Coach 100 Challenge

I gave myself a challenge earlier this year- coach at least 100 different people in as short a time as possible (I said 1 year- I am ambitious). My challenge comes from the late, great coaching guru Thomas Leonard, whom I unfortunately will only get to meet through his audio recordings (He's so groovy; he started CoachU and Coachville and the Schools of Coachville. Thomas said (a blatant and mostly accurate paraphrase) that most coaches could get really good by coaching 100 people; any people who wanted coaching (want coaching? gimme a holler).

That sounded quite egalitarian and easy and cool, so I started with this quest. And promptly got stuck in the "what-if's;" what if I "broke" someone? What if no one wanted to coach with me? What if I froze on the phone and couldn't talk? (I am very good at letting the "what-if" monster hide under my bed. If you'd like to see an article about this, leave me a comment or email me.)

So in my search of the web for more information about how to do this right (for and article on perfection, email me; for an article on research becoming a tool for procrastination, email me), I found Julia Stewart, a fabulous mentor coach who was starting a program called the Experienced Coach Program (ECP), based on the same theory Thomas had espoused. So I joined, and now I'm on my way!

N.B. If you are considering becoming a coach, join the ECP. It is invaluable. Let me know if you're thinking about it and I will tell you all about it!

So now I'm coaching people; mothers, bosses, employees, retirees...you name it! I've got a ways to go, and you can help! Send everyone you know to this blog to sign up for a complimentary collaborative interview. It can't hurt, and it could help. I am committed to helping people reach their goals faster and with less drama and self doubt. What's not to like?

Until later, I invite you to be one of the 100...beta-test me! And as always, in closing,

Be Audacious!

Coffee confessions

I must confess...I don't drink coffee! I never adapted to the taste, and, having a mother who drinks coffee and smoked cigarettes addictively, I never wanted to drink it! I love tea, though, and hot chocolate...

...but I love the smell of coffee. It smells great; rich and fragrant and comforting. Tea just doesn't have that power (or at least what passes for tea in most parts of the U.S.) to draw people in simply by the smell!

I want to be that way with my coaching; boldly fragrant, irresistably attractive. Even if you never thought you'd like a coach, maybe you'll like one of my classes, or my blog, or my speeches. Maybe a retreat I lead will catch your eye. Lots of things are possible, beyond the one-on-one coaching via telephone. I have a goal of getting out of the boxes surrounding coaching, the rigid "have-tos." If people need my guidance, it's available, just like the scent of coffee can pull me into a great little cafe for a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

So what pulls you into the coffeehouse? What keeps you there?

Be audacious!

...And then there's coaching

I can't quite remember how I found coaching. I'm sure it had to do with my incessant magazine reading, and I must have found an article. Anyway, the concept hit me in one of those real visceral places, where I "got" it and understood its value and didn't need to be convinced. I was sure I was late to pick up on this trend (I am from the Midwest, and everyone thinks we're slow), but as the years have gone on and I've become more serious about coaching ONE DAY, I've found very few people know about coaching and even fewer get it right away.

There is value in having a guide on any unfamiliar journey- someone who has been there, done that, or at least, something like that. They can tell you where the sinkholes are, the lay of the land, the best food to eat, how long it might take. I have found in my life that parents don't count as valuable guides after 18. At least for me, I was hardwired to believe that my parents were only good as out-of-touch portable ATM machines ready to squash any ideas of fun in adulthood. Friends can be of some help, but really, have you ever shaken your head about what your best friend did/said/wore, AGAIN!? After realizing your friends are probably more radically co-dependent than you are, you stop listening to their advice with more than a grain of salt. And there's always the horoscope, but after the whole Ms. Cleo debacle...

A coach is so much better. I've heard a bunch of definitions of what a coach is, and what coaching is, usually all geared towards sounding either as touchy-feely to appeal to neo-hippies, or super-analytical to convince high-powered execs to open their wallets. I use my coach for whatever I need in the moment. If I need to address some crap in my past, we do that. If I need my butt kicked to do something today, I tell her. Simple. She's flexible; it's my dime. And I feel so much more in control of my progress than I ever could with a psychologist or best friend or even a bottle of Riesling (there will be many a Riesling story to come, let me tell you).

So one day I decided to become a coach. I didn't know how one went about that, so I started by surfing the web. Found http://www.coachville.com and started to explore, then made the mistake of googling " coaching." A year and a bit of work later, I've found my current identity as The Coffeehouse Coach. I'm a little bit orthodox, a lotta bit brilliant wackiness. Tune in as we all take this journey together, hmmm?

Be audacious!

Welcome!

Welcome Everyone!

I'm Embrya deShango, the Coffeehouse Coach. We'll get into that later. First, I'd just like to tell you that this is our space; I'm just a facilitator of conversations. There's no me, without you, etc., etc.

So back to this concept of Coffeehouse Coaching. Let me say, I love coffeehouses. I love cafes, little restaurants, and if I ever get to travel to Europe, I'm sure I'll love tavernas as well. There is something magic that happens in these places. They not only provide good food and drink, but they also feed the soul. It's trite, but true. The small tables invite confidences shared between small groups; the comfortable seats the perfect setting for a book group or impromptu political debate. These are the perfect places to meet; an old friend, a blind date, a potential client, or just that next person to catch your eye across a crowded room.

There is enough noise to feel comforted, and enough privacy to finish that article before deadline. The air is full of potential- who will walk through the door? What will be new and exciting in the neighborhood? The coffee flows, or the tea, for me- hot or cold. In winter, the coffeehouse invites like a cocoon, steamed windows and warm people ensconced within. In summer, doors wide open to encourage a breeze, it serves a s a refreshing alternative to four stuffy walls, a place to bask in sunshine and dawdle, stock up on sustenance before a hike or bike ride.

I love coffeehouses...don't you? Tell me why!