Coaching
priniciples
My four coaching principles and method come from 30 years of experience in leadership, communication, coaching, and strategic planning. I bring this experience and knowledge to each coaching session, championing you to chart out the next phase of your life. I truly believe every day and every person I coach is a gift and mission – it’s simply God’s design for me and my work.
Determined Resolve
A pig and a chicken decide to open a restaurant together. They call the restaurant “Bacon and Eggs”. The chicken is dedicated, but the pig is all in!
How about you, are you all in? Both determination and resolve are necessary when clients begin working with a coach. They form the starting point of making real change in our lives. That's why together, they are my first principle in coaching!
Although both words are similar, the subtle difference between the two make them a powerful combination. By themselves small changes in our lives may happen, but putting them together helps us to shrug off old habits, and embrace real change.
Determination, which is the act of coming to a decision or settling on a purpose, helps us to begin to move towards a new direction in our lives. Many times we will get fed up with things in our lives that are not fulfilling. So we decide or determine that we want to make a change. Lots of people decide to sign up for a new gym membership, but how many actually go and workout? This is the challenge with decisions to change. They start the process, but where is the will and accountability?
Resolve is stronger than deciding. It is a vow or a promise to yourself that no matter what happens, this is what you WILL do. Resolve is a personal obligation that goes past making a decision – it is making good on a decision. If you decide on something you can just as easily change your mind, but with resolve you make a formal, lasting commitment to yourself and others.
So determination is the decision, which can change at any moment. Resolve is the obligation, the passion, and the commitment needed to move towards new goals and habits. Determination sets the course, and resolve KEEPS us on course.
This is where coaching begins, and ultimately makes a difference in your life as the client. When you are determined and resolved, I can champion and challenge you towards higher levels of fulfillment. So what do you think, are you ready to get to work and be “all in” with change in your life? As your coach, I can't wait to see what determination and resolve can do for you.
Uncommon Commitment
Entrepreneurs and leaders declare uncommon commitment is the essential “all in” approach to faith and life!
The importance of uncommon commitment is translating good intentions into great achievement, which makes it my second principle of coaching. For some, this is the beginning of the coaching journey, exploring who you really are, and what you really stand for. This is the power of knowing your God-given mission in life, and defining your true values. This is the power of understanding that mission and values come first, and focusing on them creates fulfillment!
Let's be honest, many people go through life having never defined who they are and what they stand for. For them, life is a constant march towards an undefined objective. It is like going on a road trip without a map or a compass. Some let other people define who they are, never really content, but just settling for the path of least resistance. Just ask yourself, what would life be like living out who are you and what you believe 24/7?
On the other hand, uncommon commitment is about being true to our capabilities, our talents, and our dreams. When you work within this principle you honor your God-given potential. This is hard and also liberating work, based on self-assessment and exploration. Together we can flush out dissonance and disconnects in your life, and then work towards setting realistic goals that fulfill who you are and what you stand for.
You can always expect uncommon commitment from me as your coach. The focus of every session, every exercise, and every request comes from my commitment to my clients and the coaching process. I have experienced the liberation and excitement that comes from the discovered life. And I am uncommonly committed to coach as many people as possible to find their inner purpose, and then remain true to it over time.
Uncommon commitment is the principle and foundation that unleashes passion and creativity in our lives. You have changes to make, dreams to fulfill, and goals to reach. You can accomplish them from a place that truly resonates and fulfills your mission and values. With uncommon commitment you can be “all in.”
Creative capability
“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou
The ultimate goal of coaching is transformation in areas of your life bringing more balance and fulfillment. Creative capability is the key to transformation, making it my third principle of coaching. This is the process of clearing away the blinders, searching for new insights, and creating new perspectives or ways of thinking.
We all can get stuck in old ways of thinking from time to time. The key is looking for new viewpoints, and the coach has a major role in this process. When we begin to challenge assumptions we move past the old ways and see things in a different light. This is where the creative process begins.
Creativity is the necessary ingredient for change, and every situation always has multiple course of action. The Co-Active Coaching Model teaches this truth in those situations:
“People are inherently capable; capable of finding answers; capable of choosing; capable of taking action; capable of recovering when things don’t go as planned and, especially capable of learning.”
I love to take a stand for other people’s natural creativity and resourcefulness, championing them to find their answers. Once clients understand their capability, they are able to tap into their creativity. With thought-provoking questions, challenges, and accountability I will always honor the client’s ability to create effective choices that lead to balance and fulfillment.
My coaching techniques and exercises are rooted in creative capability. Whether I am challenging you to find a different perspective, or championing a new insight, my focus is on you, the client. You are capable, you are creative, and together we can find the unique answers needed to move forward. And from this place we can develop plans, goals, and objectives that drive the transformation process.
Additionally, each of us have talents and abilities that make us unique and special. We become creative with our capability once we embrace our uniqueness. God created you different and unique for a definite purpose. With His help we can always find the plan that honors you as a special creation. And with this creative capability in full gear, we can tap into my fourth principle of coaching - an abundance of positive possibilities for the future.
Positive Possibilities
Negative thinking creates limitations. Positive thinking inspires possibilities.
We always have a personal choice to make when dealing with challenging situations or an uncertain future – you can wallow in the negative, or you can focus your energy on a positive way forward. This is what I love about my fourth principle of coaching, positive possibilities.
When you know who are and what you stand for (your uncommon commitment), and are involved in your own creative capability, you can expect some uncertainty and friction in your life. This is where the power of being positive opens up endless possibilities for you and your future.
When defining this principle, it may be helpful to first say what it's not. It is not being unrealistic or a Pollyanna. Tough situations demand serious approaches and realistic courses of action. However, it doesn’t help the situation by succumbing to the natural gravitational pull of negativism. Finding a positive way to deal with people or “issues” doesn’t mean you sugarcoat the problem you face. It means you display a mature, calm, can do attitude towards overcoming and dealing with the challenge.
Being positive is about facing challenges head on with your eyes wide open. When we are negative we close our minds to the unlimited options available to us. When we are positive we remove the blinders, and look for the options and common ground that are always available. This coaching principle is a realistic and effective approach when we search for effective solutions and a way to move forward.
As your coach we will seek to see people and situations in a positive way. I know that positive energy and optimism are contagious, and even the most difficult problems can be tackled and solved effectively. My personal faith drives me to always be hopeful. My time in the Army gives me an attitude to never give up. And my coaching experience adds an element of enthusiasm and confidence in my clients and our work together.
A good friend of mine once said, “You don’t drown because you fall in the water, you drown because you STAY in the water!” Life can be tough and challenging, but it can also be filled with positive possibilities. As your coach, I will always look for and champion the positive possibilities in your life.