The Creative Tension of Coaching – January 13, 2012
Bob Churilla, an experienced conflict resolution coach described the major types of Intrapersonal Conflicts; i.e. Approach-Approach; Approach-Avoidance; Avoidance-Avoidance, as well as Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity. He also had the audience break into pairs to practice the art of framing and re-framing our interpretations of different conflict rich situations. One reframing exercise asked us to look for constructive ways to describe what is going on and to work toward changing perceptions and positions from negative to more positive and flexible positions. The exercise was most profitable. We had excellent Q&A and a sample of the interesting audience response can be found in the video below.
(Click on photo to see excerpt)
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A Coach’s Challenge, A Coach’s Victory – February 12, 2012
Susan Cucuzza, Saul I. Tucker, and Julia Kious Zabell, certified coaches in different concentrations, presented three different coaching vignettes in order to exemplify a unique coaching challenge and the paths they took to reach a level of victory.
Susan Cucuzza gave a dramatic role play as though we were her HR client. Her “ah ha” experience occurred when her client went in a totally different direction than she expected. The take away was that we must expect the unexpected and be ready to move intelligently in uncharted territory, at times. Her client wanted to talk about sales and marketing, and job openings; not HR issues. Susan was able to pivot and enable the client to explore her areas of interest and need.
Saul Tucker illuminated the challenge of self-reflection as a coach; “we are our own coaches”. We must face our own issues; be aware.” He asked three questions: 1) Do you like yourself, 2) Do you love yourself and 3) Do you respect yourself. “If we don’t like us how can we expect others to respect us”? The take away is that it is important for coaches to be honest with themselves; “change your own behavior where it is needed”. Saul got a good laugh when he said, “Hi, my name is Saul, I’m procrastinator”! He closed with a discussion of the Values Exercise as a useful coaching tool.
Julia Kious Zabell described the process some coaches go through in trying to be all things to all people. She had a client who was approaching a burn-out situation and the client did not know exactly why. Through working with Julia the client discovered she disliked certain kinds of coaching situations. Through useful questions Julia got her to identify the client situations she does enjoy. The bottom line is that this client narrowed her practice to a specific niche market, enjoys her practice more and is attracting a large client base. Julia’s take away was “respect others enough to say no”, and “if your heart doesn’t sing when the client calls you perhaps it is a sign to rethink your target market”.
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This edition of Coaching NEO was written by Dennis Deegan, CTM, Program Director for CCF. He can be reached at 330-315-2551.
