If you want to empower others, use a coaching approach.

“This coaching series has been life changing,” says Trudi, a secretary at an international Christian school in Singapore. It’s her final coaching session. She adds, “I’ve gotten a better understanding of God’s calling for me. My personal mission statement gives me something to focus on. And the 5 goals I’ve developed for carrying out my mission help me take action on my mission. I want to keep at it.”
 
Question: What can you ask Trudi? Read More...

Thinking about getting coaching? If so, you might be wondering what you can work on with a coach.

A coach will come along side you and empower you to:

1. Live your values
2. Build relationships
3. Communicate effectively

Read More...

Considering getting coaching? If so, be sure you know what coaching is.

Question: What is coaching?

To get an answer to this question, do 3 things. Read More...

(1) Want to celebrate progress?
(2) Feel like reflecting on a current challenge?
(3) Going crazy due to a job change?
(4) Or need to talk through something unexpected?

If so, get a coach!

What's a good way to cultivate a coaching culture? Having staff members ask each other a prescribed set of questions. Doing this results in staff members coaching and receiving coaching—without being trained in coaching.

Here's a sample set of questions for a coaching session:

1. What’s going on in your work?
   
2. What people/projects are you spending your time/energy on?
   
3. What are your goals for this next week/month?
   
4. Whom do you talk to about your work? What do you talk about?
   
5. What progress on your goals have you experienced? What’s been satisfying?
   
6. What roadblocks have you experienced? What’s been frustrating?
   
7. What are the reasons for your feelings of satisfaction and frustration?
   
8. What can you do to build on your progress/minimize your roadblocks? Who can help you?
   
9. You talked about ___ today. What do you think you’ll do?
   
10. How can I pray for you?

If you want to achieve your goals, get a coach. Your coach will listen, ask questions, and provide the support, encouragement, and accountability you need to achieve your goals.

I like daily conversation. It flows freely, covers a range of topics, is not too focused, and is relaxing. How about you?

But when I want to achieve a goal, I need a focused conversation. Read More...

Want to clarify something? Make a list of what is is and what it's not. Here's an example what coaching is and is not. Read More...

What’s the goal of a coaching culture?
Empowering staff to close the rhetoric/reality gap by using coaching to lead, manage, influence, collaborate, and communicate.

What will you see in a coaching culture?
In addition to staff participating in formal coaching, you will see:

• More listening, less talking
  
• More inquiring, less advising
  
• More focusing others on taking SMART actions, less letting others pursue undefined actions
  
• More encouraging, less criticizing
  
• More empowering others to solve their problems, less solving others’ problems

What benefits does a coaching culture provide for you?

• More collaboration, less conflict
  
• More results, less activity
  
• More staff being supported, encouraged, and held accountable to achieve goals; less staff just being assigned goals
  
• More focus on the mission, less focus on other good things
  
• More smart work, less hard work
  
• More pursuit of defined excellence, less pursuit of undefined excellence

What problems can a coaching culture help you address?

• Low morale
  
• Miscommunication
  
• Fear of change
  
• Underperformance
  
• Staff attrition

What factors encourage a coaching culture to start growing?
Leaders and managers supporting a coaching culture by:

• Getting formal coaching
  
• Getting basic coach training
  
• Coaching staff members
  
• Using coaching throughout each day
  
• Talking about how coaching has helped them and the organization

Staff:

• Getting trained on how to benefit from coaching
  
• Getting formal coaching

To begin establishing a coaching culture, take this self-assessment.

You want to help a colleague achieve her goal. You need a process and a list of key skills. You need GROW LIFE. Read More...

You want to achieve your goal. But it’s just not happening. So many things are going on that you’re having trouble focusing on your goal. You think that if you could get some help, you could get to work on your goal. Read More...

Good question. Particularly since coaching is different from counseling and mentoring. Read More...

Do you believe in the mission God has called you to? If so, then I believe that you aspire to a great task and that you are willing to do the hard work it takes to accomplish that mission. A coach can help you. Read More...