by Tatiana Abend
If we stop and take a look at how the IAC got where we are today, we see much to do with volunteers. The IAC's current capacity is largely based on the efforts of volunteers working around the world who add value to the profession and pave pathways for coaches' personal and business development.
To paraphrase the IAC Immediate Past President, the IAC is a volunteer organization of coaches, run by coaches. The 18-member volunteer Board of Governors includes representatives from around the globe, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. We depend upon our members and volunteers to move this organization forward and we have many new and exciting plans in the works for 2012 and beyond.
As the Volunteer Committee Head, I must admit I've been avid about volunteer work all my life, starting in New York in the 1970s by volunteering at Friends of Animals, writing letter after letter to my Congressmen to provide local animal protection, all at the tender age of 12 years old. Continuing in volunteer work all my life has fed a notion that I often find myself associating with coaching: what you put into something is what you get out!
So, what are the key benefits of being a volunteer?
Volunteer work, first and foremost, connects you to people and resources outside of your current circles. Volunteer work has been proven to be fulfilling, fun, good for your health, excellent training for your mind, and helpful to the advancement of your career. Volunteer work at the IAC has put me out of my own comfort zone and, in hindsight, I am pleased to have taken initiative to raise my hand. As a team we have made good progress in a relatively short period of time.
Most coaches not only want to get certified, increase their skills and enjoy a successful business, but also want to foster a greater awareness of coaching and make a meaningful contribution to coaching. One of the most satisfying activities can be to lend a few hours per month to the professional association that represents your field of specialty. The IAC Volunteer Committee serves as a contact point for board members and volunteers, and makes the best match of people to projects according to talents, tasks and time.
For those of you who are volunteering your time and effort, the IAC and its members owe many a thanks. For those of you who signed up on the IAC Volunteer Groupsite, let us know you are still there! For those of you who think you may have a bit of time and a bit of talent to spare, feel free to visit the IAC website and glace at the volunteer page to see if anything there might appeal to you in an intuitive way.
"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and to impoverish yourself if you forget the errand." – Woodrow Wilson
Tatiana is the creator of The 3-Step Mind, Body and Self-Care Transformational System for Women who want to Feel Confident, Look Great and Be Empowered. She uses her IAC training and 8 years of certified health coaching experience to create program specifically for college women and young professionals.
