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December 2003
The Business of Coaching Newsletter
THE BUSINESS OF COACHING ® e-news
from Clarity In Action and Dorcas Kelley, CPCC
CMC ACC
http://www.thebusinessofcoaching.com
http://www.clarityinaction.com
A quarterly e-zine bringing you information and resources to simplify and de-mystify the process of growing and managing your coaching business.
Subscriptions are always free! To subscribe or unsubscribe, please see the end of this message. Please feel free to pass this newsletter along to colleagues.
THIS MONTH'S TOPIC: 'Tis the Season to
be Networking!
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THE RESOURCE CORNER
Year End Special at The Business of Coaching website (www.thebusinessofcoaching.com)
Now, through January 31, 2004, you can receive $3 off each product you order! Just enter the code "2003" in the discount code field on the order form. Hurry now, before the special sale ends!
Have a coaching colleague that you can't find the right gift for? Want to turbo-charge your own business? Buy a copy of The Business of Coaching bookset! It provides all the info you need to establish, expand, and manage a coaching business.
Booksets are available with a wire bound workbook ($35.90 using the year-end discount) or a CD workbook ($32.90 using the year-end discount). What a deal!
Looking for something quicker to absorb? Try the "7 Steps to Business Success," a one-hour audio program (CD or tape) that provides you with a proven framework for your business success. Did you know that 56% of businesses fail within the first 4 years? I want your business to be a success! A step-by-step, easy-to-follow program, only $9 using the year-end discount.
For more information and to purchase items, please visit my website at http://www.thebusinessofcoaching.com *********************************************
FEATURE ARTICLE:
'Tis the Season to be Networking!
(and Jolly!)
Seasons Greetings! With the holidays upon us, and all the holiday parties and gatherings, there is no better time of year to brush up on your networking and social interaction skills! This is the busiest time of year for adult social interaction and you can make these events fruitful opportunities to build your contacts and network.
Do you feel excited about the holiday parties, or filled with dread? Often, we view social situations with some fear, and our gremlins are very willing to reinforce our negative thoughts. Do you have concerns about how to introduce yourself and your business, while also remaining authentic, enrolling and relaxed? You might think this combination is impossible to attain, but I assure you that it's not!
Another gremlin you might have lurking around is that introverts aren't any good at networking. This is completely false, and many studies have shown that extroverts and introverts can network equally well.
So what's the magic secret? It's deceptively simple - be a coach and be yourself! Sounds too easy, right? Well, here are some reasons why it is so simple.
Reason 1: One of the reasons why coaching is so powerful is that people rarely take time to focus on themselves and their dreams. As a coach, your job is to help people examine their lives, their dreams, and their challenges. One of your objectives is to help your client get enrolled in themselves and the potential in their lives. You don't need to be in a formal coaching session to do this! You can easily create this same atmosphere of curiosity and support within a social situation.
Reason 2: It's not possible to be someone or something you aren't. No matter how hard you try, it will be clear that you are trying to be different than your authentic self. Over the years I've found that the most successful coaches are at peace with themselves, not acting or trying to be different from their authentic selves. This isn't to say that they aren't working on improving themselves but rather that they are comfortable being who they are, in that moment, warts and all. This leads to a deep sense of authenticity and connection - key factors to establishing a relationship.
Ok, I can hear you thinking - "Stop with this simplistic theory stuff - tell me what to do!" Before we get into the "doing" of networking, I'm going to give you two scenarios, and I'd like you to read them and decide which one might be more enrolling, and why. In these two examples I'm providing only the words of the coach as you can figure out the responses from the coach's words.
Scenario A
I enter the room and approach a person.
Scenario B
I enter the room and approach a person.
So which scenario do you think is more effective and enrolling? (Answer: Scenario A)
What differences do you see between the two scenarios? There are many, and some of them are subtle. Here are a couple of critical ones:
There are two other "words of wisdom" I want to impart. One is to truly be unattached to the outcome of the conversation. I don't mean apathetic, but rather not invested in the person responding in a particular way. Not everyone is ready for coaching just because we talk to them about it. Their response has to do with them, and where they are at in their life, and is not a reflection of your value or worth or success as a coach. If you find yourself attaching significant meaning to their reaction ("Oh no, he's not interested in having coffee with me. I must suck as a coach" "Darn, I guess I blew that one. I'll never be successful.") I strongly recommend that you work with your own coach to address these gremlins and shrink them down to a minimized size.
The second hint is to always be looking for how your conversation mate is inspirational. We know, in our hearts, that every person is inspiring. Often we may not see the inspiring aspects because we simply don't look with the intent of being inspired. As my colleague, Leslie Lupinsky CPCC, states so eloquently - "Prepare to be inspired!" Once you assume that everyone you meet is inspirational, you will begin to see how this is true. You will see how they are inspiring and will, in turn, reflect their inspiration back at them, sparking their soul and giving them the greatest gift in the world - love and acknowledgement for themselves. Seek inspiration in each person, and you will find it!
So go forth into your holiday parties, be yourself, be a coach, "prepare to be inspired," and take the risk to ask the deep questions. You will find that your conversations will be richer, and your new connections will be stronger and more meaningful. If you'd like additional information and exercises for improving your networking skills, I invite you to purchase my bookset, in which I have a whole chapter devoted to this topic.
As always, if you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me. I'd love to hear about your own networking experiences and wisdom. How do these tips work for you? Inquiring minds want to know!
Best wishes for a relaxing and love-filled
holiday season!
Dorcas Kelley CPCC CMC ACC
Helping you make the leap from 'coaching skills'
to 'coaching profession'
dorcask@clarityinaction.com
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Please visit my website http://www.thebusinessofcoaching.com
for additional resources and information. ****************************************
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, go to: http://www.thebusinessofcoaching.com/tboc_resources.htm
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© 2003 Dorcas Kelley. All rights reserved. You're free to use material
from The Business of Coaching ® e-newsletter in whole or in part, as long
as you include the complete attribution, including live web site link
and e-mail link. Also, please notify me where and when the material will
appear. Thank you!
The fine print: This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is published with the understanding that the author is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or tax services. If expert assistance is required, the services of a professional should be sought.