e-newsletter October 2012

Welcome to the October 2012 issue of the newsletter

I’m filing this newsletter from Kansas University’s Global Summit on Coaching, in Lawrence. The town was established in 1854 by anti-slavery advocates and saw much bloodshed when it became a target for the nearby Missouri-based pro-slavery faction. Campaigning for change runs deep in its veins. And today too, Lawrence is a site for innovation. The Kansas Coaching Project, headed up by Jim Knight, has pioneered ‘instructional coaching’ (IC) in the field of education. Described as “on-site professional developers who teach educators how to use proven instructional methods,” Knight admits instructional coaches are more like consultants but they are also encouraged to learn from and draw on coaching approaches and techniques. Around 240 of them have gathered here to do just that, flocking to sessions on ‘aha’ moments, the GROW model, Positive Psychology and mindfulness (which I presented on).

Developing teachers-as-coaches has been a topic of conversation at the conference too. And I was chatting to a fellow presenter, Kieran Gordon, CEO for Greater Merseyside Connexions (which provides careers guidance for people in the North West of England) about how its front-line careers advisors are now acting like coaches. The ‘informed adaptive’ approach Knight recommends is one we’re seeing more and more, which I welcome. When I was asked along with other presenters what I was taking away from the conference, it was not to be too snooty about purist non-directive coaching being the best approach.

Talking of innovation and creativity, Brené Brown- who spoke at the global International Coach Federation conference earlier this month- reminds us that we can’t have these without vulnerability. And she somewhat controversially said that coaching in which shame wasn’t talked about probably wasn’t going deep enough (see online news, give shame a voice AND embrace your vulnerability.  We have a fascinating thread on “Should we address shame in our coaching?” currently being discussed in our LinkedIn group (to join, see below). We’ve had some very interesting contributions already but would love to hear your thoughts too. We ran an article on a shame a while back too by Marion Gillie called red alert. In the November issue of the magazine, we feature a full ICF conference report.

It’s the lead-up to the US election as I write this, and it’s been interesting watching the coverage here in the States. I wonder how much, if any, coaching is going on behind the scenes- certainly Obama was holed up in a pre-election ‘speed debate boot camp’ after a lacklustre performance in Dallas and he’s upped his game as a consequence. We feature an excellent article on coaching in politics by a coach and political adviser at the European Parliament in the November issue of the magazine (subscribers only: running mate.)

Our own conference is on 2 July 2013 in London. Subscribers are eligible for a discount to this and all our events (the last two conferences sold out weeks before). In addition, subscribers receive either both the digital magazine, or the printed and the digital version of the magazine. We publish six magazine issues a year; 16 newsletters (including four mentoring digests) and subscription also includes registration on our global Coach List; additional online content; access to every issue since 2005, and a global LinkedIn group (at last count we had around 12,000 members). See a sample issue here

Liz Hall,

Editor, Coaching at Work, Winner of the Association for Coaching Award for Impacting (Leadership/External Focus) Service to the Wider Community for 2010–11

Let’s get connected

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http://twitter.com/CoachatWorkmag

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Join our global Coaching at Work Linkedin group at

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2274910

Coach list

Have you joined our coach list yet? or if you’re a buyer, have you used the list to help you find the coach/coaches you need? you can now upload a coaching at work coach listing member logo onto your website, emails and so on to show you’ve been approved. Go to:
http://www.coaching-at-work.com/coach-register

Sample our content

You have to be a subscriber to access most of the articles on Coaching at Work website. However, you can now view a whole issue here:
http://www.coaching-at-work.com/2010/11/30/sample-magazine/

New online format

Subscribers to the magazine can now read it, and earlier content in a Calameo format, allowing you to “flick through” the magazine online. Do be patient when you’re downloading the magazine- it can take up to 20 seconds or so.

See back issues in this new format: http://www.coaching-at-work.com/2012/01/20/back-issues-2/

There is also some freely available content on the website, including the following:

• Be well and prosper
• The measure of you The number of organisations using coaching is steadily rising, yet its true value is still not being assessed. The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development’s John McGurk shares his practitioner guide to real-world coaching evaluation. Read more
• Poor Practice 2010 part 1
• Poor Practice 2010 part 2
• Coaching buyers want ´chemistry´ Interim results from the Ridler report 2011 Read more
• The jewel in the crown – in-store coaching delivers ROI Read more
• I wish I’d… Nottingham Business School’s Elaine Robinson and her supervisor Erik de Haan share insights from one of their supervision sessions. Read more
• Train to Gain Coaching at Work examines the overall trends in coach education and development. What’s on offer and where can you go to get it in a growing but often confusing market? This report includes a table of what some of the main providers offer. Read more
• More Process, Less Insight? We’re seeing smarter practices in executive coach selection, but also evidence of commoditisation and excessive process, according to a report by Carol Braddick. Read more

More Highlights of the October issue of the magazine

Profile: The stress professor
World-renowned counselling and coaching psychologist, founder of the Centre for Stress Management, Centre for Coaching and the Coaching Psychology Unit, Professor Stephen Palmer’s boundless energy has helped add many strings to his bow – just don’t put him in a box, he tells Liz Hall. Read more.

Troubleshooter
Persistent and widespread poor self-confidence is proving a major problem for one consumer goods firm. Coaching has worked before, but the problem is creeping back. What next for its HR manager? Read more.

Research matters
How do psychologists view goals in coaching? David Megginson, emeritus professor of HRD, Coaching & Mentoring Research Unit, Sheffield Hallam University, finds some unlikely alliances of opinion. Read more.

ASHRIDGE Consulting

Become a fully accredited coach

The Ashridge Masters in Executive Coaching is part-time over two years.

Develop reflective inquiry into your own professional practice.

Join now! Programmes start December 2012 and February 2013

Full details are online www . ashridge . org . uk/amec

or contact jensigne.molbeckblyth@ashridge.org.uk

Lessons from Japan

Japanese culture has a bewildering array of rules, but its many gestures of respect could prove a powerful addition to coaching. Read more. 

How to coach Gen Y

Like any other generational group, Gen Y is uniquely shaped by its historical context. It is only by understanding, respecting and addressing such generational differences in the working environment, that coaches can establish a successful relationship. Read more.

Distance coaching

Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn? Social media platforms are such an integral part of modern lives that clients are crying out for a more flexible approach to coaching. Kimberley Gray and Liz Hall describe the benefits of online coaching. Read more

Stop Press

Virtual coaching

The world of virtual reality (VR) complete with 3D avatars, landscapes and props, is set to meet the world of coaching in a trailblazing project due to launch next spring. The VR platform is the brainchild of organisational change consultant and coach David Tinker, who also has a background in sociodrama (see news story, subscribers only: virtual coaching). In the same issue of the magazine, we feature an article on distance coaching (see above).

UEL launches career coaching masters

The University of East London’s Coaching Psychology Unit, headed up by Christian van Nieuwerburgh, has launched a Masters in Career Coaching, thought to be the first internationally.

What does good supervision look like and where do coaching providers fit in?

Leading coaching providers TXG; Penna; The Alliance Group; Oxford Group; Hay, Acuity and Praesta would refuse to represent a coach who wasn’t in supervision, according to a study by Sam Humphreys and Louise Sheppard. Some 86% don’t have any form of measurement for supervision. Those which do, use a qualitative process involving processes like discussions with the coach, client reviews and reflective practice. Benefits of supervision cited included increased rigour for the coach, and protecting and representing the client’s interests. The research looks at what “good supervision” looks like- in terms of process, this includes switching supervisor every few years, and working with a supervisor with a different framework to the coach. The study highlights how supervision is still an emergent field. It finds that coaching providers who operate at the higher end of the market and command higher fees, conduct their supervision in a more integrated, structured and in depth manner. The report makes a number of recommendations for coaching providers including providing clear guidelines on the standards for supervision in their organisations, hosting in-house supervision, or holding a supervisor register, and a personal development plan approach for coaches. Read the full report (subscribers only): supervised behaviour

News Online

Brené Brown stories

give shame a voice and embrace your vulnerability

Diary dates

November

5 November: Birmingham

West Midlands Coaching Pool and AQR’s West Midlands Coaching Conference: Coaching for Resilience – Strengthen your organisation from within

9 November: London

Academy of Executive Coaching conference (and Burditt Lectures) www.aoec.com

12-16 November: London

5-day Certificate in Coaching (University Accredited, Level 5, 15 Credits). Centre for Coaching, International Academy for Professional Development http;//www.centreforcoaching.com/#!cert-in-coaching/cgyt

15-17 November: Spain

European Mentoring & Coaching Council 19th annual conference. www.emccouncil.org

December

6-7 December: Birmingham

BPS SGCP Annual Conference. www.bps.org.uk/SGCP2012

10-14 December: London
5-day Certificate in Coaching (University Accredited, Level 5, 15 Credits). Centre for Coaching, International Academy for Professional Development www.centreforcoaching.com/#!cert-in-coaching/cgyt

2013

2 July: London

Coaching at Work’s annual conference

The Centre for Coaching, London UK

The Centre for Coaching, International Academy for Professional Development Ltd runs a range of Middlesex University Accredited and Association for Coaching recognised modular coaching courses at Levels 5, 6 & 7. The 5-day Certificate in Coaching (Level 5, 15 Credits) is an introductory Cognitive Behavioural coaching programme. Other courses include the 5-day Certificate in Psychological Coaching (Level 6, 15 Credits), the modular 6-day Certificate in Stress Management and Performance Coaching (Level 5, 30 Credits) and the Certificate in Coaching Psychology (Level 7, 20 Credits). The Diploma courses are at graduate and postgraduate levels.

Special 15% discount offer extended to Coaching at Work magazine subscribers who enrol for our courses during November and December, 2012. Call Dawn Cope for further details: Tel: +44 (0) 208 318 4448 or Peter Ruddell: 0845 680 20 65

Click here for: Course dates; Course Brochure. Email: Dawn Cope 
Courses can also be run in-house for organisations. Tel: +44 (0) 208 318 4448 or 0845 680 20 65