First quarter over and out, March 2011

• Editors Letter
• IIC - Benefits for our Members
• First Quarter Over And Out
• Top Tip
• Your Questions Answered
• Win the Battle with your Gremlins
• IIC Member Benefit Spotlight: ICR
• A Day in the Life…
• Recommended Reading
• Share this Newsletter with a friend

Editors Letter

Dear Subscribers

First of all I wish to send prayers and healing wishes to the many families who have been affected by the Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake during February. I personally was in a state of shock for several hours when the earthquake struck, as my son is there. Thankfully he is safe. I know of others who have not been found.

Another 90 days, are about to conclude and figures will be collated and processed for the next business quarter. In this issue you’ll find a selection of articles that touch on business planning, IIC policy and CPD, continual professional development. All in all the spirit of learning is part of the IIC ethos and we are pleased to promote members workshops and short courses as well as provide accreditation for coaching schools and qualified coaches. Remember if you are searching for a professional coach do visit the ICR, in fact I invite you to visit the IIC web site and see what is new. Lot’s of changes are happening for the IIC and its members. The IIC is a great place to be – come and join us.

Finally, may I wish all of you a health spring in your step (here in the northern hemisphere we are moving into the season of spring), longer days in daylight, warmer weather and a fantastic second quarter of the year.

Yours in Coaching,
PaTrisha-Anne Todd, LCSi, AFC
Newsletter Editor

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IIC - Benefits for our Members

Build a Booming Business

Get Known Fast

The Science of Getting Rich

Coaches in Business Offer of the Month

What other Members offers would you like the IIC to source? Let us know by emailing our department for Members Offers.

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First Quarter Over And Out

Waiting for the quarterly figures to come in to confirm you’ve reached target, exceeded the projection figures or even lagged behind. Whatever the last three months results demonstrate you’ll be able to conclude exactly what is needed to meet the next 90 days project targets.

Quarterly reports are another piece of data that provides an update on various campaigns, projects, your company policies you have put together for your coaching business forming an important part of the overall robust business planning. The report actually contributes to such an extent that it can pin point what routes have led to the outcome. Difficulties, challenges and win wins can be understood and programmed in or out of the projection as the case may be for your future growth. It’s worthwhile to spend the time accumulating the accurate figures before putting to pen to paper and writing a comprehensive quarterly report.

Looking at the information contained in such a report allows you as a business owner to plot and plan what needs to be done within the next quarter. Keeping that in mind I wonder how many coaches actually take the time to create such a document.

The benefits of good planning and implementation of same is priceless. You’ll succeed in your coaching practice when you take the time and effort to chart your course allowing you to recognise the current economic conditions and trends. Your research and actions will permit you to recognise your competition, be aware of professional associations connected to the coaching arena, be mindful of your clients needs particularly for retention purposes and enable you to acquire new clients.

Each quarter year, it’s very exciting to see your efforts all come together because you have the results coming in covering the previous three months and works as a great indication that in any economy it’s possible to create your own path for your career and future security.

Great Quarterly Results
The key to achieving career success is giving value from the beginning, it’s this element that is the foundation of long term success for now and the future. Giving extraordinary value that goes beyond and above is confirmation of your intention to be serious and professional in your coaching business.

Create a buzz around your coaching while remaining professional. You’ll see amazing results and will be able to test your business growth against shrinking competition.

Every Aspect of Your Life Coaching Business Needs Accountability
Arriving at the point of having great quarterly results requires a mindset for success. That’s simply taking the concept one step further by carrying out diligent research, preparation of goal setting with strategies, and following through with positive actions. It’s not magic, but it can look like that when absolute dedication is part of the process. Making a choice allows success to happen naturally and brings about an effect of achievement rather than a feeling of regret or failure.

The actor Will Smith says “If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready”. I agree with that and highly recommend you adopt the same view point and watch your business explode.

PaTrisha-Anne Todd, Email PaTrisha-Anne Todd
© 2011 PaTrisha-Anne Todd; All Rights Reserved

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Top Tip

Most people have the main aim in life to be happy, have a great career, live in a comfortable home and enjoy their living space with a special someone. To make any of that happen you need to be in a place of ‘knowing’ what you want.

Talking about what is on your mind is a great way to ascertain what you are thinking about and could lead to you getting exactly what you want, or most certainly a moment to explore what you really want to happen.

Quite simply all you need to do is listen to what you are talking about and thinking about. Leave the monkey chatter out of this and dig in deep to your conscious mind then further still into your subconscious. You could liken it to digging into a computer, your mind is similar to a computer with layers of software, in human terms our emotions, feelings and memories. Explore your mind, check your chatter so you can organise your way to happiness and bliss.

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Your Questions Answered

Question - “What is meant by ‘listening’ in terms of coaching?”

Answer -

Listening is an extremely important tool used in the coaching process. Without proper adherence to that idea coaching would evaporate into another management system.

Listening enables us to gain information, learn more about the speaker or the subject being taught and generally is a part of the communication process.

A study declares that only 25% is taken in during a verbal exchange, with just 7% being remembered; that’s quite awful in terms of coaching, therefore it’s vital that the skill of listening is learned and carried out within all coaching sessions.

If you ever find it difficult to concentrate in listening to someone you might want to try silently repeating what they say in your mind as they say it, this technique will help you reinforce what they have said.

Have a question about coaching?

Let our experts at the IIC answer them for you

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Win the Battle with your Gremlins

One of the biggest challenges to any individual working to achieve a personal goal is themselves, or more precisely their internal ‘gremlin’ determined to sabotage their efforts at every opportunity.

For each of us they send different messages and appear at different times. Perhaps it is the little devil sitting on one shoulder battling the angel on the other, or the little voice inside us which continually questions what we are doing and why. However, our personal ‘gremlin’ manifests itself to us and tries to undermine our efforts, it is important to know that we can overcome the sabotaging effects it has on us.

Firstly, a client may not even be aware of this part of them, which often negatively controls their behaviour and causes them to act in limiting ways. Coaching is a fantastic resource to raise a person’s awareness to this. As soon as the negative messages they acknowledge are out in the open, they can start to understand from where they came, the reasons behind this sabotaging behaviour and work on strategies to accept this part of themselves, in order to keep it in balance and ensure they are able to continue to work on achieving their goals.

Some examples of thoughts ‘gremlins’ may send are:

I’ve always failed in the past.
I’m not good enough to achieve this.
I’m not worthy of this.
How can they love me?
I can’t do this.
They are better/more capable than I am.

These messages come from a basis of fear and are often at their strongest when we are stretching our comfort zone and trying new things – the exact time when we grow and develop as individuals. However, if these messages have enough power they can stop us taking those steps.

Again, coaching helps individuals identify the range of tactics and methods the ‘gremlin’ can use to ensure the same negative outcome. Just as one limiting belief has been overcome, the same sabotaging thoughts can reappear in a different guise and without continued self-awareness, progress can be challenged again.

Individuals often find it useful to detach themselves from this part of their personality so that it can be looked at more objectively, almost as if it is another person. It takes courage to look at a negative part of our make up, but this helps enormously when they start to accept it and work on allowing it to exist, but without the control it has had over them in the past.

Some individuals like to give this part of their character a persona of its own in order for them to deal with the power more easily. An example would be that of a demanding child provoking, pestering or nagging. We all know that the sole purpose of a child behaving in this way is to gain attention and as soon as it gets the attention it requires, the noise subsides. The same could be said of our internal ‘gremlin’. By ignoring it, it gains in power and strength controlling limiting beliefs. However, as soon as the negative thoughts are accepted, their power is diminished.

It is often unlikely that a ‘gremlin’ will disappear for good. It will pop up at times of stress, challenge or personal growth. However, working to recognise, accept and even love it as part of your unique personality ensures that its sabotaging efforts are kept to a minimum and you are free to continue to achieve the goals you have set yourself.

Written by Helen Jones, Email Helen Jones
©2011 Helen Jones; All Rights Reserved

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IIC Member Benefit Spotlight: ICR

The International Coaching Register is for any individual who trades as a Coach, who help individuals and/or organisations for example, establish a work life balance, manage stress levels and build communication skills amongst many other specialist areas.

Everyone who has qualified as a Coach with a recognised Coach training company should now take the opportunity to register. This will dramatically cut down on any misrepresentation that goes on within the industry. Many people have websites and call themselves a Coach but have no actual qualifications. The register will stop these people and raise the profile of genuine Coaching and how it can transform people’s lives.

President of the IIC Gerard O’Donovan said “the register has been administered by the IIC for the benefit of the world of Coaching and Coaching clients. It is also a great way for Coaches to get business as members of the public can search for registered Coaches in their area. It brings Coaching transparency at last.”

As a Member of the IIC, Have you published your details on the International Coaching Register, at no charge?
To do so:

Login to the IIC Members Area, and then select the ICR Register Edits menu option on the left hand side of the screen.

Create your entry by selecting:
Insurance - enter your Professional Indemnity Insurance details here.

Training - enter the details of all the training courses you have completed here.

Workshops - enter the details of all the workshops you have attended here.

Accreditation - your IIC Accreditation details will automatically be included here. You also have the opportunity to enter the details of all the accreditations/credentials you have been awarded, as an independent verification of your Coach training and experience.

Business Details - select or enter all types of Coaching you include in your Coaching Business/Practice.

Organisation Membership Details - enter the details of all Business Organisations in which you hold a Membership -these could be other Coaching Bodies, Chamber of Commerce, or any type of organisation that is appropriate to your business.

Display - do not forget to DISPLAY your details.Selecting yes your details will be displayed on the International Coaching Register. For IIC Accredited Coaches, your details will also be displayed on the IICs Coaching Referral programme.
We look forward to seeing you on the International Coaching Register.

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A Day in the Life Of…

IIC’s Head of Membership - John Standaloft

Raising Credibility, Coaching Standards

As the IIC’s Head of Membership my remit is to assist in providing the services that members want and that will encourage new members to join. A crucial aspect of this is in publicising the existence of services and making it easy for members to use them.

For the IIC to be successful in giving good value in terms of the services it provides, participation by members is vital. My aim is to encourage interaction and enable members to take full advantage of what is on offer.

This month I am highlighting the role of the IIC in raising credibility and standards among the coaching profession.

International community
The IIC membership spans over 70 countries and negotiates at national level in moving towards the creation of a professional, self-regulated industry that is recognised globally. It provides a structure for accountability and standards and a platform for members to voice their views about coaching as a profession.

This gives coaches an incredibly high level of credibility when interacting with the non-coaching community, being able to demonstrate pro-activity in voluntarily providing accountability and high professional standards.

Standards and Ethics
The IIC has a comprehensive ethical foundation which embraces these core values as the basis for professional standards:-

Integrity
Honesty
Transparency
Excellence
Care
Professionalism
Accountability

These cover the following areas of responsibility:-

Client Care
Personal Professional conduct
Professional Relationships

For full details of these 3 areas go to the website at

www.internationalinstituteofcoaching.org/standards_and_ethics.

Being able to operate under the standards and ethics as laid down by the IIC is a huge benefit to members as it gives them credibility and instils a high level of confidence in prospective clients.

Complaints Procedure
To reinforce this, the IIC has a comprehensive complaints procedure (see the website at
www.internationalinstituteofcoaching.org/complaints_procedure) designed to enable IIC members or a member of the public to raise a grievance against an IIC member. It embodies a process that takes the complaint through from notification to enforceable outcome.

Its existence is a further demonstration that the IIC is committed to upholding the highest standards for the coaching profession and its members benefit accordingly.

Tell us your stories and the stories of people whom you admire.

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Recommended Reading

Links to books available through amazon.com that were published by our members, as well as any other books which we find particularly helpful for coaching ideas and insights will be placed here. Cheers to reading!