Meet Michelle: Using Coaching in 3 arenas!
Meet Michelle! Michelle hails from Diamond Bar, CA, doesn't that seem wonderful! She's been a part of Bridges for over a decade now and facilitates our Next Level Coach training. I love what she shared about coach training!
What's Changed? (Think of last year this time.)
People don't often stumble into change.
Goals are rarely met without a plan.
"Situations" usually need attention to be resolved.
THIS IS WHERE COACHING COMES IN!
Whether you are the one who needs forward movement OR you want to truly help others on their journey, coaching and/or coach training is likely just what you need.
Personally, we've all been there - excuses, blame, or minimizing lead our thinking patterns regarding any particular area, and we just don't do anything. Maybe we wouldn't even define it as being "stuck", maybe we don't like that word, or we haven't even thought about being intentional in a certain area. We just carry on with our lives as usual.
Maybe you have family members, co-workers or friends that either talk about a certain area all the time, but aren't doing anything about it, or they avoid a certain area, and you wish they would talk about it and do something.
Coach training helps will ALL of these arenas!
You can be a conduit for change!
Next c...
This 3 Minute - 6 Question Quiz WILL Help!
Give yourself 1-5 points as directed for each line.
-I have a desire to help those around me move forward in their faith. [1= not really, 5= very much so]
-There are a couple of people in my life who keep talking to me about the same things over and over. [1= not a thing for me, 3= once in a while, 5= there are people I avoid for this reason]
-It seems like people want me to fix their problems or at least tell them what to do. [1= no one around me has stuff they are dearling with 5= There is so much stuff!]
-My schedule has plenty of margin. [1= I have time on my hands 5= It seems like there are more things I would like to do than I have time for.]
-I ask people insightful questions that consistently move them toward "Aha" moments. [1= I'm not sure 5= I wish I felt sure]
-i regularly care for people without carrying the weight of what they are going through. [1= It seems at times I care more for them than they care for themselves 5= Is that even possible?]
Tally your score and h...
Okay - Third Essential for a Growth Mindset
We've been looking at the 2, maybe 3, essentials for a Growth Mindset.
Without #1 - humility - we will have a hard time being willing to acknowledge there is something we need to focus on.
Without #2 - intentionality - we acknowledge the problem or the goal, but we haven't actually moved the needle. It's like when we say, "You know what I need to __________________ (lose some weight or insert other Aha moment here)" or "I guess I do have a problem with __________________ (anger, insecurity, addiction, or whatever)" or "If I don't start, I'll never ______________ write that book build that thing, find a spouse, get that degree."
You can't address something you can't name.
But perhaps, before it all, or maybe during it all, the greatest essential for a growth mindset is HOPE!
Without #3 - Hope - it's like trying to drive a car with no fuel. Hope fuels our preferred future. Hope helps us see what could be. Hope changes everything.
Without hope, humility is just a sad recognition o...
2 Essentials For A Growth Mindset (okay - maybe 3) [Part 2]
A Growth Mindset means you don't need to be stuck. You can move forward.
People get stuck when they feel there is no way out; we all tend to excuse ourselves from seeing what needs to be seen and doing what needs to be done to move ahead.
Last time we talked about the 1st essential for a growth mindset - the need for humility. If we can't see where we need help, we are not likely to receive what we desperately need. (Probably worth the click if you haven't read it yet.)
The promised 2nd essential is: Intentionality.
When I worked with youth years ago, we promoted the idea of spiritual journeying. If you are not on a journey with God, you are missing out on experiencing your faith! If you can't say what you are learning or how you are growing, you are likely dealing with pride or apathy.
Humility is the antidote for pride. Intentionality is the antidote for apathy.
Apathy says things like, "What? I'm just doing me", "Don't be so serious all the time - just relax and enjoy life"...
2 Essentials For A Growth Mindset (okay - maybe 3) [Part 1]
A growth mindset does not come naturally for most, maybe even all, of us. Let me explain.
What comes naturally is excuses or blame. When faced with adversity, the common go-to is to reason is that we got the short straw and should be pitied or rescued from what we are facing. It's most common to think things are not supposed to be the way they are.
I don't mean to minimize difficulty, especially when it is traumatic, but the truth is that God always offers a plan. He is the King of making a way out for us. He has provided what we need to move forward.
A growth mindset, by definition, includes ... (you guessed it) growth. The opposite of growing is being stuck. When we make excuses or blame shift, we are choosing to remain stuck and not move forward.
A growth mindset is not only used for when facing difficulty, but also for any goals God has placed in our journey. A growth mindset requires us to take initiative and move forward to the destiny He has for us. Sometimes that destiny i...
Meet Eric: A Minster's Take On Coach Training!
Next up in our "Meet _________" series is my absolute favorite - my husband, Eric. He's been in this with me from the beginning, so I asked him a few questions.
How did you first hear about coaching?
I first heard about coaching from my wife, Cindy, who started Bridges Coaching. I must admit I did not understand it at first, and what I did not understand, I became skeptical about at first. I wanted to know how it came from a biblical foundation. Little did I know, Jesus used coaching regularly as He worked with His disciples in the Bible. I just needed to look for it!
What prompted you to take the training?
Because a large part of what I do in ministry involves caring for people, I was burned out. Eventually, I sought counseling help through a ministry called Care for Pastors in Orlando, Florida. My problem was that I was caring for people, but I was also carrying people. In time, the counseling and the coach training helped me let go of the ownership of a person’s problems and al...
Should I or Shouldn't I? And The Reasons That Drive Us
We all ask that question about a pile of things every day- little things, big things, present things, future things, relational things, tactical things, all. the. things.
Let's take a look.
Here are some common questions > Here are some common ways we reason.
Should I get a latte on the way to work? > It's been a rough week, any little extra comfort is worth it.
Should I talk to my friend about her situation? > Ah... She knows I am available if she needs me.
Should I pursue a different position? > If it's meant to be, it will come to me.
Should I finally start that project? > I'm not sure if the juice is worth the squeeze.
Should I be making any adjustments to my routine (diet, exercise, devotional patterns, joining a small group, investing more in retirement)? > I've got a lot on my plate right now, best not to upset the apple cart.
Maybe you have had some of these questions. Maybe you have reasoned some of these reasons.
The Proverbs are all about choosing well. In fact, mo...
How To Measure True Success?
There are a number of ways to measure success - maybe even an innumerable amount.
The world measures success by affluence, power, fame, or skills.
In God's kingdom, we measure it differently. Jesus said the "greatest" would be the servant of all. So, are believers supposed to measure success by how much we do for others? But wouldn't that be a "works" mentality?
Paul says in Galatians that the fruit of living in the Spirit is love, joy, peace, etc. So, should we be measuring success by our fruit?
In Coaching, it would be possible to measure success by whether or not SMART goals were effective in helping individuals reach their goals in a timely manner. Some would even define success simply as not failing.
Of course we should set goals, "without vision people perish(languish)", and there are plenty of scriptures about being lazy and about doing something wise with what has been given to us.
But here's the thing - our relationship with God is not, CAN NOT, be based on performan...
Top Ten Things Coaching Is NOT!
Maybe it is easier to say what coaching is not.... Here's a top ten we use in coach training.
Top Ten Things True Coaching Is NOT! (as per the International Coaching Federation and the Christian Coaching Network International - check out the What Is Coaching Blog)
#10 Coaching is not “One-size-fits-all”. It is not a program or plan that the Coach designs and offers to all. Coaching is individualistic because it recognizes that what worked for one person may not work for the next. Each person has a unique design and pathway. Coaching helps uncover that plan.
#9 Coaching is not diagnostic. Good Coaches do not decide what the problem is or what the focus should be, they ask good questions and help the person being coached to come to an “Ah Ha” moment where they recognize something on their own.
#8 Coaching is not prescriptive. People often want someone to just tell them what to do. (I know there are plenty of times in my life when I have wanted that.) Coaching does not tell. Inste...