A prospective Christian coach posted a question at an online discussion board that I looked at last week, asking for advice on Christian coach training.  Her questions referenced that she was looking into ICF training.  Among the responses, the board moderator said this, “You don’t need ICF approved training and certification to be a coach.”

Well, that’s certainly true. 

Just as true:  You don’t need training of any kind to call yourself a coach.

Whoa. Back up.  These kinds of discussions go on frequently and responses like this are only partially helpful.  Sadly for me, the board moderator who answered the question above is an established Christian coach who I wish had been more thoughtful. 

Here’s the best advice you can share with people who are considering coach training:

“Know what you’re called to do and then choose the training that will get you there.  ICF approved (or any other prescribed track) training and certification may be your best path to get you to where you believe God wants you to go.  Or it may not be.  To find the answer about what coach training is best for you, start with your unique calling.” 

A one-size-fits-all, pat answer about coach training is not helpful for prospective Christian coaches to hear.  It’s also not helpful to give.  Established coaches, please keep that in mind as you are advising others.

Established coaches, when you are faced with questions about coach training let me challenge you to coach - rather than advise.  Find out what people believe they are called to do.  Connect them with resources that will help them choose from the options that are available to them.  Encourage them to be open to the variety possible paths God has created, so they can choose what is uniquely right for them. 

And if you don’t know what Christian coach training options are available out there, get my ebook.  I just released the updated 2010 edition of The Complete Guide to Christian Coach Training.  Here’s what Gary Collins says about it:

“At least once every week somebody writes to ask me where they can get high quality, Christian coach training.  Linda Hedberg’s unique and very practical book gives the answers.  Concise, informative, relevant and easy to understand, this valuable guidebook says all we need to to know about competent coach training from a Christian perspective.  I am honored to recommend it enthusiastically.”  (Gary R. Collins, PhD, author Christian Coaching:  Helping Others Turn Potential Into Reality)

For more ebook buzz and to order, click HERE.

In the Christian Coaches Network January newsletter, CCN founder Judy Santos offered a beautiful prayer - and I asked her if I could repost it here.  It was a blessing to me and I wanted to pass it on to you! 

Prayer For a New Decade 

Father, as the new year begins, we approach your throne to seek Your face.  We seek Your purposes and Your wisdom.  We lift up out futures and dedicate them to You. 

Challenge our hearts and our motives.  Your word says, “Without me you can do nothing.”  Let this powerful truth sink deep into our hearts.  Let it guide our actions and priorities for 2010. 

Burn the chaff and refine us as precious gold.  Remind us to stay at Your feet more and on our computers less.  Strengthen our hands for Your work and Your purposes. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

With this prayer, consider John 15:5:    

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”   (v 5, TNIV)

 

“I am the Vine, you are the branches.  When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant.  Separated, you can’t produce a thing.  Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire.  But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you cna be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.  This is how my Father shows who he is - when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.”  (vs 5-8, the Message)

 

Judy Santos is the founder of The Christian Coaches Network at www.christiancoaches.com .

Two things about me will be revealed in this post.  First, pop culture interests me.  I like learning about what is catching peoples’ attention and what people are talking about.  Second, I’ve been asking lots of questions about the impact of social media on our lives.  That means I have a lot of questions about the value and impact of online networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. 

We’re all supposed to believe that Facebook and Twitter are the best things since sliced bread.  I confess I haven’t embraced that belief.  I find myself asking questions like “is this worth my time at all” and “in what ways is this worth my time?”  I love connecting and interacting with people, but I often wonder how much “interacting” is truly going on with Facebook and Twitter.   

These questions are the tip of an iceberg for me.  I am on Facebook - you can find me there, if you’d like.  I have a private Twitter account (i.e. you can’t find me there) where I’m learning about how it works and determining whether I want to spend more time with it.  I’m considering taking the time to write an article to include my questions and observations.

Twitter events of the last week expose that I’m not the only person who is skeptical.  I don’t usually look for wisdom from seventeen year old pop stars, but ironically Miley Cyrus took a thought-provoking stand last week.  She expressed her questions and observations about Twitter by deleting her account - an account that had two million followers.

In fine teen pop-star fashion, Miley took to YouTube to explain herself in a rap.  It’s a cheesy video that features her girlfriends dancing.  I won’t be posting the link here because I’m not necessarily recommending that you see it.  But if you need to verify my summary below, you know how to find it.  Oh, and I will be getting to why I’m posting this for Christian coaches. 

The rap includes the line, “you write what you’re doin’ but who really cares?”  Miley admits to “tweetin’ ’bout pimples” and “just doin’ my hair.”  She was trying to please others or was “living for people” with her Tweets.  But “the truth is I’m too busy.” 

The last lines are:

I might have some withdrawals

I was a little obsessed

But I’m peace-ing out

And I’m leaving with this…

Huh.  Good bye.

Out of the mouths of babes.  This seventeen year old just closed a Twitter account with more than two million followers.  Will Miley’s career suffer?  My guess is she’ll be just fine. 

And what does this have to do with Christian coaching?  Like I said, I could write an article or series with my thoughts on this topic.  But here’s a start: 

• If we are living our lives based on what’s most important, and if we encourage our clients to do the same, then what is the place of Facebook, Twitter and the like in terms of priority?  
• How does Twitter, i.e., support your calling, mission or unique purpose - or that of your client? 
• As believers I ask us to consider, in what ways does Twitter extend blessing to others?

So now you may think that I believe we should all delete our Twitter and Facebook accounts.  No, that’s not what I think.  I do think we should be intentional how we spend our time.  However we spend our time, we should be clear about the results we expect.  And I hope as believers we are expecting Kingdom results.  Even with Twitter.

(P.S. My reference to “Kingdom results” is in no way meant to suggest that for those of us who status and tweet we need to be more “spiritual” by quoting more scripture or “preaching” more.  To be very clear, I’m really not saying that.)

So if you shifted your mindset about technology and decided to take on the techno-challenge, how would you go about doing so? 

Start here: 

Ask dumb questions.  I know, I know.  As a coach I’m supposed to say, “there are no dumb questions.”  True, but that doesn’t mean we don’t feel dumb when we ask certain questions.  Like, “what is SEO?”  or “how do I upload a pdf file?”  Ask the questions anyway.  You’ll survive.

Find new friends.  You need techno-types in your life who are willing to answer your questions in ways you can understand them.  Search for them.  Find people you enjoy connecting with and who have a passion for helping you learn. 

Try new things.  “Learn by doing” is the growth model here.  It may not be fun, but you can do this.  Roll up your sleeves and learn how to post at that blog.  Start exploring the online account (Constant Contact, perhaps) that you’ve been avoiding.  You will make progress and get results - and that’s when it becomes fun.

Make mistakes.  Recently, I sent the wrong coupon code to a group on my email list and thankfully one of my recipients alerted me.  A coach friend forgot a word making a sentence in his e-newsletter the complete opposite of what he intended to say.  Mistakes happen.  We press on.

Accept “do overs.”  Of course, since mistakes are inevitable, so are “do overs.”  Just plan for them.  Try to avoid them by thoroughly proofing your work - and expect that to take time.  But don’t be surprised when you need to go back and do something over.

And if you learn all you can about technology and become a hands-on user, what else can you expect?

            a more effective marketing strategy

            increased options for effectively getting your message out

            cost-savings and increased income

            a growing mailing list

            more opportunities to establish your expertise

            and much more…

Just do it!

And again, I say buy my friend Beth Cole’s book, Essential Web Marketing.  CLICK HERE to learn more about Beth’s book.

My excellent assistant is working on a Word file that has a life of it’s own.  Marketing for WinZip took over my ability to open zip files and my brother had to help me nurse Vista back to full zip file retrieval health.  Both Explorer and Adobe Reader gave me problems - but this is probably due to my own lack of understanding rather than the failure of the software.

Today Christopher McCluskey’s newsletter* started with the title, Business Success and Computer Junk, and the following:

“I don’t want to know all that computer junk – I just want to coach!” The words came out half-laughing half-crying yesterday from a coach I am mentoring. I hear them frequently and, as an acknowledged technophobe, I completely relate to their sentiment!

However, we live in the early 21st Century and that means we must work effectively with ‘computer junk’. To pretend otherwise is like launching a business in the early 20th Century without a telephone. We’re doomed to failure from the start.

Yep, he said “doomed to failure from the start.”  I agree.

Even if you can afford to hire someone to do much of the technology required to run your business, you need to understand how it works.  In today’s world, understanding online marketing is critical to developing strategies for success.  Avoiding learning about technology can cost you more money in inefficiency, but improving your understanding and leveraging technology makes you money.  And the more you learn, the more headaches and stress you will avoid in the end.  Really.

I did not become a coach thinking Vista and Constant Contact would become my friends.  But day by day we’ve gotten to know each other better, and the results have been good.  As with all relationships, work is involved to maintain and enhance the experience. 

For a technology relationship manual try my “real friend” Beth Cole’s book,  Essential Web Marketing.  CLICK HERE to learn more about Beth’s book.

If you are a new Christian coach and want to set the stage for a successful coaching business  or ministry, CLICK HERE to learn more about coaching with me (Linda Hedberg) and then contact me to arrange an initial no-cost meeting by phone. 

*Christopher McCluskey is the Director of the Professional Christian Coaching Program.  To view a copy of today’s newlsetter CLICK HERE.  You’ll be able to sign up at that page for future PCCP newsletters, if you’d like.