Coaches with specialized training and a top-level coaching certification will be more effective coaches and more easily attract clients. The gold-standard in coach certifications are from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). While some coaches and schools can and do create their own coach certifications, the ICF, as the world’s largest coaching association, sets the bar high. I’ll share my insider knowledge of how you can become an ICF certified coach.

Coach certifications are confusing to many people. After 8 years on two ICF chapter boards of directors, including a period as President of the ICF Washington State Chapter, I’ve fielded a lot of questions about coach training programs and certifications. 

Coaching gets results. Leaders are looking for the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to increase their coaching skills. I’ll share the 3 essential practices of effective coaching training. Using these guidelines you can sort through the many choices to find your pathway to coaching excellence. 

If you’re confused by conflicting messages about coaching, you’re not alone! Coaching is an unregulated field. Anyone can call himself or herself a “coach” and lead “How To Coach” workshops.

All coaching training is not the same. Every month, I hear from people who have invested in coaching courses only to find out later

A friend of mine met a woman at a party who said she was a Life Coach. My friend asked her, “Where did you train to be a Life Coach?” She answered, “Well, in life!” As a Professional Certified Coach and coach instructor, I groan when I hear this response. 

There’s a lot of buzz out there about the fantastic results of coaching. At the same time, there’s a lot of confusion about what exactly coaching is and how to become an effective coach.

I’ll clear up what a professional coach is and introduce 3 “sets” to define coaching.

We all have limiting beliefs that, if we don’t overcome them, will keep us from reaching our potential. You can recognize limiting beliefs by listening for 5 limitations that show up in everyday conversations. 

Let me share a story of how my coach heard a couple of my limiting beliefs and helped me.

In the first few years after launching our coaching training, the more successful it became, the more anxious I felt. I became reluctant to

As a coach and teacher, I try to make sense of the world and help others gain clarity as well. There are some experiences that just can’t be made sense of. Life is a mystery sometimes.

My friend, Rich Hansen, just release a book called Paradox Lost: Rediscovering the Mystery of God where he explores Biblical paradox. We spoke together about how paradox shows up in coaching and in life.

Where do you get your sense of value? From giving advice? Knowing information? Getting things done? Coaching will challenge your value as a leader. The key to becoming an excellent coach is to change your beliefs about what makes you valuable. 

Coaching skills are fairly easy to learn. What is difficult is changing your mind about what makes

During an interview with Derek Ouellette for the iGospelSummit, he asked me if there is a step-by-step process for a coaching conversation. There is. In this video Derek and I talk about The COACH Model®.

Years ago, I was looking for a process that would result in relevant conversations that produce new awareness and action. It needed to be simple and memorable. I developed

It takes more than a great coach to get the best results from your coaching conversations. It takes a great client! Read on to learn 6 ways to get the most out of coaching. 

I’ve coached professionally for more than 10 years. And I’ve been coached by a number of excellent coaches. Results in coaching often have more to do with the client than the coach. Here’s why.