Archive for November, 2008
Where Have I Been?
Posted by: | CommentsI know better than to neglect my blog, yet I have not posted here in two and a half weeks. Life happens to even the most dedicated of us. First it was the flurry of preparation prior to leaving town for an extended time. Then it was off on the trip itself. I spent an entire week in the fun city of Montreal; both seeing the sights and attending the International Coach Federation conference (ICF). Three days after returning home, I had surgery on my ankle. I am finally able to sit at the computer again after all that time.
The ICF conference was terrific. I have gone many previous times, but this is the first time that I could really say it was international. It seemed as though there were as many coaches in attendance from around the world as from the United States. In on session, in my small group of seven, I was the only US coach! I met people from France, Ukraine, Russia, South Africa, the UK, Brazil, Nepal, Japan, Germany and lots from Canada. What an amazing opportunity it was to learn about other cultures. I will be distilling all I learned for quite some time.
My ankle surgery was a repair job from a childhood injury. At about age eight, I was doing a trick on my bicycle and managed to get my ankle caught in the spokes. Decades later, I discover there were two bone chips as a result and now they have managed to get into the middle of the joint. So out they came. Now I am learning the difficulties of crutches and that I really can’t do everything I think I can. Lessons in humility!
Writing Skills for Coaches
Posted by: | CommentsOne important concept to understand for anyone running a coaching business is that everything you do is part of your marketing. Each time you are in touch with someone in person, by telephone, by recording or in writing, you are making an impression on them about who you are and what you and your business are like. Once this is fully understood, it becomes imperative that your writing be as clear and informative as possible. Coaches take time to practice and learn ways of communicating verbally, but very few spend much time improving their writing skills.
Writing matters for other reasons besides pure marketing. As a coaching entrepreneur, you need to establish yourself as an expert in a certain area. Writing with clarity, force and appeal on subjects that are timely and informative goes a long way towards establishing your expertise. A coach who writes poorly and cannot communicate his/her thoughts well does little to increase credibility. Writing well boosts your confidence, increases your visibility and gives you more connection with the world. All very postive benefits.
I have always been deeply indebted to my high school English teachers. No, wait, I was not that pleased with them while I was in high school. Later, I discovered that I had exceptional training as a writer and was fortunate to be able to easily construct all types of written material. You may not have been so fortunate or feel as secure in your writing skills as I do in mine. This morning I found an interesting resource that may help solve this for you.
The Customizable Style Guide for Coaches Who Write sounds just like what is needed for those of you who want some writing assistance. This is an interesting manual by a Canadian coach, Linda Dessau, who has compiled a book talking about writing in general and also offering specific tips for the types of writing that coaches do. You could use the information to improve your website, articles and even your emails to your clients. Although I have not read the book, at a price of $19.95, it would be hard not to find value in a purchase like this if you want to improve your writing skills.
