International Association of Coaching Blog

Lessons from the Certifiers

Have You Completed Your Learning Agreement? by Natalie Tucker Miller, MMC One hallmark of our profession is the necessity to stay, as Thomas Leonard advised, a few steps ahead of our clients. How is this meant in a coaching sense? Certainly we’re not expected to study the very things our clients are studying and stay ahead of them on content. That, in fact, could limit our ability to grow with them, if all we’re focused on is the knowledge and data of their interests or professions. It’s the commitment to one’s personal growth that opens possibilities for clients. And it’s the client’s growth through coaching that encourages the coach to discover more about themselves, which in turn inspires and benefits their clients. The broader your perspective, the more you can help your clients broaden theirs, while leveraging the opportunities that are most appropriate for them. This is such a powerful concept to consider when designing your IAC Learning Agreements. Too often, coaches are approaching these as tasks to be checked off a list and filed away. Philosophically, this could not be further from the IAC’s intent of continued development as a coach. This is exactly one of the ways to stay a few steps ahead of your clients: by using the brilliance of the Masteries to elicit the meaning and purpose of the circumstances, relationships, and events in which you engage on a regular basis. Your coaching sessions will only be as effective as the time you are willing to put into your own growth. However you choose to accomplish that, you’ve got this great support system called the IAC Learning Agreement. Do you have a question that you’d like to ask the certifiers? Submit your questions here: http://certifiedcoachblog.typepad.com/blog/ask-the-certifiers.html.     Natalie Tucker Miller, MMC, is the Lead Certifier and a certifying examiner at the IAC, as well as Past-President. Natalie is founder of Ageless-Sages.com Publishing (www.ageless-sages.com), and creator of the literary genre, Picture Books for Elders™.     Please send your questions on the IAC Coaching Masteries® and the certification process to certification@certifiedcoach.org.

Lessons from the Certifiers

Celebrating Love and Humanity by Natalie Tucker Miller, MMC One of my favorite stories is this account of love and humanity from Alice Walker. “It is said that in the Baemba tribe of South Africa, when a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All work ceases, and every man, woman and child in the village gathers in a large circle around the accused individual. Then each person in the tribe … … speaks to the accused, one at a time, about all the good things the person has done in his lifetime. All his positive attributes, good deeds, strengths, and kindnesses are recited carefully and at length. The tribal ceremony often lasts several days. At the end, the tribal circle is broken, a joyous celebration takes place, and the person is symbolically and literally welcomed back into the tribe.” It’s hard to describe the feelings I experienced when I first read this many years ago. The story captured my heart and spoke directly to my coaching sensibilities. There is such essence of coaching mastery in, and between, the spaces of these words. “All work ceases…” shows up in Mastery 5, where the people maintain focus on and attention to the villager, and Mastery 4, where there is full focus of attention. When the person is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered, Mastery 8 includes trust, openness, curiosity, courage and recognition of potential, which is necessary for a loving system such as this to blossom. Each person in the tribe “speaks to the accused, one at a time, about all the good things the person has done in his lifetime. All his positive attributes, good deeds, strengths, and kindnesses are recited carefully and at length.” In this, we see an illustration of Mastery 2, where there is recognition, acknowledgement and appreciation for the person’s strengths and potential. Mastery 7 brings the person back to what is most important: in this case, themselves. As the celebration ensues, there is the further evidence of the power of the Masteries. The story, in its elegant simplicity, easily incorporates the elements of coaching mastery such as acceptance with expansion, comfort with discovery, transformation with safety, risk with confidence, and so on. These qualities are evident in so much of what we learn and experience every day, in and out of our coaching sessions. <<<<<Members click here to continue>>>>>> To join the IAC, click here. Do you have a question that you’d like to ask the certifiers? Submit your questions here: http://certifiedcoachblog.typepad.com/blog/ask-the-certifiers.html.   Natalie Tucker Miller, MMC, is the Lead Certifier and a certifying examiner at the IAC, as well as Past-President. Natalie is founder of Ageless-Sages.com Publishing (www.ageless-sages.com), and creator of the literary genre, Picture Books for Elders™.     Please send your questions on the IAC Coaching Masteries® and the certification process to certification@certifiedcoach.org.

Lessons from the Certifiers

 
 
The IAC Coaching Masteries: A Beautiful Interdependence - Mastery #9 [Infographic]
by Natalie Tucker Miller, MMC

Mastery #9 is in the spotlight this month as we continue our Masteries infographic series!

To join the IAC, click here.

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Do you have a question that you’d like to ask the certifiers? Submit your questions here: http://certifiedcoachblog.typepad.com/blog/ask-the-certifiers.html.

 
Natalie Tucker Miller, MMC, is the Lead Certifier and a certifying examiner at the IAC, as well as Past-President. Natalie is founder of Ageless-Sages.com Publishing (www.ageless-sages.com), and creator of the literary genre, Picture Books for Elders™.
 

 

Please send your questions on the IAC Coaching Masteries^® and the certification process to certification@certifiedcoach.org.

Lessons from the Certifiers

 
The IAC Coaching Masteries: A Beautiful Interdependence - Mastery #2 [Infographic]
by Natalie Tucker Miller, MCC (IAC)

Mastery #2 is in the spotlight this month as we continue our Masteries infographic series!

To join the IAC, click here.

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Do you have a question that you’d like to ask the certifiers? Submit your questions here: http://certifiedcoachblog.typepad.com/blog/ask-the-certifiers.html.

Natalie Tucker Miller, MCC (IAC), is the Lead Certifier and a certifying examiner at the IAC, as well as Past-President. Natalie is founder of Ageless-Sages.com Publishing (www.ageless-sages.com), and creator of the literary genre, Picture Books for Elders™.
 

 

Please send your questions on the IAC Coaching Masteries^® and the certification process to certification@certifiedcoach.org.

Lessons from the Certifiers

 

The IAC Coaching Masteries: A Beautiful Interdependence - Mastery #1 [Infographic]
by Natalie Tucker Miller, MCC (IAC)

Another infographic outlining the interdependence of the IAC Coaching Masteries^®, this time with Mastery #1 as the centerpiece!

To join the IAC, click here.

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Do you have a question that you’d like to ask the certifiers? Submit your questions here: http://certifiedcoachblog.typepad.com/blog/ask-the-certifiers.html.

Natalie Tucker Miller, MCC (IAC), is the Lead Certifier and a certifying examiner at the IAC, as well as Past-President. Natalie is founder of Ageless-Sages.com Publishing (www.ageless-sages.com), and creator of the literary genre, Picture Books for Elders™.

Please send your questions on the IAC Coaching Masteries^® and the certification process to certification@certifiedcoach.org.