10 Coaching Questions for Enneagram 9's
Can't we all just get along?
According to the Enneagram Institute, Enneagram Type Nines are accepting, trusting, and stable. They are usually creative, optimistic, and supportive, but can also be too willing to go along with others to keep the peace. They want everything to go smoothly and be without conflict, but they can also tend to be complacent, simplifying problems and minimizing anything upsetting. They typically have problems with inertia and stubbornness. At their Best: indomitable and all-embracing, they are able to bring people together and heal conflicts.
We have called personality type Nine The Peacemaker because no type is more devoted to the quest for internal and external peace for themselves and others. They are typically “spiritual seekers” who have a great yearning for connection with the cosmos, as well as with other people. They work to maintain their peace of mind just as they work to establish peace and harmony in their world. The...
10 Coaching Questions for Enneagram 4's
According to the Enneagram Institute, Fours are self-aware, sensitive, and reserved. They are emotionally honest, creative, and personal, but can also be moody and self-conscious. Withholding themselves from others due to feeling vulnerable and defective, they can also feel disdainful and exempt from ordinary ways of living. They typically have problems with melancholy, self-indulgence, and self-pity. At their Best: inspired and highly creative, they are able to renew themselves and transform their experiences.
We have named this type The Individualist because Fours maintain their identity by seeing themselves as fundamentally different from others. Fours feel that they are unlike other human beings, and consequently, that no one can understand them or love them adequately. They often see themselves as uniquely talented, possessing special, one-of-a-kind gifts, but also as uniquely disadvantaged or flawed. More than any other type, Fours are acutely aware of and...
10 Coaching Questions for Enneagram 3's
Isn't achieving goals what Coaching is all about?
According to the Enneagram Insitute, Threes are self-assured, attractive, and charming. Ambitious, competent, and energetic, they can also be status-conscious and highly driven for advancement. They are diplomatic and poised, but can also be overly concerned with their image and what others think of them. They typically have problems with workaholism and competitiveness. At their Best: self-accepting, authentic, everything they seem to be—role models who inspire others.
We have named personality type Three The Achiever because when they are healthy, Threes really can and do achieve great things in the world. They are the “stars” of human nature, and people often look up to them because of their graciousness and personal accomplishments. Healthy Threes know how good it feels to develop themselves and contribute their abilities to the world, and also enjoy motivating others to greater personal...
10 Coaching Questions for Enneagram 1's
Knowing that people have differing personalities can assist you in coaching them well. You don't even need to be a personality type expert to see trends in what a person needs when you are coaching them, but knowing a bit about types can help you AND help you help them!
In this series, we will unpack what different enneagram types need from a coach as well as the tendencies of a coach who is that type.
(*Definitions will all be from The Enneagram Institute. You can take a free enneagram test here if you are interested.)
Enneagram Ones are the rational, idealistic type: they are principled, purposeful, self-controlled, and perfectionistic
According to the Enneagram Institute, they are conscientious and ethical, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high...
The Many Faces Of Failure...
What first comes to your mind when you think of failure?
Here are some initial ideas: unkind words, poor behavior, missed deadlines, and loss of trust.
Perhaps some lesser-recognized failures could be: unreceived forgiveness, unrealized potential, procrastination, and stagnation.
My heart is heavy just thinking of categories. There is so much pain and loss in this world.
But take heart friends, there is NOTHING God cannot redeem. He truly wants to meet us right where we are and walk with us toward our best next step.
We are in good company. Let's take a look at a few Biblical characters who walked through some difficult situations, failures even, and moved on to redeemed situations.
Moses took matters into his own hands and tried to become who God wanted him to be his own way. He was too early and he was out of line. He even murdered a man. And yet, he allowed God to process his heart and he was still asked to be the deliverer God had planned for him to be - in...
Passion Week Devo - When did Jesus move? [Wednesday]
If I oversaw Jesus’ timeline, I would have made a couple of significant timing decisions differently.
First, what was up with his ministry not going public till he was thirty? Was he not ready? Did the world not need him till then? What was the holdup?
And then once he started forwarding the kingdom full-time, Personally, I think he should have stayed around a little longer. If I were on the leadership team determining whether the disciples were ready to “take it from there” I would have voted, “No” quite adamantly.
Good thing I wasn’t in charge!
Galatians 4:4 shows us the Father was in charge of the timing. “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.”
John 5:19-20a says, “So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him...
Simple Success: Is Content Deficit Really The Problem?
In these days of Google, kindle, and podcasts on demand, we live in a content-rich environment. if you want to know more about something all you need to do is ask SirI or Alexa!
I'm not sure if I have ever heard anyone wistfully say, "If only I knew where or how to get more information on that..."
I know a lot more than I do.
What if a plan is really what is needed? Here are a two actual (and perhaps too personal) examples.
Here's what I know - what I have done - and what I am doing now.
I know sugar is not great for my ultimate weight loss goal, but knowing and doing something about it are two different things. When I took an honest assessment I found I had way too many exceptions for why I should go ahead and have that latte or late-night snack. I don't need more information about sugar, I need an actual plan to remove it or reduce it from my life..
My current SMART goal is that I can have sugar in my morning coffee, but then I need to lay off...
Next Coach Training Cohort Forming Now
The focus of this blog is usually to bring a reminder or value add regarding coaching culture in real life. We try to share from different perspectives how coaching can be used in different arenas.
Today's post will be different. (If you have already taken coach training, could I ask that you forward this to someone who would benefit?)
This post is time-sensitive since our next coaching cohort registration closes soon! I feel compelled to share a little about what coach training actually is - who would be interested, what is included, what you can expect, how much it costs, and most importantly the timing involved.
Who would be interested?
You! If you want to learn more about growing in your faith journey and helping others to grow in theirs, coach training could be your best next step. If you have relationships in your life where you would like to have more significant conversations, coach training will give you tools to upgrade your connections.
What...
How To Redirect "Rehashing" For Yourself And Others
Rehashing is actually a thing. The definition of rehash is "to discuss again without significant change".
We do it all the time. We talk about how something is really hard and we can't really do anything about it. We justify being stuck and excuse ourselves from finding a way to move forward.
It feels legit when we do it, but it can feel annoying when someone else does it.
You know. you have this friend, client, co-worker, or family member, and they just keep circling around the same topic. The conversation is almost verbatim. You ask how things are going, and they tell you the same thing they said last time.
"What's new?", you say.
"Not much," they reply. And they tell you about their situation again...
If I'm honest though, I do the same thing! I get in a rut in my thinking and feel like I have explored all the angles and there is just no way out.
It's sad really. There is no hope when our perspective is like that.
It feels like the situation is truly...
Is Coaching Even Biblical? [Part 1]
A pastor friend of mine recently told me that a mentor of his mentioned that he wasn't even sure coaching was biblical. I actually understand that question.
Many people, pastors even, don't really know what coaching is.
And if I'm completely honest, I really wish there was a different word than coaching for that very reason. It gets confusing. Many people think coaching is telling others what to do in a kind, but direct, way. Coaching, as we align with at Bridges, is quite different.
(If you aren't sure how to define coaching please click here and maybe even here before reading on...)
Coaches help people learn to discern what God is prompting them to think and do. It's much easier to weigh in and tell people what you think they should do. Maybe you have been through a similar situation and you feel you should just spare them the difficulty and give them your solution.
But what if...
What if God has a different plan for their journey?
Of course, there...