1. You miss the camaraderie that you felt with your peers when you were in coach training.
2. You can’t remember the last time you tried out a new coaching tool.
3. You would welcome an in-depth conversation about best practices in coaching.
4. You love to learn by listening to other people coach.
5. You feel enriched every time you have a conversation with your colleagues.
6. You haven’t left your home office for 3 weeks and your headset is becoming your best friend.
There is a real value in consistently connecting with your coaching colleagues. As coach trainers we have often heard our program participants say how valuable it is to be in a conversation with other coaches and we know why this is true.
When you have a chance to talk to other coaches about how they might handle a coaching situation or what strategies they use to optimize their coaching, it is extremely beneficial to your practice.
Also, hearing other coaches coach provides a great opportunity to learn and incorporate new methods and ideas and to gain a deeper understanding of the ICF Core Competencies.
Plus, coaches are great people and it feels good to find yourself consistently with a familiar and trusted tribe.
So how can you create the opportunities to connect with that wonderful coaching tribe?
1. Attend ICF conferences, tele-classes and chapter meetings.
2. Seek out and attend other opportunities that might attract your coaching colleagues.
3. Create your own group of colleagues and gather regularly in person or virtually to be in community.
4. Join continuing education programs**
No matter what method you choose, we thank you for being a member of our coaching community and we hope to connect with you soon!
**We are delighted to offer four programs that give coaches the opportunity to be in community: Real Coaching Sessions Unplugged, Deeper Conversations Coaching, Mentor Coach Certification and Group Mentoring. (Plus earn ICF CCEUs for your credential renewal.)
Thanks, great article.