9 Simple Tips To Get Started On Marketing Your Coaching Business Today

Started your own business?  Struggling getting started in marketing you and your business?  Well you are not alone.

I know how hard it can be to decide where to focus your marketing efforts. The mixed emotions. Excited being in control of your own livelihood.  Whilst dealing with anxiety and agony of finding your first or next client.

In this article I’ll share with you my top 9 tips on getting started marketing your business.

Tip 1: Know your client

Who is your ideal client? If you don’t know, how you can market your business to them? So, make this your number one priority.

How do you work out who is the ideal client?

Well meet John. He’s 45, married with two children and works as a personal banker in Auckland.

He’s not a real person but let’s say he represents your ideal client.

This is the start of building your client persona(s), using standard demographics such as age, gender, location and profession.  Now let’s build on this.

Step into John’s world.  What are his challenges and pain points? What are his dreams and goals in life and work?  Answer these and it will help you understand what will motivate him to choose your services or products.

How do you find these answers?

Here are some suggestions:

Social media: people use it as an opportunity to share their successes, knowledge and complain about their problems.

Go to your social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter etc… and search for your client persona/target audience. Discover what they like or dislike about your type of services or products.

Consider joining relevant groups and get into the minds of your clients. You will be surprised how quickly you’ll get to know what they really want from you.

It’s a great place to see what your competitors are doing as well!

Capture some of the key phrases and statements they are using and use them when writing about your service or product.

Review Sites: check out reviews on sites like Amazon or search Google for reviews on services or products like yours.

Talk to people: Find out from your friends, family and colleagues what’s going on in their world and what help they need.

I have created a template to help you capture your client personas. This is available to ANZCAL Members on the ANZCAL resources web page.

Tip 2: Creating YOUR 1-minute elevator pitch

What do you say when somebody asks you what you do for a living?

You don’t have long to get across why you do what you do, how you do what you do and finally what you do.  Indeed, the name ‘elevator pitch’ reflects the idea you should be able to achieve this in the time an elevator ride takes, approximately 30-60seconds.

Work on perfecting this pitch and use it whenever possible with new people you meet or online when introducing yourself.

Tip 3: Leveraging your Contacts and Networks

It’s easy to forget you already have many contacts and networks to use.  Just open your contacts list up on your phone. How many friends, family and colleagues do you have in there? What about your Email, Facebook, LinkedIn etc…? Don’t be afraid of reaching out to them. You never know where a conversation may lead.

Tip 4: Collaboration with other businesses

What other business types could you collaborate with? Pick ones that complement and don’t compete with your services or products? For example, if you are a Life Coach perhaps collaborating with a hypnotherapist and promoting each other’s business through your networks.

Tip 5: Getting Referrals and Testimonials

Always ask for a testimonial/feedback from a client and permission to use it. Whilst doing this ask them if they would refer anybody to you. Do the same with your networks.

Tip 6: Give Your Services and Products Away

Consider offering a short, no obligation, coaching session. If nothing else, it will build your confidence and may get you closer to understanding the world of your ideal client(s).

Tip 7: Use of Vouchers or Coupons

Creating vouchers or coupons with your contact details, elevator pitch and some form of discount can work too.  See if any of your contacts and networks are interested in using or sharing them wider for you

Tip 8: Get an Online Business Profile

You can get your business known with a FREE Google Business Profile. Your profile will appear to people who are searching for your business or a business like yours doing Google Search or using Google maps.

Tip 9: Website and Professional Email

Get yourself a website. You can get a simple one for FREE through your Google Business Profile. Alternatively you may prefer to pay for something a little more powerful and flexible that you can easily customise and maintain the content yourself. Examples of paid website providers are  Wix, Squarespace and WordPress.

Want to look professional in your communications and online? Then swap that free email address for a professional one.

Next step is to Take Some Action

Take some action today! Which of these tips will you implement today?

If you haven’t done Tip 1 and 2 already, I’d recommend you start there first.

And finally, put yourself a marketing plan together with clear actions and target completion dates.

Social Media Marketing

What, no tip about Social Media for Marketing?

Well that is an entire subject of its own, so look out for an article on this one in a future newsletter!

In the meantime, I would love to hear about your tips for marketing yourself and your business. Feel free to leave a comment below.


Paul Walmsley is an experienced I.T Consultant, author and part time University lecturer. During his many years working in large corporate organisations in the UK and New Zealand he has coached or mentored many individuals and teams and continues to do so now he is self-employed.  He is also a Director of Australia and New Zealand Coaching Alliance.

Laughter Really is the Best Medicine

Fun and laughter is an important part of any day.  FISH Philosophy incorporate fun into their corporate training, Richard Branson is a great advocate of fun and it is a natural part of our childhood. 

Fun and laughter are powerful ways to overcome feelings of anxiousness, frustration, anguish and even pain.  It puts wonderful highlights into any day and has fabulous health benefits.  It allows us to remain much more positive in challenging or complex situations.

Laughter helps us to relax. Research shows that when we laugh our parasympathetic tone is improved and our sympathetic nervous system becomes less active.  In general terms the parasympathetic nervous system aids digestion, relaxation and other aspects of the human body that respond in the restful state.  The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for intense activity and relates also to the ‘fight or flight’ mode. 

When we are relaxed we feel more in control, our heart rate is more stable, our blood pressure is lower and there is in general, less tension in the body.  In a more relaxed state we are able to think more clearly and therefore think through solutions, outcomes and possibilities in a more rational way void of over reacting emotions.

Laughter increases our immune system and therefore keeps us healthier in general.  It releases endorphins, dopamine and high concentrations of other hormones that enable us to feel happier, to feel compassion and tolerance.  This enables us to deal with pain and stress more easily, and improves our cognitive processes. 

Laughter produces brain waves very similar to the state of trance or hypnosis.  Self-hypnosis creates possibilities, solutions and outcomes – it talks directly to the unconscious mind.

Laughter assists mental health and self-esteem and that has to be good for you!  

And isn’t always great to have a good laugh with a friend, or colleague or loved one. There is nothing more engaging nor contagious as a smile or a laugh. 

Sometimes we can succumb to life pressures.  I prescribe daily injections of fun and laughter because it is one of the best things we can do for ourselves.  Whether it is a paddle in a puddle to a dance in the rain; a memory of a time where you laughed so much your sides hurt or a little chuckle at a humorous thought or a silly joke.   Sing along to an “oldie and a goodie” or dance as if you just don’t care. 

While fun and laughter may not resolve problems, it can soften them offering us other ways of dealing with them more resourcefully and in ways that result in better outcomes. It allows us to engage with our creative being. It can also help to bring time and thought to refocus on what is truly important in life. 

Personally, I think a day without laughter is a day wasted and take personal responsibility for creating it.

Christine Walter is passionate about coaching! She is a Master NLP Practitioner and NLP Trainer, Hypnotherapist, Life Coach, Master mBit Coach and mBit Coach Trainer. As well as personal coaching she offers one on one coaching as well as training courses via her own business Lodestone, and other agencies.

Christine Walter is a Hypnotherapist, Life Coach, mBit Coach and NLP Master Practitioner and a trainer of these modalities.  She has her own practise moving between Auckland and Waihi area.  She is a founding director of ANZCAL, NZ’s coaching accreditation organisation. You can learn more about Christine by going to her website www.lodestone.nz. Or phone 021 0709 138.

Close the Gate on Time Thieves!

CLOSING THE GATES ON TIME THIEVES

Everyone has 24 hours in a day, the difference for successful people is how they use those 24 hours.  They have routine which allows time for themselves as much as time to accomplish things.  They are focussed and dedicated; and passionate.

Here are 10 simple things to include in your planning to stop those Time Thieves from preventing your success.

1. Is It Your Monkey?

Based on a Harvard Business Review article (https://hnr.k-state.edu/doc/rres-690/whosgotthemonkey.pdf) in 1974 this question is one that we should ask ourselves before taking on a task.  As a quick summary…..

We all have metaphorical monkeys which we need to feed, i.e. tasks, outcomes etc.  In business our requirements within our role are all these monkeys as well as any challenges that arise.  Some people are “rescuers” and help by taking your monkeys from you and offering to feed them.  This might be the boss or the colleague that will say “OK leave it with me”, rather than “what do you think the solution is?”  The former sentence takes ownership of the problem, of the monkey, while the second leaves the problem/monkey with the current carrier.

Then there are those who are very good at getting people to take their monkeys, even if the person doesn’t want to.  They may use excuses why they can’t tend to the problem right now, or they may be able to slip in a sentence “Can you look into it for me?” or “can you use your influence with this one” or even the “I won’t possibly have time to do this as well” and there you go, the monkey often seamlessly slips off one person’s shoulders to another.

So, are your perceived priorities yours to own, or should you gift the monkey back to its owner?

Learn to say “NO” and be discerning on what you take on.

2. Plan and Prioritise

Knowing your outcomes and planning the incremental steps are important in achieving outcomes.  Sometimes our dreams and desires can be overwhelming.  Sometimes procrastination can overtake action.  By

  • knowing what it is you want, the more detail the better yet remember to be flexible
  • setting a date to work toward and
  • breaking the tasks down into incremental steps

we create movement.  Movement gives us opportunity for feedback and adjustment on the task.  It gives us something to calibrate against.  Doing nothing gives none of this!

3. Get It Out of Your Head and on to Paper

Following on from the prior point, literally get what you want out of your head.  If you are planning something try putting your thoughts and ideas on Post It notes and place on a board.  This way you can move them around and order them from an external perspective.  The order becomes visible and naturally, can be moved, added or subtracted as the goal evolves.

The clearer the vision the easier it can be achieved.

4. Make “Ta Dah” Lists instead of “To Do” Lists

Lists are another great way to capture and organise thoughts.  It is very simple though to create an extensive list for the day and then feel at the end of the day that very little was achieved.  Be practical and realistic – prioritise what needs doing today (and is it your monkey to do) and put the other activities at another point.  Those tasks that are important go to the top of this list.  If you keep shifting some consider, how important are they?

A “To Do” list is a list of all the things you must do.  A “Tah Dah” list is a list of things you must do that is achievable in the time frame.  This way you can celebrate and say “Tah Dah” when it is completed.

5. Stop Wasting Time

mBit creator and visionary Grant Soosalu used to wake up every day and think “how can I be the highest intention of myself today?”

Are you valuing your time?  That series on Netflilx or game on your phone can wait.  It is just a distraction.  Are you utilising your time to be your highest intention or is what you are doing a distraction?  Is the task worthy of your time?  What can you ask others to do, (that’s right – shed a few monkeys of your own!!!) that means you can continue with more meaningful things?

6. Know Your “Why”

Simon Synek says the most successful businesses don’t only know their “What” and “How”, they know their “Why” too.  When we understand what drives us, we find motivation.  Successful people know what they want, and they understand the “why”.  This aligns the goal with their values and values are the greatest drivers.

7. What Is Your Level of Perfectionism?

Sometimes our level of perfectionism can get in the way.  Commit to your same high standard as what we do reflects us and our business.  Consider though, if you have a high level of perfectionism will it ever be good enough?  The Middle Eastern religion believes only Allah is perfect, so their beautiful beaded dance costumes always have one bead out of place or a different colour because “only Allah is perfect.”

Is your commitment to “getting it right” at the right level or a bit too high?

8. Dress for the Task

By dressing according to the task, we can change our state and intention.  If you are self-employed business person do you turn up to the home office still in your lawn mowing gear or do you turn up reflecting your business persona?  Would you wear your business clothes to mow the lawn or go to the gym? You probably have other clothes for that.

Create “uniforms” and dress in the right uniform for the task.

9. Setting Time Frames Is Useful

Being an old-fashioned gal at heart I do like my hard copy diary.  I like it because it is a reference if I need to look back on dates and being visual, it shows what I have on.  Another member of my family utilizes their phone calendar.  However you make sense of your time, set appointments to achieve tasks in your ‘diary’.  Block out time as if it were for an important appointment and only for important things change it.  Treat that appointment as you would a doctor, dental or hospital appointment and aim to keep it.

Do you know the 500-mile rule of meetings?  It is simple, if the phone rings during a meeting ask yourself “would I walk 500 miles to answer this call?”  If the answer is yes then take the call, if not, trust they will either leave a message or call back.  In modern day we are giving too much weight to being instantly contactable.  Apply the 500-mile rule to your own personal time frames.

10. Do Something for Yourself

It is a personal belief that every day should also reflect me and what I want for myself.  Whether it is an hour’s exercise (which keeps me sane and centred) or just 20 minutes to have a sit in the sunshine it is important that we do something for ourselves as well.  NZ Employment Law requires all employees to have a lunch break.  Be sure to utilize yours no matter how you are employed in a day.

I often ask my clients “how do you eat an elephant”.

I am sure you know the answer…

Christine Walter is passionate about coaching! She is a Master NLP Practitioner and NLP Trainer, Hypnotherapist, Life Coach, Master mBit Coach and mBit Coach Trainer. As well as personal coaching she offers one on one coaching as well as training courses via her own business Lodestone, and other agencies.Christine Walter is a Hypnotherapist, Life Coach, mBit Master Coach and NLP Master Practitioner and a trainer of these modalities.  She has her own practise moving between Auckland and Waihi area.  She is a founding director of ANZCAL, NZ’s coaching accreditation organisation. You can learn more about Christine by going to her website www.lodestone.nz. Or phone 021 0709 138.

 

 

This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

A Good Coach is a Good Quality Asset

Coaching

As a coach, it may be hard to accept that when our coachee achieves their goals it wasn’t us who did the work. It may have felt like it, but the truth is that without the coachee’s buy in and work that goal can never be achieved; we are simply a tool (hopefully a good quality one) that facilitates the achievement of that goal.

This leads me to one of the most important traits I believe is needed in a coach – the ability to truly believe in their client. I’d like to use a personal experience to demonstrate this. For a couple of years I worked with long-term unemployed people in order to try to get them back into employment and, from an emotional point of view, it was the most challenging position I’ve held. I encountered challenging people, threats and horrendous circumstances but I also saw some successes and those were the parts that got me through each day.

I was running a three week, obligatory course for some of the clients who were further away from work. On the first morning the group walked in and filed into seats, very few looking enthusiastic to be there – I was used to that. During the introduction part of the course I noticed one person in particular, for the purpose of this article I will call her Suzie.

Suzie was extremely challenging; she questioned absolutely everything I said; she questioned my experience to run this course and she believed this was not going to help her. It would have been very easy for me to ask her to leave the training (this was of course what she was hoping for) but had I made that decision I would have let both of us fail in that situation. Instead, I answered Suzie’s questions respectfully and if I felt things were becoming too disruptive I agreed to discuss them during the breaks or activities. On handing out some paperwork to complete Suzie became very agitated so I approached her for a quiet conversation. The first thing that struck me was the smell of alcohol permeating so strong it gave me a headache. I knelt down by Suzie to speak with her. I didn’t challenge her on why she was not completing the paperwork, I simply had a chat to her and during this time realised the most likely reason was that she was unable to read or write; I later found out this was correct. Whatever the reason, I knew attempting to force her would be unsuccessful therefore I agreed that we’d leave the paperwork for now and when we had finished the course for the day her and I would stay behind and complete it together, just the two of us. That afternoon once everyone had left the room Suzie and I took the paperwork out again and began to work through it. During this process she began to disclose a little more to me about her very difficult life. I knew this was someone who needed someone else to believe in her, because, at this point in time, she didn’t. I made up my mind I was going to be that person.  

During the three weeks I worked with Suzie, helping her but not doing for her, she disclosed more and more about herself. I always respected her for the person she was, questioned in an encouraging way and found ways to display my belief in her ability to achieve this, the first qualification she would ever gain.

It was fascinating for me to watch the change in Suzie over this time. First, she began to speak with me more respectfully and openly, then with other clients, then with other staff members. She began to take care of her physical appearance, washing each day and dressing in clean clothes. I still remember the day she walked in with her hair brushed and some make up on, greeting both me and the receptionist on the way; he just looked at me in shock and said he couldn’t believe how she’d changed.

In the last week of the course Suzie cooked some food and bought it in for the whole group to have with their lunch. This was a big gesture for someone living on a social benefit.

The point of this story is the main thing I did in this time with Suzie is have belief in her ability to achieve what she wanted to. It was Suzie who did the hard work and made the changes in her life – reducing how much she drunk, improving her personal hygiene, her approach to others and most importantly her confidence in herself to achieve goals.

My time with Suzie was one of the experiences that got me through my time in that role.

Meridee Walter

Meridee Walter qualified from AUT with a Degree in Communication.  She has put this to good use working with people in primarily training and development roles in the UK.  Meridee returned to her native New Zealand in 2016. You can follow Meridee on thrillspillsandaheadscarf.blogspot.com

Coaching Session Set Simply

Change Just Ahead

I often get asked about how to run a coaching session.  To my mind this is a loaded question, it has a myriad of different answers because everyone is different.  It is also important to remember as a Coach being flexible is the key. 

Albert Einstein said, “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.”

I have coached in sports and fitness and in businesses.   I am a facilitator/trainer and have a private coaching business so here, with this experience in tow, I log just some of my notions for running a good coaching session that can transfer across all aspects of coaching.

Set the Expectations

Once agreement has been made for coaching set the expectations.  Whether in sport, business, facilitation or private coaching the expectation of time keeping, non-attendance, prior payment (where appropriate) and other notable expectations are set from the very beginning, often before the person arrives at the session.  As the Coach role model the expectation.  If punctuality is important then ensure you are punctual.  If mobile phones are not accepted be sure that yours is not available to you.  One of the most powerful ways of coaching is to walk the talk and role model.

How do you communicate your expectations?

Have a Plan (of sorts)     

Before I enter a coaching situation, I do have a plan.  In employment I knew the purpose of the session and therefore I had a plan, often with more than one option penciled out.  In sports and fitness my plan was to evaluate and enhance required skills and the level of the recipient, keeping the coaching as simple as possible, and adding practical application and have fun. 

In my private practice my plan is to know what the client is coming to see me about, and some thoughts on how I may help them.  I may make a few notes – not many – or plan a couple of opening questions. 

One thing I have learnt is to keep my plans light and be prepared to discard them at any given moment.  They will not bind me.  Naturally, with experience the plans become lighter and lighter and intuition has become my friend.  I still set a general plan for each session.

Set the Scene

The scene is really set right from the early communications and before the person arrives for coaching.  You have already set the expectations and let the person know what they are to expect from the coaching.

Prior to the person arriving be organised.  The scene is set by what is around you (relevant or irrelevant) and how you are as the Coach.  If it is formal be sure to have the surrounding and your own appearance as formal, if it is informal then likewise set the scene professionally and less formally. 

Let the person know what they will get from the coaching.  Across all coaching, communicate clearly what the focus is of the session and the expected outcome? 

When I am working with a client I always let them know that we are going to have a change of some sort today.  I often set the scene by saying “what are we going to work on that will make a difference for you today.”  By my linguistics I am telling them they will have a change – I am setting the scene. 

What is the scene you want to set for your recipient and how will you set this simply for them?

No Nasty Surprises

I hate nasty surprises (nice ones are always welcome!!!)  There should never be any nasty surprises in any coaching session.  What might be a nasty surprise may vary in general rules though in can include, no last-minute increase in pricing, in employment coaching no changing purpose of meeting or surprise attendees.  In Sports Coaching no sacking from the team in front of others. 

It is all about being respectful, ethical and responsible. 

Rapport, Rapport, Rapport

A lot can be done with good rapport.  It aids the trust levels between coach and recipient, it opens the possibility to better and deeper coaching sessions.  It makes a huge difference to your coaching. Take time to build rapport.

What do you do to create rapport?  How do you notice if you are or are not in rapport?

Listen and Learn – WAIT versus Questions

Listening is an art.  Adhere to the adage “two ears, one mouth – to be used in that ratio.” 

Gathering useful information and not letting the person being coached go on for too long is an art.  Listen to find what you want and interject when the conversation goes into too much detail or loses emphasis. 

Ask questions to gather knowledge.  Let the recipient know you are listening, confirm what you are hearing to them – then listen to the answer. 

Watch the person while you are listening.  People say a lot with their body language and facial expressions.  Learn to observe well.  I have a “watch, learn and evaluate” attitude when coaching.  Notice what most people do not.  Everything tells a story.

Someone on one of the courses gave me this acronym:

WAIT!           Why Am I Talking

It is a good question to hold.

How well do you listen?  Do you interject or finish sentences?  Do you assume to know things?  If so, is that really listening?

KISS

Keep it simple.  The hypnotist Mesmer used to do a lot of elaborate hand movements when inducing hypnosis – he was quite the showman.  Humility is a good asset for a Coach.

Keep your sessions simple, keep your techniques even more simple.  Avoid the desire to do too much in one session.  A less is more approach is a good one.  

“Check In” Regularly

I always check in with the recipient during the coaching session and at the end. 

Are they keeping up with what is going on?  Do they understand?  Do they have any questions? 

How do they feel about what has occurred in the session?  What is different for them now after having worked on the challenge? Do they have any questions?

It is useful to let the person it is ok to be a learner, to not know before we explore.  Be a positive coach and acknowledge any big shifts

Set homeplay

In order to enhance the changes made, activities should be set for the recipient to complete in between sessions.  In a Performance Improvement Programme the Coach will set the expectations of what the employee is to do; in sport practice is often set.  In personal or business coaching tasks are assigned to move toward the desired outcome. 

Homeplay keeps the recipient engaged and accountable.  It also can demonstrate the knowing of being supported by the Coach.  It offers opportunity for habits and behaviours to change and for the recipient evidence to know they can change. This step is a key part and all great coaches do this.

Last point on the topic is this

Have fun!  Life is always better for a laugh!

Christine Walter is passionate about coaching!  She is a Master NLP Practitioner and NLP Trainer, Hypnotherapist, Life Coach and mBit Coach and Trainer.  As well as personal coaching she offers training courses via through her own business Lodestone and contracts to other agencies. She is a Director of Australia and New Zealand Coaching Alliance. 

www.lodestone.nz     https://anzcal.org

Buddha and the Bandit

Buddha was once threatened by the bandit Angulimal, who said he was going to kill Buddha.

“Then be good enough to grant me one last wish” requested Buddha. “Cut off the branch of that tree!”

One slash of the sharp sword and it was done, the branch was shed from the tree. ‘What now!” demanded Angulimal.

“Put it back again,” said Buddha.

The bandit Angulimal laughed.  “You must be crazy to think that anyone can do that!”

“On the contrary” Buddha replied calmly.  “It is you who is crazy to think you are mighty because you can wound and destroy.  That is the tasks of children.  The true mighty know how to create and to heal.”

Coaching Utilising Values

Where were his values?! I don’t think it was that the person intended to be rude, or annoying, or disruptive.  It was just that that was what was occurring.  When they were being themselves, they were pleasant and then there were those instances when, without seemingly a filter to be found, they would just blurt something ridiculously offensive and we were back at square one. This just couldn’t go on.

Utilising the NLP presupposition “people are not their behaviour” I resolved to find a win/win outcome to what was occurring, and I started with values.  What did I know about the person that I could search for key values and what were my key values?  There was a negotiation point somewhere.

Values are aspects of life that we hold dearly to us, we fight for our highest values.  They are key drivers that activate motivation and action.  They are intangible and yet integral to who we are.  When coaching I am constantly listening for values and exploring to find the highest values possible.  Examples of values are respect, love, communication, justice, self-esteem, safety and sense of belonging.  In coaching, search for the higher values.

Safety is a key value for everyone.  It is important that we feel safe, after all, keeping ourselves alive is the prime directive of our unconscious mind.  When we feel threatened we will take some sort of action to enhance safety.  It is important to me that people feel safe in my sessions, even when I am challenging them.

Businesses also have values.  Some declare their values; others can imply them within their vision and mission statements.  Values can become negotiation points in disagreements and in points of union.  They will make someone stay in a job even though the person is not fully happy, or they can make a person leave despite seemingly holding the perfect job.

So, I went on a values hunt.  I could have just been the dictator and laid down the law (this was an option I was holding in reserve), the more powerful way was to find what was driving the person and appeal to that.

1. As the Coach start from a place where anything is possible. Your energy is important, and you need to set the scene.  I hold two presuppositions to create a convivial attitude toward the other person and a safe space.  They are

  • People are not their behaviour and yet the most important information I have is their behaviour so I calibrate from this.
  • All behavior is context driven.

I want respect from people and therefore it was important that I respected the person in front of me.  I was therefore respectful throughout the conversation.

2. What do you know about the person that can steer you toward talking about their values? Remember people like to talk about themselves.  In my case I knew this person had done some volunteer work, I started there.

3. Find high level values. I always start searching for a values hierarchy by asking “What’s important to you about ….” When that gets answered I ask a question to find a higher one such as “and when that is achieved what is important about that?”  High level values are those that are the main drivers.  For example, someone may want confidence and when we find the higher values, we find the drivers could be a sense of belonging or being able to do something that gives their life a sense of purpose.  These are higher level values.

4. Find values that connect with the ones you are holding. To work with the person being disruptive I found that our need for people to be safe and to be respected was a common value.  Once I found that, we had a point of negotiation.  Using influential language patterns, I was able to point out that the inappropriate interjections were not displaying respect and I pointed out how that was in conflict to the person’s own values.  I also subtly discussed an example or two where the target had displayed their annoyance and, had they watched the impact, in those moments their emotional safety could have been threatened.

5. Negotiate alternative actions/responses for a win/win.  Agree on what is affable to all parties that promotes a change of action and the desired outcome for everyone. If required, stipulate any consequences of a relapse. 

6. Conclude positively.  In the negotiation I had I assured the person that they were important to the group and had a lot to offer.  I also appealed to some of the unresourceful beliefs that they held about themselves and made comments as to why they were not true, providing the evidence that I had noticed.  Throughout the session I found points to reiterate the value of the person and ensure they were integrated into the group.

These are six simple steps I use with clients and with groups. They are also the basis of negotiations I have done in the past with employees in my team.  Change remains the person’s choice and is in their control. Values provide the fuel for our motivational coaching hat and quickly identify for us the drivers of the client.

Everyone has values.  Learn to identify them quickly and easily and utilize them in your coaching sessions.  Be sure to let the client know too that these are their drivers.

This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or other group or individual.

Christine Walter is a Master NLP Practitioner and NLP Trainer, Hypnotherapist, Life Coach and mBit Coach.  She offers training courses via the NZ School of Life Coaching and through her own business Lodestone. She is also a Director of Australia and New Zealand Coaching Alliance. 

Are you a Coach or an Advisor?

Coach Or Advisor

By Christine Walter

When I first started training Life Coaching a participant told me that he wanted to be a Life Coach so that people would come to him for advice.  So, I asked him “are you a Coach or an Advisor?” and I left him for a couple of days with the question. 

As a Coach, I often get clients asking me “what would you do?” Not living their life, and often not having the same experience, I strongly believe it isn’t my place to say.  Our role as a Coach is to assist the Coachee in finding their own way forward. 

Here is the difference between coaching and advising.

Coaches enable people to find the way, advisors provide the map

When advice is offered it shuts down the other person’s opportunity to explore their own thoughts and ideas.  Depending on how it is offered it can also deliver the implication that the Coachee is not capable of finding a solution for themselves and this can slow down, at worst, prevent the Coachee from making a change.  Remember, some Coachees don’t believe that they can change, or that change is hard.  Advising can support this belief.

Exploration is key.  By enabling the Coachee to explore options and find their own path forward the Coach is not only permitting the Coachee to find a wealth of internal resources which stimulates self-empowerment, they are also teaching the Coachee that they can resolve their own challenges. Therefore, a good Coach can happily put any prearranged plans aside and work from a place of exploration.  They master the art of asking curious questions and offering opportunities to be a “thinking partner” to the Coachee.  “As if” and “what if” frames of curiosity enable the Coachee to adventure through possibilities without having to decide if they can or cannot.  A Coach suspends disbelief and assists in building belief bridges for the Coachee.

Coaches work in partnership with the Coachee

 One of the important aspects of good coaching is to encourage a Coachee led session.  Let the Coachee decide what the focus is for the appointment.  In business, this can be slightly different if the employee has been brought in with an aspect of their role in mind.  Partnership is still the goal and certainly possible.  The Manager/Coach can raise the topic, offer a brief outline and explore with the employee a way forward.  A Manager who thinks of themselves more as a Coach is valuable in any organisation. 

Any actions from the coaching session should be agreed upon by both parties as a way forward.  This is relevant to any form of coaching.

Advising holds the responsibility

When a Coach takes on the role of advisor they take on the responsibility for the problem and when this is done the Coach is setting themselves up for a fall.

Why? Well, people will only change their way of being when they choose to change. No amount of advice can alter that.  For a person to change, a link to their beliefs, values and identity needs to be created.   It is at these levels that true change can occur.  If the Coachee cannot see the connection or the belief, values and identity that has created the behaviour in the first place is more important, change will be more complicated and slower.  It may even be non-existent.  A Coach finds out what is important to the Coachee about change and utilises that information.

Coaching and generative leaning

Part of our challenge as Coaches, which I do not believe advisors can do, is to challenge the Coachee to extend their potential.  One of our great tasks is to extend the Coachee to the edge of their comfort zone – not so much so that they feel panicked. 

When coaching and when facilitating training, my ultimate goal for the Coachee is for them to experience a generative learning. Put simply, generative learning is a learning that changes the way a person is.  That moment where something occurs that means they cannot go back fully to how they were.  It might be an insight, a realisation, a change of belief – it changes how they think, how they conduct themselves – they change.  Not every session can include a generative learning experience, it is the goal.  

When coaching well a Coach is comfortable in being uncomfortable and asking questions to enable a generative learning experience to occur. Beware of believing that a Coach must stick to the plan; Eisenhower’s quote “planning is everything, plans are nothing” is a good underpinning for any coaching session. 

A Coach comprehends that the Coachee is the master of their own destiny

Coaching truly from this aspect enables the Coach to sit with the Coachee from a place of openness, free of judgement and with the focus being totally on the transformation being sought.  If the Coachee expresses an opinion and/or a course of action, the Coach can ask questions and check ecology, understanding that ultimately the Coachee has the right to make the final decision on the course of action.  Our unconscious mind’s prime objective is to keep us alive.  With survival being the ultimate goal a Coachee will always make a decision with the requirement of survival in mind.  As Coaches our task is to assist them to find peace, freedom and their inner wisdom to transform so survival is enjoyable.

Of course, this article is not to discredit advisors.  There are many roles for advisors in life – accountants, lawyers, marketers, nurses and doctors, arborists to name just a few.  I don’t believe Coaches can be included in the list.

The Story of Zodudu

A Polish folklore

 

There is a village in Poland and the people have beautiful Zodudu (pronounced Shjodudu).  For those that don’t know Zodudu is the beautiful warmth that people have inside.  We all have Zodudu.  It shines warm from the heart outward and is shared with everyone.  The more it is shared the brighter the village and its villagers are, including the visitors to the village that experienced Zodudu as well.

The village in Poland was a beautiful, happy, collaborative village and the villagers were proud of what they had.  They shared their Zodudu as a matter of who they were as people.

As time went by the leaders of the village decided that the Zodudu was being shared too freely, too widely and too often.  They suggested to the villagers that outsiders were taking advantage of Zodudu and hinted that there were perhaps some in the village that were receiving more than they should.  “We should manage this more” the leaders said.  “We should be selective on how we share our Zodudu and who the recipients will be” they said.

At first the people were not sure, sharing their Zodudu was what they did, but the leaders continued their course.  At first only a few people listened, thinking the leaders had a good point, and these people became more limiting in who and when they shared their Zodudu with others.

Some others felt that if one group were not going to share their Zodudu why should they, and certainly why should the first group receive theirs if they were not willing to share.  And so, they became more guarded with their Zodudu.

Others fought against the limiting of Zodudu, sadly their voice became weaker and they grew tired or resisting this move and so eventually, they too limited the sharing of Zodudu.  For some it might have been a conscious thought, for others, the fatigue of being a lone voice might have changed them.  Who knows.

And so, it didn’t take too long before the Zodudu of the village became less and less, people keeping it more for themselves than for the purpose it was intended, to be shared with others.  And the people slowly became less bright, less happy, and less collaborative, and their village became less beautiful and less happy.

One day a traveller came to the village.  He was down on his luck, weary and hungry.  The villagers looked at him suspiciously as they passed him.  They did not know him and their closely guarded Zodudu did not touch him at all – or did it?

A little boy passed the traveller with his mother.  The boy was curious, he had never seen this person before.  His mother, leading the boy by the hand, walked past the traveller and in to a nearby store.

While the boy’s mother was in the store the little boy came outside again and looked at the traveller.  He carefully approached and, because he was so young, he did not know to keep his Zodudu guarded.  He saw the traveller was hungry and offered him the apple in his pocket.  The traveller was grateful and took the apple.  The little boy went to a nearby tap and brought the traveller some water, who again was most grateful.  With the shared smiles and these small acts of kindness the traveller received some Zodudu.  He felt warmer and happier, as did the little boy.  What a curious experience for the little boy.

The mother, realising her child was missing, came out of the store, grabbed the boy by the hand and dragged him away.  She did not see the smile her child and the traveller shared, the smile of embarrassment from the boy and understanding from the traveller, which naturally contained an interaction of Zodudu.

The next day the boy brought a blanket and food for the traveller.  Some of his friends came too.  The  traveller gratefully received the gifts and entertained the children with his stories.  Naturally, within the laughter and stories Zodudu started to shine abundantly.

The laughter gradually brought others, children and adults alike.  Some of the adults walked away again muttering while others stayed, engaged in the marvellous stories of the traveller.

Each day, small gifts of comfort arrived for the traveller, each day he shared his stories.  People looked forward to the daily gathering.  Not only was it an enjoyable time being entertained by this enlightened traveller, they spent more time with their fellow villagers laughing and talking and connecting.  Some would bring harvest for others or look after their children while errands were run.   And somehow, without the villagers realising, their village started to shine again.  Their Zodudu started to shine again.  Everyone quickly felt brighter, happier, warmer; they were working together, supporting each other again – just like the old days.  And the village itself became more beautiful, happier, much more collaborative again – just like the old days.

And the marvellous thing is, not only the people of that village or indeed the people of Poland have Zodudu.  It is freely available to all who have a heart and wish to let it shine.

5 Simple Principles for Quality Communication

Communication is that abstract thing that is all around us; a verb that has been turned into a noun. We communicate through signs, movement, words, emotions – sometimes we communicate well, sometimes not so well.  Even animals communicate.  Here are 5 simple principles that will enhance your communication.

 1.   Understand that everything is communication. In essence you cannot not communicate.  Even if you are in a meeting and say nothing you are still communicating via body language and facial movements. Approximately 55% of our communication is from physiology, body language.  Another 37% is using tonality leaving just 7% for words.

 Like ourselves, our audience is utilising all of their senses to make sense of the outside world and comparing it to information stored within the unconscious mind.  How we dress, stand, move, what we say or don’t say and how we speak, tonality, will all be messaging the recipient.

To communicate with meaning take time to build rapport.  Allow your personal presentation, body language, tonality, any tools you are utilising and your words support the message you are giving.  Plan, prepare and understand that everything throughout the meeting is expressing you.

2.  The meaning of communication is the response it gets. Responsibility of the communication belongs to the person delivering it. It is easy to suggest that the other person doesn’t understand but then we can easily consider what has been lacking in our communication for them to not  By starting with the intention of “what do I want to communicate” and “what does the other person need to know in order to understand what I am saying” we can prepare the way we communicate our message.  As we deliver our message we can build rapport, calibrate the response from the recipient and be flexible in delivery.  The more the deliverer responds and connects with the recipient the more influential the message can be. It is therefore important that we take responsibility for our communication to ensure the response is relevant to the communication.

 3.  There is no failure only feedback. When we take responsibility for the effectiveness of our communication all responses are good feedback.  It allows us, the communicator, to know how well we are communicating, what is being received well and what is not; where our communication has hit the mark and where it has fallen short.  By calibrating our feedback, we are able to focus our attention on where to elaborate, when to move forward, when to check that our audience has full understanding.  We can ask questions to obtain more information so we can provide more meaning to our communication to get the recipient on board.  Feedback is imperative and an essential part of quality communication.

4.   If what you are doing isn’t working, do something different. Well they say insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result! By adapting our approach, trying something different and, utilising visual, auditory and where possible kinaesthetic information we are likely to receive different results. 

5.   In any arrangement the person with the most flexibility controls the arrangement. When we are flexible and ready to try different things, we are more likely to convince or prompt others to follow our ideas.

Think of something that is rigid and inflexible – a stick perhaps.  Should we try to mould a stick it is more likely to break because there is no flexibility in a stick.  When we as communicators lack flexibility it can sometimes be difficult to create rapport, to get our message to the recipient for understanding. When we are flexible, approach the matters at hand in a different way there can be more opportunity for conducive, effective communication.

Some people ask “can I do it” when the question should be “HOW can I do it.”

 There is a wonderful story about an interview with Thomas Edison after he created the light bulb.  The younger interviewer apparently said “how does it feel Mr Edison to have failed a thousand times before finally creating the light bulb.”

“Fail!  Fail young man!?  I didn’t fail!  I simply found 999 ways of how the light bulb would NOT work.”

Communication operates best when it is working both ways.  The responsibility sits with the communicator and not the one receiving the communication.  If it isn’t working don’t get frustrated, take a few moments to collect your thoughts and reflect on what you want to communicate and how the other person needs to receive it to understand.  Then, have another go.

By Christine Walter, MNLP, Dip CAH, TMLC, mBIT Coach