A great article about coaching appeared in USA Today. Sorry I saved the link, but not the date. In part, it said:

“[Coaches] give clients the confidence to get unstuck — to change careers, repair relationships, or simply get their act together…

“We are not talking about being incompetent or weak. They are everyday, normal people who have their lives together. They realize the value of having somebody to help them think outside the box.” — life coach Laura Berman Fortgang.

“Life coaches are a new option for the worried well — those whose lives are only slightly askew. No longer do they need a diagnosis from a psychotherapist who delves into the painful past. Using the telephone or Internet, they can sign up with an upbeat life coach who becomes a partner in defining a better future.”

I love that concept of the “worried well.”

I use a management style I call “Management by the Group Worry.” When the boss is worried, she says to herself, “Why should I worry alone?” and she calls a meeting.
She tells her staff, “I’m worried about….”
Inevitably, someone at the meeting will say, “Oh, I have that covered.” Or “Oh, I think that’s part of my job.”

Sometimes no one has an answer but the group can come up with one together, and the boss goes away no longer worried.

So the “worried well” get coaches to help them see what they really already have undercontrol and what they don’t. The coach can help determine the problems and help guide the client’s plan of action.

The article continues:

“Although many coaches take extensive courses, many others are without credentials. Virtually anyone can declare himself a life coach, says David Fresco, a psychology professor at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. “There are no qualifications, no unified approach to coaching, no oversight board. Basically they fly under the radar screen of any sort of oversight.” And the virtues of what many offer are unproven, he says.”

This is the truth. But coaching is all about the relationship. Do you think you’re getting value for your bucks? Great. Do you feel in control of the sessions and the relationship? Great.

You should ask about training and credentials. But like your SAT scores on the way into college, they aren’t the final word in the acceptance process.

By the way:
On the Christmas eve, I got word from the ICF (International Coach Federation) that they have accepted my application for certification as a Professional Certified Coach. The PCC designation requires certain training and verification of 750 hours of coaching.

Thanks to all who helped me file the paperwork!

When I took my first coaching course thru CTI in 1999, I wasn’t entirely sure that I wanted to stop being a craftsman and start being a coach. I took the introductary course so that I could find out more about coaching. I reasoned that what ever I learned it would have value — even if all it did was make me a better friend. (As if being a better friend is “just” anything!)

But according to a January 4, 2006 article in the
Globe and Mail, a Canadian national newspaper,

Redesigning your job so you have coaching and mentoring responsibilities will make you extremely valuable … And if you want to ease out of full-time work, employers are likely to be open to retaining you on a consulting or contract basis.

“You need to keep upgrading your skills, so take advantage of continuing education that your employer may offer.”

Both kinds of “helpers” are useful. Knowing what to ask of each is key.

A good mentor has been down your road before and can show you where the pits are.
A good coach might have that information but understands the value and the necessity of your figuring out for yourself if that’s really a pit or maybe a wormhole to a different dimension.

Having your own coach will help you see the difference between coaching and mentoring. And it will help you to learn to ask the really big questions of your staff or employees.

May you find your own best way in the new year.

Kerch