Coach Express

by Kurt Stewart

My first “assignment” after joining the management team earlier this year was to read The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey Jr., which I thought said everything about what ICA stands for.

In the book, Covey shows that, where there is trust, built on what he calls the 4 cores of Credibility, (integrity,intent,capabilities and results), the speed at which things move will increase and the cost of conducting business will decrease. When working with organizations, Covey asks clients the following three questions:

• How would you describe a low-trust organization?
• How would you describe a high-trust organization?
• Which description best represents your organization?

As I read through the list of behaviours that describe a high-trust organization, I was struck with how the criteria matched my view of ICA. Being a newcomer to the group, my perspective on ICA as an organization is still fresh. So I thought it would be interesting to reflect this back to our team in one of our “trust exercises” - team building exercises that are a regular part of our meetings. This was my way of acknowledging what I believe to be our greatest asset: a group of people who are consciously creating high trust to move us all - management, trainers and our ever-growing group of students and alumni - forward.

Here is the list of “high-trust” behaviours that Covey highlights:

• Information is shared openly
• Mistakes are tolerated and encouraged as a way of learning
• The culture is innovative and creative
• People are loyal to those who are absent
• People talk straight and confront real issues
• There is real communication and collaboration
• People share credit abundantly
• There are few “meetings after meetings”
• Transparency is a practical value
• People are candid and authentic
• There is high degree of accountability
• There is a palpable vitality and energy - people feel the positive momentum

Anyone who has ever worked in a “low-trust” organization will know what that looks like: no transparency, people are afraid to speak openly, information is withheld and there is little collaboration between individuals and groups.

So like all good coaches, we at ICA have to keep asking ourselves: are we walkin’ the talk here? How, as a company, are these behaviours showing up? And is our community of students experiencing them at an every day, practical level as they train to become coaches?  Thanks to all the student feedback we get, I think I can answer yes to that last question. It’s what Covey calls the “trust dividend” - a benefit that comes from acting with integrity, good intent, capabilities and - importantly for our students - results. The results we see every year as more and more of our graduates go out into the world and make a difference.

Now as ICA grows and begins to offer training in other languages and cultures the challenge is to keep trying to add to that list of high trust behaviours. Going forward, we will need to continue building trust across cultures in China, Latin America and Europe.  It’s an exciting challenge and with the support of our great multi-cultural community of students, we trust we’ll meet it.

Kurt Stewart

 a book by Wai K Leong (ICA Graduate)

There is a global awareness on coaching and the great importance many organizations have placed to equip managers with these skills. The challenge that many managers will face in this leadership development process is the shift of mindset required of them from telling and directing to asking and listening. This book advocates nine mindset shifts required for managers to become more effective coaches.

This book is also intended for managers and coaches who want to learn how to coach and work with Asians. It provides a backdrop on some Asian values and how coaches need to be mindful of these values to use it and empower their Asian clients.

Wai K Leog graduated from ICA’s Certified Professional Coach Program (CPCP) in 2006.

Wai K Leong,PCC

JMC Coach Mastery Sdn.Bhd.

Web: http://www.jmccoachmastery.com 

Instead of spending our traditional Christmas in Australia this year, my family and I spent XMAS in Sweden. It was great to be so close to Santa and the North Pole, particularly for my 5 yr old and 3 yr old!! And, it was such a delightful change to be munching on a Swedish Smorgasbord instead of the hot roast lamb that many Australians still eat in 40 degree heat.

But, the most amazing thing, for me, was the totally different perspective I experienced from being in Sweden where it is freezing cold and, unlike Australia, can be dark by 4pm.  Actually the sun starts its way down the horizon at 3.30!

I was completely amazed to see that the family I was staying with allowed their children to go outside and play in those conditions.

As an Australian (where it is warm most of the time) there is no way I would let my children out in the dark or, worse still, out in the dark in sub zero temperatures.  They sometimes ask and the of course, the answer is always “No, it’s too cold” or “You are not going out in this weather, forget it!  Well, after all, isn’t that part of being a ‘responsible mother’? (more…)

Last December I participated in a 55km bike ride. It was the first time that I have ever done such a thing. A friend of mine
suggested that we enter the ride as a farewell to me before I leave to live in China. My first reaction was complete shock and fear. I heard myself saying out loud ÒNo way can I do a 55km bike ride.Ó I only ride my bike every so often and as it has just been winter here in Australia I hadnÕt been riding for a while. My friend encouraged me and told me I could easily do it.  I applauded her faith in me but thought it may have been good for me to have a little faith in myself as well. This seemed pretty necessary on such a long bike ride.I went away thinking about this challenge. It certainly would mean that I would be leaving Australia on a high; it could also mean that this would be way too stressful a thing to do so close to leaving.

(more…)

Start your coach training in 2008 and save 20% on new pricing.

We have delayed our price increase as long as possible.  On the 1st February 2008 our fees will increase by 10%. If you  are one of the growing number of people considering a career as a life coach, business coach, executive coach, career coach or spiritual coach, then now is the time to act.  You don’t need to start your studies until you are ready, but you  must enroll by the 29th January 2008 to take advantage of the 20% saving.

Register your interest  

What is Your Special Gift as a Coach?

Coaching is one of the fastest growing professions in the world. As a career it is flexible and financially rewarding. But this is not the main reason most people start coaching.

People come to coaching as a way of making a contribution to the world, of creating change - within themselves, their family, their community, their country, even the planet. Every coach brings a special and unique gift to coaching and to the world.

Special Festive Season Teleseminar

“The Power of Coaching”
Dec 19th, 2007

Register Now: http://www.icoachacademy.com

1. What excites you about coaching?
2. What change/contribution will you make in the world?
3. How will you make a difference?
4. How will you build a successful coaching business?

Register Now: http://www.icoachacademy.com

On 1st January 2008, we will be increasing our course prices by 10%

We know there are an increasing number of people considering a career as a life coach, business coach, executive coach, career coach or spiritual coach. If you are one of them then now is the time to act.

December is a great time to take action and enrol before the price increase. To help you take action, if you enrol in our Professional (CPCP), or Associate program (ACCP) before 29th December you will receive a 20% discount on our current pricing.

–> http://tinyurl.com/ywsr4p

This is a great opportunity to enrol in an internationally recognised coaching program, at an exceptional price.

You can enrol in December, and start the course at any time, as there is no fixed start date. Each course is broken down into modules; you just start at the tele-class that is running in the module of your choice.

ICA’s Certified Professional Coach Training program is an excellent ‘value for money’, ICF accredited training program. Our prices include course notes, exam fees, being coached, life time membership (repeat the classes as often as you want forever) and all 5 Communities of Practice (Life, Business, Executive, Career and Spiritual Coaching). Communities of Practice are niche-specific networks designed to develop the practical side of your coaching and include spiritual, business, executive, career, life and general coaching. Each community of practice includes case studies, a coaching practicum, niche specific resources and a highly interactive networking forum.

If you would like to take advantage of this special offer, or need any further information then register your interest now by clicking on the link below.

–> http://tinyurl.com/ywsr4p

By Bronwyn Bowery-Ireland

In three weeks time I will be relocating my family from Melbourne, Australia to Shanghai, China. This change has been in planning for about a year and as each week passes I feel myself getting more and more excited. International Coach Academy is going to be offering coach training in Mandarin as of 2008.

As a coach and a leader I have been most interested in observing the responses people have given me when I mention that I am relocating to China. Let me share a few with you now.

The first response is an assumption that I have to go for work purposes and that there may not be a great deal of choice involved, rather a necessary part of my role at ICA. This could not be further from the truth. When I stepped off the plane in mainland China in 2005, I felt a wave of energy that I had not experienced before. I became immediately excited and I could feel the energy of the place moving throughout my body. I loved the culture, I loved the passion for learning that everyone I meet has, and I loved the vibrancy of the place. I felt connected in some way to China. It had entered my mind, body and soul weaving its magical, mythical spell over me. Whenever I am in mainland China I feel a sense of sadness when I have to leave it.

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By Robyn Logan

Coaching is such an ingrained, integrated part of my life that I can’t imagine a time before I ever spoke the words “I am a coach”. I was thinking this week about how it was that I came to coaching. In a way, it was a sort of “coming out”. Once I did say those words, I could look back and see that in fact I had been “coaching” for a long time before ever recognising it for what it was.

Anyway, I digress. For me, like most other coaches I know, it was a memorable event. I was sitting in an airplane reading an in-flight magazine. There was an article on business coaching and I thought to myself, “Yes, that’s exactly what I need, so that I can stop boring my partner every night with stories of client upsets and training dilemmas etc.” It turned out that coaching did the trick where my business and home life was concerned. But it did more than that. Within weeks of experiencing this methodology firsthand I recognised its power and potential. I had been consulting and training in various capacities for years, with excellent results. But through being coached myself I saw that coaching had the potential to create long- lasting, deep, sustainable change, both personally and organizationally. (more…)

Congratulations to all our recent Graduates!

A graduation ceremonly was held on Friday, 1st June 2007 to celebrate the success of our recent graduates.  A record 58 students graduated and it was inspiring to be able to share this occasion with the students and their family and friends.  All graduates now hold the designation of either CPC or ACC. 

Our graduation students are as follows (more…)