I’ve heard of this approach before but I recently read the manuscript of a book soon to be published that discussed this ‘thought’ and it reminded me of how powerful it is.

It’s the focus of energy. Negative vs. positive. It’s the theory that if we ask questions that evoke negative thoughts, we stir negative emotions and bring a person’s energy down. But, if we ask questions that evoke positive thoughts, we stir positive emotions and, therefore, positive energy.

Instead of asking “what’s wrong”, ask “what’s right” and work from there. This allows a person to think of good things which enhances their positive energy. Positive energy lends a hand to motivation.

Figure out how to fix a problem by focusing on what’s right, what’s working and how to build on the “what’s working” factor rather than wallow in a sea of how to fix “what’s wrong”.

“What’s wrong” can oftentimes feel way too overwhelming and it causes a person to look at all of the negatives rather than the positives. Think about it…negatives can be DOWNright draining!

Personally, if I think of “what’s wrong” I begin to develop a dreary list and feel like sinking right into my couch cushions as far as I can sink.

But when I think of “what’s right”, I feel a tinge of positive energy that reminds me of the blessings I do have and motivates me to chase “what’s right”.

So, the next time you or a client are working on a problem, tackle it by focusing on positive energy and “what’s right” rather than giving yourself reason to feel like crawling under a rock.

Instead of thinking “how can I fix what’s wrong”, think of “how can I expand on what’s right and what works”.

This book is ABSOLUTELY a MUST READ for everyone. Coaches, individuals, everyone. Individuals will find it enlightening and coaches may find several great approaches to helping clients tackle any aspect of their life.

It will expand greatly on the topic of “asking the right questions”…as a matter of fact, there’s a section dedicated to just that and it lays out “the 5 right questions”.

It’s not only a very motivational book but a great read. I don’t like boring books and this is certainly not one. There’s a great storyline to keep you interested while you learn many valuable life lessons and how to succeed in any aspect of your life.

You can get on the notification list at The Servant Soul and proceeds will go to a foundation that donates to those in need and performs “random acts of kindness”. It’s not only a fantastic book but a worthy cause.

I guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy this book and take much away from it. You must, must, must add this to your collection.

The author is amazing. I’ve known him a short time and I really can’t put into proper words how amazing he is.

Burke Hedges is one of those people who just brightens your day by speaking to you, even if it’s of nothing in particular. He generates such positive energy and I can see why he’s such a successful author and motivational speaker. If you want to check out some of his other stuff you can do so at Burke Hedges.

I believe that once you read it, you’ll find yourself recommending it to clients, family, friends and even perfect strangers! You’ll find this post in every category because it truly relates to everyone and every situation.

Coaches could create some positive plans for assisting clients based on the contents of the book.

Once the book is released and you’ve read it, please let me know what you think. I’m excited about its release and I think its timing couldn’t be more perfect considering the shape the world is in today.

Karen J. for Professional-Coaches.comSimilar Posts:

• Why do you coach moms?
• Smart Goals – Setting Your Goals
• Three Skills Everyone Should Have
• 7 Things that Will Make You a Better Coach
• Trust Your Instincts

It can be tricky to bring a family together as a team when everyone is going different directions.

First, obviously, you must identify any problem(s).  What are the problems the family has as a whole and individually?  It’s important to outline the individual problems of each member and then diagram how they create problems for the family as a whole.

Address Individuality.  Determine what “issues” might just require everyone learning to appreciate each other’s differences and accepting each other as individuals.  Family has to learn to appreciate individuality, even if it’s not necessarily their vision for the person, and support that individuality.  Acceptance nourishes bonds.

Teach communication improvement.  Communication is key in any relationship.  Families must learn to openly, comfortably, communicate with each other and accept communication from each other.

Find common goals or dreams that can bring the family together.  Having a common goal or dream provides a foundation for forming bonds, teamwork and communication.

Teach how to foster love and purpose.  The feeling of a purpose is a great motivator.  Some people take for granted that someone they love should already know they’re loved – have them practice the art of showing and receiving love.

Mend relationships and teach conflict resolution.  Relationships have to be mended before they can prosper.  Get hard feelings out in the open and focus on forgiveness.

Teach the best practices for conflict resolution and remind of “acceptance of individuality”.

Build a family team.  Families that work together as a team build great relationships.  Teach them how to attack every day routines and challenges as a team.  Give them ideas for games that will foster teamwork.  Do trust challenges and even create ideas that will help them learn more about each other’s individuality.

What other practices do you implement in Family Coaching and are there any specific methods you’ve found to be successful?

Karen J. for ProfessionalCoaches.comSimilar Posts:

• What is family coaching about?
• Parent Coaching Part II
• Why do you coach moms?
• The 3 S’s of Personal Finance
• Teenage Coaching

Today, we’re focusing on free Life Coaching Resources but some of these resources will be helpful in other areas of coaching as well.

• Our Top Pick of the Day -  20 Free Tools – you have to enter your email address to get the free download but you are immediately redirected to the download page where you can download your pdf document.  The document contains many useful tools for utilizing with clients including homework for your clients, the Life Wheel, the LIfe Roles wheel. conflict recognition and resolution and even some pretty nifty ideas to help clients with many things.
• 50 Power Questions is a list of powerful questions to help you and your clients focus.  A nice resource we found on David Wood’s Life Coaching site.
• The Coaching Institute’s Life Coaching Articles is a compilation of articles covering different life topics.
• Outshine’s Newsletters share some good points on different life problems and learning how to attack them.  Some of the articles aren’t at the top of our list but others contain good information.

We will continue to deliver our top picks and coaching resources.

If you have valuable free coaching resources, please share them here so that other coaches can benefit from your finds.

Karen J. for ProfessionalCoaches.com

Similar Posts:

• Time Management Tools
• What’s Your Coaching Style?
• 6 Go-To Coaching Tool Sources
• Asking the Right Questions
• What is coaching and how does it work?

According to the ICF, the following are the core competencies of professional coaches:

• Setting the Foundation

• Co-Creating the Relationship

• Communicating Effectively

• Facilitating Learning and Results

Regardless of what type of coach you are, these core competencies ring true.  Without them, it would not be possible to support or guide clients toward an appropriate goal. But, do these competencies look the same in all types of coaching?  Are they applied the same by life coaches and executive coaches?  Or is it more about the individual coach rather than the type of coaching?  Every coach implements these competencies in one way or another, but depending on the coach, more focus may be given to one competency over another.

Members of the ICF are also listed in a directory on the website.  A potential client can enter in several pieces of qualifying information including geographic location and type of coaching desired, and then a list of ICF member coaches is displayed.

This added marketing benefit may be reason enough to join, the additional credentials notwithstanding.  For many potential clients, additional credentials can be a relief.  There has been some buzz over recent years regarding the regulation of the coaching industry.   As such, having additional credentials may put potential clients at ease.

They are in the process of updating and redesigning their website so we’ve found that a few of the links aren’t working but we’re sure they’ll be fixed once they get the kinks ironed out.

Lisa on behalf of Contemporary VA

Similar Posts:

• What is family coaching about?
• What is coaching and how does it work?
• Forum Best Practices
• Skills Coaching
• Executive Coaches – Are they just for the drowning?

If the topic really interests you, I suggest you check out the article. It is not available to read on the magazine’s website, but subscriptions are inexpensive. For a one year subscription to the hard copy of the magazine, the cost is $39.95. If you wish to receive an electronic version, the cost is $19.95 for a one year subscription.  Of course, the longer you subscribe, the less you cost per year will be. The magazine releases issues quarterly.

Of course, whether to use individual, group, or team coaching is dependent entirely upon the type of coaching you do and the context. Each of the three types will be successful in any arena, if done properly.

There are coaches who prefer individual coaching regardless of the situation, and there are coaches who prefer the opposite.  It is best to take into consideration what may be best for the client, rather than what we personally prefer.

Either way, Choice Magazine is a good resource for coaches and worth taking a peek at.

Lisa on behalf of Contemporary VA

Similar Posts:

• It’s That Time of Year Again
• Lower Your Cost Per Client
• Time Management Tools
• My Evolution in Learning
• Personal Coaching

No matter what the specialty, all coaches have clients with organizational or time management issues. This can be especially trying if you’re a new coach or if you are not particularly used to dealing with the issues. We can research methods, share our personal experiences with clients, and do any number of other things, but sometimes it takes something concrete, on paper, for a client to find it useful.

Someone recently shared with me an amazing resource, and I hope you’ll check it out. The site is a goldmine of resources, with articles, blog posts, and printable documents as well. The author is David Seah, who writes about “productivity and other methods of empowering ourselves.”

There are some amazing resources in Seah’s Printable CEO Series. The resources in this series would be perfect to give to clients with issues or concerns over time management and organization.

Take a look at the series and decide for yourself if it’s worth passing on to clients. As with many resources, it may not be perfect for every client, but it will likely be just right for others.

Lisa on behalf of Contemporary VA

Similar Posts:

• Time Management Tools
• Business Coaching
• What is family coaching about?
• 5 Questions to Ask Your Customers
• Family Coaching

Linda for Contemporary VA

Similar Posts:

• But I’m a Coach
• Something We Can All Use a Little More Of
• The Top of The Stairs
• It’s That Time of Year Again
• Personal Coaching

Because finances play such a large role in a person’s well being, coaches must definitely address the subject by bringing a plan with them to the table. I like to use 3 S’s to explain how financial goals should be set and believe other coaches could use this same system with great results. The 3 S’s are: stabilize, standardize and simplify.

Stabilize
In the step of stabilization, families need to quit adding to debt, especially credit card debt. Because debt can easily grow large and create stress fractures in any family unit, stopping the outflow of money that hasn’t even been earned yet is a priority. Another step in the stabilization process is to track cash spending for a month’s time.

Once the spending habits have been stabilized, it’s time to determine how to standardize finances.

Standardize
In the standardization process, the family creates a spending plan by putting essential spending first. This includes the rent or mortgage, utilities and taxes. This is similar to creating a budget, but should be flexible enough to handle emergencies and should include “fun” spending money. Using the tracking done in the stabilization step can help a family create a realistic plan they can live with. 

This step also includes building a savings plan. Since savings is the financial rock upon which families need to stand upon, this step needs to be implemented as soon as possible.

Simplify
Once the plan has been built, it’s time for families to simplify their financial choices. Help families understand how important it is to determine the difference between wants and needs. Yes, a family might need a car for transportation, but the choice of a BMW versus a Chevrolet is a want. If the family is really struggling financially, helping make some changes to simplify and downsize might be a great longer term option to get the family back on track.

By implementing the 3S plan, families can begin to make their money work for them – instead of having to spend all their time working for their money.

Linda at Professional-Coaches.com Similar Posts:

• The Top of The Stairs
• What is family coaching about?
• Should You Coach Your Friends and Family?
• Family Coaching
• Lower Your Cost Per Client

• Inability to relate to others
• Little or no sense of own identity
• Anger and aggression
• Melancholy and depression
• Endless conflicts
• Learning disabilities
• Attention issues
• Low motivation
• Drug and/or alcohol abuse
• Avoids responsibilities

When coaching teens, a sensitive area is trust. Discuss this at the initial meeting – and earn trust – don’t demand it! Gain a clear understanding of what is confidential and what information can be shared and with whom. Regular meetings with parents and teens together can be very useful. Teenagers are no longer children and not yet independent adults. They may be traveling a rocky road to adulthood. We coach teens to deal with the sensitive, complex teenage years and the risks they present to many young adults. Coaching teens is often most successful when families and/or teachers are also involved. A coach works with the "team" to provide effective coaching. Also, many schools offer programs for struggling teens. Wilderness therapy programs, emotional growth classes, residential treatment centers, mentoring programs, and character-building boarding schools are examples.   Are you a ‘Teen Coach’? Are you a business personal or professional coach? we would like to hear from you, write us at admin [at] contemporaryva [dot] com Professional-Coaches.com

Similar Posts:

• Parent Coaching Part I
• What is family coaching about?
• Parent Coaching Part II
• The 3 S’s of Personal Finance
• Skills Coaching

• to gain skills and knowledge to face change with confidence,
• to discuss strategies to deal with the challenges that modern day parents face,
• to become observers of their own behavior as we can only change what we notice,
• to make choices about changing their way of being,
• to put steps into place to approach their relationship with their children differently,
• to be accountable to themselves for the changes they wish to make,
• to maintain close family relationships, which in our constantly changing world are more important than ever.

We will become a far more positive society when reaching out for support to help us deal with modern day parenting challenges is seen as a healthy thing to do instead of a sign of weakness. After all it is our next generation we are talking about here and they deserve the very best start in life that we as parents can give them. Are you a ‘Parent Coach’? Are you a business personal or professional coach? we would like to hear from you, write us at admin [at] contemporaryva [dot] com Professional-Coaches.com

Similar Posts:

• Parent Coaching Part I
• Teenage Coaching
• When Good Help is Bad
• What is family coaching about?
• Skills Coaching