How Freeze-Framing Stalls Forward Movement
"Freeze-framing" as a coaching concept may be a term that my husband and I made up. I really can't remember (and I even tried googling it), but no matter the origin, the gist of it is quite helpful.
In a movie or video, freeze-framing is when the projection stops on one particular moment, and the show does not move forward. You only see one frame in still life.
Our thoughts toward situations can be like that. We can freeze the forward movement, so to speak, and not be able to see what could happen if there were movement.
We freeze-frame others when we think of them as not being able to change or grow. We use words like always or never in our thoughts about them. It sounds like, "Well, she'll never change. She never speaks up.", or "He just has a quick temper, you can't really trust him." You get the picture?
We can freeze-frame situations or organizations in the same way. "It's just like that. There's nothing we can do." Entire communities, countries, or cultures can be locked i...
How to Go Deeper with Advanced Coaching Concepts
There are multiple types of "Aha" moments available in coaching. Let's look at a few together:
- Choosing a specific focus when there were many worthy options to consider.
- Making a quality SMART goal.
- Recognizing a mindset that has been holding you back.
- Developing a plan to "maintain your gain" and keep up with the new habit or whatever you worked toward.
Like we talked about last time, having a coaching mindset starts with Active Listening and Asking Empowering questions. At its core, coaching culture chooses to put the other person first and prioritize what they are sharing.
We can do this as friends. We honor our family when we focus on whatever is important to them in a conversation.
Regular conversations are different. They can be two friends doing life together by sharing experiences and insights. They can be family chats sharing the highs and lows of life, or resolving scheduling issues. They can even be problem-solving in a group setting.
Most of the above deal...
Two Natural Responses that are NOT Coachy
Coaching is defined as a set of conversational tools (and even conversational rules - or best practices) that can be used to aid someone as they discern their next steps.
In faith-based coaching, that means believing the Holy Spirit IS guiding the other person, and our job is to create a safe space for them to focus on one area and talk it out.
In our initial training, Life Coach Certification, we build on the foundational pillars of Active Listening and Asking Powerful Questions. That's one of the reasons our tagline at Bridges is: making disciples, not dependents. We don't want to tell people what to do; rather, we want to help them feel confident about pursuing the next step in their personal faith journey.
We encourage these trainees to practice their coaching skills by doing 3 things.
1- Guiding their coachee to choose a singular focus.
2- Talking less than 20% of the time in a coaching session.
3- Completing the session with an agreed-upon action step - even if that step ...
Best Bang for the Buck! [Time-Sensitive]
Do you ever wish your conversations could have more impact or resolution?
Do you want to help people grow in their connection with God and others?
Do you hope to leave a legacy of investment in those around you?
Coach Training could be your answer! (Not sure: check out "Why take coach training?(isn't it just for professionals?")) Or maybe you do want to be a professional or work for Bridges Coaching - our training offers a pathway for you as well.
If you have been considering coach training, this may be your best time to commit!
If you have already been coach-trained, is there someone you know who would benefit from these options if you forwarded them?
Check out these time-sensitive options:
For the first time ever, we are offering an early registration discount valid through April. Click here for specifics and to register!
Or maybe you'd prefer what we call "Coaching Lite", use this link for $50 off the Video Course access with workbook from Amazon. (3-month access)
If you ...
How Does Coaching Work In Leadership?
One of the tenets of coaching is that the person being coached chooses the goal and the pathway to get there.
So, wondering how coaching concepts can work in leadership is a valid question. What if employees choose goals that are less than what is expected, or not even heading in the right direction?
While true coaching does allow the "client" to choose the goal, leadership coaching incorporates a slight shift.
Letting people choose their own goals in a workplace is actually an abdication of leadership. Measurable goals provide clarity in the workplace.
In Leadership Coaching, the leader or the organization sets the goal, but the organizational norm is for the employee to manage the pathway to achieve it.
For example, a company has a lead goal of X number of items that need to be made by a set date, or a certain number of people that need to be served, and then the person is allowed, even encouraged, to find a way to make that happen. In their book "Influencer", the Vital Smarts...
"How Will You Know?" [Pendulum Perspective]
In this series, we'll explore the Pendulum Process, where we examine different aspects of life through a pendulum perspective. We will explore how to discuss both sides of a focus, define the edges, and help people discern what's next.
So there I was coaching a young go-getter who had ANOTHER great idea.
This guy was a genius. Full of passion. Devoted to God, his family, and furthering the kingdom! He's the real deal. I'm not sure exactly what God has for him, but I definitely feel honored to know him and to walk with him in this season of his life.
So, what's the problem? Glad you asked.
This wasn't Joe*'s first great idea. He is one of those people who is loaded with great ideas. You know the kind. It can seem they have a different plan every time you talk to them. And all of them are viable. Some of them actually move on, but often they bite off more than they can chew.
I didn't serve Joe well the day he proposed this particular idea. Instead, I listened and partnered with h...
7 Valid Reasons NOT to Take Coach Training
Okay, this is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but consider these thoughts. (Maybe coach training is worth considering?!)*
#1 I don't want to set up a coaching practice, so coach training is overkill.
While we do help professionals set up a practice, most of our trainees use their coaching in their real life jobs, families, and friendships.
#2 My conversations are impactful, and the people I interact with walk away with a plan. I rarely have repeat conversations with anyone who has the same issues over and over.
If you are like most people, you have recurring conversations that are not life-givng for you or the other person. Coach Training helps identify the value of choosing to name an issue rather than just keep talking about it, and then making a plan to address whatever is going on.
#3 I'm living my life on purpose and feel I am making quality decisions about where to focus.
Coach Training not only helps you help others, it helps you help yourself. Taking your hopes and dreams out of...
Meet Kent: Bridges Alumni, Coach, Author and Originator
What's an originator? I'm glad you asked. (I may have made up the word.) An Originator is someone who creates original content. They have their own IP (Intellectual Property - I didn't make that one up.)
Kent originated the REST assessment and offers it for free! I would encourage you to take the assessment, but first let's hear his coach training story.
How did you first hear about coach training?
Honestly, two things were happening. First, I had been hearing about the coaching paradigm for a few years and had some respected friends who raved about it, including some friends who had trained with Bridges Coaching, and it piqued my interest. Being a voracious learner and practitioner, I get excited to learn new leadership skills. Second, I was kind of frustrated with old ministry paradigms. I wanted to see people get breakthroughs, but realized the old discipleship paradigm of “telling” doesn’t work with every personality. Additionally, had been thinking about doing coach training fo...
Two SIMPLE Phrases That Flip The Conversation To A Coaching Mindset
There is a skill set to coaching, to be sure, but more than a skill set, coaching is a mindset.
More than following a formula, coaching* has to do with a heart posture that believes God's Spirit endwells people and is guiding each of us on our own unique journey. A good coach is a thinking partner who offers a safe space to process your pathway out loud. They are cheerleaders and sometimes mirror holders. They believe in your ability to work through whatever life has thrown at you, to do new things, to work through obstacles, and to follow through when the going gets tough.
Two super simple phrases that can be a game-changer in a coaching session or a conversation.
1) Tell me more.
Tell me more - offers the person replying to go anywhere they want to go in what they share next. In fact, they may not even know until they keep talking what they need to "get out" there to discuss.
Proverbs 20:5 says, "People’s thoughts can be like a deep well, but someone with understanding can f...
Just Delete This If...
I kind of hate it when I get emails that say things like, "last chance" when you know they will offer "it" again, or when they say "only X spots left" when you know they would open up space for as many people as signed up.
We lean away from that kind of marketing at Bridges, but I do feel compelled to let you all know where we stand when a cohort is about to launch so:
DELETE THIS EMAIL if:
- You have already taken Bridges Coach training and are not interested in this cohort, but please stay on the list, I promise we will get back to our regularly scheduled coaching culture prompts after this email. (Feel free to consider who you know that might benefit from coach training and chat with them.)
- You have prayed about Bridges Coach training and now is not the right time for you.
If you are still reading here's a few things that could help with your decision.
1- Registraion for this fall's cohort closes Sunday, Aug 31.
2- This is the last time the course will be at this price po...