Personal Life And Business Coaching Notes December 06

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I hope you are well. In my little part of the world, winter has made a dramatic entrance. We have been buffeted with wind and now blanketed with snow. (The picture below is of the path in the forest near my house where the dogs and I stroll each day.) There is something about the beauty and power of nature that reconnects us to what is important in life.

Anyway, there is quite a lot of content in this edition of the newsletter. I hope you find something that helps to keep you growing.

"Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed, that with the sun's love
in the spring, becomes the rose."
-B. Midler

I participate in regular conversations with a group of "coaching elders". In one of our recent gatherings longtime coach Richard Leider encouraged us to prepare a "personal anthropology." Richard explained that this term originated with Victor Frankl (Man's Search For Meaning, founder of Logotherapy) who insisted that all his students prepare a summary of their worldview, prior to working with clients.

Frankl's rationale was that the assumptions you make about life, how it works, what it's all about, who you are, etc. - has a huge impact on how you show up with your clients. This insight has been validated by many other researchers over the past 50 years, most recently by Drs. Lewis, Amini and Lannon of "A General Theory of Love".

Whether you are a coach, a leader, a partner or a parent, what you think about your world affects everyone you are in relationship with. It also affects what you think is possible and the results you get.

I encourage you to take a few moments to go through the exercise of listing your core beliefs about life. To help you, here is a working draft of mine:

"The most important decision you ever will make is whether or not you decide you live in a friendly universe."
- Einstein

Listen deeply - Get past your thoughts, assumptions and distractions and really listen (to the mind, body and soul) of your client.

Ask great questions - What is really wanted here? What is really needed here?

Intuit What Is Wanting to Happen - Struggle is most often growth waiting to happen. What does your client need to let go of, or step into, to become who they want to be?

Be Fully Present - You can only really listen, coach, and access your intuition if you are present.

Keep Growing - Research shows that your developmental level - your progress on a wide cross-section of developmental lines such as cognitive, emotional, social, moral, spiritual, etc. - impacts your ability to provide value to your clients. If your clients are further along than you are, most will know it and steer clear from you. If they don't, you might actually impede their progress rather than speeding it.

"Let yourself be silently drawn
By the stronger pull
Of what you really love"
- Rumi"

Listen deeply - Coaches are great at listening. To market well, you need to listen deeply to what your ideal clients are wanting.

Ask great questions - Find their challenges, changes, dreams and aspirations. Find out what they have tried and what did and didn't work. Find out what their payoff will be. Find out where they meet, what they read, and who they listen to.

Intuit What Is Wanting to Happen - If you can find out where your market is heading, and are the first there, you will help a lot of people and have a great business.

Be Fully Present - Great marketing is client focused. You have to get over yourself, (what I want, what I need, whether I am good enough, etc.) and be present enough to connect with your clients.

Keep Growing - When you know who your clients are, you know what they care about, learn as much as you can on topics that will be of use to them.

4) Coaches, is This True For You?

- You know coaching is your calling, and you love helping people.

- You are well trained and add a lot of value to your clients.

- Despite your strong coaching skills, you struggle to keep your practice full.

- You feel discouraged, and sometimes scared, at the gap between where your practice is and where you would like it to be.

- You know more success is possible, and are tired of the many "quick fix" solutions.

- You are fed up with trying to do this all yourself and are looking for some solid, affordable, help to make a real breakthrough.

If any of these are true for you, and you are ready to finally take your coaching to the next level in 2007, here is advance notice of my next 6 FIGURE PRACTICE MENTOR PROGRAM that will run in January. If you are interested, please check it out and send me an email so I can reserve you a spot. (Last year this program filled within 24 hours of the announcement.)

FOR ESTABLISHED COACHES WANTING TO MAKE A BREAKTHROUGH - THE 6 FIGURE PRACTICE MENTORING PROGRAM.

This program was designed to provide affordable and convenient mentoring for good coaches who know the basics, have been in business for a while, and find themselves plateaued out making between 20 and 60K.

It is focused on providing the support, information, inspiration, accountability and the best business, marketing and personal development support available to help you get to a much more enjoyable and rewarding place in your business and life.

The program combines a monthly 1 to 1 call with me, a monthly group call, and weekly accountability calls with a small group. (This program is getting rave reviews. Participants have told me they have really enjoyed the deeper work this program allows. We cover all the advanced marketing info you need, but the big breakthroughs occur on the "being" side. (When we help you find that place where your passions and strengths meet the biggest unmet need in your market, magic happens.)

You can read all about the program at: http://www.acoach4u.com/lifecoachmentoringprogram.htm.

Also, I am planning to start a new SOS program (for coaches in the early stage of their practice building) in January. Here is some info on it.

FOR NEW COACHES - THE SICK OF STRUGGLING TELECLASS - 8 SESSIONS ON MARKETING COVERING EVERYTHING FOR NEW AND NEAR NEW COACHES.

This is the venerable and affordable, learn-all-the-secrets-of-successful-coaches-and-get-inspired-on-a-budget program that has helped hundreds of coaches get their practices off the ground. It's for coaches who are newer to coaching and don't want to struggle away by themselves trying to re-invent the wheel. This program will save you money and time by telling you exactly what does and does not work. Check it out and read the latest testimonials at: http://www.acoach4u.com/marketingprogram.htm.

With the holiday season approaching, I thought it might be a good time to share some book recommendations.

- For a book that will inspire you with a combination of stunning photographs and powerful inquiries, check out Martha Hahn's new book GRANDEST LIFE QUESTIONS at http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/21280/66d4f0e5e84558cedc7d9897031c4167 (This is a masterpiece, and it is a perfect gift for your clients or anyone you love.)

At the recent ICF conference in St. Louis I was the grateful recipient of the "2007 Canadian Coach of The Year" award, given out by the good people of Coaches Canada. The purpose of this award is to raise the profile of professional coaching so that all coaches may benefit. Coaches Canada is working with the ICF to help spread this award (the idea of a regional Coach of The Year) to other countries around the world.

Thanks again to Sheila Kelly and her entire team who worked so hard to bring this award into the world.

The Revised and Expanded Edition of
Marketing Essentials For Coaches is available for review and download at:
MARKETING ESSENTIALS
Check out this, No Nonsense, Industry Best Seller that has helped thousands of coaches build their practices.

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Life Coach and Business Development Specialist Steve Mitten B.ApSc, CPCC, MCC helps individuals, professionals and leaders find their niche, be their best and make an impact.

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