Coaching World: May 2014

A New Point of View Abby Tripp Heverin p. 18

Picture This Zahrina Robertson p. 24

From the Battlefield to the Corner Office Chris Padgett, PCC p. 30 ISSUE 10 May 2014

5 Changes Coaches Should Prepare For Chaya Abelsky, MCC p. 22

Caring for Your Community with Pro Bono Coaching Abby Tripp Heverin p. 28

MAY 2014

Contents

ISSUE 10

03 The First Word 04 Checking In 05 Editor’s Note 06 Keeping Current 08 From the Toolbox

Establishing trust and intimacy with the client

10 Business Sense

Google Analytics demystified

12 The Coaching Case Coaching in Sanofi’s N.A. pharmaceutical division

14 Research Connection 2014 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study

16 Ethics Q & A

Multiple coaching engagements

34 Global Views

Making a difference

features

18 A New Point of View 22 5 Changes Coaches Should Prepare For 24 Picture This for Your Community with 28 Caring Pro Bono Coaching Abby Tripp Heverin

Chaya Abelsky, MCC

Zahrina Robertson

Abby Tripp Heverin

30 From the Battlefield to the Corner Office Chris Padgett

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The First Word

—Woodrow Wilson Coaching World 3

Lindsay Bodkin Director of Brand Management

Lisa Barbella

As a coach, you make a difference every day by empowering your clients to achieve their goals and transform their lives. to ck. co

m

This quarter, consider taking to maximize your impact by extending your reach.

rs

one of these three actions

ut te

Checking In

Coaching World is a quarterly digital publication of the International Coach Federation.

It is distributed via email and accessible online at icfcoachingworld.com.

Coaching World is developed and produced by the ICF Marketing Department.

Extend Your Reach

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Social Media Specialist

Justin Hannah Marketing Specialist

Abby Tripp Heverin Communications Coordinator

Ann Jarvis

Partner with a nonprofit client.

Glean inspiration from Elena Espinal, MCC, whose partnership with the nonprofit Ojos Que Sienten had lifechanging implications (read her story on page 18). Then, turn to page 22 for the practical advice Chaya Abelsky, MCC, has for coaches in the nonprofit setting.

Give your website a makeover.

Leverage Google Analytics to figure out what’s working on your website (and what isn’t), with tips from Mike Van Der Heijden on page 10. Refresh your visual brand with an updated portfolio of personal branding photos (page 24).

Practice reciprocity.

If you’re an ICF Member, sign up for ICF’s Reciprocal Peer Coaching Program to receive professional coaching from one colleague in exchange for time spent coaching another peer.

Learn more about the program and sign up for an upcoming round at peercoaching.coachfederation.org.

Marketing Manager

Stephanie Wright Brand Designer

Opinions expressed by contributors are their own and not necessarily endorsed by Coaching World or the International Coach Federation (ICF).

Content may not be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written permission.

International Coach Federation Headquarters 2365 Harrodsburg Road, Suite A325 Lexington, KY 40504 USA 1.888.423.3131 or 1.859.219.3580 icfheadquarters@coachfederation.org

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4 Coaching World

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Earlier this month, I traveled to Washington, D.C., USA, with two of my ICF HQ colleagues to spread the word about our organization at the annual convention of the Association for Talent Development (formerly ASTD). As we met with trainers, instructional designers and talent-development pros from around the world, we heard one refrain again and again: “I’ve taken a coaching-skills class, and I know that I do coaching in my job, but I need to take the next step and become a trained, credentialed coach.”

During one such conversation, an ICF Metro DC member volunteering at our booth listened carefully to the visitor, smiled knowingly and slid one of our custom-designed coaching question cards (find them in the ICF Store) across the podium: “What’s stopping you?”

I’ve had this powerful question on my mind ever since, as we approach the halfway point of 2014 and I evaluate the goals I set for myself back in January.

What is stopping me from making (and sticking to!) a meal plan every week? From showing love to on my friends and family with handwritten letters and notes?

And, more importantly, what can I do to move from excuse-making to action-taking?

I think that “What’s stopping you?” is also an important question to contemplate during International Coaching Week (ICW). The energy that surrounds ICW is infectious: From celebrating the release of the 2014 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study (read a summary on page 14) to organizing symposia, laser-coaching events and pro bono coaching programs, we’re all caught up in the excitement of helping our communities experience coaching firsthand. However, what’s stopping you from bringing that same unabashed enthusiasm to promoting professional coaching the remaining 51 weeks of the year?

For many coaches, more time spent growing their business equals less available time for volunteer initiatives. If you’ve experienced this, consider

Editor’s Note

What’s Stopping You? leveraging time-saving tools, such as Google Analytics: Mike van der Heijden shows you how you can use this free resource to better gauge the efficacy of your coaching business’ website, on page 10.

Maybe you’re simply looking for an example of how to amplify the benefits of coaching to impact entire communities or organizations.

In that case, you’ll find no shortage of inspiration in

COACH

ING Q

#03

this issue of CW: From Chris Padgett, PCC’s, practical tips for applying the ICF Core Competencies to coach veterans transitioning from military to corporate life (page 30), to Elena Espinal, MCC’s, unforgettable story of building a coach-training program for adults with visual disabilities (page 18), we’re illustrating how coaching can be used to make a difference that extends well beyond the coachclient relationship.

As a professional coach, you challenge your clients to overcome the barriers to their success daily. I want to challenge you to take steps toward overcoming the barriers to your advocacy of professional coaching. I’d love to hear how the process is going for you: Email me at abby.heverin@coachfederation.org to share one thing you’re doing to better help others experience coaching firsthand. I can’t wait to cheer you on!

Abby Tripp Heverin Communications Coordinator

The February issue of Coaching World received a 2014 American InHouse Design Award Certificate of Excellence. Read more about this award here.

Coaching World 5

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Keeping Current Get Creative with a Walk Stuck in a creative slump?

Consider going for a walk. Recent research from Stanford University demonstrates that people who were walking were more creative than people who were sitting, either inside or outdoors.

Researchers administered commonly used creative tests to examine how volunteers performed when walking as opposed to sitting.

Some volunteers walked on a treadmill, some walked outside, and others were asked to sit before taking a creativity test, in which they were asked to come up with alternative uses for everyday objects and creative analogies.

Walking had residual effects, allowing participants to come up with creative ideas even after they sat down.

This research seems to prove what many high-powered executives already know. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, and Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Inc., were famous for conducting walking meetings. These meetings ranged from general discussions to clinching multi-billion-dollar deals. It’s a concept that’s gaining

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some traction. Nilofer Merchant’s TED talk, “Got a Meeting? Take a Walk,” is proof of this popularity, with the video garnering more than 1.4 million views.

When looking for creative ideas for a new workshop or new marketing strategies, start your brainstorming session with a walk.

The creative effects of the walk can resonate shortly after, so allow yourself some time to document any new ideas or continue to develop fragmented ideas when you sit down afterwards. Consider adopting the walking meeting concept for your next coaching session (if distance is not an issue) and see if it makes a difference in creative thinking for the client or for you.

Creativity is a vital part of any job, but it plays a fundamental role in coaching. The coaching process is directly creative and flexible based on the client’s goals, and the client is often encouraged to tap into his or her creativity when mapping out actionable strategies. Try walking to boost creativity; it could result in big gains in a coaching engagement.

—Lindsay Bodkin

The Stress Switch How many times per day do you transition between social settings? Chances are, if your number of switches is high, so is your stress level, according to a recently published study from Cornell University.

Transitioning frequently between social settings, such as from home to office, or changing social roles from parent to employee, can be a particularly stressful daily hassle. “[T]he more switching you do, the more stressful life is,” said Benjamin Cornwell, a social network analyst and assistant professor of sociology in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, who authored the study.

“Leaving one social context and entering a new one forces you to shift mindsets, to think more about what you are doing and saying. You switch from an automatic mode of cognition to a deliberative mode, and you have to shift a whole complex of social concerns, including status issues [and] modes of language.”

The study, titled “Switching Dynamics and the Stress Process,” used time-diary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2010 American Time Use Survey to track working individuals’ “switches”

between multiple social contexts during a 24-hour period. The survey included subjective questions from the National Institute on Aging about health and well-being.

The study revealed that switching between contexts is more closely associated with stress in women than in men. Men are likely to report fewer switches overall, while women are twice as likely as men to experience more than 20 switches in a day. Female respondents were 48 percent more likely than males to indicate extremely high stress levels.

Cornwell speculated that the multiple roles and contexts working women juggle daily could increase the unpredictability of their daily lives and, in turn, their stress levels.

“Switching is a constant reality for women—morning, day and night— and they switch between more disparate social roles. They go from being at work, which is formal, authoritative and hierarchical, to being at home with a child within a matter of 10 minutes,” he said.

Cornwell’s paper challenges sociological research that assumes that having more social connections, larger networks and a wider range of contacts is beneficial.

at those social connections more microscopically,” Cornwell said. “It’s not just about how many social ties, or how different they are. It’s about how they are sequenced. “ The article appeared in the May 2013 issue of the journal Social Psychology Quarterly.

—Abby Tripp Heverin

“A key paradox of social life is that a rich and supportive social network creates a complex of micro-social problems associated with sequencing social interactions, synchronizing schedules and transitioning between contexts.

Maybe the secret to understanding health issues like stress is to look

Have you been part of an organizational coaching initiative with high ROE and ROI? Nominate it today for a 2014 ICF International Prism Award!

Every year, the ICF recognizes outstanding organizational coaching programs that fulfill rigorous professional standards, address key strategic goals, shape organizational culture, and yield discernible and measurable positive impacts.

The nomination window is open May 19–July 31, 2014.

Visit Coachfederation.org/prism to learn more and apply!

Establishing Trust & Intimacy with the Client

Creating a safe, supportive environment that produces ongoing mutual respect and trust.

lenetstan/Shutterstock.com

From the Toolbox

Core Competency #3:

Trust and Intimacy Explained Davida Ander Davida is the communications coordinator for Frame of Mind Coaching, the parent company of JournalEngine™ Software.

She has written for several national and international publications, including “Peer Resources,” “International Coaching News,” “Worldwide Coaching Magazine,” the “National Post,” the “Ryerson Review of Journalism” and “Outdoor Fitness Magazine.”

Contact her at davida@ frameofmindcoaching.com.

What leads you to trust a complete stranger? What would he or she have to say to you to make you feel at ease and open to sharing your deepest secrets?

As a coach, establishing an underlying sense of trust with your clients will empower you to be the very best coach you can be. An intimate coach-client relationship paves the way for open, unguarded communication and swift, continuous client growth.

There are four fundamentals to trustbuilding that will help you develop trust with your clients with greater ease.

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1. Clarity of Process

Chances are, you wouldn’t accept a job offer without understanding the expectations of your employer.

Similarly, you wouldn’t hire a painter without discussing the fine details and the desired end result. When clients are exploring coaching with you, it’s important to be transparent about your process. Describe what your coaching sessions will look like and what you typically ask of your clients. Explain your approach and the reasons why it is effective. Describe the results that your clients have achieved when working with you, and refer potential clients to past clients who can share their experiences.

Trust grows organically when your clients are confident that they are in good hands, backed by a tested coaching process that works.

Questions for Reflection:

What journey do you take your clients through from start to finish? What successes have your clients enjoyed as a result of working with you?

2. Proof of Integrity

The next step to establishing trust and intimacy is demonstrating personal integrity and respect for your clients.

When you show up for coaching sessions on time; actively listen without judgement; provide ongoing, genuine support and follow through on the commitments you make, you prove to your clients that you are dedicated to their success. A big part of this is keeping the promises that you make. For example, if you say you will introduce your client to someone in your network, make sure to do so right away. Your timeliness in the delivery of your coaching services is crucial to maintaining your integrity. With this foundation in place, clients will allow themselves to be vulnerable, knowing that they are valued and respected in your eyes.

Questions for Reflection:

How do you show clients that you walk the talk? When you make promises to your clients, are you effectively following through?

3. Frequency of Contact

Maintaining consistent contact with your clients will accelerate their progression and build the foundation for trust more quickly. Think about it: If you want to get in shape, working out two or three times a week is more effective than weekly or biweekly workouts. Likewise, communicating with your clients between coaching sessions can help them stay on track and see faster results in their lives. You can interact with clients through email or use an online journaling platform to send out prompts and questions.

Engaging in meaningful dialogue between sessions will give you more insight into your clients’ thinking and beliefs, and it will ensure there is no loss of momentum. The high frequency of contact will pave the way for a trusting relationship.

Questions for Reflection:

How do you connect with your clients between coaching sessions?

What do you do to catch clients quickly after they fall?

ICF Business Partners ICF partners with various groups through the ICF Media Partner and ICF Business Solutions Partner programs to offer discounts or special pricing to ICF Members on goods and services. Learn more at icf.to/partners.

4. Depth of Conversation

A fourth element of a trust-based coaching relationship is thorough, intimate and ongoing dialogue. Until you are well-informed about your clients, you will not be able to facilitate their movement to a different place.

Exploring the good, the bad and the ugly will help clients identify the thinking patterns and beliefs that interfere with their success. This is when transformational coaching can truly take place. You will prove your trustworthiness when you dig deep with clients; ask about their goals, regrets, struggles and past experiences; and then handle their sensitive information with care. When clients feel comfortable exposing themselves in an unguarded way, your coaching will be most impactful.

Questions for Reflection:

Do you have a means to access the thoughts and beliefs of your clients?

How do you help your clients feel safe to share intimate details about their lives?

It’s worth examining the way you nurture trust and intimacy in your coaching business—you will find that these principles are precursors to powerful coaching.

Coaching World 9

Business Sense Mike van der Heijden Mike works as SEO Director at Atomic Search, Australia’s leading enterprise search agency. He has more than a decade of experience in consulting for large blue-chip and Australian Securities Exchange-listed companies on their online search and social strategies. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

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Tracking Your Online Marketing Efforts

information delivered straight to your email inbox by using the free tool Google Analytics. (Google has produced a howto guide with step-by-step instructions for scheduling and receiving reports via email.

Download the PDF.) With just a few reports, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your online marketing efforts.

So, you have your coaching business’ website up and running and you’re ready to receive inquiries from prospective clients. Now what?

How are people finding your website?

Your referral data can help you answer this question.

Launching a website is a great start, and promoting it on social media can’t hurt either. However, if you want to know how people—and how many people—are finding your website, you need to dig into the world of Web analytics. The good news is that you can have a plethora of valuable

Acquisition

Google Analytics’ acquisition report will tell you, within a given time period, how many of your visitors came from: • Organic Search (people who came to your website from the organic listings in a search engine, such as Google) • Paid Search (people who came to your website via paid listings in a search engine)

CLICK TO TWEET:

“If you want to know how people ... are finding your website, you’ll need to dig into the world of Web analytics.”

• Shows the number of new visits per channel.

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The behavior section: • Shows the bounce rate; i.e., the number of times a person visits only one page on your website and leaves your website from that same page by channel.

• Shows the average number of pages visited per visit by channel.

• Shows the average visit duration by channel.

The conversion section: • Direct Traffic (people who typed your website’s address into their browser’s URL box) • Social Traffic (people who came to your website from social media platforms, such as Facebook or LinkedIn) Also included in this report are the nine key metrics which form the Acquisition-Behavior-Conversion (ABC) cycle. In simple terms, this means that it will tell you which channels are the most successful at attracting visitors to your website.

The acquisition section: • Shows the total number of visits per channel (e.g., the number of visits from social, organic, etc.).

• Shows the percentage of new visits per channel.

• Shows the goal conversion rate (more on this in a moment).

• Shows the number of goal completions.

• Shows the value of goal completions.

Goal Tracking

The acquisition report is a fantastic resource, but only when you have the time and expertise to configure goals for your website.

Goals could include anything from the number of visitors to your website’s testimonial page to the number of subscriptions to your newsletter. Even if your website’s only purpose is to receive inquiries from prospective clients, you should still take the time to track and assign a value to this.

Google provides instructions for doing just that.

Popular Content

All websites contain a variety of content. For example, you might have pages that introduce people to your business, sell your passiveincome products or explain what differentiates you from your competitors. You may also have acquisition pages, such as a “Contact Me” page, with the sole purpose of connecting you with your website’s visitors.

Google Analytics’ Behavior > Site Content > All Pages report will create information about the mostpopular pages on your website, how many unique page views each one has received, the number of times that page was an “entrance” (i.e., the number of times it was the first page people saw on your website) and much more. This report is especially useful in determining what type of content is the most effective with your audience. You can then use this information to tailor the content on your other pages to be more effective.

Determining whether or not you’re on the right path with your online marketing may seem daunting, but it’s really as easy as getting to know a few helpful Google Analytics reports.

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Ines Bazdar/Shutterstock.com

The Coaching Case

company implemented necessary but painful cost-containment measures.

Their anxiety was quantified by a disheartening employee engagement index of 61.6 percent.

A Winning Strategy DJ Mitsch, MCC, ICF Global Past President DJ is a thought leader in the coaching profession, an award-winning author, one of the first 25 coaches to receive ICF’s Master Certified Coach designation and an experienced Mentor Coach.

Prior to entering the coaching profession, she spent two decades as a broadcast executive. In 1994, DJ and her husband, Barry Mitsch, cofounded The Pyramid Resource Group, which provides coaching to many of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, medical nonprofits and health insurance companies, as well as telecommunications, aerospace, broadcasting and professional sports organizations. In 2013, DJ launched the Health Care Coaching Institute to serve the growing need for coaches well-equipped to serve leaders in the health care industry.

She is the author of “Team Advantage: The Complete Coaching Guide for Team Transformation (Pfeiffer/ Wiley 2010) and the editor of “Coaching for Extraordinary Results,” part of the “In Action” series edited by Jack J. Phillips (American Society for Training and Development Press, 2002).

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Over the last two decades, team coaching has emerged as an extension of Executive Coaching, empowering leaders to work with their teams in new ways and transform team-building into culture-building. Since 2012, the field sales force for Sanofi’s North American Pharmaceutical division has been reaping the benefits of team coaching delivered via The Pyramid Resource Group’s proprietary model, Team Advantage™: The Complete Coaching Process for Team Transformation.

A Challenging Climate In late 2011, North American Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi employed 5,000 people and was generating annual revenue of roughly $10 billion USD. Anne Whitaker had just been named the division’s president at a time when the organization as a whole faced great challenges. Some of Sanofi’s best-selling drugs were just months away from going off patent, while other products faced stiff generic competition. Employees were weary from recent mergers, ongoing restructuring, and attempts to integrate cultures and processes while the

Although Anne was concerned about market share and profit, she also recognized that sustainable improvement and innovation starts with employees who find meaning and satisfaction in their jobs and take pride in their company. She brought in The Pyramid Resource Group to coach a select cadre of first-line leaders tasked with seeding change leadership capabilities and coaching teams as Sanofi prepared to shift to a more patient-focused sales model.

Accelerating Change Pyramid’s Team Advantage™ model is a 16-week process that fast-tracks team cohesiveness and performance by asking members to create a game plan worthy of their time and energy.

It has the built-in measures of a game with business goal attainment and encourages creativity and play.

Over the course of the first four months, a team of 14 professional coaches from Pyramid provided extensive training in change leadership and team coaching to 25 first-line leaders during rigorous, weeklong sessions. These change agents had an average tenure of 10 years and were recruited for a twoyear special assignment: to build an internal-to-Sanofi capability for change leadership, team coaching and continuous improvement.

The driver for embedding these capabilities centered on the ICF Core Competencies, so the mentoring and partnership with Sanofi’s change agents were the most important aspects of this rollout. Any good facilitator can complete a team-building event, but the team coaching that takes place after the goals are in place requires advanced coaching skills—especially listening for the team’s voice. Professional

coaches know what to label in the team dynamics, how to raise awareness around emotional intelligence and self-awareness for each individual within the context of their team, and—very importantly—how to detach from outcomes, recognizing that it is the team’s game and they need to take ownership of all results, including the breakdowns and things that don’t work, so the team finds new ways of working.

The coach is there to coach and to label the many unspoken fears and concerns—we often call “elephants”—that people tend to avoid recognizing and discussing. The coach also needs to celebrate shifts, movement and successes so the team members feel momentum and learn to acknowledge one another. And not to be forgotten is lightness in coaching—keeping the action in place and members moving whenever there is a truth that makes the team uncomfortable.

The teams selected for the initiative were classified into three categories: • High-performing, but needing a stretch.

• Supervised by a new team leader.

• Middle-of-the-pack, but with potential to grow quickly.

These teams established team charters, set extraordinary but tangible business goals, experienced professional coaching to address team dynamics and gain tools for working through breakdowns, and learned to celebrate daily successes.

Pyramid’s professional coaches also partnered with the change agents to conduct 60 Team Advantage™ games throughout the enterprise. These games directly impacted an estimated

25 percent of the field force and indirectly influenced many more as energized teammates spread the word about the shifts they were making. The coaching initiative helped employees build the skills to more effectively solve problems, work toward goals as part of a team, and communicate and collaborate across work groups and departments. With new confidence and in a spirit of play, employees learned to identify processes that needed to be simplified, revised or repurposed and take ownership of making the changes.

This experience, combined with the process changes and newleader visibility, accelerated change by equipping multiple teams with the skills needed to achieve their aggressive business goals. Individual participants modeled the competencies that were foundational to build each team leader’s coaching skills through the experience.

This layering of experiential learning created traction around the desired organizational changes, which were confirmed by comparing the results of two surveys, one conducted prior to the initiative and the second conducted after one year.

Engaging Excellence Sanofi contracted the research, analysis and communications firm HAYSMAR, Inc., to develop and deliver organizationwide surveys of employee engagement before and after the launch of the coaching initiative. The results showed that significant improvements in company culture and competencies were universal.

to 90.4 percent in 2013, with every work group included in the survey reporting increased engagement.

Six competencies were identified and measured in both surveys: • Self-awareness • Communicate • Commit to Customers • Cooperate Transversely • Act for Change • Strive for Results The scores for all six behaviors increased, and five of the six showed statistically positive improvement. The greatest improvement in a single question demonstrated that employees’ perception of leadership and an environment of openness and trust jumped from 43.9 to 87 percent, an increase of more than 43 percentage points.

Meanwhile, tenor-of-survey comments showed substantial improvement. In 2012, only 14 out of 1,660 written comments were positive (0.8 percent), compared to 545 out of 966 comments (56.4 percent) the following year.

Improved positive scores in specific questions further reflected employees’ newfound sense of personal accountability, expanded confidence in adverse situations, greater awareness of daily performance and strengthened emphasis on collaboration.

The overall engagement index climbed from 61.6 percent in 2012

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Research Connection

Assessing Awareness of Coaching Mark Ruth Mark is ICF’s Director of Research and Education. He has been an ICF Global staff member for more than seven years. His team maintains oversight of ICF Member research and the development of all global industry studies commissioned by the ICF.

Every year, the ICF invests in industry research to demonstrate the highly effective nature of coaching. This allows the community of professional coaches to stand strong with fresh knowledge of industry trends to inform their decisions. ICF research also builds a platform for advocacy, helping spread awareness of how people can unlock their potential through coaching.

The latest addition to our portfolio of industry research is the 2014 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study undertaken by the ICF in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. While it will always be important for the ICF to produce studies about coaches and the global coaching market, our

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members continually underscore their need to access current and relevant data about those who intend to purchase coaching services. One of the primary advantages of the 2014 Global Consumer Awareness Study is that it has been designed to tap directly into the insights of adult consumers around the world— irrespective of their awareness of or preconceived notions about coaching.

Awareness of unbiased consumer perceptions is crucial, as it can empower coaching practices in many ways. By having a finger on the pulse of the population residing in their nation or region, coaches can familiarize themselves with various triggers that

such, we expanded our global reach in the 2014 study to include consumer feedback from 25 nations—this time, using a survey instrument that was supported in 16 different languages!

may cause a consumer to select (or perhaps to reject) coaching as a solution. If information truly is power, then coaches can use this information to enhance their marketing approaches toward potential clients. Furthermore, knowing how and why consumers value coaching could help validate some of the most important decisions a coach makes about individual professional development.

This research was derived using broad-reaching geographical input. When the ICF completed the benchmark version of this study (the 2010 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study) our survey was deployed in 10 languages that were considered most appropriate to serve consumers who were living in the 20 nations that participated in the research. (The 2010 study was conducted across the ICF’s top 20 countries as determined by the ICF Members Rank league table. Those countries represented approximately 90 percent of the ICF’s critical mass of known membership clusters.)

As the coaching profession has evolved over the last several years, the critical mass of coach practitioners has become more dispersed and is growing rapidly in emerging global regions. As

We are all mindful that significant economic challenges were present in nearly every corner of the world over the last several years.

This climate clearly prompted some individuals (having lower discretionary income) and organizations (having reduced budgetary allocations) to make very difficult decisions about how they invested their resources.

Despite the reported impact that these fiscal decisions had on other—more established— professions and industry sectors, the overall awareness of professional coaching actually grew steadily around the world in the years since the benchmark study was completed by ICF. Of course, one of the main advantages of the 2010 study data is that it affords us a wonderful opportunity to provide global trending data that spans the last three-plus years. Within nations that appeared in both the 2010 and 2014 studies, the proportion of consumers who indicated that they were “very aware” of professional coaching rose six percent since 2010 to nearly one in five (19 percent).

In fact, two in five (40 percent) responded that this designation was “very important.”

In March 2014, ICF produced an infographic, titled “Who’s Buying Coaching?,” that provided some initial demographic information gleaned from our research about the current buyers of coaching.

Among those individuals who had not yet been coached, more than half (55 percent) under age 45 indicated that they would consider coaching as a solution.

We also noticed some interesting developments among younger consumers. Among respondents aged 25 to 34 who had been coached, more than half (54 percent) made it a point to confirm whether or not their coach held a certification/credential. So, what is the best news of all? Regardless of their age, the overwhelming majority (85 percent) of those individuals who had been coached indicated that they were satisfied (either very or somewhat) with their coaching experience.

Because there are so many more storylines still to emerge from this research, I invite you to visit Coachfederation.org/ consumerstudy2014 to access summary reports, data sheets and other content based on findings from the 2014 Global Consumer Awareness Study.

It also appears that, among those consumers who have been in a coaching relationship, ensuring the knowledge, skills and professionalism of their coach is of paramount importance. When these same consumers were asked to describe the importance of their coach “having a certification/ credential,” the vast majority (83 percent) of consumers affirmed that it was an important factor.

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Ethics Q & A

A: The ICF Code of Ethics directs us to avoid both conflicts and potential conflicts of interest in our engagements. Because organizations are complex and interwoven systems of people, teams and groups, the issue of conflicts is more challenging in a corporate setting and is best addressed in your contract with the company before you begin coaching. Questions that need to be answered include: • Who is your primary client?

• What is your relationship and responsibility to other potential clients and to your sponsor in the company?

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• What are the levels of confidentiality that are appropriate, given the responsibilities and needs of the organization as a whole?

A Complex Web Q: For the last year, I’ve been coaching Joan, the vice-president of marketing for a mid-sized Jane M. Faulkner, PCC A highly respected coach and sought-after leadership consultant in Seattle, Jane helps a diverse range of clients transform challenges into signature strengths and leadership mastery. As a Leadership and Executive Coach, she works with professionals, emerging leaders, executives and business owners in the areas of leadership development, team building, communication and conflict management. She serves on ICF’s Independent Review Board. She is a Certified Professional Co-active Coach. Learn more at janefaulkner.net.

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corporation. Joan has been open with her colleagues and subordinates about her decision to receive coaching, and has spoken highly of its benefits. As a result of her testimonials, I’ve been approached by several other members of the organization who would like to receive coaching, including Dominic, the director of public relations and one of Joan’s direct reports. Would it be ethically appropriate for me to coach Dominic? What about contracting with other members of the organization?

In order to be the best possible coach for Dominic and co-create with him an environment of trust, confidentiality, openness and curiosity, do you need to be clear of inner or outer conflicts that might arise from coaching his boss? Even if you disclose all potential conflicts to Dominic and commit to removing yourself as coach should a conflict arise, will he be served by this arrangement? Does he want his coaching relationship with you to be confidential from Joan? If so, the potential for conflicts increases. Bringing in an independent coach for him will avoid these potential conflicts.

Assuming that Dominic is fine with Joan knowing about his request that you coach him, what about coaching Joan and her team of direct reports, rather than coaching Dominic separately? If this idea appeals to Dominic, there is still the possibility of conflict between Joan’s agenda for the team and their own agenda. If you disclose this potential to Joan and she agrees that you will step down as team coach should an actual conflict arise, this might be another option as long as you amend your written contract with the company to reflect this agreement. To ensure that the team is not left hanging, include a provision in the agreement stating that the team will work with an independent coach if you do need

to step down, and work out the details of what is and is not confidential from your time with the team if that happens.

When it comes to coaching an individual who is in Joan’s chain of command but isn’t her direct report (e.g., a communications specialist who reports to Dominic), the likelihood of a conflict seems less, and yet it might not be. What happens if you learn through Joan that the company is being restructured and the communications specialist is going to be let go or moved? If you are in a coaching relationship with that person, what then? It is important to consider all potential conflicts so that you can be transparent as a coach and so that your client feels safe and free to be candid. What does the client need to know to make a truly informed decision about working with you? If you do reach an agreement that you will coach this person, be sure that the details of your agreement and the potential conflicts are outlined in your contract with the company and reviewed by the client. As with a team coaching engagement, be sure to include a provision dictating what will happen if you must leave the coaching relationship mid-engagement.

Even the decision to coach an individual outside of Joan’s department can be fraught with complications. Sometimes there are conflicts or more-subtle “issues” among departments or divisions within a company, so begin by asking yourself what information you need and from whom in order to understand what the potential conflicts might be. Once you have done your homework, you might have conversations with both Joan and the prospective client to outline any potential conflicts and the possibility that you might need to withdraw from this new client as coach. Then, as with all organizational coaching engagements, get everything in writing and review it with your client to be sure everyone understands the risks and what will happen if a conflict arises. *All names have been changed.

Innovation is essential for success in modern workplaces.

With that in mind, connect the dots.

What you create is up to you.

Effective leaders see the potential in everything.

At Royal Roads University, we’re looking for people like you for our Professional and Executive Development courses.

Learn more at royalroads.ca/execed

Do you have a coaching ethics question that you’d like answered in the pages of CW? Email our editor, Abby Tripp Heverin, at abby.heverin@ coachfederation.org, and she’ll share your question with Jane.

Coaching World 17

CLICK TO TWEET:

“When something gets closed, what other things are opening for you?”

A New Point of View Abby Tripp Heverin As ICF’s Communications Coordinator, Abby oversees content development for Coaching World and helps implement the organization’s public relations strategy. If you’re interested in submitting to a future issue of CW, email her at abby.heverin@ coachfederation.org.

18 Coaching World

Dr. Elena Espinal, MCC (Mexico), is no stranger to turning challenges into opportunities.

As a pioneer of the coaching industry in Latin America, Elena worked tirelessly to change the minds of individuals who were skeptical—even fearful—of coaching. Now, more than two decades later, she’s using her business’ newest venture to help visually impaired individuals turn their own challenges into opportunities through a first-ofits-kind coach-training program.

From White Coat to Coaching

The daughter of two prominent dentists, Elena considered a career in medicine before her father encouraged her to follow in her parents’ footsteps. After Elena completed her dentistry training she moved into the field of pathology, earning master’s and doctoral degrees and numerous accolades for her achievements as a researcher.

Soon after Elena’s father passed away, she had an epiphany that changed the course of her professional life.

“One afternoon, I found myself doing biopsies in the laboratory. I was looking at a slide from a young woman, showing that she had a cancerous tumor in her breast,” Elena remembers. “When I finished, the patient came in to look for the result, and I had a real contact with her. I thought, ‘In two minutes, she will know that she may only have five years to live. Surely, she has kids, a husband, parents and plans for her future.’ I

hadn’t noticed any of these things when I was working. I realized that I was going crazy—out of the world, away from people’s pain and suffering, in a cave where I hide myself, called ‘science’ and ‘research.’ That was the moment where I began to change.”

Elena embarked on a new professional journey that included studies in ontological coaching and the completion of a licentiate degree in psychology from John F. Kennedy Argentine University.

Elena’s heart was in coaching, but the late 1980s and early 1990s were a challenging time for the burgeoning industry in Latin America. “At that time, some individuals in the psychology profession started a conversation likening coaching to witchcraft, because of the changes that people experienced as a result of coaching,” she recalls. “However, I took what was happening as the opportunity for a breakthrough,” she says of her decision to partner with Jim Selman and co-found what would be the first coach-training program acknowledged by Argentina’s Department of Education,

Science and Technology. “Now witch-coaches were legal in that country!” she jokes.

Seeing with the Heart

A decade after she launched her coaching business, Team Work, in Argentina, Elena took her coaching model to Mexico and founded Team Power. Team Power’s client list includes high-powered organizations from a variety of sectors, such as American Express, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Coca-Cola, Novartis and Sony.

However, it’s one of Team Power’s smallest clients that looms largest in the minds and hearts of Elena and her team. Founded in 2006, Ojos Que Sienten (OQS), or “Sight of Emotion,” is a nonprofit that works to change perceptions of individuals with visual disabilities by focusing on their skills; empowering and including them in social, vocational and educational settings; and supporting them in overcoming their barriers.

The organization’s name came from its first initiative, launched by photographer Gina Badenoch,

to teach photography to visually impaired individuals. Although the medium of photography is visual, the act of capturing a photograph calls the other senses into play. OQS’ sensory photography workshops lay the foundation for participants to begin a creative process, tell stories through photography, and build new skills and aptitudes in service of personal and professional development.

OQS branched from its sensory photography program to offer job-skills courses, public awareness events and inclusiveness training for organizations. “OQS staff knew about Team Power and our experience inventing games and doing team coaching in companies,” Elena explains. “They asked us for collaboration, and we fell in love! We love what they are doing and the way they do it.”

However, the process of developing training programs for OQS to deliver to organizations brought about a realization for Elena and her team. “They always needed a coach working with CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >

BELOW: Slated to graduate in June 2014, the first 14 students in Team Power’s collaborative program with Ojos Que Sienten are completing a rigorous coachtraining course.

Coaching World 19

ABOVE: All of the students in Team Power and Ojos Que Sienten’s first coach-training class lost their vision. RIGHT: A visually impaired individual who completed Ojos Que Sienten’s sensory photography training snapped one of the inaugural coach training class’ official portraits.

Ojos Que Siente

n

them when they went into these organizations,” she explains. “We acknowledged that we were the ceiling for OQS participants. They couldn’t grow higher because of us. In that moment, we began considering the possibility of training them as coaches—of giving them the opportunity to join our profession.”

A New View

The first class of students in Team Power and OQS’ training program will graduate in June 2014 with training that has laid the foundation for pursuit of an ICF Credential. Elena says the process of delivering training around the ICF definition of coaching, Code of Ethics and Core Competencies was as much of a learning experience for Team Power’s faculty as it was for the students, as the trainers learned how to provide instruction without such classroom standbys as handouts and PowerPoint presentations. The results were freeing, she says. “We learned to teach from and trust in

20 Coaching World

our hearts, instead of trusting in a particular model. That was a great adventure!”

Elena and her colleagues found that their visually impaired students approached the coaching conversation with unique skills and competencies.

“They have a listening for space that we don’t know or use,” she reflects. “They distinguish distance and also movements, emotions and changes in the voice because a body has changed position. What we learned is that they can coach from a different kind of listening than we do.”

Elena says her students have also changed the way that she thinks about face-to-face interactions.

“These students broke some profound beliefs that we held about how emotions are shown through the face. Because their eyes have no expression, we have to read emotion in a different way.”

Above all, Elena says she was inspired by each student’s personal

journey. “All of the students in class lost their vision later as children or as adults—they had all seen in some moment of their lives. They have created a possibility from nothing, which makes them extra-skillful at hearing the excuses we often make to justify staying where we are.”

Elena says she has no doubt that these 14 coaches—and the trainees who will follow them— will change lives when they enter their new profession. “We want organizations to understand diversity as a contribution. Our coaches will open minds not only to people with disabilities, but to anyone who thinks or behaves differently. They’ll help people within organizations ask muchneeded questions where intimacy, comprehension and compassion are included. They’ll also set a great example of possibility: When something gets closed, what other things are opening for you?”

Watch

Learn more about how Ojos Que Sienten’s coach-training program is opening doors for individuals with visual impairments in the above video.

To hear the story of Verenice, a student in Ojos Que Sienten’s innovative coach-training program, in Spanish, click here.

Courage to Create Change:

Coaching for a sustainable future ICF Global 2014—Europe, 18-20 September 2014 In our current economic and environmental crisis we need courage: Courage to challenge conventional thinking; courage to live our best lives; and courage to create change.

Join us for three days of inspiring talks, challenging breakout sessions and exceptional networking in Malmo, only 20 minutes from Copenhagen.

For information, booking and a social community to start your conversations right now: http://www.icfglobal2014-europe.org/ Enjoy Coaching Week offer and save €100 during International Coaching Week, Code ICW2014

Thinglass/Shutterstock.com

mode,” while others simply evaporated.

NonProfit HelpDesk, where I serve as director, has provided management training and development services to nonprofits for more than 20 years. As of 2009, our executive trainings consisted of corporate bushcraft and deep breathing.

5 Changes Coaches Should Prepare For Chaya Abelsky, MCC As Principal of Triumphant Journeys LLC, Chaya partners with executives, leaders and business professionals to take their individual, team or business performance to the next level. Chaya specializes in nonprofit executive and organizational development, supporting clients to build organizational cultures that reflect their vision and values and to develop leaders who can consistently produce new levels of results in the face of rapid change and competition.

She also supports clients in the art of building powerful relationships and crossfunctional teams within a complex nonprofit structure.

She is known for her practical approach, for her evocative coaching style and for promoting essential think time as the foundation for executive success.

22 Coaching World

If there’s anything that the business world has taught us over the past few years, it’s that nothing stays the same for very long. The proverbial “wheel of fortune” sends those on top plummeting to the bottom and lifts others to take their place as victors—temporarily anyway.

The novelty of the recent past is in how quickly and quietly these changes happen.

As coaches, change is something we’re accustomed to. As an Executive Coach specializing in nonprofits, I feel that change, both planned and “sprung,” is something I take with my morning coffee. Lest we become jaded, here are a few changes coming down the pipe that I believe will quickly, quietly and dramatically change the nature of our profession.

1. Changing goals Many companies responded to the challenges of a recession economy by assuming the fetal position. Some were able to weather the storm in “survival

As economic suffering slowly recedes, most organizations are coming out of hibernation ready to be more inventive and enterprising. This “springtime” is a major shift in our clients’ perspective, and requires planning and executing new growth strategies. Add an impending corporate culture gap as inventiveness and creativity become valued over frugality and efficiency and viola! You now play a totally new role.

2. Changing faces There’s nothing more terrifying than seeing a new face in the corner office, and the terror is spreading rapidly as the generation of baby boomer executives eases into retirement. A new crop of young executives is filling the gap and the only way to avert the drama that accompanies a sloppy, unplanned management change is leadership development and your smiling, happy face.

3. Changing technology Ever been in a workplace when the Internet went down? Ten years ago, some productivity was still possible—but today? Technology is no longer a part of the workplace, it is the workplace.

Today’s executives don’t need a traditional office in order to accomplish their tasks. Their office is wherever they have their laptop, tablet or iPhone.

These execs are both tech-friendly and comfortable with the unconventional.

What does that have to do with coaches? Conferencing technology has opened doors in coaching that we never imagined ten years ago, offering affordable and easy client engagement.

Conferencing is like a dream come true for my nonprofit clients, for whom tight budget constraints mean that every penny saved on travel counts.

NonProfit HelpDesk has been increasingly turning to teleconferencing to enhance executive

training. After working with clients from hundreds of nonprofits, I’ve found that bringing practical results to the client is always challenging.

Conferencing technology has given us the ability to partner with clients more or less ondemand, working through stuck points and enacting the solutions we identified during on-site sessions.

4. Changing desires Virtually all of the nonprofit executives I’ve worked with in recent years are suffering from a measure of corporate post-traumatic stress disorder.

Most organizations that have weathered the past several years want to get “leaner and meaner.” They want to know exactly how you will boost their bottom line, and exactly how long it will take (and at what financial cost).

Practically speaking, there may be little difference in how this affects our coaching methodologies, but we must be ready to define and demonstrate success in a context that fits the needs of executives emerging from their recession foxholes.

5. Changing coaches Remember all of those retiring executives I mentioned before?

They’re not simply evaporating.

They have tons of experience, and they‘re ready to monetize. With few natural barriers, many are becoming “coaches” and diving into an increasingly saturated marketplace. It hasn’t reached deluge conditions yet, but soon enough it will be tough for the public to single out who among us have the talent and training of truly qualified coaches.

What does that mean for us?

While it may have seemed to be of nominal value in years past,

partnering with organizations like the ICF will eventually become standard in identifying trusted, professional coaches.

It will also force us to more closely identify our niche clientele and tune very closely into their needs. What area is your “stomping ground,” and how strongly do you own it? Over the past 23 years, I’ve coached a variety of corporate and private clients, but I can confidently say that I “own” the nonprofit sector.

What area do you own?

Excellence will always triumph over mediocrity. In order to succeed, we will have to continuously improve ourselves as coaches and prove that there’s more to being a coach than simply hanging out a shingle.

24 Coaching World

Zahrina is Australia’s leading personal branding portrait photographer for entrepreneurs. She creates magnetic and insightful images that help her clients present the best version of their businesses online.

Through her coaching and authentic approach, Zahrina brings out the best in her clients as she gets to know them behind their public persona, capturing their true essence and X factor.

To find out more about Zahrina and view a wide range of her images, visit ZahrinaPhotography.com.

Brand U Portrait by Zahrina Robertson

e r u t c i P s Thi

Zahrina Robertson

As a coach, you’re marketing your services to prospective clients, but you’re also marketing yourself.

This is why cultivating and articulating a strong personal brand is so important—especially when research shows that a consumer’s first impression of your business is formed within 60 seconds of arriving at your website or social media page.

One element of personal brandbuilding overlooked by many coaches is the portfolio of portraits that they use on their websites, social media channels and marketing collateral.

However, by partnering with an experienced personal branding photographer, you can take the first steps toward putting the best face on your coaching practice.

There is a big difference between a portrait photographer who takes a standard headshot and an experienced branding photographer who knows how to draw out your essential marketing qualities.

If you get it right, your personal branding image should be powerful. A good personal branding photograph: • Conveys certainty.

• Captures trust, warmth and personality.

• Shows confidence, integrity and uniqueness.

• Provides an insight to your personal brand message.

• Introduces and connects your ideal audience to your personality.

• Portrays the insightful expressions that make you unique.

• Illustrates your unique selling point, which no one else can copy.

• Demonstrates your authenticity.

• Creates the flexibility that is necessary to meet the needs of your visual branding message, to give you marketing leverage.

The Perfect Photographer Seek a photographer who has years of experience helping entrepreneurs build their personal brands. A good personal branding photographer should: • Not just take headshots.

Anyone with a camera can do this style of photography.

• Understand the exact needs of your personal branding campaign message and have the ability to visually capture this to perfection.

• Empower you to be the best you can be in your photo shoot.

• Capture your authenticity in candid, dynamic and vibrant images.

• Help you create whatever looks are necessary to meet the needs of your visual brand.

• Provide the best customedited and color-corrected images of you after the shoot.

• Provide guidance as to which images are most appropriate for specific uses/occasions (i.e., which shots are best for use on your website, on social media and in print promotional materials) • Allow you final selection of highquality, custom-edited images

Asking the Right Questions Just as you’re prepared for prospective coaching clients to ask several questions during their interview process, a good personal branding photographer should be ready and willing to respond to your inquiries honestly. Be specific in your questions to avoid unwanted surprises later.

A branding photographer knows how to draw out your essential marketing qualities.

I always appreciate the opportunity to answer the following questions from a prospective client: • Do you contract with a makeup artist and hairstylist who will help me get ready for the shoot?

• Do you watermark the images?

• Do you provide a disc of finished images? Are they high-resolution?

• Do you shoot mainly corporate portraits or images of entrepreneurs?

• Do I get to see the images as we go?

• Do you put a limit on how many images you will shoot?

• Do you provide in-depth guidance with choosing images?

• Do you have before-and-afters to show the depth of editing and color-correction work?

Don’t forget to check in with yourself to see how the photographer makes you feel: You should feel excited and inspired about the process!

A specialist will also ask you many questions. It is key that you communicate with the photographer, so make sure you are clear on what you like and don’t like. The right photographer should feel inspired when working with you. Don’t be shy: Ask for what you want. If you are CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >

Coaching World 25

Brand U Portrait by Zahrina

Strike a Pose Every client has different needs and requirements, and within the first five minutes of a shoot, I am often asked, “What would you like me to do?” This is a key part of the shoot, and engagement is gold! I want my clients to feel relaxed, inspired and happy to assist me in drawing out the best-possible poses and capturing their personality traits. I relish capturing the X factor of my coach

26 Coaching World

Select colors and styles that align with your visual brand.

clients—the intriguing element that captures the attention of their potential clients.

During your shoot, remember to relax with your chosen photographer, as you both will jump for joy and feel great satisfaction when you find you’ve been “listening to the music” and creating some great images.

To keep yourself in the zone, breathe, be, feel free to be funny, stretch, shake it out, dance, re-compose, listen, feel the music, imagine, play … simply remember that it’s all within you to shine and lose any fear you may have of being photographed.

Studio versus Outdoors: Studio shots are a necessity in your

Brand U Portrait by Zahrina

Brand U Portrait by Zahrina

a lighthearted person, don’t be afraid to let your photographer know that you want him or her to capture that. Most importantly, if your gut tells you that you need a certain kind of energy to shine, choose a photographer who exhibits that type of energy.

Less is best!

Too many accessories can distract from your message.

personal branding kit. There will always be a need for a professional PR image for the media with a clean, white background.

Outdoor shots or those taken in situ (for example, in a cafe or work environment) are equally necessary. These shots show a different dimension of who you are and what you do, affirming what your personal branding message is about.

Grooming: Makeup is a key element to looking fresh and vibrant within your personal branding images; however, I strongly believe that too much makeup can be a distraction. If you need help with this, make sure your photographer has a makeup artist you can use before the shoot.

Brand U Portrait by Zahrina

Brand U Portrait by Zahrina

Choose clothes that flatter your body type and support good posture.

Your hairstyle is also an important part of your overall look. Many branding photographers partner with a qualified hairdresser who will understand the needs of the client and photographer. Versatility within a shoot is important, and when there’s a need for specific looks in your photo shoot, they can match hairstyles to your key brand message.

Clothes: Know how your clothes make you feel, as well as look.

Choose clothes that flatter your body type and support good posture. For women, suit jackets, pretty blouses and dresses are always good. For men, blazers, dress shirts and polo shirts are all excellent options. Keep in mind

Brand U Portrait by Zahrina

There will always be a need for a professional image with a clean, white background.

that structured clothes let you get away with more relaxed postures.

Avoid trendy clothes if you plan to use your images for a while.

Take the same minimal, classic approach to choosing accessories: Less is best, as too many accessories can distract the viewer and detract from your message.

Arrive at the shoot prepared with clothes in colors that complement your skin and hair. Additionally, select colors and styles that align with other elements of your business’ visual brand, such as your palette and logo.

When it comes to setting yourself apart in the crowded professional coaching marketplace, putting your best face forward is a must. You

can achieve this—and optimize your many personal branding efforts—with a professional portfolio of images that showcase the best side of your coaching self.

Get tips for building your personal brand’s color palette from William Arruda on the ICF Blog.

Coaching World 27

Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com

as a way to make a difference in your community or be better prepared for a localized emergency response, there’s a wealth of advice from chapters that have already taken these steps.

Abby Tripp Heverin As ICF’s Communications Coordinator, Abby oversees content development for Coaching World and helps implement the organization’s public relations strategy.

If you’re interested in submitting to a future issue of CW, email her at abby.heverin@ coachfederation.org.

Caring for Your Community with Pro Bono Coaching At some point in your coaching journey, you’ve no doubt provided pro bono coaching services to a client, either as a way to add to your bank of coaching experience hours or to support an individual who you know will benefit from your services but can’t afford your standard rate.

However, a growing number of coaches and ICF Chapters are institutionalizing these efforts in service of humanity flourishing by offering pro bono coaching to individuals or organizations with a demonstrated need. Often, these initiatives respond to an urgent situation, such as a natural disaster. Other programs are designed to provide sustained support to nonprofits that would like to offer coaching to members of their staff or the constituencies they serve, but can’t find room in an already-tight budget to do so.

If you or the members of your ICF Chapter are considering pro bono coaching

28 Coaching World

Under the leadership of then-Chapter President Fabrizia Ingenito, PCC, the members of ICF Italy rapidly organized a pro bono initiative to provide Business and Executive Coaching to individuals impacted by a deadly earthquake that struck northern Italy in 2012. For its efforts, the chapter was honored with a 2012 ICF I Care For Chapter Award, given to ICF Chapters and Charter Chapters that establish a significant coaching presence in their communities by providing coaching for free to those who would not have access to it otherwise.

In 2012, under the leadership of Community Outreach Director (and current Chapter President-elect) Freddi Donner, ACC, ICF Metro DC constructed a pro bono coaching initiative that connected 50 coaches with five Washington, D.C., USA-based nonprofits: Share Our Strength, the International Monetary Fund Family Association, Homeward Deployed, Leadership Arlington and Leadership Fairfax. The following year, the chapter extended its pro bono offerings to include education around coaching and free laser coaching at nonprofit associations’ events. Last year, ICF Metro DC was honored with the 2013 ICF I Care For Award.

Here, courtesy of Fabrizia, Freddi and their colleagues, are five suggested practices for building a pro bono coaching program capable of transforming lives and, in turn, communities:

1. Identify a target beneficiary.

When you’re launching a pro bono coaching program, it’s easy to get carried away by your passion for the project and try to create a program that is all things to all people. However, it’s advisable— particularly at the onset of your program—to limit your scope. This may mean following the lead of ICF Metro DC’s

community outreach committee and choosing to partner with a small number of nonprofits by providing coaching to members of their staff or individuals who utilize their services.

You may also decide to limit the types of coaching that you offer: When ICF Italy organized its earthquake relief coaching initiative, the program’s leaders chose to focus their energies on Executive and Business Coaching for professionals who were, in Fabrizia’s words, “learning how to start again.”

2. Set high standards for the coaches in your program …

When ICF Italy announced its program, Fabrizia says, “many, many, many coaches” came forward, eager to help. “We had to make a decision as to which coaches would participate, and in what order they’d be matched with clients.” Ultimately, she says, ICF Italy Chapter Leaders made the decision to limit program participation to coaches who held an ICF Credential.

Meanwhile, ICF Metro DC asks all prospective volunteers to complete an application in order to be assigned the nonprofit coaching engagement best-suited to their schedules, talents and interests.

3. ... but leverage the skills of other coaches who want to contribute.

There are plenty of opportunities for members who are still enrolled in coach training or accruing the experience hours needed for an ICF Credential to get involved with pro bono programming. After all, successful pro bono coaching initiatives don’t just need coaches.

They also need administrators to maintain records and facilitate the

relationship between the coaches and beneficiaries.

Freddi says that ICF Metro DC’s program succeeded largely thanks to the efforts of its volunteer program liaisons. Each nonprofit that the chapter partnered with was assigned a liaison who coordinated every aspect of the process, from overseeing the distribution of coaching agreements to providing recipient education, troubleshooting day-to-day issues and managing the evaluation process. The volunteer liaison role is an excellent fit for coaches who have strong administrative and management skills, but may not be ready to deliver masterful coaching to pro bono clients.

4. Help coaching recipients understand what to expect.

On its surface, it seems like you may not need to market pro bono coaching—it is a free service, after all! However, even if your decision to partner with a nonprofit means that you’ve distributed coaching agreements and have a long list of individual coaching recipients, it’s still essential that you communicate effectively with these clients about what coaching is, what coaching isn’t and what to expect from the coaching engagement.

If it’s feasible, consider organizing a launch event for the pro bono initiative featuring education on the ICF definition of coaching (and the difference between coaching and other modalities, such as therapy, consulting and mentoring), as well as mock coaching sessions.

Alternatively, this information can be delivered virtually: ICF Metro DC even produced a set of video coaching demos to share with program participants. (Organizing a launch event or producing educational materials and demos

is another great way to involve program volunteers who won’t be providing coaching!)

5. Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate!

Everyone involved in ICF Metro DC’s pro bono initiatives has a voice in a formal program evaluation process: At the end of the engagement, forms are distributed to coaches, individual coaching recipients and the partner organization. These forms are an invaluable tool for measuring the ROI (in terms of time, effort and financial expenditures) and ROE of the program; the feedback has also enabled program leaders to troubleshoot and make necessary changes for future incarnations of the initiative.

Even an informal evaluation process can be valuable, particularly as you lay the groundwork for a moreexpansive initiative: Fabrizia says her ICF Italy colleagues were able to use feedback and learnings from their quickly assembled emergency-response effort to frame the subsequent, non-emergent pro bono program that they began building in 2013.

Whether you are offering pro bono coaching to meet an emergent need in your community, or laying the foundation for a long-lasting community outreach initiative, pro bono coaching is a proven way for you and your coaching colleagues to make a significant local impact.

Coaching World 29

Chris Padgett, PCC Chris is an Executive Leadership Coach and principal of Growth Revolution Inc. He partners with high-potential executives in new or expanded roles from diverse industries, including consumer products, employee benefits, insurance, utilities and health. Chris is an ICF Registered Mentor Coach, a graduate of the Coaches Training Institute and a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC).

He serves on the Board of Directors of ICF Ohio Valley, the ICF Charter Chapter for Kentucky, southern Ohio and southern Indiana.

Connect with Chris on his website at growthrevolution. com; via email at chris@ growthrevolution.com; and on LinkedIn, Twitter (@chrisconnect), or Facebook.

You can also call him at +1.502.554.3029.

sukiyaki/Shutterstock.com

From the Battlefield to the Corner Office

30 Coaching World

Consider the following three short coaching case studies: Age 35, served two tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan, newly hired product-management director in an insurance company, Wyatt was having trouble integrating into corporate culture. Coupled together, his exacting expectations of his team and a larger-than-life ego were driving down employee engagement and business outcomes.

Outcome

Wyatt

Equipped with insights and candid feedback from colleagues following a 360-degree feedback process, Wyatt became aware of blind spots and the impact his style was having on the performance of his team and the business. He began building key alliances with business partners. At the conclusion of the coaching engagement, he was tapped for a role expansion.

Age 32, United States Army Reservist previously called up for multiple tours in Afghanistan, recent MBA graduate, highly creative, strategic, hired as a senior marketing manager for a global consumer packaged goods company. Grace had a tendency to overthink and under-communicate. Her thinking was highly valued, but Grace was often reluctant to actively participate in meetings for fear of saying the wrong thing.

Outcome

Grace

Working with her ICF-credentialed coach, Grace became fully aware of a number of self-limiting beliefs that were holding her back and preventing her from actively participating in meetings.

Through coaching, Grace obtained new tools and experiential learning to help her show up in a fully present way in meetings. Her supervisor noticed she appeared less anxious and more comfortable in her skin. At the conclusion of the coaching engagement, her supervisor indicated a remarkable improvement in Grace’s performance. Grace was rewarded for her growth by being asked to lead a high-profile campaign.

Age 38, served three tours as a medical officer in Afghanistan, now manager of innovation for a small health care company recently acquired by a Fortune 500 company. Bright, quick and impatient, Nathan tended to lose his colleagues and team because he was always 10 steps ahead of them, leaving everyone confused. He also used a lot of military jargon that left colleagues scratching their heads as they tried to understand what he meant. Nathan had embraced technology to his detriment, preferring email communication to face-to-face meetings (which he deemed inefficient). Sensing he had some opportunities to improve his performance, Nathan requested a coach from his HR manager.

Nathan

Outcome

Beginning with a 360-degree feedback process that served as a mirror to the impact his performance was having on others, Nathan made the choice to begin turning around his performance. Working with his coach, Nathan established goals, directly confronted unhelpful stories he had created in his mind that were not serving him, and transitioned from largely passive to a more balanced and active way of communicating with others. Following the coaching engagement, he’s reported he feels more at ease and less stressed at work than ever before.

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The New Battlefield With the end of the war in Iraq and the winding down of the war in Afghanistan, more than 1 million service members like Wyatt, Grace and Nathan are expected to leave the American military through 2016. Government incentives and a barrage of employment programs created by the private sector are helping many returning heroes connect to management opportunities in America’s largest corporations.

The transition to the private sector provides a unique opportunity for employers to hire highly competent, competitive, tech-savvy and battle-tested leaders. For veterans returning from active duty service, the transition creates a way to find gainful employment and leverage the leadership skills and talents they have developed.

Regardless of situation, Executive Coaching can play a powerful role in helping these individuals make the transition from the battlefield to the boardroom, and coaches are uniquely positioned to be of service to these veterans.

While many organizations are making the commitment to hire veterans, the same organizations may or may not have considered what resources—such as coaching—may be needed to ensure successful onboarding and assimilation. Wyatt, Grace and Nathan’s employers are all examples of organizations that were not thinking ahead and found their newly hired talent in the midst of corporate crossfire they had not anticipated.

Leveraging Core Competencies

The ICF Core Competencies provide a framework that can be expanded on to best meet the needs of clients who are transitioning from military service into corporate life.

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When establishing trust and intimacy with the client, there is a unique opportunity to acknowledge the journey the veteran has already undertaken before coming to coaching, acknowledging their courage and service in the military, and obtaining permission to coach the client in a way that serves him or her best in sensitive, new areas.

Every coachee has different learning preferences and unique needs. The more the coach can clearly understand these nuances on the front end, the more effectively the coaching can be delivered throughout the engagement.

Direct communication is critically important to the success of any coaching engagement and this is particularly true with a veteran coachee. Being prepared for and embracing whatever metaphor or analogy the coachee identifies can create a more powerful coaching experience. After Nathan’s coach asked what his current situation reminded him of, he mentioned the need to call a “cease-fire.” Exploring this metaphor and the implications it had for him, his team and his colleagues created the necessary space Nathan needed to verbalize insights that were new to him.

Occasionally the HR contact, the coachee’s supervisor, the coachee and the coach may not all be on the same page. As a suggested practice to strengthen the coaching alliance and maintain confidentiality with the coachee, building periodic status meetings into the coaching engagement when all parties come together to review goals and discuss progress can ensure the coaching addresses the expectations of all stakeholders. During a status meeting with Grace, her supervisor and the HR contact, Grace was able to speak candidly

and ask for and receive a resource she needed to be successful.

Another suggested practice is for the coach to ask the coachee to score the coaching on a 1-10 scale at the conclusion of each session and request specific feedback on what was valuable about the session. The coach can then incorporate this feedback into future sessions. When asked how much value he received from a coaching session that included visualization work, Nathan scored the session a “10.”

Asking Nathan what made the coaching session a “10” yielded feedback the coach was able to immediately incorporate into future coaching sessions.

Wyatt, Grace and Nathan all came into coaching after making the transition from the battlefield to the corner office.

In each instance, Executive Coaching enabled them to make a successful transition to their next civilian mission.

Executive Coaching can play a pivotal role in helping returning servicemen and women assimilate into their new environments and position them for future success in the corporate environment. Working with these veterans and helping them overcome the challenges to cultural assimilation in corporations can be challenging, but it’s also highly rewarding. By coaching individuals who have been called to a higher service, we become part of something larger than ourselves.

Global Views

How have you used coaching to

in your community?

Coaching can be a very powerful approach to making the difference in the community. I would like to share some insights and examples based on my experience in Italy and abroad.

There are three words that spring to mind at this question: Silvia Tassarotti, MCC Italy

“I am involved in coaching a group of very talented people who dedicate their lives to creating a better world for less-privileged fellow human beings.�

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Gratuity: Coaching is a gift in itself, but to have a stronger impact it needs to be free from any commercial fee. Pro bono coaching can be very powerful, as donating creates a strong link between people. ICF Italy is running a pro bono coaching program for 23 people in a nongovernmental organization dedicated to researching rare diseases. Both the NGO’s members and the ICF coaches are very engaged in the process of personal and organizational transformation, with lasting results.

Empowerment: Coaching is at its best when people are empowered and blossom in the process. I am involved in coaching a group of very talented people who dedicate their lives to creating a better world for less-privileged fellow human beings. Working with these individuals is a privilege.

Belonging: Ultimately, coaching creates communities and a sense of belonging. I am involved in coaching and mentoring women to develop their career and leadership skills while building their network through an international association.

The way I approach coaching comes from a distinct perspective and so in many ways the impact is different too.

The basis of what I do is creating awareness and looking at the gap between reality and goals, but the fundamental shift is that I first help clients establish how they are the problem, preventing progress.

Gillian Campbell United Kingdom

How this impacts the community is that each client stops looking to blame and justify mistakes and comes from a place of responsibility about how they are contributing to every problem. Why would anyone do that? I believe that all individuals are capable of being self-deceived.

If we don’t see these self-deceptions, we can never see the full picture. A coaching intervention therefore only fits the view of reality that we start with. In a community, the effect of client after client taking responsibility for the contribution they make to a problem is creating waves of accountable change. If one person starts by saying, “How I have made this worse is … .

How can I help make it better?” then change will follow.

The other difference is I don’t ask clients what they want to achieve from their coaching. I ask them to work out what their community, customers, peers and those they are in key relationships with would want. Then we work from there to create goals.

Using a coach approach envelops most aspects of my life.

As a talent management professional, I focus on expanding coaching skills throughout the organization I work for; whether it’s developing coaching skills in leaders, supporting leadership development through one-on-one coaching or increasing team capability as a team coach. As a member of ICF Washington State’s Board of Directors, I work with other coaches to promote coaching through allied professional networking events and to businesses via our Chapter-level Prism Award.

In addition, I provide pro bono coaching for nonprofit organizations as a way of giving back. In my spare time, I’m working on a book with a friend that focuses on the best coach approach to help women leaders overcome derailment and increase resiliency. And occasionally I’ll find myself asking my pups, “What’s the worst thing that will happen if you don’t get a walk right now?” (But not really …)

“...each client stops looking to blame and justify mistakes and comes from a place of responsibility about how they are contributing to every problem.”

Lynn Schmidt, Ph.D., ACC USA

“... I provide pro bono coaching for nonprofit organizations as a way of giving back.”

Coaching World 35

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Coaching World 37

Coaching with influence.

“The ICF Credential reminds me of an effort and of the benefits I got from the process. I am a better coach and, through that, a better person since I have done ICF Credentialing. That makes me feel really great and grateful to be part of the coaching movement.”

JANEZ HUDOVERNIK, ACC (SLOVENIA)

WATCH HIS FULL STORY AT

icfcredentiallegacy.com

More than 13,000 coaches have participated in one of ICF’s three credentialing programs, gaining coaching expertise and professional fulfillment. Learn how an ICF Credential can benefit your coaching practice at icfcredentiallegacy.com.

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