious about who they are, reveal their strengths, paradigms, talents and gifts to them and by means of your modelling, mirroring, reframing, sharing and clarifying, inspire them to do the same for themselves until, together, you’ve discovered the very essence of who they are. Then you can champion and build on that essence and on their greatness while asking how it can be used to benefit others.
The ’what’ is the second part of the session; what’s important, what they want and need, what they’re feeling somatically and emotionally, what their personal definition of success is in every area and what’s stopping them from achieving it.
Leading nicely to the ‘how’ – designing and co-creating specific, measurable, time-framed and sustainable ways to ensure they get what they want as well as the support they need. Focusing on curiosity, championing and the ‘who’ at the beginning of a session is a great way to get to the heart of the ‘what’ and to stop a session diving too quickly into solutions.
If we focus on the ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ in our lives and our coaching, ‘when’ takes care of itself, ‘which’ unravels more easily and ‘why’ fades into insignificance.
Janice Hunter is a writer, teacher and IAC certified coach who currently specialises in homelife coaching – helping people create authentic, spirit filled lives and homes they love – and in supporting coaches on their certification journeys. She lives in Scotland with her husband and two children.
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In the northeastern US, we have been graced
Imagine