Toolbox

What’s a coaching tool to you? Something you pull out of your “toolbox” and “apply” to a client? Like MBTI? The GROW Model? Or, a perspective on coaching that provides a whole variety of questions and approaches? I’d like to suggest something else. What if we ourselves are the most subtle, dynamic tool? And what …read more.

Having used a variety of assessment tools, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is my first choice as a coach. It measures personality preferences and can facilitate increased self-awareness (resulting in empowerment) and enhanced diversity appreciation (resulting in understanding and acceptance of others)—aspects needed in life, at work and as global citizens of the world. As …read more.

Design thinking is more popular than ever. Originally developed at Stanford University’s d.school, this human-centered method helps teams find innovative solutions to existing problems. While working in Berlin, I had the opportunity to learn design thinking at the Hasso-Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany. Though there is a whole process to design thinking, I’ll only be …read more.

Have you noticed your coaching clients are increasingly prone to distraction and greater levels of stress and frustration? This is a product of today’s complex and often chaotic world. Clients report feeling overwhelmed, struggling to focus, being caught in patterns of cyclical thinking, or being otherwise distracted, internally and externally. For many modern coaches, mindfulness …read more.

The senior leader I’m coaching feels stuck. For decades, Angela prospered in operational roles by leading with her brilliance. She was the expert, dogmatic about her opinions (and typically right), and if needed, she knew how to bully her views to the top. Yet her new role as beverage company COO required her to “play …read more.

A client or prospective client wants to be seen and heard, and to trust their inherent wisdom to bring them to their next action. A coach partners with a client in this process by using presence and communication—a way of being with their client while using coaching skills. ICF has created a powerful set of …read more.

“I’m just not a creative type!” “I’m really not sure what I should be imagining.” “What do you mean to visualize it?” I’m not sure about other coaches, but I have had quite a few experiences with clients who had a hard time getting in touch with their creative sides. Clients sometimes hold the limiting …read more.

When I was training as a therapist many years ago, I worked with a young woman who sat opposite me in silence as she tried to find words to explain what was going on in her life. As a result, I wrote a thesis, “When Words Fail,” and started using objects in my work. Why …read more.

As coaches, we are trained (and often personally hardwired) to be 100-percent client-focused in every way possible. Coaching partnerships are based on trust and establishing a meaningful connection with our clients, and doing so allows us to support them as they progress towards their goals. With our commitment to being intensely client-focused, it isn’t surprising …read more.