I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing people my entire adult career and have found coaching to be one of the most rewarding experiences I can offer.

What is coaching? I recently heard a definition that I could definitely appreciate: "A collaborative conversation that facilitates another person's ability to self-develop quickly and effectively toward the achievement of personal goals and corporate (company) objectives." 

Coaching for development is about turning the focus from the issue to the PERSON dealing with the issue. 

What coaching is not: Coaching is not therapy, nor is it telling you what to do next. It assists you in walking through the process of getting where you want to go.  

Some times when coaching may be a great option:

• Leaders find themselves in a role where development inside the organization isn't producing the results they are looking for
• An organization may be looking to promote an individual, and this may require some additional assistance from an outside expert
• A leader has received feedback from support staff or colleagues that their communication efforts are not effective, and they want to improve that area
• A non-profit has updated their strategic plan and is looking for support for their leadership to develop or improve on skills that align with new goals 

Here is some recent feedback that I have received from a manager following coaching: "Never underestimate the impact you have on people's lives......You have a much greater calling than you may have ever realized. Never stop doing what you do. It's so much more than just HR..."

I recognize coaching can be an intimidating process, and part of that first step is wondering if you will be comfortable with the person you choose as a coach.  With that in mind, I thought I'd share a few details about me that may assist in someone getting to know who they would be working with:

• I have worked in leadership roles for years and have found leadership to come naturally to me
• I grew up in a small town, and one of the best jobs I ever had was as the Executive Director of Main Street, working with a variety of amazing small business owners
• I am a big geek when it comes to personality tests, some of my results include:
  • Myers Briggs: ENFJ "Idealist Organizer"
  • ECHO Listening Profile: "The Implementer"
  • Rivet: "The CAREGIVER"
  • Predictive Index: "Guardian"
• I am highly motivated by goal setting myself; in fact, one of my career goals was starting a consulting business, and here I am!
• When my children were young, I didn't like the idea of fundraising with cookie dough and pizza (too much refrigeration needed!), so I rallied with a few close friends, and we created a 5K race that raised nearly $17,000 in its first year.  This was 100% profit for the school, and none of us had experience in that capacity, but it was quite successful
• In my free time, my favorite activities include riding side-by-side, hanging out on the lake, pretending to golf well, supporting small businesses