1 March 2012
It seems to be getting tougher and tougher each year to decide on the winners of the Coaching at Work awards- there are so many deserving candidates out there. But for this year, we’ve made our choices: Kim Morgan wins our Coaching at Work Coaching Person of the Year 2011 award while Lis Merrick wins our Coaching at Work Mentoring Person of the Year 2011 award. They have made their mark in different ways but have in common a passion for the profession, generosity in sharing wisdom, and a commitment to raising standards.
The judges were Liz Hall, editor, Coaching at Work; Stephen Palmer, publisher, Coaching at Work and Kate Thomas, head of advertising/marketing, Coaching at Work. And the readers of Coaching at Work. They were looking for:
- Contribution to the profession
- Championing coaching/mentoring
- Launching or sustaining a trail-blazing initiative
- Generosity in sharing expertise, best practice, knowledge and wisdom
- Commitment to learning
- Role-modelling coaching values such as humility and respect
Coaching at Work Coaching Person of the Year 2011 Kim Morgan is owner and managing director of Barefoot Coaching, co-director of Next Generation Coaching and coach. The judges chose her because of contributions including pioneering externally-accredited university masters level post graduate coach training awards in coach training in 2001, because she demonstrates huge commitment to her alumni, offering a wide range of resources and support, she role-models coaching values such as humility, she is committed to raising standards and is generous in time and energy to new coaches. Although we would never make a decision merely based on the number of nominations received for any one person. However, in this case, the sheer volume of those prepared to voice their support for Morgan winning this award was surprising and did hold some sway.
Coaching at Work Mentoring Person of the Year 2011 Lis Merrick consults for Clutterbuck Associates, teaches on Sheffield Hallam University’s (SHU) coaching & mentoring MSc and runs her own coach mentoring business . The judges chose her because she has an obvious passion for mentoring, she works hard to make mentoring as widely available as possible, she has helped set up more than 45 programmes in a cross-section of sectors globally, she has a deep commitment to learning, both for herself and others and sees mentoring as an ideal way to foster this and she has integrity and humility.
Nomination comments for Kim Morgan included:
‘her generosity in sharing knowledge, wisdom and expertise. My partner had terminal cancer when I started my course with Barefoot Coaching. Kim was extremely generous in allowing him to join one of the sessions with Nancy Kline and continued to be supportive during his final months. Since my partner passed away Kim has continued to be incredibly supportive and has helped me grieve. Kim is continuing to give whilst I slowly re-engage with my coursework. I have absolute praise for her kindness and her warmth. She is incredibly passionate about coaching and is always keen to help her students make links with other coaches and students.
‘continuously striving to raise the standard of new coaches entering the profession’
‘embodies the true philosophy of coaching, she is consistently passionate about her art, never stopping searching for new ways, new learnings and generously sharing with others. Kim has high standards of professionalism, is someone who from her heart believes in you’
‘has helped hundreds of coaches on their way to professional careers, all founded on top quality training, ethical standards and a love for our profession’
’gives everyone crystalline attention, glowing self-belief and warmest compassion. She lives and breathes coaching ethics, and is a vibrant example and shining inspiration to all those of us lucky enough to walk through her door’
‘Her integrity in her delivery, and to be honest her fees, speaks volumes about what she brings to coaching.
On our shortlist
Kathryn Pope
The late Alma Neville
Darren Robson
Peter Hawkins
Eunice Aquilina
Nomination comments for Lis Merrick include:
‘she is down to earth, humble and warm’
‘her passion for mentoring’
‘she has championed mentoring far and wide’
On our shortlist
David Megginson
Amanda Baker
Paul Stokes
Dr Rebecca Viney
Professor Robert Garvey
We plan to include an Internal Coaching Champion category next year and were surprised by the number of nominations that came through for ‘insiders’ so we would like to recognise the contributions of some of these.
Internal champions
Brian Fitzgerald, Atkins:’creative, courageous and full of integrity. He exemplifies the best of internal L&D, expert in both his business and the best that learning and development professionals have to offer.’
Coral Ingelton, Kent County Council, created the South East Coaching & Mentoring Network, comprising over 16 organisations, training 100 coaches+ a year, plus supervisors
Laura Bennett, North East Lincolnshire Council who has set high standards and led the development of the team of internal coaches for the past four years’
Sue Mortlock, NHS ’has sought to influence and improve standards of coaching delivery across the largest employer in the UK – the NHS.’
Alastair Mitchell, Linklaters:’unrelenting energy to move the internal coaching faculty into inspiring best practice’
Louise Buckle, KPMG: ‘clear incisive leadership of the sponsors’ agenda’
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Coaching at Work awards and Annual Survey: Every year, Coaching at Work carries out a survey of its readers asking them what they think the main achievements of the year have been, what the priorities are for the coming year, and who they would like to nominate for the Coaching at Work Coaching Person of the Year and Coaching at Work Mentoring Person of the Year. Nominations are counted up and then closely examined by the Coaching at Work judging panel which then makes a decision based on number of nominations, comments made by those making the nominations and the panel’s own sense of what those shortlisted have contributed to the field. This year (2010), both winners each had the highest number of nominations in each category, plus the Coaching at Work team considered the comments made to be well-deserved.
The Coaching at Work Annual Readers’ Survey was carried out among readers and members of the Coaching at Work LinkedIn group. The results will be shared online and in the January/February issue, plus a separate press release will be released.
Coaching at Work is a bi-monthly magazine published by Coaching at Work Limited. It was established in 2005 and goes to independent and internal coaches, coaching buyers, coaching academics, coaching psychologists and others interested in the coaching and mentoring profession in the UK and overseas. It also publishes 15 e-newsletters a year, holds events including conferences and a global coach list plus many other online resources.
To contact the editor, Liz Hall, call 01273 248760 or email: liz@coaching-at-work.com
Please acknowledge Coaching at Work in any articles based on this press release
To subscribe: call 0844 322 1274
www.coaching-at-work.com