Greater Indianapolis Chapter of the International Coach Federation

Coaching with the Brain in Mind –
A lecture from David Rock, author of the book Quiet Leadership
Summary by Margee Jaeger

Through a relationship with the New England ICF Chapter, Indy ICF members had the opportunity to listen to David Rock’s tele-seminar, “Coaching with the Brain in Mind.” He presented evidence from a controlled experiment illustrating that coaching, when focused on behavioral change alone, does not affect lasting positive change. In fact, in only six months after completing the coaching relationship, the clients reverted back to old behavior patterns. Recently members met to discuss their thoughts and coaching experiences related to Rock’s work. A brief summary of the conversation follows.

Pointing out that most of our brain (99.9% of it in fact) is already hard-wired by our past experiences and assumptions, Rock asserts that the real opportunity to affecting lasting change is found in altering the thought patterns of our neuro pathways. As coaches, we have the opportunity to work with a small amount of what he calls “working memory” that our clients have. The catch is that the working memory is easily distracted and overruled by the hard-wired part of the brain; so if clients are to adopt a sustainable new way of doing something, they need to establish a new way of thinking about it.

In the workplace workers and managers have established patterns of communicating and relating. For example, if an individual has learned by previous experience that she is not heard when she presents her ideas in meetings, then she most likely will keep her thoughts to herself in meetings. Her thinking is that she won’t be heard anyway. If a coach can engage with her by encouraging her, creating space for her to speak up and be heard, providing positive feedback and exploring the thinking pattern, the thinking pattern can begin to change.

A quote from David Rock sums up our conversation nicely. He says, “Help people to think better, don’t tell them what to do.”

For more information the following websites were provided:

www.quietleadership.com
www.resultscoaches.com

Changing Gremlins into Leprechauns
by Sandy Cropper
Dr. Ed Mitchell led participant Coaches on a search for the Gold! As a successful Coach and Therapist, Ed developed a process over the past 20 years to help his clients turn Gremlins into Leprechauns.

As Coaches we often help our clients who are stuck because of Gremlins (Limiting Beliefs) that no longer serve them. But we can also get stuck with them!

Ed shared that a small percentage of our beliefs are unconscious yet they have a powerful impact on our behavior. Participants were guided through a process of identifying and making these beliefs conscious. By moving the Gremlin into the realm of the conscious, we take away its power to control how we think and act. This process alone is often enough to begin to minimize the negative impact of the Gremlin.

The transformation occurs when you, as the Coach, enable the client to choose new beliefs or affirmations to replace limiting beliefs.

Ed’s program stimulated a lot of discussion as participants shared challenges in helping clients achieve goals beyond what they thought was possible. Everyone left energized and ready to use the knowledge gained through a powerful presentation!

Effectively Utilizing Assessment Tools in Your Coaching Practice
By Deb Brandt Buehler
For Indy Chapter ICF members that attended the program presented by Ellen Moran, they received a thorough and dynamic look at assessment tools available to executive and life coaches. Moran's expertise with assessment tools were reflected in the depth of her understanding of these resources for the benefit of career development, leadership development, organizational consultation and personal growth and development.

Moran began her conversation with attendees by sharing the questions she considers when choosing an assessment tool. She described her own interior thought process and the questions she considers as she evaluates how she will approach a particular development opportunity:

How is the client describing the issue?
Are there different levels understanding among the key leaders?
Is an individual over-matched for his/her position or role?
What are the different motivational dynamics going on within the team or organization?
Is there a role conflict, clash of personalities, or lack of clarity?

After obtaining an understanding of these questions, Moran then begins to consider whether an assessment tool would be valuable in this situation. Some of the things she considers are:

What is the assessment tool's expense to the company?
Can I communicate value that's meaningful with this tool?
How much time can be devoted to assessment?
Do I need assessments at all?
Can I get the information I need through 360 degree interviews?
How invasive will the assessment experience be?
What is the client's level of trust that I will keep confidential the information gleaned from assessments?
How will my client(s) likely engage with the information provided from the assessment?
What has been the individual or organization's past history with assessments?
How important is reliability and validity?
Is the organization already invested in particular assessment tools? If so, but they are unreliable and reliability is important, how do I influence them to try a new tool?
Is this tool scalable to use with a team or for an organization assessment?

"In the end, it's not the tool, it's the tools you have as a coach and how you use them," said Moran. "Assessments are more about the effectiveness of the coach."

The remainder of Moran's program was spent providing a detailed overview of a variety of assessment tools including what information they can provide and how they might be used in corporate settings. She provided detailed information regarding the following assessment tools:

Managing Corporate Lifecycles
Leadership Effectiveness Analysis (LEA)
Symlog
Individual Directions Inventory
Personal Directions
The Language of Influence
Inventory for Work Attitude and Motivation (iWAM)
The Highlands
The Wave
The Hogan Development Survey
The Change Works Grid

Moran's overview included information about the cost and duration of training in order to be able to use assessment tools. She also noted that almost all assessments have networks of people who can administer them. For those without assessment training, perhaps the best strategy Moran suggested is that of co-coaching: finding an assessment administrator to collaborate with in administration and review of results can benefit coaches and their clients.

Ellen Moran is a business psychologist, executive coach and founder of Leadership Dialogues located in St. Louis. Her clients range from global corporations in the US and Europe to small privately held and family businesses. She currently leads the assessment and coaching components of several leadership development programs for senior executives and high potentials.

Authentically On-Brand with Mary LoVerde
By Deb Brandt Buehler

Mary LoVerde is who she says she is in her talks and presentations, in her vision for the future, in her intentionality to connect authentically. Mary LoVerde's brand is the power of life balance through connection.

On September 9, 2008, Indianapolis area coaches had an inspiring evening with Mary LoVerde considering just what is it that makes us each on- or off- brand in our work lives and professional practices.

LoVerde engaged participants by sharing ah-ha moments from her own experience. She related a story about her son being taken to preschool without a Halloween costume. He was the only child in class that day without a costume. His sense of humiliation triggered LoVerde's own reflection about balance in her life.

LoVerde took her learning experiences into her business life. She says it is very important to her that everything that comes out of her mouth and out of her office be on brand, reflecting the integrity and reliability of her brand.

"A brand is a promise. It builds trust and creates expectations," says LoVerde.

It is important for everyone in the business, employees and support staff, to understand the brand and fully reflect it. LoVerde gave a personal example of when she and her staff got off-brand with difficult consequences. When called upon to give speeches from locations across the country, LoVerde and her team decided to ship a pie to the client from each city. The pies didn't travel very well. What LoVerde realized was that she isn't in the shipping or the pie business. She had gotten off-brand.

"When you are off-brand, your clients may experience it as a betrayal," explains LoVerde.

Louise Dunn knows Mary well and agrees with her self-assessment. "Her personal and professional personas are exactly the same," says Dunn.

In another example, LoVerde pointed to the recent experiences of Hannah Montana. Photographed for the cover of a magazine in an off-brand way, Montana had to apologize to her fans because the image wasn't aligned with her brand.

"To avoid being off-brand, you must get to know your brand," states LoVerde. "Just because you have a brand, doesn't mean you don't have to keep building on it."

When she began her speaking career, someone advised LoVerde: "Go deep, not wide."She adds, "it is essential that we each have a clearly thought-out brand or niche that we market to. Experts say that those who make the most money and attract the ideal clients are those with the most specific niche. If your niche is too wide, it won't set you apart or make you an expert."

To find out what your niche is LoVerde suggests asking your clients. LoVerde said that we should pay particular attention when two or more clients say the same thing. She recommends being really clear about your passion. When you understand your passion, you are able to live with integrity and congruence.

Recession Proof Your Coaching Practice
June 2008 - Program Review
By Deb Buehler
ICF Indianapolis Chapter members engaged in a sample of the chapter's new Coaches Forum offerings on Friday June 20, 2008. Participating members were part of a collective conversation and deliberate brainstorming focused on strategies for Recession Proofing Your Coaching Practice.

Led by Life Design Coach, Louise Dunn, coaches considered the consequences and impact of "shrinking thinking." In today's challenging economy, coaches have an opportunity to provide leadership for those who are facing the many fears of our economic climate.

"Change is going to continue at an accelerated pace," says Dunn. "We must help our clients integrate to rapid change. Coaches can think big all the time - interpreting problems and challenges as an invitation to see things differently. We can help people see life through new and expanded lenses."

With that in mind, participants worked individually to identify their own highest income generating activities. In particular, Dunn invited participants to look at things they've done in the past to earn income which they are presently not doing. After picking a particular item to focus on, individuals gathered in small groups for intentional brainstorming around each approach.

Ideas flew as individuals listened to ideas generated by their fellow coaches. Each person gained insight into new approaches for reconnecting to an income generating activity. Further conversation focused on adding greater value to coaching programs and services. Again, small groups engaged in dynamic brainstorming resulting in renewed ideas and energy around action steps individual coaches can take.

"You must be fearless about addressing a challenge or problem." explains Dunn. "Find an underserved area where you know you have expertise, passion and interest. Position yourself as a leader and expert. Then you are positioning yourself to be quoted and referred to by others."

Dunn left participants with the task of identifying their 90-day strategic plan for implementation of action items identified through brainstorming.

Dunn is also the energy behind the ICF Indianapolis Chapter's new program offering called "The Coaches Forum." This exciting member benefit will provide a means for coaches to connect between programs around topics that are of the highest interest and relevance to those who truly want to thrive in this industry. Through the Forum, coaches will be able to receive encouragement and support at the local level from those who are already in established in practice, have completed a certification process and are willing to help others become successful.

The Coaches Forum is intended to offer coaches opportunities to share and explore cutting edge ideas while encouraging collaboration between coaches in our area. In the months ahead, members will be invited to participate in Forum discussions through live meetings, tele-conferences, book discussion groups and local special interest groups.

For those attending this sampler Coaches Forum the fruits were many. New ideas and energy were generated, enthusiastic connections were made among participants and those new to coaching were engaged in the resources and opportunities our chapter offers.

Coach and Therapist
May 2008 - Program Review
By Deb Brandt Buehler
Have you ever wondered if a coaching client might benefit from the support of professional counseling or therapy? "Every coach can benefit from developing a collegial relationship with a therapist," states Dr. Ed Mitchell, an Associate Certified Coach and LMFT, LCSW and LMHC. "Coaches and therapists may realize opportunities for referrals to each other in order to provide the best service to meet the individual client's needs."

In his recent program Coach and Therapist; Allies in Change, Dr. Mitchell framed both the challenges and opportunities coaches face when working with clients. Coaching, mentoring and therapy share some of the same characteristics; caring, making connections, empowering and attending to the individual. Each model focuses in on listening to and understanding an individual's story.

Therapy has long been grounded in the medical illness model while coaching has a focus on the wholeness already present in the individual. Dr. Mitchell used four client stories as a framework for stimulating conversation among program participants. The four stories also became a resource for discussing the differences between the two models.

Dr. Mitchell concluded his program with the following strategies for making a referral:

Refer the client to their primary care physician. This may be a way to help them begin to address anxiety or depression.

Refer the client to a therapist for testing. This referral may include the suggestion that the client sign a release so that the therapist and coach can share results.

If the need is urgent, require your client to seek help from a mental health professional as a condition of continuing the coaching relationship.

It may be supportive to refer the client to a 12 step program or recovery group where they may address feelings and fears and find support.

"Don't be afraid to be involved in a collaborative way," concludes Mitchell. "After a client begins therapy, inquire about the process with questions like; how was the first session? What did you think? What did you decide to do?" Working collaboratively with other coaches and with professionals in related fields' benefits both clients and each coach individually. It is through relationships that coaches continue to cultivate their professional expertise.

Clarian Health graciously sponsored our most recent program - Health Coaching: Using a Coaching Model to Improve Health and Wellness. The presenters were Theresa Knox ACC, Tammy Smith RN BSN, Jim Kerr and Jim Kenney. Following is a brief synopsis written by Theresa Knox.

Health affects every area of a person's life. As coaches, we have the unique opportunity to help people speak up about their health needs and refer them to resources that will help them address the challenges they are facing. In actuality, health coaching utilizes many of the same tools and theories that other forms of coaching do from Prochaska's Transtheoretical Theory to Appreciative Inquiry. So coaches probably have most of the tools they need to help their clients.

Health coaching focuses on improving health symptoms, changing a person's perception of wellness, assisting in navigating the healthcare system, and helping people align their behaviors with their life goals. Besides the coaching process, a big part of health coaching is linking people with the resources they need to manage their wellness. If you want to address health issues, consider finding out about the community resources in your area from fitness clubs to nurse lines and everything in between. Also, take a look at some reliable medical websites like 1on1health and WebMD to educate yourself about healthcare challenges your clients are facing. Most importantly, don't be afraid to bring up the topic of health in your conversations. You don't have to be an expert!

We greatly appreciate Clarian Health for their sponsorship and the excellent presentations made by the speakers. If you have questions about health coaching, you may contact Jim Kenney at Haelan Group, jkenney@haelan.com or Theresa Knox at Clarian Health, tknox@clarian.org.

Other Recent Topics & Speakers:

Coaching Transformational Change - Patti Ayars
Group Coaching - Bud Roth
Everything is Possible - Dan Johnson CEC and Louise Dunn CTACC
The Best of the 12th Annual International ICF Conference presented by attendees:
Ed Mitchell ACC - Neuroscience of Coaching
Shaping the Future of Leaders and Those Who Coach Them
Theresa Knox ACC - Health Coaching and Coaching Research
Testing the Results of What We Do
Shirley Triller PCC - Relationship Mapping

Our new leadership is a creative group of professionals who are engaged and are taking action to provide thought provoking programs and opportunities for this year. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!

Best regards,

Shirley Triller shirleyt@hrdimensions.com