Tomorrow's
Life Coach In This Issue:
Tomorrow's Life Coach (TLC) is a monthly online journal from the Institute for Life Coach Training (ILCT) that nourishes the intellect, intuition and inspiration of the personal and business coaching community. Pat's Ponderings - Getting Paid Our Worth as Coaches Money is a topic most people are not comfortable talking about, at least not in public. Because of this, few people are good at asking for help with making money, creating new sources of money, and especially with making money from doing what we love. This is a problem. In order for us to grow a profitable and satisfying coaching business, it is beneficial to speak to others who have already created a successful practice. Learning from those who have already done the work can save us a lot of time and effort. If we are struggling to make ends meet, it is not likely that we are enjoying what we do as much as we should, nor are we able to give ourselves fully to clients. But this need not be the case, even in these tough economic times. We can learn how to market ourselves, and there are no failures in these efforts. All attempts to generate business, or network, or change our model are just experiments and they get results—success or failure. We can learn from both, just as our clients do. We have the skills to help people through these challenging times, and to create a relationship that rewards both the coach and the coached. A lot of people are out of work these days, with unemployment (as of January, 2009) at a 27-year high of 11.6 million people. These certainly are alarming numbers, but they also reveal an opportunity for coaches to help people redesign their lives around work that is more satisfying. Coaches should view the current economy as a chance to prove the value of coaching to assist clients in career redesign, staying focused, and looking for opportunities they are better suited for . . . like creating a new career or business. Many executives who have been downsized, or offered early retirement sometimes have outplacement counseling (coaching) paid for for 3-6 months by their company. That is how I filled my practice in 1999 when a major company in my town was closing its operations. There is a great opportunity right now to expand the public awareness of coaching, and with that awareness we increase our potential client base. However, in this current market, coaches may have to consider making some hard adjustments, such as reducing their fees, doing more group-coaching, or finding other creative ways to bring in new clients. For example, we can partner with folks from other disciplines such as fitness training, corporate head hunters, accountants, lawyers, or other venues where the partnership and cross-referrals could be beneficial to both parties. It might also be useful to partner with other coaches in your area to market your services together in the print media, on the radio, or through making yourselves available to newspapers, radio shows, and television stations to talk about coaching as a way to assist people though the current economic climate. It's also possible, at least for a short time, to redirect one's coaching efforts toward the corporate world, where streamlining, efficiency, and corporate culture are all on the table for redefinition as businesses try to minimize losses and increase returns. According to the Harvard Business Review, corporate coaches have a median income of $500 an hour. Even better for the coaches, the typical relationship in corporate coaching lasts between seven to twelve months. One way to create this type of business without having to become a fully corporate coach is to become a content coach. The content coach is becoming more common. Companies plowing new ground by going into foreign countries are finding coaches with extensive experience in international operations. While some would call this a consulting relationship, there are several differences. The coaches are not prescribing answers nor are they making their conclusions public. Most of the interaction is done in the background and the conversations are completely between the coach and the leader. The leader is still the one who must make the decision and take the accountability. The process is often one of challenging thought process and testing assumptions. These opportunities are not limited to international operations. Content coaches provide one-on-one assistance to team leaders "on specific content areas in which they need assistance, such as marketing, finance or negotiations." Certainly, the level of income mentioned above isn't available to all of us, and maybe we don't possess the appropriate skill set, anyway. What then? The Meaning of Money Keeping with that liquid metaphor, currency as the word we use for money derives from a Latin word that means to run or flow, or more specifically, a "'condition of flowing,' from L. "currens, ppr. of currere, to run." (see current); the sense of a flow or course extended 1699 (by John Locke) to 'circulation of money'". In this sense, money can be considered a symbol of the life energy we receive and the life energy we give when we provide the service of coaching to others. Just as a river must keep flowing—else it gets clogged and stagnates—it is circulation that keeps it vital and flowing. If our intention is to hold onto money and hoard it, we are stopping its circulation and that of our life energy as well. This way of seeing money moves beyond the economic idea of money as a tool of commerce and toward a more holistic vision of currency, the flow of energy. Lack of Sales & Marketing Experience and
Desire The (Subconscious) Belief That Making Money
by Coaching is Bad We can combine our general sense of optimism with a more holistic relationship to money to generate new ideas and greater expression in how we navigate the turbulence in our culture. There is more to optimism, however, than the clichés about the law of attraction. A lot of folks talk about the principle of attraction…but the last six letters are ACTION. Coaches must do the things that will attract new clients. We cannot simply wish for clients or intend that they will show up. This is where the idea of flow comes in again, when the coach gets in the flow of meeting people, being visible, requesting referrals, being specific about marketing, or focusing our efforts—only then will opportunities come our way. Only then will we earn what we are worth as coaches, as human beings. Pat Patrick Williams Ed.D., MCC Monthly ILCT-CPH Teleconference - Becoming a Consciously Competent Coach Please join Dr. Patrick Williams, President and CEO of the Institute for Life Coach Training, author of Law and Ethics in Coaching, and Sara Duiven, Marketing Manager of CPH & Associates on March 18th for a discussion focused on Becoming a Consciously Competent Coach. During this 60-minute conference call Pat and Sara will be discussing the the points below, plus fielding specific questions submitted during registration:
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Fee: no charge (long distance charges may apply) Pat's Coaching Forum - A New Direction for Health Care Join Dr. Patrick Williams and Jim Strohecker, CEO and Co-founder of HealthWorld Online (www.healthy.net) to learn more about coaching and New Opportunities for Health and Wellness Coaching based on the U.S. Administration's new directions in health care. The topics to be discussed are:
Fee: No charge (long distance charges may apply) Introduction to Coaching Calls: Join us for a one-hour class that will introduce you to the wonderful career of Life Coaching. We want to share our excitement with you and give you information to help you decide if life coaching is for you! Fee: No charge. (Long distance charges may apply).
March 6th: REGISTER NOW March 20th: REGISTER NOW Times: 2:00 p.m. Eastern/New York/Toronto time Free Coach Referral Service
for CLCs This list is being offered as a free service to assist individuals in identifying and selecting coaches best suited for their particular need. If you have your Certified Life Coach credential, and have not registered — Sign up now Strength in Numbers: Creating high-performance teams
means focusing on shared goals Teams are the most common business unit for high performance. Although the word "team" gets used loosely and not always appropriately, there is universal acceptance that teams create opportunities for high-performance results. As coaches, we can be highly instrumental in team-building and defining a team’s direction. True teamwork represents a set of values that promote individual and collective performance. Effective teams value listening and communicating, sharing work responsibilities, providing support – and they can even make work more social and enjoyable. Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith (The Wisdom of Teams, Teams at the Top) provide the clearest definition of teams: A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and an approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. The essence of a team is common commitment. Without it, work groups are just collections of individuals working together but separately. A coach’s goal is to help facilitate teamwork and to generate a common goal among team members. Work & Social Needs The Hawthorne Studies have importance for executives interested in increasing results without command and control tactics:
This is not to say that management should leave teams alone. Teams left on their own can become confused. Management is responsible for clarifying the challenge for the team, and for being flexible enough to leave the team to develop commitment to purpose, sets of specific goals, timing, and work approach. Meaning & Emotional Energy These goals relate to the common purpose and build on each other, moving the team forward towards achievement and creating powerfully motivating steps to success. The achievement of goals along the way builds momentum, fosters trust among members, and helps maintain continued commitment. Specific performance goals may be different for each group, but the importance of helping a team define its goals is immense. Transforming broad directives into specific goals is a process that provides first steps for forming the identity and purpose of the team. As the team progresses with small wins, they reaffirm their shared commitment. Clarity & Focus . . . Read the full article. Consciousness Relationship Summit The Conscious Relationship Summit is the first and only international tele-conference to focus on creating the awareness and inspiring the action needed to create conscious relationships in all areas of life. We all want to love and be loved; to create a better world in which we can exist in harmony and peace; yet we need more than good intentions; we need to acquire the knowledge and skills to develop and sustain successful relationships. Attend this 5-day virtual conference from the comfort of your home or office. Your participation will elevate consciousness worldwide. Together we can promote creative strategies and powerful action to create conscious relationships and make a tangible difference in the world. For singles, couples, parents, relationship and helping professionals, and the media.
Proceeds benefit international charities for families and children. View the program schedule or Register Now! In Case You Missed These Calls: Business Insurance Needs with Dr. Patrick Williams and Sara Duiven, Marketing Manager, CPH & Associates During this 60-minute call, Pat and Sara discussed the points below and fielded questions asked by participants during registration:
Listen to a recording of this call A New Direction for Health Care with Dr. Patrick Williams and Jim Strohecker, CEO and Co-founder of HealthWorld Online (www.healthy.net). The topics discussed were:
Listen to a recording of this call Expand Your Business!
Deepen Your Coaching Skills! Where In The World Is Pat Williams? July 7th & 8th Learn the basics of Life Coaching, the PEOPLEMAP personalities assessment, and the skills to coach couples to create a more fulfilling relationship. Coach couples to overcome the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Includes the Peoplemap Personality Assessment, demonstration, skills practice, and practice-building tips. What Pat Recommends
Tomorrow's Life Coach™ Patrick Williams, Ed.D., Publisher If you wish to use any of our content in a newsletter, magazine or other media (whether public or internal), please request permission. |
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