Archive for June 30th, 2009

Posted on June 30, 2009 - by Jus

Wise Advice from George Carlin

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

Posted on June 30, 2009 - by Jus

#92 – Participate in NaBloPoMo

There seems like no better time to kick off a NaBloPoMo effort than July 2009, and the launch of my new blog here.

The theme for this month is “Routine” but have no fear, I don’t think I plan on boring you all senseless with details of my daily routine, but rather let the theme be the guiding principle by which I will approach my blogging this month – just like brushing my teeth.  Once a day – satisfactory.  Twice a day – ideal.  (Who really brushes more than twice a day, right?)

Posted on June 30, 2009 - by Jus

101 | What Is Coaching

Kicking off with Foundation Coach, the first logical topic is defining what coaching actually is.  The reflection task on this topic asks me to respond to these questions.

1. If you have previously worked in a field that is related to coaching, which of the skills you applied in that field are applicable to coaching?  Which are not applicable to coaching?

I guess you could say that a lot of my career I have been in a ‘consultant’-style capacity, particularly recently.  The ‘consulting’ I have done is often external to the business, however it has sometimes been internal – working with colleagues towards a desired outcome in the workplace or the coaching approach I took with my team members in management positions.

The skills I have learned in my 13+ years in business that will be applicable to my career as a coach are probably;
a) As a strategist, my ability to reframe a client’s objectives from (most times) ‘empty objectives’ to ‘foundational objectives’ and to also identify the questions they have not yet asked themselves that could potentially create barriers to success.
b) As a manager, the coaching approach I have often tried to deploy in ’supporting staff to answer their own questions’ by challenging them to give me their answer, using their experience and knowledge, rather than just providing them with my answer.
c)  Again, as a strategist, my ability to see a clear pathway, in stages, from current state to desired end state.
d) After many years of working in a corporate environment, particularly in sales and marketing, I have much business knowledge that may assist me in being a business or corporate coach.

The skills that are probably not applicable to coaching are;
a) My ability to generate my recommended solution to a brief and deliver that to my client – this is a very ‘consultant’ way of doing things.
b) As a strategist, my role is often to ‘direct’ the thinking of the creatives.  Being overly prescriptive may go against the principles of coaching.

2. When might you refer a client to a therapist or psychologist for counselling rather than continuing with coaching?

If ever I was to get a sense that my client was not 100% emotionally healthy, I would recommend a client seek a therapist.  It’s likely that any emotional healing that needs to be done would stand in the way of them achieving what they set out to do by seeing a life coach, so it’s an important step in their journey, but not one that I am qualified to provide.

It’s probably worth noting that I would most likely refer my clients in this situation to a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT) as I have personally experienced this form of therapy and found it to be far more empowering and action-oriented than most forms of therapy (ie more in tune with Life Coaching).

3. How is coaching related to mentoring?  How is it different?

A mentor is someone with vast experience in a given topic/industry/skill set, and therefore usually older than the mentoree.  The relationship between mentor and mentoree is one of knowledge transference, passing on of wisdom and key learnings and insights from mentor to mentoree.  The mentoree probably ‘looks up to’ and seeks guidance from his/her mentor.

As a coach, my goal will be to develop a relationship where I walk side by side with my client, where my role is to help my client draw upon their own experience, knowledge and intuition in order to achieve better outcomes.

4.  How could a business consultant alter their business to become a business coach?  What are the key differences in the services they would provide?

Put simply, a business consultant would have to restructure their business from an ‘advice providing’ solutions approach (in a specific field or speciality) to a more holistic ‘facilitating’ solutions approach (in any field).  The services provided in the restructured ‘business coach’ model would be a side-by-side relationship where coach and client examine a business situation together, articulate the desired outcome(s), identify the barriers and devise a plan of action, for which the client takes responsibility for achieving.

5.  What is meant by the saying “all coaching is life coaching after the first three sessions”?  Do you agree with this statement?  Why?  Why Not?

I believe this statement is referring to the common experience of most coaches in the Business/Executive coaching area of expertise which sees a coach being appointed to facilitate the achievement of a specific, very rational and business-based objective which is explored and discussed in the first three sessions.  However after this time, key barriers to overcome in the action plan for achievement of this objective will no doubt include relationships, communication and family/work balance – three core elements of typical “life” coaching.

I do agree with this statement as coaching is a process of working with human beings, who are emotional, communicative and relationship-oriented creatures.  As a result, any coaching relationship with a client is bound to uncover other areas for improvement besides the specific subject the client originally came to the coach for.