The Coaches’ View

One of the most valuable features of coaching is the accountability built into the coaching relationship. If you say you’re going to do something and have to answer back to your coach, chances are it will get done. Competition also facilitates action, and we find that is a critical tool in our group coaching programs.

Recently, we put ourselves to the test using some accountability and competition. The Pyramid coaching team participated in the Be Active Challenge sponsored by North Carolina Amateur Sports.

The goal of the program is to promote healthy lifestyles through consciously increasing your physical activity over three-month period. We divided our coaches into three teams and tracked progress weekly. Even though we are geographically dispersed, our teams pulled together to help each other increase their exercise and alter some habits.

The competition was fierce and fun, and collectively we logged close to 2,000 hours of activity during the challenge. Most of our coaches wanted to continue the program after it ended, and we are looking at starting an “in-house” competition very soon.

Accountability is a key benefit to the coaching process and it helps maintain motivation towards making positive changes. As we saw with our own team, great things can happen when you set a goal and have to report back to a third party, be that a coach or your team.

Barry Mitsch

The Raleigh Chamber is celebrating 15 years of serving women in business with four luncheon sessions per year that are targeted to provide professional skills and inspiration.

Author and Coach Laura Berman Fortgang spoke about “Now What? Finding a new direction for your life and work at any age.” Mitsch introduced Laura as a friend and colleague, as the two are considered pioneers in the professional of coaching.

Mitsch said her intention for this coming year, is to work with the chamber and her committee to find the speakers who address the hottest topics for what’s on the mind of women who lead. She hopes to build the list of attendees to represent the highest level female leadership in the area’s companies, and to advance women’s interests in this area as a result of the work of the committee this year.

Among the speakers being considered for 2008 are Sara Blakely, creator of Spanx and on the board of Virgin Interprises, and Marci Shimoff who bases her speech on the book and movie, The Secret. Marci is featured in the film. Look for a note on the blog about upcoming events!

I personally subscribe to the idea that we all have a soul blueprint, a purpose in our lives. As coaches, we are trained to listen for this purpose and to convey our clients to a level of joy and personal satisfaction through the discovery the concept.

What we have seen as a company is that the thousands of people we have worked with over the past fifteen years continue to inspire us with the courage they exhibit as they continue to take steps to fulfill their dreams and live and serve in the most meaningful ways.

I am proud to be a coach and colleague with professionals who have pioneered this profession, those like Laura who have worked side by side with our coaches in noncompetitive ways to pave the pathway. I highly recommend the book, “Now What!” if you are entering a life transition.

Barry and I invited our 17 year old daughter to attend the event today and this was also a great message for a young woman who is entering college and ready to carve her own path to success.