​ 
Laurel Elders:
Okay. It says we're live. I am getting started today. Um, Bryant will be hopping on in a little bit, so we'll give him some time, and I just want to. Okay, here we go. So, I'm really excited for today's conversation, but while we're waiting for Bryant to hop on today's call, I just wanted to let everybody know that, um, we are hosting a pay it forward campaign, which, um, we decided to do this twice a year because we had such great success last time that we did this for the Sandy Hogan scholarship legacy. So what we do is for our coaching fundamentals class, it's a one day coach training intensive. You earn a six ICF credits if you're interested in that, and it's 100% scholarship. So if you're a leader that is seeking to become more coach like, or you have a team that you would or team leads that you would like to send through coach training, this is an outstanding opportunity. And I'm going to be posting the link below so that you can check it out and you can even sign, uh, up through the application on this page, and you can send it to your team, like I said. And, um, invite any colleagues that you wish, and that will be on August 2. So we really hope that you can join us. Um, the last one was just a blast. We have a variety of really excellent coaches that you would be learning directly from, which is really exciting. And by the end of the fundamentals class, you know, I've noticed some programs, they don't put very much in their fundamentals. We set a really solid foundation so that you effectively know how to coach. So you're going to know, you're going to walk away with the framework. You're going to walk away knowing what coaching is, but also what coaching is not. There is a lot of misconceptions. And, um, what we find is that when people branch out and sometimes start to coach without any education or training, sometimes they're actually not coaching at all. They're. They're consulting or mentoring or, um, you know, motivating in other ways. So coaching is a really highly unique approach where it's all about the person's self discovery. So they have ownership over their answers and solutions, and it's because of that, it's highly effective. And the stats, um, back that up. It's really neat to see, um, we're now living in a day and age where we have statistics on coaching. When I first started, there were very few. And now, um, it's really neat to see all of the evidence that's coming out, that's, um, really demonstrating what a results based process it is. All right, so I'm just going to go ahead and, um, dive in. We basically are hosting these equips every Tuesday, and these are weekly coaching tips that equip coaches, future coaches, and coach like leaders to develop excellence in their coaching approach. And I am your host, Laurel Elders:, with the Institute for Integrative Intelligence. We are an ICF accredited coach, training and education provider where it's our passion to elevate human potential through both the art and the science of masterful coaching. Today's topic is an expansion on what we covered in our Monday coaching mindset, newsletter and language beyond words. And I'm pausing because I wanted to get you the link. If you're not on our newsletter, I'm just going to put that, um, in the chat. You can sign up for the newsletter if you would like to receive links to the equips or the resources or articles that we share every Monday. Again, that's the Monday coaching mindset. So today's topic is the language beyond words and how does this impact our presence and leadership and effectiveness in the world, in the workplace? All of it. So we're going to do a deeper dive. But first, I just wanted to start off by, um, talking about some research that Bryant and I were really looking at. Last, eqips. And this research I want to bring forward because to me, it is such an important, most like a missing link that explains so much about human intuition, um, you know, and how we can lean into our intuition, even as a leader. So I want to cover this research before we dive into the actual topic because it really sets the stage for what we're going to be exploring. And this is that, um, there's a documentary that you want to check out called the power of the heart. This is covered, uh, in that documentary. And basically the Heartmath institute did some research about how the heart and how information flows from the heart to the brain. And in that study, participants were hooked up to brain, skin and heart monitors. Each person was shown 30 random high or low arousal images. So high arousal would be like a fire, low arousal would be like a bunny rabbit in a field on a nice day. And basically the image popped up for 3 seconds and then it was blank for 10 seconds. And, uh, the results of reactions were really unexpected. The heart reacted to the images before the brain and the skin. But what shocked the scientists even more was not really logically explainable by physical surface science. The heart clearly reacted before the person visually saw the image. But get this, it gets deeper. We're going to continue to go down the rabbit hole. What was even more unexplainable is that the heart reacted 5 seconds prior to the high arousal pictures being randomly chosen by the computer. Randomly chosen. So surface science tells us this is impossible, very improbable. However, when we study quantum physics. Quantum physics has discovered that space and time do not apply to energy in the same ways that physical matter do. So just like a radio antenna can pick up on waves, the heart was connected to something that could pick up on what was going on. So fascinating. So fascinating. Um, the other thing I want to offer about intuition, because I used to downplay the role that intuition played in a professional setting, um, as a leader, but also as a coach. When I first started out, believe it or not, um, my coach, Sandy Hoganore, who we have, um, really focused the scholarship legacies on, she was the first one that called me out on this, and she was also my mentor. And she said, hmm m why aren't you using your intuition when you coach? You're leaving out an entire part of you. I was like, well, you know, it's kind of woo woo, wishy washy. Um, I'm very much a truth seeker. I'm very skeptical. So I am one that's like, prove it, and before it's proven, I won't buy into it. That's where I was coming from. And what I discovered, um, as I was invited to research leadership, is John C. Maxwell wrote the 21 irrefutable laws of leadership. And law number eight is the law of intuition. So he says, quote, leaders look at things differently than others do. They possess leadership intuition that informs everything they do. So fascinating. So I really started to explore, what is the role of intuition in our, um, you know, in coaching, in leadership, in parenthood? And everything I was doing, I was discounting this part of myself. But yet, if you look at the research of heart math, and that research was not out at the time.
Was discounting solutions and answers that could have come to me. Right? So even Einstein, some of his discoveries were from using intuition and imagination. So, yes, there's validity in the rational world, but there's also validity in the non rational, the things that we can't quite explain, and how can those empower us or guide us? And it's not that we ever need to leave our intuitions at the door, um, or, sorry, our rational mind at the door. But the integration of both, and that's really what, um, the heart of integrative intelligence also ends. That's another aspect of it. All right, so before we go any deeper, I just want to welcome Bryant to the stage. Welcome, Bryant.

Bryant Alexander:
Thank you for the welcome. And, you know, workshops, you know, you got them. People start getting curious at the end, and, you know, the questions were coming, but I'm glad to be here. Ah, apologies, uh, on being late, but I know, Laurel, you have been holding it down. Um, how are you?

Laurel Elders:
Good, good. I was just geeking out on our topic today.

Bryant Alexander:
Gotcha. Gotcha. Okay. Yeah, I'm excited about it, too.

Laurel Elders:
Powerful, um.

Bryant Alexander:
Um, newsletter. Um, if you didn't read it yesterday, powerful newsletter, um, heartmath. I, um, might learn something. So I know you probably already went over that. So where are we taking it? Where are we at?

Laurel Elders:
All right, so, actually, I just covered the research that we were talking about last week with Heartmath Institute and how they discovered that the heart was connected to a form of intuition that it, you know, wasn't really explainable or wasn't, you know, they weren't aware of before, which, um, you know, I find so fascinating, and it makes a lot of sense. But one thing that I brought up in this past, um, in the past article on the language beyond words is the heart's language, and that's not something that we are really taught unless we seek out, um, this kind of information about ourselves. I know that I don't know. Have you read the book the Alchemist by Paulo Claire?

Bryant Alexander:
I read it a couple times. I read it at different stages of my life, as you take something different away from it every time.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah. I feel like he did a really good job touching on this concept.

Bryant Alexander:
Mhm.

Laurel Elders:
And I recognize that there's. And I'm just going to say something that might sound a little crazy. There's two other emotions that I believe we are leaving out of our emotional language. M. And that is yes. And that is no. And the heart knows these emotions well because it's connected to something bigger. So perhaps this is our conscience, right? Where something. I'm invited to do something, and logically, I'm like, oh, I should say yes. But yet there's a part of me in my heart that's like, huh, this is aligned.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah.

Laurel Elders:
Right. And are we listening at that level to the heart's language?

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah.

Laurel Elders:
Um.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah. And I never, in reading that article, I, uh, think you threw maybe in there, too. Like, it was yes, no maybe, or. And maybe was kind of unsure. And, um. Yeah, I never thought of yes no as an emotion. Um, I think the way that you put it was that when we say yes, no, we come from a place of thinking that we're being judgmental. And I just never put two and two together. That yes and no can just be a emotion. It could be, um, a sense of joy or a sense of, like, um, I'm excited about this thing. That could be yes. That could be a form of yes, no could just be like, I don't feel good, or, my heart's starting to beat fast. I don't know if I really like that, this direction that it's going in, but it's also unsure or that can be indifferent. So I never. Yeah, I just never thought about the heart as I didn't think about yes and no as an emotion. I thought it was just more of a, I guess, position or stance that you have on something or boundaries. Like we. I guess we. That. I guess that's how it comes out in the, um, external world is how do we set boundaries. So, um. Yeah, it was an interesting read.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah. And it is that too, right? It can be both. It's like. Like the ego's version of yes and no is not so much emotion based or intuition based. It's more based on judgment. Uh, maybe external factors.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah, it's interesting. So I guess with. Because, uh, I watched the video, and I've actually been, like, learning a lot more about intuition. And in that experiment, it was talking so much so about, like, how the heart knew, like, the image that was going to be like, it was like the heart knew what was going to be presented before the brain or the gut could figure out what was going on. So I guess, like, how. How could that be tied to, how do we know that's intuition versus, like, something else?

Laurel Elders:
M that's one of my favorite questions to explore is, what is the difference between intuition and fear? So I am deathly afraid of flying. And I was offered the opportunity to go on an international trip, and I swore my intuition was telling me, don't go. It's not safe. And it turned out it was completely. It was all fear. And I got to thinking, well, how do I know the difference?

Bryant Alexander:
Right?

Laurel Elders:
How does anyone know the difference? What is the fear? What is the intuition? Or what is, um. Is something just a fantasy land versus an intuition? So, for me, and I'm not saying my experience is going to be the same formula as yours, but for me, there's this inner calm knowing versus an emotional reactive knowing. That's how I've learned. As, uh, after asked that question, I started observing when it was intuition, and when something did come into fruition, there's this calm inner knowing, even if it was, um, later met with an emotional response.

Bryant Alexander:
Okay.

Laurel Elders:
What your thoughts and experiences are, though.

Bryant Alexander:
Okay. Um, yes. So, um, I'm not sure what this was, but when I was going through, um, that period of a quarter life crisis, um, I had never planned to move to the east coast. Um, I thought it was just too expensive, but, you know, I wanted to get out of Chicago, which is where I'm from. And, um, it led me to Boston. And I didn't really. I was just like, uh, I don't know if I'm just taking a leap or is it intuition? I just wanted to, or I just wanted something new. Um, but turns out Boston was only about, maybe lasted for six to eight months or something like that. And I moved out of Boston, but I ended up moving to New York. I never wanted to move to New York. I thought it was too fast, it was too much, the rent's too high, and I work in. I'm working a nonprofit at the time, so, like, it's just the math wasn't math, and for me, and, um, but when I actually was able to kind of, like, as much stress that I was dealing with at the time, a little bit of depression also, um, not a lot of bit of depression. Um, what happened was just that, um, I didn't want. As much as I didn't want to be here. I saw opportunity, but I felt that something was telling me, like, stay like, you're not done here. And I don't know what that, I never understood what that was, honestly, but it was something like, uh, internally, where it's just, like, in my head, I'm like, I don't want to be here, but internally, something was just saying, like, the east coast isn't done with you yet. And I was just like, I don't know what that is. It turns out everything worked out amazingly. Like, as far as, like, I got, I was able to create community. I was able to find work that I actually cared about. I was able to find a job that I really enjoyed. Um, but I just never understood what that was like. Something just kept telling me, like, the east coast isn't done with you. Uh, literally, like, those words would pop up in my head from time to time, and I still can't explain it to this day. I just knew that even though this is a terrible situation right now, that I should, I should follow through with this. So I don't know if that was my heart speaking to me because I never wanted to live in New York. But when I got here, it was just something like telling me that, I know times are hard now, and these weren't the words, but it was. The words were, the east coast isn't done with you. And I don't know where those words came from, honestly.

Laurel Elders:
Uh, interesting.

Bryant Alexander:
And everything worked out fascinating.

Laurel Elders:
So, looking back, what, what did that teach you?

Bryant Alexander:
Uh. Uh, I think it just taught me to, um. Um. I think, I think it taught me a little bit about instinct versus intuition.

Laurel Elders:
Um.

Bryant Alexander:
Um, instinct is more of like, survival. And I knew how to survive, so I think I have good instincts. But intuition is just something that you can't always, like, see, you just kind of feel it. Like, it's just like, it's like the not knowing, but knowing. Right. Like, you can just say, like, uh, like, I think I want to stay here. This isn't like, my environment isn't reflecting like, a comfortable place that I want to be, but something else is telling me that I need to stay. So I would say in that time, what I learned is just kind of like the differences between instincts and intuition. Because instincts are just kind of like, I think nature versus nurture, uh, versus intuition is something that, ah, you can't always like, see or you can't always feel. I think it's also a muscle that you have to build as well. But I think that intuition is just not something that is, always, can be readily seen. It's just something that internal to where it's just like, okay, I'm uncomfortable, but I'm comfortable at the same time.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah, I totally relate to that. Well, it's so true. And it's like, I think why it can, um, trip people up or why it's harder to trust is because it's not always logical. We rely so much on logic and rational thought, which is very helpful and valid and all of that. But we could be discounting a, um, part of ourselves that's connected to something much greater, including our greatness.

Bryant Alexander:
Agreed. Agreed. Um. Yeah, it's, I don't know. Yes, yes. And I'm still, I guess that's what was happening at the time. Like, um, I guess my heart was telling. My brain was telling me, no, you don't need to be here. This isn't the environment for you. But I guess my heart was like, yes, just go with it. See what happens. It's something here. It's something here.

Laurel Elders:
So fascinating. Well, it reminds me too. The course in miracles says that words are three times removed from reality. And I think about how we're so externally focused and maybe so surface focused, um, that sometimes we don't even. Maybe we could start considering more, what is the essence beneath what I'm thinking? What is the essence that I'm feeling? Um.

Bryant Alexander:
Could you. I don't know if you explained this already. I saw it in the, um, newsletter, too. You said words are three times removed from reality.

Laurel Elders:
Yes.

Bryant Alexander:
That is. That is a power. I don't know what it means, but it sounds really powerful. Could you explain that a bit, please?

Laurel Elders:
Yes. So, basically, what happens with the human experience is there's the phenomenon, the thing that happens, the thing that is. And then in our experience of the phenomenon, we evaluate it. We say, oh, is this. Is that phenomenon? Is it good, bad, right or wrong? And this is the, uh, the ego's way or the brain's way of categorizing, am I safe? And I. Am I unsafe? And then we take that evaluation and we interpret. We interpret the phenomenon, and we can continue to go just like a fractal. We can get caught in an illusion, or we can really, you know, begin to piece things apart and look at the essence and the truth of what something is when we get closer to it versus further away from it. But I just think it's, um, an interesting notion, because if we're so, uh, connected to judging and evaluating versus being with. Being with, we get closer to reality. Judging and evaluating can sometimes take us away from reality as distinguished from maybe discernment. Ah, this is this and that is that. Discernment versus this is good, bad, right or wrong.

Bryant Alexander:
Understood. So it's. It's more. So you. It sounds like it goes back to kind of like the evolutionary effects of just like. Like you said, survival. Like fight, flight, freeze. Like you're ready to just judge a situation, just to, uh, determine your safety in it. And words are kind of like that avenue in which we do that. And it sounds like most of the time, we either are quick to judge situations, or we might not be using the correct words in order to say. In order to say if something. In order to actually be present with the situation. And what I'm. I guess what I'm saying there is that it sounds like when it comes to judging situations, we are quick to just go into survival mode and just label it as, this is good, this is bad, this is positive, this is negative, versus just actually being present with what's going on in the situation and then having a chance to, I guess, practice mindfulness and just feeling what's coming up internally, right? Is that what you're saying?

Laurel Elders:
Yes. Yes. And I also have come to believe, after being in coaching and being self reflective, that the hearth, I believe, is not disconnected from reality. But our, uh, mind, our mind can be self deceived. But I do not see any evidence that the heart is capable of self deception. So when we're coaching, we may not call it this, but we're getting people in touch with their inner truth, their heart, their highest self. To me, it's all the same. Helping someone integrate, um, more fully.

Bryant Alexander:
It is. It is using the wisdom that the body has, instead of using all of these external. I guess what we, what we see in coaching is that we're quick to, like, say that the reason I can't do something is because of somebody else or some other external factor. So not only are we eliminating those external factors, but we're also diving into, like, different parts of the body, specifically the heart, as a way to cultivate wisdom as far as, like, how we should move forward, basically.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah. Yeah. And also, I think of, too, just the, the impact that leaders with the heart of service, leaders that develop empathy, it is such a superpower. And, um, the statistics on developing EQ in the workplace are just, they're so profound. Um, just the positive impact that a leader can have just by developing that heart centeredness. And I wonder how many people like me, I talked about this before you hopped on Bryant, but how many people like me, in the beginning, kind of assumed, like, oh, heart centered is wishy washy. Oh, intuition, that's woo woo. And yet, then I would be disintegrating from a whole part of myself versus bringing my full self forward. Yeah, I'd love to hear your thoughts on that.

Bryant Alexander:
Um. Um, I would say that, um, these, um, conversations around intuition, around the heart, mind, around the gut, around the mind, these, I think they're just becoming more normalized, because as we advance into a more technical world, when it comes to just AI or just, like, just using social media, I think what happens is that we start to lose touch with what is actually going on in reality, but also internally, because we're always looking at a screen or we're always consuming some type of information. So I think with that, intuition isn't woo woo anymore, because now it's like, or empathy isn't woo woo anymore, because now it's like, we have to understand the science behind how people actually connect with each other. It is. It's in, it's interesting because, like, it's. I was reading a study the other day on how to combat stress and burnout. And then it talked about just kind of, like, you know, what burnout is and just the different factors that are associated with it, which is, like, cynicism, disengagement, um, with disengagement. Um, and, um, it sounded a lot like depression. And I was just like, okay. But I guess my point in saying that is just, like, there's whole studies around emotions and just, like, the things that were talked about as spiritual, um, and how in the role that they play in how we show up, whether it be at work, whether it be, uh, at work or at home. And I guess that's where coaching is moving towards, because I think that coaching, I guess, gives people the opportunity to just reconnect, because I think that our realities are just so, like, skewed through everything that we see on social media just seems like it's ten times worse. Right? When in reality, you know, like. And I. And I say this, and this might be controversial, it's just like, you know, whoever gets elected, it's not really like the end of the world keeps going. Like, you still have, like, you. You are. We are impacted, and we're impacted in different ways, but the world doesn't stop, right? We still grow. We still have to just, like, still be able to connect with each other. We still have our legacy. We still have things that we would like to carry out. So it's just like, why is the weight of this thing. Why is this thing weighing on you so heavy? Or why is the, uh. Yeah, why is this thing weighing on you so heavy? And it's just a question. It's not to say that it can't weigh on you, but it's just better understanding. Like, okay, like, how is this impacting you internally? Or how can we better reconnect as far as, like, how you. Your relationship to this thing? Right. So I think that is where that. The woo woo. I like your word, the woo woo. I'm going to keep calling it that. The woo woo has so much science behind it now, and it's just simply, like, how do people communicate with each other? How do we communicate with ourselves? How do we better the relationship with ourselves? So I just see it as, you know, somebody just with a PhD has to say something about empathy. And, like, now everybody believes, uh, empathy is, like, a real thing. It is just like, no, it's always been here, and it's just a part of who we are. It's just up to us to cultivate it, and that just takes understanding people a lot, uh, more in a world in which it's really hard to, like, separate reality from, like, just things that are going on in our heads and not within, not using our bodies for what they're there for, which is just to protect us, but also to, um, help us understand ourselves a lot more.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah.

Bryant Alexander:
So.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah, yeah, it's so true. And the, ah, what I find really fascinating is that just because we choose to learn empathy or become a heart centered leader doesn't mean we turn into a big marshmallow. Right. There was a book once that I came across said, don't be nice, be real. And. Mhm. I would love to see a world where we're comfortable with discomfort, we're comfortable with moving towards something and not pulling back and judging and, you know, running off on social media. I, uh, saw the other day, just this girl posted a picture, and it was in a kayaking group, and everyone just ripped her apart. And I was like, wow, they don't know. They don't know her. I mean, if I was her, I'd have felt terrible. And this is. This is the world we're living in.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah, it's. That is. That is a part of, like, I guess, uh, my mission, too, is just to find, uh, wisdom and pain, because I think that we just put on a mask or we put up a veil, whatever you want to call it, and make it seem like everything is okay. I think you see it a lot on. I see, you see it on social media platforms. You see it through these 5999 coach training programs. Like, hey, you can do it. And you see it on LinkedIn. Like, you know, here's how my daughter taught me about marketing. And it's just like, we put up this veil, like, just, hey, that's not real, though. Like, how can we really explore the pain that we feel? Because in pain, in my opinion, is a chance to really just see who you really are, but also see how you want to be better for yourself, the world around you, and just, um, individuals in your life. And, uh, I guess that's where this whole concept comes back in. Because in order to understand pain, you got to understand your heart, right? You got to understand, like, the. Yes nos, the emotions, like, really strengthening what intuition is. Because intuition isn't always something that is. Isn't always reliable, especially if you don't use it often. Right? It is a muscle just like anything else that has to be built over time. And I, uh, really think that's where coaching comes in at, because the way that shows up at work is just like, helping an individual, not as a manager. If you're able to have a conversation with the individual about not only, like, just their okrs or their KPI's and just like. But also, how does this. How does this integrate with your personal life as well? Right. Do I need to make sure that you're off the clock by 05:00 p.m. as a manager? Cool. So you can spend time with your family, because that's a goal that you have. That's a part of your performance metrics. Cool. Let's talk about it. And then you see it's just an immediate impact on the direct report. But also, just as a manager, you're helping this person, like, with their legacy work. Right? So it goes beyond the workplace. Right. You understand the person's heart a little bit more, which increases that trust, and it just increases, just, like, overall, just, like, morale at work. And I don't understand. I never understood why people don't understand. Like, it can't just be about work. It has to be about the whole person. It has to be about integration. In order to do that, you got to just really dive into, like, the heart of an individual. Understand them, their wants, their desires, their fears. Because it's not therapy. It's just like, I'm just connecting with people. I want to be connected with people who I, uh, want to help people see beyond, you know, what it is that they're doing within their jobs. I want to help them, you know, grow into that manager or that senior IC or whatever it might be, whatever the mission is. I want to help them even transition out the job. Right. Because at the end of the day, I know I can't be here forever, but I'll be. It'll be instrument. It'll be. It'll help them grow, which means it's helping negro. So, yeah, that was a long rant, but that's my two cent on that. Maybe a little bit more than two cent.

Laurel Elders:
Well, I think another, um. Another reason why, um, being heart centered might have gotten bad rap is because there's. I've seen so much confusion around the language of the heart, being confused with our emotional state. Like, oh, my love hurts. Well, technically, if you look at it, it's not love that hurts. It's the absence of love that hurts. And so that I think that confusion, if we parse it apart and just look at what is the heart trying to tell me different from my emotional state? Um, somewhere along the lines, it got connected, where, um. Yes, it can be connected. But sometimes the body has an emotional reaction to a thought.

Bryant Alexander:
Yep.

Laurel Elders:
That's not the heart. Right. So, really, I think in overall, we have a long way to go with self discovery.

Bryant Alexander:
Agreed. Self discovery, self compassion, self awareness, all the things. Um, it's funny because I was. I was, uh, meditating on this weekend, and something that, as I've learned that I had to exercise a lot more self compassion for myself because I can't be very hard on myself when it comes to work performance. Um, and one of. Part of the meditation is that I just kind of put my hand over my heart and I just extend self compassion to this area of my body. And, um. You feel so much better afterwards. And I don't know when the science. Maybe I need to do the science on this, but I don't know when the science is going to. I'm sure it's some out there, but just doing simple things like that and just putting your hand over your heart, filling your heartbeat, that's a way that you can better understand what's going on within your heart and really trust in intuition or just. Just sitting with it, honestly, just being present with your heartbeat. Um, and, uh, yeah, it's very deep. And like I said, I think it's just like we have a lot of wisdom within our bodies that we refuse to use because we're always reacting or we always have an emotion, and that's just. And then we become our emotions when we just experience emotions. It's not something that's just because I'm mad for a minute. You won't be mad in two minutes. All right. Like, it comes and it goes, right? So, yes, that heart, um, and what you've taught me today, along with, uh, the newsletter, is just like. I understand that. Yes. No, now is it can be an emotion, too, just about the way that I interpret it. Um, because I can be hard on myself when it comes to if I say no too much, but in reality, it's like, uh, that's just what I'm feeling. That's what's coming up for me. Um, so, yeah, thank you for that.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah, yeah. So fascinating. And I think it's, um. I think it's just. It's pretty neat to see, um, leaders that get coached more into that self discovery process. They can really clearly see the difference between a truth and an illusion within themselves. Um, I know we've talked about that before. That, um, that's one aspect of integration, is learning what is an illusion, what needs to be shed ironically. Right. You think of integration as like, everything comes together. Well, it does, but for the human, there's also a shedding process with that. Everything true coming together, everything false being released.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, I could talk for a while about that. You know, those self sabotaging behaviors. Um, yeah, it's. It's like, um, integration, especially for a leader. I think that you just get in the routine of these behaviors or habits that may have been helpful into getting you to where you're at. Whether those habits could be like, you know, you're not as quick to trust people, or those habits could be, um, I'm working until the job gets done. I'm working 10 hours, twelve hour days. Um, it could be, you know, like, I have to show up in a meeting in a certain way. Like, I have to be aggressive, or I have to, you know, make sure that I say something. Because if I don't, you know, then nobody's going to hear me and nobody's going to think, going to look to me for guidance, uh, or advice or just question my leadership skills. I've been there. Um, but yes, bringing it back to integration, I think what I've seen with leaders that I've worked with, but also within myself, is that you realize, like, while those behaviors may have been helpful for a certain amount of time and you might have gotten some success from some of them, are just defense mechanisms at this point. It's just that, ah, and like you said, integration is about, like, how do I shed those behaviors so I can just show up how I want to show up in these spaces. And I don't know if that's authenticity, but I guess, like, just as a whole person, like, with, um, because I worked hard to get here. Right. And if I continue to just do the things that I was doing in the past, I'll just work myself into a hole. Um, so, yes, integration is also about, like you said, shedding those behaviors that weren't useful, that aren't useful anymore. Because at the end of the day, you're growing, you're changing, and if you continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result, was that insanity? Right? So, um, yeah, integration is deep, but I guess that the shedding part is so hard, I'm still. Listen, I'm still going through it. So the shedding part is hard. Um, I never try to sit here and say that I am a fully integrated individual. No, I still have things that I'm working through.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah, I so appreciate that.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah.

Laurel Elders:
And I also appreciate what you just said about the. I should be sign of leadership. We, you know, we can do that in any area of our lives, but I should be, um. That's something that I really struggled with because, as you know, everyone on our team knows, I'm very introverted. And as I stepped more and more into leadership, I really saw that the women who were successful in a more male dominated, um, leadership society had to act, like, more masculine, like, really strong masculine, and show up that way. And I. I reached a point, and especially after coaching, helped me realize I'm going to be who I am, successful or not, because of who I am. I, you know, it is what it is, and let's just see what happens if I show up and I really, um, can own the truth of who I know myself to be, who I've discovered I am, and I will share. I did have one coach that said, oh, that's a label. Um, they were playing more of a mentor at the time, but they said, oh, no, you need to get rid of that. That's more of a label you're putting on yourself. And that, you know, I took that introspectively and I was like, no, no, this is like, I. Like, I am introverted. That is me at the end of the day, and I'm going to self accept.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah, yeah. Um, I am, too. I just know when to turn it on, that's all. So I get it. But, um, yes, to your point about, um, the should statements, and I think we talked about it before. Um, yeah, like, at, ah, some point you have. At some point we all have to reach a point like, this is just who I am, and, you know, who's ever attracted to that? Great. If not, that's fine, too.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think there can be a lot of, um, identity crisis that. Or crises we go through as leaders. Right. Who am I in this role now? Is that different from how I am at home? And why and where is that line between authenticity and privacy and transparency and my own. Right. Like, uh, leaders have a lot to navigate.

Bryant Alexander:
So, yeah, most of the. Most of the things I share on here, if I haven't talked about it in therapy, it doesn't get shared. That's. That's privacy for me. That is. That is the bar right there.

Laurel Elders:
Nice. All right. Anything else before we wrap up? We're almost at time.

Bryant Alexander:
Uh. Uh, I just want to say, um. Um. Yeah. Thank you again for the clarity on understanding how. Yes. And know m is not just a response or a reaction. It is an emotion that can be considered an emotion, and it is held within the heart if you actually listen to it. So thank you for that.

Laurel Elders:
Yes, absolutely. All right, so, before we hop off, I am just curious if you are a leader in HR, L and D, or management who feels stuck in the day to day grind of your company, or if you're feeling unsure if it's possible to balance your career and cultivate personal happiness. That's something that a lot of leaders struggle with. And perhaps you've tried leadership training that provides some temporary relief, but, uh, you also sometimes just feel left exhausted and really struggling to keep up. We understand those challenges, and we're here to offer some pretty transform, transformative solutions. So I invite you to really look at, um, and imagine what could it be like if you were to adopt a new approach that empowers you to coach your teams, to be more self sufficient, enabling you to focus on what truly matters. And we really want to help those leaders that are feeling stuck in those ways, to rediscover the big picture vision that initially inspired them to lead. We want to, um, help guide you through that process, to lead a more effective and fulfilling leadership journey and help turn your aspirations into a reality. So if you would like to become a more coach like, heart centered leader, we would love to be of service to you. And as I mentioned, we have the pay it forward campaign coming up. Bryant, I'll let you. Yes, about that.

Bryant Alexander:
Yes. So the pay it forward campaign. So this is an opportunity for anybody who is interested in coaching, um, wants to become a coach like leader. Uh, as Laurel just said, this, uh, is an opportunity for you to go through our first module of the coach training, coaching fundamentals in August. So if you want to learn more about that, reach out to me. Now, here's the thing. There is scholarship available. So we have a few spots available. All right? So the quicker you reach out, the quicker you reserve your spot. This is a full scholarship. Okay? So you'll be able to actually participate in that first module for free, but you have to do it as soon as possible to hold down your spot. Okay. And we just want to offer this first module, mainly because what's going to happen is that you're going to be able to learn the nuances as far as, like, what coaching is, what it isn't. Um, you'll be able to have a few tools that you can actually go implement with your teams, um, as soon as possible. And, of course, if you want to continue on in the coach training program, you have that option, too. Okay? So this is just a great opportunity for you to just get more knowledge on what coaching is or the fundamentals of coaching. Coaching fundamentals. And again, this is a campaign just to, you know, spread the word about coaching. Give people an opportunity to be exposed to coaching. So if you are interested and open to, um, participate in this opportunity, remember, we have scholarship available. All right? So please reach out as soon as possible. August is coming soon. Okay? So we want to make sure that we get everybody signed up that's interested. But this is a great opportunity, whether you want to become a full time coach, a part time coach, a more coach like leader. There is something here in this session for you. Six hour day. Okay? So clear your calendar. Clear day. But. And Laurel will be, uh, doing a thing, so please reach out to me, or Laurel. And I'm happy to have a conversation with you. You can reach out to me here on LinkedIn. Um, but you can also reach me at. What is admissions. Admissions at integrativeintelligence global, correct?

Laurel Elders:
That is correct. And we also love it when you send your teams through the program, because you get to learn together and take this work into what you're doing. Super powerful. Bring your team. We would love to be of service to you. All right, so that is a wrap for today. Thank you so much for being with us, and I hope that you got a gem for whatever your heart was needing today. And we hope to see you next Tuesday. Bye for now.

Bryant Alexander:
See ya.

 

​ 
Bryant Alexander:
Okay, we are officially live. So welcome to another iteration of coaching, uh, equips. And these are weekly coaching tips that equip coaches, future coaches, and coach like leaders to develop their excellence in coaching. Right. So, let me see. Make sure that we are okay. We are live. And I think, uh. Okay. Kristen, you came back. You came back. You were frozen for a minute, but now you're back.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Oh, freezing up.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah. Yeah. So, um, again, this is another iteration of eclipse. Um, so I'll be your host for today. Laurel will not be here today, unfortunately, but we have a special, special guest. We have Doctor Kristen Truman Allen, who is a instructor at the Institute. So, one of my instructors, but also an ICF Certified Coach and, uh, training education provider. And I'm excited to talk to Kristen today because she shares in the same passion that I share in, that Laurel shares in, and everybody at the Institute shares in, and helping to elevate human potential through the art and science of masterful coaching. So, just as a reminder, we host equips every Tuesday live. So if you want to receive these in your inbox, you can find a sign up link in our newsletter. And you can find that link in the chat. Today's topic is going to be the considerations for coaching new leaders. But before we get into that, what I would like to do is give Kristen a chance to introduce herself, because I don't think I did it justice. And I want to give you the space, Kristen, to just introduce yourself to the audience. Tell us a little bit about yourself, your work, how you came to coaching.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Thank you, Bryant.

Bryant Alexander:
Kristen, you froze on me again, so we'll give it a minute to come back. Apologies, everyone. A little bit of a technical challenge right now, but Kristen will be back in a second. Kristen, you are back. You're back.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Okay, we'll try this again. So, I was saying that I found coaching as a new leader and was being coached and found that crazy valuable. And so I decided to become a coach and a coach like leader. And then over a span of 20 years or so, I have had the opportunity to then coach other new leaders and now have my own coaching business. And I'm the chief experience officer for my business. Um, really helping, focusing on executives and their teams and experiential coaching.

Bryant Alexander:
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. So, I see why this conversation is centered around coaches. I mean, leaders today and how to actually cultivate, um, I guess, coach like leaders, but also help those new leaders really step into that role of leading a line of business and organization and just themselves as well, because I think that in order to be a true leader, you have to learn how to lead yourself first. So I'm glad to be speaking with you today. I know you have a wealth of knowledge and experience on the topic. So again today we are talking about how to the three considerations for coaching new leaders. Okay. Now, this is a challenge that most organizations have, and there is a common dilemma that these organizations share. And the dilemma is that you promote someone into a leadership role because they were successful in a previous role, which is possibly a IC or individual contributor role, and then realize they are not doing so well. Floundering at times. Right. And this is very common in tech, sales, engineering, science, academic, construction. Okay. All industries across the board. Kristen, can you just share a little bit of your experience in that common dilemma of just those individuals who have maybe moved from a IC role and now in a leadership position or maybe moved from a middle management role to now they're an executive. Like, what are some things that you've experienced and how coaching has helped with that.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
At leadership space? Um, I hear it all the time, whether I'm talking to leaders in oil or the.

Bryant Alexander:
Kristen, you're frozen again. We're going to give it a few more minutes to let Kristen come back. And technology, it happens. Well, while Kristen is getting the signal back on track, um, I can kind of share a little bit on my experience and working with new leaders. Right. So, um. And I just want to talk about myself because it's just that when it comes Kristen is back. Wait a minute. We got actually. Okay.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
So frustrating.

Bryant Alexander:
It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. So were you able to hit dilemma?

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Yes.

Bryant Alexander:
Okay.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Okay. So I'm not sure what you heard from me. I. What is striking about this dilemma is that it's not industry specific.

Bryant Alexander:
Okay.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
I hear this in healthcare, I hear it with firefighters, I hear it with union leaders, um, with oil leaders. And everyone has this experience of like, ah, uh, how do we. We've hired them because they're amazing at what they do. But the leadership piece is so different in such a challenge. And it's a. It's very, very real and m. It feels frustrating for the leader who is used to feeling like an expert, and now they're in this novice role and it's uncomfortable and, um, they're expected to do well. So I think coaching is particularly powerful in that it helps with that personalized relationship to help bridge that gap one way and then extending trust and leading in a different kind of way. So understanding themselves not as a technician, but as a human who's influencing other people.

Bryant Alexander:
Okay. Okay. Ah, I like that. And I want to speak to it as well, because I think that, uh, I use kind of a framework when I'm working with leaders, or especially with new leaders, and that is, um, culture, compassion and connection. Uh, so those are the three c's that I use in order to help me, uh, bring along new leaders or people that are already working as leaders. Okay? So with this framework, what happens is that compassion, I think that as you move into a leadership role, or what I've observed, as you move into a leadership role, I know Kristen has frozen. She will be back. Um, but, uh, as you move into a leadership role, what happens is that you're dealing more with people, which means that you have to exercise a different type of compassion, okay. Versus being a technician, which is very focused on a skill or a role. And that compassion is just understanding that people have different points of view. So it's all about, how did you come to that common ground? Okay. Like, I was working as an executive coach with a. Start with a nonprofit. Uh, and, um, there was some friction between, um, just two leaders, two executives within the organization. And with that friction came just a, um. With that friction just came a, uh, loss in communication as far as, like, what was the. What were the goals or what was the long term vision of the organization. So what I was able to work on with both of these individuals was understanding what that having compassion with each other, right? And I did this in a one to one setting and was eventually able to bring it together. And then from there, what I was able to do is talk about culture. So, understanding what culture looks like for their teams, right? Or how would they describe the culture for their teams? Because the culture is going to determine what that communication, that compassion, that connection looks like for these, um, different for these, uh, two, for these, uh, individuals to actually get anything done. Hey, Kristen, I know you're back. Um, and then from there, we have connection. So with connection, what happens is that once we're able to understand how we can be more compassionate towards each other as leaders in communication style or our direct reports, then we're able to actually establish a culture around just how do we move forward together. And then from there, we're able to connect and really just, uh, have a shared vision on what the future looks like for us. And Kristen, if you didn't hear me, I was just talking about how, um, I use kind of like the three c, similar to what you described as far as, like, understanding. When you go into a leadership role, you're dealing a lot more with people. It's not even about the work anymore. Like you spoke about the technician and just like being really good at a skill, but it's not about that. The skill is now people, right? How do you deal with people? How do you work with people? And I was just describing the three C's that I use, which is culture, compassion and connection in order to do that. So yeah, that is me on that part. Um, so now that we've been able to speak about that a bit more, what I would like to talk about with you, Kristen, and let me know if you can hear me, please, or what we can just explore next as a group, who's ever on the live is just talk about the common solutions. So companies often default to sending new leaders for more training. Okay. While this is good, what happens is it doesn't quite do the trick and most companies then either deal with it or suffer or lose the employee out of frustration. So training only gets us so far. So when it comes to this second, I guess, uh, commonality, we said we can see, I guess the second area that coaching can address when it comes to the common solution around coaching or training not being the only answer. Um, Kristen, if you could share when you're back as far as what that I ah, guess what, how coaching can complement that, I think that would be helpful. And until you're back, I'll share my experience on just how coaching has helped myself. I um, would say that, um, coming from uh, my background and ah, Kristen, I'm just going to talk about that the common solution, that training is the solve is solving, um, all of our problems and how coaching can support that. Um, I'll talk about my background and just becoming a leader in a new industry. My transition was a little bit more drastic. I started out in the education nonprofit space and um, after a while I realized that wasn't for me, like I loved education, but the way that traditional education is done, um, I'm sure you know Kristen, like it's just very slow motion, it's very, just like by the book. And I wanted to do something different and uh, so I decided to transition into the tech industry. And with the tech industry, what I realized was that there were just a lot of, it was such a different environment because instead of waiting, I had to understand the pace of that environment. So it was one thing to like onboard me, it was one, it was another thing to get training on all this different technology, all of these different tools, all these different systems. But I'm coming from such a different space. In order for me to thrive or become a leader at the organization, just training me or onboarding me to all these different tools wasn't going to be enough. So thankfully, I was on a team full of coaches because I was working as a coach in my first role. So along with that culture shock of just how fast the, um, tech moves, but also just the innovation that's allowed in the role, I had support, ongoing support, because I was on a team full of coaches. So with that training, I, I was also able to work with all these different individuals who have been in the tech industry, but also coaches in supporting me in that process. So it just wasn't my manager, it was a ecosystem that I could go to. Like somebody specialized in a tool. They coached me on the tool, they would say, like, okay, like, what are the problems? How would you like to establish this meeting? What are you looking to do with this tool? It was very self driven as far as, like, this is, I could teach you how to use this, but what are you using it for? What are you trying to better understand? So that was my one on one support in helping me transition from a little bit of a slower pace industry and learning a completely, uh, new, uh, industry and saying that training is not enough. And traditional education training might be seen as like the first option. We need more training. But coming into a new industry that was, that was very fast paced, onboarding wasn't enough, training wasn't enough. But because I had a support system and a team full of coaches that supported me, that I can go to one on one to ask for that support, that helped. I think that actually expedited, like, uh, within a year, I was pretty comfortable within my role as far as what was expected of me, how to use these different tools, these different systems where with just training, it probably would've took me at least two years to really just like two or three years to actually like, get a full grasp as far as what I was doing. So that's how it's showing up for me personally. What about you, Kristen?

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Well, can I add, what I'm noticing about your experience is that the coach has a different role than the manager.

Bryant Alexander:
Mhm.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Right. And so how that works is that the man, the coach, is giving opportunity to hear what's getting in the way of you as a human being and work through some of those things without the attachment of your performance.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
So you have the opportunity to explore what's really getting in the way and work from the inside out to make that difference?

Bryant Alexander:
M. Yeah, I agree with it, because my manager, my manager versus the other coaches, my manager was very just like, I guess, how can we solve this? Like, what support do you need but just function as a manager? She knew that I had additional layers of support when it came to coaching, so that, I guess that self generating, like, she was like, you need to go talk to so and so about this thing, but make sure you show up with, like, clear, this is what you need to be. This is what you need to get from this person, and they'll be better able to guide you, so. Or help you figure out a solution that works best for you. So I think that even in that relationship with my manager, she was coaching me to an extent, but that wasn't her role. And she understood that. She understood that she was more of a coach, like, leader versus a coach. Now, when I went to go talk to my other teammates, they would assume the role as a coach as far as, like, send me an agenda or, like, how would you want to lead this session? Or what are you looking to actually gain from our time together, and why is it important right now? And that really helped me say, like, oh, like, not only just those skills around how to create an agenda and how to use time in the most effective way possible in a meeting, but also just saying, like, okay, like, I'm not wasting anybody's time, but I also know, like, this is how it's gonna help me as I continue to get more comfortable in my role as a coach within this organization.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Yeah.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
So powerful.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah, for sure. For sure.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Yeah. I feel like in that, as a. As a new leader, just training, which is designed to provide information. Right. Like, if we're really trying to get to behavior change, we have to work through what those behaviors are and where we're wanting to go. So I have a background in education. I have a degree in education and studied experiential learning and gaming and, um, human patient stimulation and different ways to actually coach someone in an education environment to actually shift how we're doing, what we're doing, not just get the information right. Learning is actually shown through our behavior. So I appreciate how coaching can help with that, too, because you gathered information, and now you're actually using it, and the coach is saying, okay, how can you bring what you learned in the classroom? How does that concept apply here? And how do you personally, individually, um, Bryant style, want to use that information and have it show up for you so that can see that in a more objective way, different than the kind of meeting the objectives of what happens in regular training.

Bryant Alexander:
Yes. And I guess a question that came to mind, that somebody that might have a new leader, they might has a new leader within the organization. What if somebody comes to you and say that, well, what if they don't know their own style already? How is this going to help them? What would you say to that?

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Well, they probably don't know their own style. Right. Because they've been learning the things that they do want to do and don't want to do from other leaders that have come before them. And so I think there's a lot of coaching head and heart around what is authentic, what feels good, and what little baby experiment are you willing to try that feels like it's taking a risk to, like, a little bit of an edge, but you know, it's not going to get you fired. Right. Uh, that's immoral or unethical, but what would be, um, an experiment and coaching them through, having that be a safe space to practice getting better as a leader?

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah, it sounds, it sounds like giving grace to them for when they do mess up, knowing that they're going to mess up, but creating that container to say, like, it's okay to make mistakes because I want to see, I want to see you thrive as a leader. So it's like, yeah, just trial, trial and error for the most part, in order to actually develop your leadership style is what I'm hearing.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Sure. And understanding what the culture already says. Right. So I feel like coaching can help the, the client, the new m, the new leader, help lead up and out in the rest of the culture, especially if it's not a culture that fits for them right away.

Bryant Alexander:
Okay. Yeah, I agree.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Yeah.

Bryant Alexander:
Something came up for me because I use that, um, three c's in order to kind of like, have, I guess, uh, trying to make sure that, uh, leaders are able to kind of, uh, cultivate, um, those relationships like that compassion, that culture, that connection. So I guess if you're in an organization that runs to training as a way to just fix everything, how do you establish, I guess, this new culture of, let me, let me coach. Let me, let me figure out how to, I guess, bring coaching into the organization a little bit more effectively without actually calling coat, calling it coaching. Because I think that when people hear coaching, I don't know if it's understood what that actually means or what that looks like, but let's say, like, you know, I have a group, I have a cohort. Uh, I'm just painting a picture. I'm talking. So let's say I have a cohort of new leaders coming, new managers coming in. Okay. And we're at an organization where it's just like, yeah, we're going to put you through this six week training program on how to become a new manager. We started talking about building empathy for your direct reports, how to manage projects, how to manage stakeholders, blah, blah, blah. Right. But training is all this organization runs to. There is no culture around coaching. So how, how would you approach, let's say you are that manager that, you know, I got my own. I gotta have a coaching culture already on my team. So how would you instill that into that new leader that you might be managing? Right. How might you be the one to say that? Hey, right? I know that we run to training, but I'm a coach like leader. So how would you kind of guide that new, um, that new leader in adjusting to what a culture of coaching actually is?

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
If I understand your question, you're asking how am I going to lead my leader?

Bryant Alexander:
Mhm. Yeah.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Yeah. So I think I would use coach like questions to help them to collaborate in how we're making decisions together.

Bryant Alexander:
Okay.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
So if I am asking the leader to consider a shared decision making model or if I'm asking the leader, um, I would probably want to, like, if the leader has said, had a directive, I would ask coach like questions with open ended, in an open ended style to see if I can get the leader to be clear about what the directive is, is and why and how be more inclusive for the whole culture.

Bryant Alexander:
Gotcha. Gotcha. Okay. Okay, cool. That makes sense. And I just, I'm just curious about that because it's just, I think usually what I've observed with coaching is like people, people are still running to training and if you just have a culture of training, it's like, all right, where's the space? Or how do I, uh, I believe as a leader, I believe in the culture, uh, in the impact that coaching can have on my team, my direct reports. So how do you kind of fight through that as a leader in coaching a new leader? Like how, like, this may be how it's done over here, but I believe in this style because I think it's just not enough information and coaching is a growing industry. So I think sometimes, like, it's like, yeah, we're just gonna lean on these trainings, these self guided things, and you figure it out from there. So that's why I asked that question.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Yeah, I think it's harder to actually get support for coaching. Right. I'm a new leader and I want to coach and I'm in an organization where that's not automatically built into the process, then having those dialogues around what's the value coaching can bring? Um, what would that do for you? What does it do for the organization? Especially if I'm asking for the organization to pay for a coach or to design a coaching program inside the organization, which is doable. Right. And so then you have more of an infrastructure, um, and build that coaching alliance. And if you've got a leader who's not, doesn't have a coach approach, that's really what you need and what you're looking for, then finding other people in the organization who have the style that is modeled and having a mental relationship with them.

Bryant Alexander:
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Thank you for that. Thank you.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
You're welcome.

Bryant Alexander:
Okay, so, um, I have some research, I have some numbers for you because we want to make sure that we are coming from a data driven approach, because I think that, again, there is a lack of information around coaching, um, still, I think second largest growing industry. Um, but I want you to consider this. Okay. So 31 managers underwent a conventional managerial training program. And this kind of gets at that last question as well that I asked you. This program was followed by eight weeks of one to one executive coaching training, which included goal setting. So the training included goal setting, collaborative problem solving, feedback, uh, supervisory involvement, and there were evaluation results at the end of the program. And there was also a training around public presentations. And because of this, productivity increased by 22.4%. So with that, training and coaching increased productivity by 88%. So just the training alone increased productivity by 22.4%, but training and coaching increase productivity by 88%. So to those numbers, I just want to hear your insights or even experience around how you've seen this or how you observe this or just how it's come up in your own practice.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
I'm thinking of the why and, uh, because there's an accountability that's built in the, when you have a coach, right. And so doing the things that you said that you were going to do, as opposed to this training, which was so rich, but sometimes it still gets put on a shelf until you think to use it, but we get busy and forget to apply the things that we've learned. Um, but I feel like with coaching, it adds this creative tension and a reminder to keep it live, to keep you engaged in it. And I see engagement as, um, what's energizing us, what keeps us connected, and what is helping us get results. So those three components when we can stay engaged in concepts, curriculum, our own challenges. Right. We need a bit of a challenge. And so the coach is going to challenge the client to keep it top of mind and keep using the information and keep challenging themselves. It makes sense to me that it would go to 88% because you've got a buddy who's 100% about you being successful in this role. 100%.

Bryant Alexander:
Okay. What came up for me when you were talking through that was, um, it was, ah, accountability. That was the first thing that came up. But like you said, the ongoing support there. So as far as you have an individual that's there, you have an individual that's there supporting you, but you also have that curriculum and then from there you all are able to, I guess, um, you build a relationship of that. This person is there to, you have an individual there to just continuously support you and getting better at those areas that you were trained in. So I've seen this for myself and, uh, working with organizations as far as just meeting with a coach one to two times a month, like in your job, does wonders for your organization because I think that you just know that. All right, I went through this training, but now it's like most of that information is gone probably within the first 48 hours. Right. But I know that at the end of the month or at some point in a month that I have to meet with this coach and we're going to go through these concepts again. We're able to review the curriculum together, but we're also possibly able to practice this or seeing how it's coming up for me in the work and how I can actively apply it. Right. And I think that's the beauty of having that coaching round for six months to a year after that training happens, because there's so much follow up, there's so much, um, I guess more retention of that information and just confidence with the organization overall to know that there is a internal or external party to where I can also voice. Like, here's what I'm nervous about implementing this new framework, but also here are my successes in doing it. Or I've been thinking about doing this, but I'm not sure how to do it. Can we work on that together? So it's like this third party that's there to just be supportive, third party there to just be non biased, non judgmental, but also there to make sure that that leader is like, okay, you're actually doing the thing that we, you're actually doing the thing that this training is meant for. So if anything, the training is able to actually be better or be iterated on and you're able to say, like, here's what worked well and what didn't work well. And this is where coaching comes in because you have that immediate feedback loop of like, I'm seeing leaders have problems with this part of the curriculum or this framework that was presented in the training. So you're also collecting data as an organization to say, like, here's what can be done better based on what these are. Coaches have seen working with our different leaders within the organization. So I just see so much opportunity, like with those things you hit on, like curriculum, but also just that, buddy, that accountability and making sure that these new leaders have the support that they need in order to thrive in the role.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Yeah, you're making me think of, you know, that accountability piece. It's not that coaches, that coach isn't going to hold them accountable. Like, that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about the ownership. When you've got a co created equal that you, that are like 100% on board of uh, creating this thing that you're looking for with that tension of, I like to use creative tension. Describe it like a, like a rubber band kind of pulling out right there. The action happens when it stays inspired. And I feel like when you have a buddy who is on your side, who understands and is helping you walk through it in a, like you said, non judgmental way, then there's an enthusiasm to stay engaged in whatever it is they're working on.

Bryant Alexander:
Mm mhm hmm. Mm hmm. Agreed. Agreed. And if it's on a long enough time horizon, the, it works out for the company because the employee then stays because now it's like I'm getting new skills, I'm getting better at this skill that I have. So now I'm able to kind of, I guess I'm able to grow within the organization versus the organization losing this high potential new, uh, leader to, I just can't do it or I don't understand how to do it or I need to go to another organization that's a little bit more comfortable. Um, but yeah, I think there's so much opportunity that comes with just having that person there to say like, hey, can we talk about this thing? I'm having challenges with it or I'm doing really well, but I just want to have a conversation around how I can be better.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
100% getting results.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah, for sure, for sure. So I guess with that and, um, I guess with that, uh, just something that, a curious question that I have for you just around your experience with leaders. Um, how have you, I guess seeing the evolution of leadership as you have like kind of grown your coaching business, work with different leaders. Like, how have you seen the evolution of leadership? Or has it just been the same throughout? Like, it's such, like today's world moves so fast and work is now become a place of, like, we talk about work life balance, integrate health and wellness within the workplace. We talk about these things and I. The role coaching might or might not play in it, but for yourself, how have you seen the conversation just change over time?

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
That's such a rich question. I'm seeing it in all of these different industries. I'm seeing mostly consistency.

Bryant Alexander:
Mhm.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
In terms of like, the ability to influence change. The difficulties are the same, but the nuances are different. We're influencing change and trying to influence trust with people. But maybe now we're doing it when we're all working, um, working anywhere, as opposed to walking across the hallway and having a conversation with the person who's, um, maybe a direct report. And so, uh, the way we make connections and the way we build culture is different. We have to be innovative and creative. But I don't see a difference in the basic problems or the basic challenges. It still boils down to culture connection, um, how we manage our energy. And even, like you talked about work life balance, that's been a conversation for ages, at least in the 25 years or so that I've been doing this. But the way we handle what is non negotiable has changed. But the hunger for taking care of myself hasn't changed.

Bryant Alexander:
I agree 100%. And, um, I've seen, I've observed, because I've observed that when it comes to leadership, kind of like how we started off this, uh, conversation, there's more open dialogue just about you as an individual. That's what I've seen. Like before, again, uh, like I said before, we can lead ourselves. Before we can lead somebody else or organization, we have to learn how to lead ourselves. And I think that what I've not, what I think, what I've observed is that there is this, um, need or want to just be connected with your team, connected with the work that you do and connected with the people that you work with. Like, let's not have these small talk conversations. I want to know what's going on outside of just this workplace. Like, people are yearning for that connection. And I know that you probably, you said that that hasn't changed. It's just more. It sounds like, it's just more of an open dialogue around, like, just what it means, what fulfillment looks like, what purposeful work looks. Looks like, what the healthy work environment looks like, what all of these different things looks like. It seems like that is still something that is consistent from your perspective.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Yeah. And I agree, though, there is more dialogue around it. There's more openness for organizations to make it important. Um, the focus that organizations are having on wellness and offering coaching as an opportunity, benefits, if you focus on therapy, those kinds of things, I think we're more open and maybe more exposed to a lot of different kinds of ideas culturally and, um, even industry between industries. Right. Different kinds of ways of doing things. That is definitely an expansion. And at the core of how we build trust as human beings, those pieces, I believe I haven't seen a change. There are so many books on leadership and so many books on building trust and influencing change and different kinds of models. And at the. At the. If you filter it all down, it really comes down to human interaction and human wellness and getting things done through people if they are well taken care of.

Bryant Alexander:
Agree? Agree. Yes. Yes. And you can read 1212 different leadership books, and it all still come down to, this is how you talk to people, this is how you engage with people. This is how you let somebody, like, grow. This is how you. This is how you cannot be so controlling over your direct reports or micromanage your direct reports. Um, yes, that is so true. Like, it just comes down to just, how do you. How do you have compassion, empathy for someone else? How do you try to understand people? The way you even structure your questions? Like, what? Like, just changing those. What questions? Like, what did you do? What went wrong? Why? Yeah. Ask why then what? Right. So just being able to say, like, well, why did this happen? Why do you think this happened the way that it did? Right. Or why do you think you didn't get the support that you needed from your perspective? Right. Just having a little bit more open curiosity about what a person may be going through or maybe experiencing, because that conversation around work life balance then comes up because you realize that you cannot separate the two today. Right. I think that we tried to compartmentalize from what I seen earlier, just earlier in my career, we tried to compartmentalize the two to where what's work is. Work was personal. Is personal. Um, and I wasn't a big sharer at, uh, work at one point, but it's just like they both influence each other. Right. And I think that's important to know as a leader. As well, because if you see your direct report, productivity is up this month. Like, they're doing great, they are showing up to the meetings, and next month everything is down. It's like, okay, it could be the work, or you could just say that, hey, what's going on? Right, as. Especially as a new leader, because I think that you're just in this whole, like, I have to perform because I'm a new leader. Right. You could just ask them, like, hey, what's going on? Right, right.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Ah, you're getting to the integrative intelligence, right? Like, the integrative model of, um, we are a whole being. We're not one thing. And so everything I, you know, I think that's the beauty of coaching.

Bryant Alexander:
Mhm.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Is that we, if you're. If you're working with new leaders and they're working with coaches, hopefully, um, the best coaches that I've ever worked with are coaches who see the person as an integrative being. And so then it's not so much even about work life balance. It's an integration of all of the parts and pieces that show up at work and show up at home and what's the tensions that are pulling against those things and what's, um, going on. Um, from a professional development perspective, how are we challenged? What's happening in my family, relationships, all of those integrated pieces, spiritually, emotionally, physically, um, health, they all get addressed by the coach, with the client.

Bryant Alexander:
Whoa. Beautiful for you to say that, because what came up for me was, um, I try not to say work life balance. I like to say work life integration. Um, because balance is the act of doing a. All right. Constantly you're still doing. When you're balancing, you are doing, which means that you aren't really integrated. Right. You are working towards something. You're pushing yourself towards something. And, um, I've realized the older that I've gotten that, you know, you don't. You start off in this way. You try to design your life around you. You design yourself for the job that you want, or you have. You feel like you have to design. You have to put everything into this job. Like, your whole life has to be, like, the foundation of this or who I am. My, um, identity is closely tied to the work that I do. But you realize the more experiences that you have, the older you get, you find out, like, oh, like, it's. It's. How do I design my life around my work, right, to where, like, I don't. This is important because it's something that is just a part of us, like, working is just a part of our, uh, everybody's identity. Right. But you realize that oh, so many, so much more important things here. And I think this is also where you all taught us about the purpose. Well. Right. Doing that with your team, having a chance to see, like, how are you feeling about these different parts of your life? And how do you. How are you. How are you going to work on at least two areas to get to be more satisfied in those different areas? I think it's a great way just to kind of, like, set the tone. Like, okay, how do I deal with you as a whole person? How can I help you become more integrated? Right. How can I hold you accountable to things not that don't even have to do with work? Because I know that when you feel satisfied with these things, you'll have no problem showing up here. Right. So, uh, the purpose will came up for me. But just like the word work life balance, just calling it work life integration gives us a chance to just not do, but just be right. How can we be here? How can we be present with what's here versus trying to create or find my balance? Like, it's just you're doing, which can be exhausting in itself, right?

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
100%.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
I love that. I loved your energy when you were talking about that, too. That even just.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah. The movement that's created, it's a. It's a path. It's a passionate topic that I'm passionate about. So, um, because I've been through it. I've been through the burnout. I've been through the, like, tunnel vision. Like, I got to work towards this number, this salary or this title or this organization, and unnecessarily, like, burnt myself out, sacrificed a lot of relationships unnecessarily. And, um, looking back, it's just like, okay, I don't want to live my life like this.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Yeah. And, uh, you talked briefly about looking at your whole life model, right? Like, what's my life design, and how does work fit into that and in my authenticity. And it can help you with that process, right?

Bryant Alexander:
For sure. For sure. Yes. Yes. I have. I've had a coach, two coaches helped me tremendously. Um, it is something that, um, you know, it's about, like, creating that future version of yourself, the highest version of yourself. And when it comes to leadership, I think that's especially important. Um, but I know that we are coming up on time, so, uh, Kristen, thank you for, uh, working through the technical challenges. Um, you were able to give a lot of great insight and I really do appreciate you sharing your experience.

Dr. Kristen Truman-Allen:
Thank you for your time. Thanks for this conversation.

Bryant Alexander:
Of course, of course. So, um, and to the audience out there, thank you for staying with us. We really appreciate you and we hope you enjoyed today's discussion. Now, just as a reminder, if you are an individual, an organizational leader, seeking to bring coaching into what you do, please reach out. You can reach out to me, you can reach out to anybody on the team. But forward all questions to me, please. I want to be a resource for you. I would love to hear from you. And, um, our next class is, uh, getting started. So coaching fundamentals is being held in August. So please reach out to me if you would like to grab a spot. It is a full day of the fundamentals around coaching, and that is happening in August. So if you want to learn about more information, reach out to me. And we also help companies increase business performance, as we just talked about today, and leadership impact so specifically around that leadership impact by developing coaching talents and creating coaching cultures, all of which we talked about today. So to learn more about us, please visit, uh, integrativeintelligence global. And we look forward to seeing you next Tuesday. All right, so bye for now. Hoping that everybody has a great weekend. It.

 

Laurel Elders:Hello. Happy Tuesday. It looks like we are live for another session of our equip. So very exciting to have another round, another week. Um, while we're waiting for Bryant to hop on, I just. I'm going to make a couple announcements for everyone. Twice a year. The most exciting one twice a year is, um, our pay it forward campaign. And we decided to do that earlier this year because it was a huge success. We noticed that, um, there were some leaders and those in the helping professions that could really benefit from understanding what coaching is and a basic framework for how to coach. So our module one is 6 hours of in depth training on, um, everything foundational around coaching. So if you're a leader, a consultant, a therapist, a first responder, or you're on a team, we are hosting this class free of charge, completely scholarship, $600 value on August 2. And I'm going to post, we'll be posting, um, how to sign up for that. And, um, it's pretty exciting. So you can, you can stay tuned. And just to give you a little bit of an overview of what we cover, we love to, um, not skimp on our coach trainings. We help you really grasp what it is that coaching is also what it is, what coaching is not, and how it's different from, um, counseling and consulting. The other the three c's, coaching, counseling, consulting. Hi, Bryant.

Bryant Alexander:
Hello. Hello. How are you?

Laurel Elders:
Good. Good. Yep. I was just giving an overview of our super exciting pay it forward campaign coming up August 2.

Bryant Alexander:
Amazing. Yes. Pay it forward.

Laurel Elders:
Beautiful.

Bryant Alexander:
Um, opportunity for you to learn more about coaching. I'm sure Laura has gone over what we're going to be covering, but it's just an opportunity for you to understand what coaching is and what it isn't, but also some valuable tools that you can take into your practice or your practice, or if you want to be more of a coach like leader, you could immediately implement them, um, the next day. So just, uh, spend 6 hours with us, and we have scholarship available, as Laurel has probably said already, so, um, don't want to miss out on that.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah. Great. And it is a one day intensive, but we do so many activities, and, um, we really, we outline the current industry standards, how to embody the coaching approaches, the art and science of impactful coaching, the anatomy of impact, and partnering for possibility. So we have a lot of fun, and even if it's a big group, we do breakouts and just a lot of activities to, um. Yeah. To get the most out of our time together.

Bryant Alexander:
Yes. Yep, yep, yep. It is a day to where you will not be talked at. You will be doing the work. So, uh, please take the time off, spend some time with us. Um, great experience.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah. One thing I love, um, just before we dive in and to give folks a minute to show up, one thing that I love about our fundamentals is we get, we typically get one of two reactions. Oh my gosh. I thought I knew what coaching was. I had no clue. This is so exciting. That's one. That was me on my first day in my first coach training. Um, and, or we have coaches that have some coach training. They go, I learned more in this fundamentals than I learned in everything I've studied, which blows me away. Um, I love hearing that because that means we're setting a really solid foundation for people to grow their skills on.

Bryant Alexander:
Agreed? Agreed. Yeah. Somebody I've been coaching for a while and just, um, sitting in that, uh, and that was just module one. I've been through the whole program. Um, but that was just module one. And, um, just that advice to where it's just like, oh, ah. It's like I describe it as, um, kind of like, uh, dharmic or buddhist in a sense. It's not any religion in it, but it's just put to you in a way to where that it is simple, but just things that you wouldn't think about, like, oh, uh, that's what that's called. Or I have more context around what I'm actually practicing versus like just doing something and not being able to label it. So that's the way that I would describe it. Like just more context around your experience as a coach. If you've been coaching, like more tools or terminology, but if you're new to it, it's just clarity. Like what is actually coaching? And what if I want to pursue coaching or if I want to be more of a coach like leader, what does that actually look like?

Laurel Elders:
Yeah. Yes, that's a great summary. And okay, one more announcement before we dive in. We are accepting transfer students. So, coaches, if you are ACC level one trained and you're really wanting to expand into the PCC and MCC master certified coach areas, uh, we have your back. We have an entire transfer process dialed in. We've had coaches come to us like, okay, I've got all these piecemeal certifications and, you know, little trainings here and there. Can you help me? Yes, we can help you. We can help you make sense of the path you've been on and help you get to the destination that you're heading.

Bryant Alexander:
Yep, yep. Transfer students don't waste time. Coaching is like, the second largest growing industry. I think it's going to remain that way. Um, so please, like, get that piece. If you have an accident, might as well get that PCC training. If you're at a PCC, why not go for the MCC? So, uh, yeah, it is a journey. It is work. But if this is what you enjoy doing, why waste that time?

Laurel Elders:
Well put. All right, so that leads us to let's just go ahead and dive into today. We have another amazing round of equips for you. And for those of you that are new to the call today, equips are weekly coaching tips that equip coaches, future coaches, and coach like leaders to develop their excellence in coaching. And your hosts today are myself, Laurel Elders:, and Bryant Alexander: with the Institute for Integrative Intelligence. We are an ICF accredited coach training and education provider, where it's our passion to elevate human potential through both the art and the science of masterful coaching. We host the equips every Tuesday live. However, if you can't join us live, that's not a problem. You can join our newsletter and stay tuned to, um, what we are up to there and also get events, and I will plug that into the comments. All right, so today we're going to be exploring career paths in coaching. Last week, we went kind of deep, right?

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah.

Laurel Elders:
Looking. Yeah. Looking within.

Bryant Alexander:
What? Who am I? There's a lot of that.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah. So if you missed that one, you definitely want to check, um, that out. But today we're just going to really explore what are the career paths in coaching? What are the options? How do I know what direction to head in, um, and answer all of those questions?

Bryant Alexander:
Yes.

Laurel Elders:
So, in essence, there are four primary ways to, um, take on coaching as a career path. So there's, I would say, two ways that people use the coaching training. One is to add coaching skills to something they're already doing, like leadership management. So it's just. Or consulting. It's an adjunct approach to what they're already doing. But for those that want to really take on coaching and, um, be more in the coach role than other roles, there's four primary paths. So the first one's an internal coach, another one's a private coach. The next one is joining a coaching firm or a coaching hub or becoming a leadership or executive coach. And I did piece that one out. Yes, you would be in private, um, a private practice if you became a leadership and executive coach. However, it does take some additional training to branch out in that area, so I separated that out.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah.

Laurel Elders:
And so internal coaching is basically where the company hires an employee to play a coaching role within the organization. So that coach is hired within the organization to coach, um, for that organization, versus an external coach is a coach that's brought in. So you would have your private coaching practice, but you're brought in as a private coach.

Bryant Alexander:
Mhm. Yeah, yeah. I. Internal coaching, um, I've seen it at a couple of different organizations, uh, specifically in tech. Ah. Cause that's what most of my background is. Um, I was a internal coach, I worked as a career coach, which is very different and I don't need to go into the nuances of that right now, but I worked for a tech bootcamp as a career coach, so that was cool. And uh, just being able to help people through their journey as a uh, career changer. And then I've also seen at other organizations like Amazon or Google, they actually have internal coaches to help with their leadership teams in order to help. Like, I think you have to be a certain level to actually get a coach. But there are teams of coaches, they're usually within the learning and development part of the organization. That's where they usually live. And they are hired specifically to coach leaders within the organization or make coaching programs for leaders within the organization.

Laurel Elders:
Yes. Yeah. And I will say this has exploded since I first started in 2005. I just remember going to a local ICF, um, gathering with other coaches and we heard of someone that was hired from an organization and I was just blown away. I'm like, how do you get that job? That's amazing. And now they're all over the place. There's uh, director roles, director of coaching roles. So coaching is just, it is expanding. But here's what's fascinating. It's expanding. And sometimes I get asked, well, is it saturated? Not at all. It's actually just getting started. It's still not even considered a profession. Like, it hasn't made the title a profession yet because there has to be so many people in that profession to earn that designation. So it's, that's what's neat about it, is that it's um, it's expanding and I only see it expanding from here.

Bryant Alexander:
Agreed. Um, I just think that also people don't know what coaching is still like. The education still isn't there as well because I think like this year, ICF is on track to only certify, like in total, like maybe 92,000, like just in total ICF accredited coaches. I think it's only going to be about 92,000 based on projections. It could be more, but that's not a lot of people. If we think about ICF as a global. So it's still, in my opinion, or what I've observed and just what I, like, I've experienced. Like, people just aren't clear on, like, what is coaching? And it kind of goes back to our conversation last week around the woo woo around, like, just kind of. Kind of just some of that internal work or just like, helping people see the bigger picture and how that impacts, um, the business, but also the personal lives as well. Kind of like the integration that we speak about. How do we make sure that we're showing up as the highest version of ourselves? And that can sound like woo woo, but it has a very tangible impact on the business. So I think it's also education, but also I think that the numbers are still trying to. And there's plenty of numbers out there to prove, like, hey, this stuff works. But I think it's just the buy in from organizations, because everybody's a coach, right? But now I think it's like this phase of, like, who's really a coach and who's not, and how are we, what is the standard? So that might be ICF thing. I don't know. I think they have definitions on there, but it's also just like, clarifying what actually, what is this? What is this profession? Like you said, because it's not clear to everybody. Is it consulting? Is it coaching? I have a therapist. Like, it's just like, it's still in a weird place right now.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah, that is. That is so true. And because of that, I'm seeing three trends that are popping up because of that confusion. So the first trend are companies that get really excited. Um, we just. Michael and I talked to one, um, about a month ago. They get really excited about coaching initiatives and they put something in place without a solid foundation of what an effective initiative looks like. And then they go, did we do it? I don't know. We see that quite a bit. Um, the other trend is leaders that are heading into retirement and they're feeling really called to give back, put their hard earned wisdom towards helping others. And so they, you know, they're told, oh, legally, you don't have to get a certification like you do with becoming a licensed therapist, so just hang your hat. And they hang their hat, not realizing that they, they haven't learned the coaching piece. And so they end up defaulting to advising or trying to mentor or, you know, these other modalities, which is helpful but they just don't know what they're missing.

Bryant Alexander:
Yep.

Laurel Elders:
So we see that, um, and then we also see individuals that are just really feeling that call to coach others, typically in life coaching and they go online and they see oh, I can get an online certificate for dollar 59.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah.

Laurel Elders:
And I was, I was looking at a couple these, their fake accredited accreditations. But then what I, what hurts my heart is that they end up learning one or two techniques and then find out later I don't know what in the world I'm doing. Like there's not one technique that fits all human beings and so they're um, um, you know, they, they realize like wait a minute, this isn't enough, this isn't enough to succeed.

Bryant Alexander:
Agreed, agreed. Um, I think that uh, ah, I think I've talked to a few people that have come through like that were interested in the institute and they just came out of some type of certification program in LA and it's supposed to be coaching. Um, and they were just like, I just don't feel like I learned anything about the coaching piece. Like I learned a lot of information but I didn't learn specifically of what am I? Or I don't have the confidence to go out and coach. And confidence comes with times course, but it's just their programs didn't really touch into detail. Like hey, this is the coaching piece. And um, we live in a society to where people think that everything can be learned fast because you know, it's delivered to you in two weeks or a month. I'm still working to graduate from the institute, just putting in my hours, doing my reflections, doing my case studies. And the thing about it is that those and the mentor coaching sessions as well, it just helps you get better. So it's like, it's a uh, it's a uh, it's strategically put in place. It may be annoying from time to time just to be transparent. It could be annoying from time to time. I hear you when I sit down with the mentor coach, ICF, uh accredited mentor coach and they're like well why didn't you do this? Or have you considered this? Or here's something else that you can do in order to position your questions better. Like that type of science that we don't really talk about because I have a way of asking multiple questions at the same time because I'm still trying to get the question together in my head. And he says, my mentor coach, uh, Matthew, is just like, just say it like you're trying to just pause, just pause. Take it in a. And then say it like, those things may seem obvious, but if you're actually practicing to be a coach or a better coach, those are the opportunities that you have when you go through a accredited program, or if you're looking to build that skill, set out a little bit more to where it's thorough and you have an understanding of what you're doing. Those are the little things that a program actually gives you, whether you're an internal coach, whether you're external coach, whether you're looking to start, um, whether you just want to be a more coach like leader, because there's power in pause when we gather ourselves, when we actually are listening to somebody, when we're able to just be present with that person. Some of the stuff that is a part of the science of, uh, coaching when it comes to people knowing you're listening and people can sense when you're not. I can be looking at you right now, Laurel, and I can probably sense that if you're not listening, then I probably will talk less, or I feel like I won't share my opinion more. But these are the little things I'm talking about. Like, before I go to. These are the things I'm talking about when it comes to just the value in understanding what coaching actually is.

Laurel Elders:
Oh, uh, that's so, so, so true. And, you know, I always think about it like this. Would you go to a doctor that took a six month crash course in medicine? No. Would you see a chiropractor that took a weekend certification in how to make an adjustment? No. Especially if it was on video. Nobody actually watched you do the thing and helped you get it correct, or a dermatologist that decided, you know, they. They're just going to, all of a sudden, financially advised. So it's. It's interesting, you know, seeing the confusion around coaching, but if you think about it, there's one. There's one missing link to all of these scenarios that we covered. The three scenarios is the education.

Bryant Alexander:
Yes.

Laurel Elders:
Uh, it's the education. And education, a good, solid education will include, one, the education, but two, training. How do I do the thing? How do I. How do I bring this to life? And then three, mentoring. The mentoring. You work one on one with a seasoned coach, and they help you really hone in and bring the coaching to life. And so, yeah, I think that that part is overlooked because of the legal. Oh, I don't legally have to have this, therefore, it's not needed. And that's, um, to me, I've seen that be a pretty big myth that's floating around there.

Bryant Alexander:
Yeah. Um, to add to the mentorship, uh, the misconception or the confusion sometimes is just like, just because you have the education, that this is how you do it, or just because you have the training, this is how you do it. I think the mentorship, in my opinion, has helped me, like, still be true to who I am, but also still use what I learned as far as the education is concerned. Because sometimes, like, you just don't have that type of client that's a little bit more like open ended. Like, they just come there. Like, I, uh, want to make sure I have these solutions right. And that's kind of like the type of coach that I am, too. I want to make sure that we are moving towards solutions if that's what the session allows. So I think that that mentorship is equally as important because, um, you still want to be authentic to you. Like, nobody's expecting you to coach your instructor or nobody's. Nobody's expecting you to show up a certain way because you still have your experience, you have your live, you have your lived experience, you have your professional experience, you have just your perspective or your approach, and that is equally as important to coaching. So I always tell people, like, coaching is something that amplifies all of those things. You just have to know how to kind of work it into your sessions or into your unique style as a coach. So those mentorship sessions helped me a lot.

Laurel Elders:
That's such a good point because that's actually a competency that us, uh, mentors look for a, believe it or not, is the coach being prescriptive? Because coaching is not prescriptive. Coaching is adaptive. Coaching is responsive. And because every client, even if the same client shows up, they have different needs that day. So if we show up with a prescription, and coaching just teaches you how to be that adaptive, responsive, what is happening in the moment? How do I make my client exactly where they're at, not where I think they're at, not where they think they're at, exactly where they're at, and go deeper. Anyway, I geek out. So I would say, um, some good news is that, um, you know, we're talking about education. And the good news is that with coaching, because it is more, um, like an apprenticeship style learning. When you're learning from a seasoned coach, a trained instructor, um, you don't need four to six years to gain that education. So, you know, there's two different tracks, basically, for those that are wondering what are the options out there? There's a level one training and that is perfect. If you're a manager leader seeking to become more coach, like if you're a consultant, adding coaching to what you're doing. Um, if you're adding coaching, basically level one is perfect and that's around uh, four to six months, just depending. It's part of it is self paced. That's why there's a variable. Um, but if you're seeking to really work with clients and have coaching as your primary modality to take on part time or full time clients, that's level two training and that's twelve to 16 months. So it's not, um, you know, years and years training is so applicable to what you're doing in real time and you can practice the tools right away. So it's um. Yeah, so I think, I think that's the good news about coaching at this point.

Bryant Alexander:
Agreed, agreed. Um, it's more of a choose your journey, feel whatever feels right to you. And you can always, if you want to start with level one, you can start there. Um, get the education. And remember, you can always continue the education, which is why Laurel said like transfer is available for people who are looking to continue their education because coaching, you never really stop learning about it. There's always more science about the impacts of coaching. Like it's one of those ever evolving spaces. Um, so yeah, just the connection, like the science, that's what I'm really into, understanding the connection with the human body. How do I make sure people are in their bodies like those things are, ah, level two. But also understand that you're going to be continuing to take in this education as a coach. Um, so I just want to highlight that as well. The education never really stops.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah, yeah, so true. All right, anything else before we wrap up today?

Bryant Alexander:
Um, you know, like, um, remember that, uh, this is a choose your journey type of thing. Thing. I want to emphasize that because we highlighted some career paths around what internal coaching is. Private coaching. Um, again, that's when you have your own coaching practice and organizations bring you in and then you have coach hubs or firms. Um, this is just kind of like the better ups, um, places like that, really popular places like that. And um, then coaching.com as well, if it's, I guess, I guess that would be considered a private coach. But I know some coaches that do work for coaching.com and then you have leadership and executive coaching. Um, that is where we just, you know, dial you work with leaders, like helping leaders become better versions of themselves. So understand, like you don't have to pick a bucket or know exactly what you want to do. Um, it's just more, so what are you looking to gain out of an experience as you're becoming more coach like or if you're looking to become a coach? So just understanding that really should help in guiding you as far as, like, all right, what do I actually want to get out of a coaching program versus, like, I want to become an internal coach. Great, cool. But what does that mean? What does that look like for you within an organization or just for yourself first? So how. I think, um, from, uh, my experience, coaching is so much deeper than just the education that you get, especially going through a coaching program. It's also about, like, all right, being very intentional about how this is going to amplify all aspects of your life, because I always say, I've said it on here multiple times, training and the path that you pick or the reason you pick coach training, um, it's a lot of work on you. Like, it makes you look within to really figure out, all right, what do I got to figure out? Because if you don't know what you need to figure out as a coach, it's almost impossible for you to show up as the best version of yourself for your clients. So understanding that coach training is also inner work that you have to be able to confront, which is why I say, be clear, not necessarily always like, I want to be like, a private coach that generates millions of dollars in revenue. It's like, okay, you want to be a private coach. Why? What is this going to do for you? Right. How does it align with your values? How does it align with your vision as far as for not only just the firm, but just for your life. So I always emphasize that no matter what routes you take, understand how it aligns with you, your values, how you want to design that life, or the impact that you want to have in the work that you're doing.

Laurel Elders:
Yeah, I really appreciate what you're saying, because in order to help others step into their greatness, we need to step into ours, and coach training invites us to do that. So, um, I'm glad you brought that up, because it is, you know, there's, there's different qualities that need to be present when we step into becoming a coach, and that's a big one, is willingness to grow ourselves.

Bryant Alexander:
Yep.

Laurel Elders:
And see what that edges. Right. We don't get there. We keep, we can keep expanding our potential.

Bryant Alexander:
Exactly.

Laurel Elders:
All right, so thank you, everyone, for joining us today. We hope that today's discussion has equipped you with new insights into your potential as a coach, organizational leader, or future coach. And if you are an individual or organizational leader, excuse me, seeking to bring coaching into what you do, please reach out. We have a very clear strategic plan that we walk you through. We have dialed in our process and have pretty profound results, and we'd love to work with you. And as I mentioned upfront, we have our pay it forward campaign. So speaking of education, we want people educated, at least at the get the foundation of coaching education. Coaching fundamentals will teach you that. And our pay it forward campaign coming up August 2, is scholarship. You can bring your team, you can learn together, uh, bring friends, family, whoever you'd like to join, because we want to train at least a hundred new people in exactly what coaching is so that you have a good understanding and, um, go forward in the world and do good things that you're called to do. All right? And, um, that's it for now. So we'll see you next week, hopefully next Tuesday, and have a great rest of your week, everyone. Thanks for joining.

Bryant Alexander:
Have a great rest of your week. Bye.

 

By Jill Aronoff, CPIC, PCC

Below is a compressive list of what to expect as you navigate your coaching career. Whether you envision yourself as an internal coach within an organization, collaborating with a third-party coaching hub, or venturing out as an independent solopreneur, there's a path that aligns with your ambitions.
 
According to the 2023 International Coaching Federation (ICF) Global Coaching Study, the coaching industry experienced significant growth in 2022, with a staggering 109,200 coach practitioners worldwide. Moreover, the study reported an average annual revenue/income of $52,800 for coaches in 2022.
 
Almost all coach practitioners (93%) offer services in addition to coaching. Most frequently, coaches also offer consulting (59%), training (58%), and/or facilitation services (55%). On average, coach practitioners offer almost three (2.8) services in addition to coaching. 
 
So where do you go from here? Let’s look at the different roads to take in coaching. 
 
Internal Coaching
 
Joining an organization as an in-house coach presents numerous advantages, including a competitive salary, access to health insurance, and other benefits. For those hesitant about the uncertainties of self-employment, this route offers stability and security. 
 
Becoming an internal coach also provides invaluable opportunities for training and hands-on client experience – all while receiving a steady income. Some niches that commonly align with internal coaching include:

1. Leadership Coach
2. Sales Coach
3. Career Coach
4. Nutrition Coach
5. Health and Wellness Coach
6. Fitness Coach

 
Finding a job as an internal coach can be facilitated through various channels, including online job platforms and educational institutions. Here are some avenues to explore:

1. Online Job Platforms: Websites like Google, Indeed, Monster and LinkedIn are excellent resources for discovering internal coaching opportunities. Utilize their search filters to narrow down your options based on location, industry, and job type.
2. Company Websites: Many organizations advertise internal coaching positions directly on their websites. Keep an eye on the careers or job opportunities section of companies you're interested in working for.
3. Networking: Tap into your professional network to uncover hidden job opportunities. Attend industry events, join relevant online communities, and reach out to colleagues or mentors for advice and referrals.
4. Educational Institutions: Universities, community colleges, and other educational institutions frequently hire career coaches to assist students and alumni with their career development.

 
When considering coaching jobs, it's helpful to recognize two primary categories: those within organizations serving their internal employees and those in organizations catering to external clients. Companies often seek coaches who have undergone professional training and hold certifications, such as those offered by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
 
Self-Employed Coach
 
While being a solopreneur entails certain risks, it also offers a plethora of benefits, starting with flexibility. As a solopreneur, you have the freedom to set your own schedule and work at your own pace. Whether you prefer to work from the comfort of your home, while traveling, or from any location that suits your lifestyle, the choice is yours.
 
As a solopreneur, you have the autonomy to select your clients and target audience according to your preferences and expertise. This allows you to work with individuals who align with your values and vision, fostering more meaningful and fulfilling professional relationships.
 
As a solopreneur, you retain complete creative control over your business. You have the freedom to define your business priorities, set goals, and determine the direction of your enterprise. This level of autonomy empowers you to pursue your passions, experiment with innovative ideas, and shape the outcomes of your endeavors according to your vision.
 
If you're considering venturing into the realm of solopreneurship but aren't sure how to get started, we're here to help. Our specialized business and marketing training course is designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to take your coaching business to the next level. 
 
Coaching Hubs 
 
Working for third-party companies offers a unique blend of advantages, combining aspects of both traditional employment and entrepreneurship. These companies serve as large coaching hubs, connecting coaches with clients while operating on a contract basis (often as a 1099 contractor). Here are some benefits associated with working for third-party coaching organizations:

1. Client Acquisition: One of the primary benefits of working for third-party companies is that you don't have to find clients on your own. These organizations handle the process of finding and acquiring clients, allowing you to focus solely on delivering high-quality coaching services.
2. Coaching Platforms:  Many third-party coaching companies provide coaching platforms equipped with a variety of tools and resources to support your coaching practice. These platforms may include features such as client assessments (e.g., 360-degree feedback, strength reports), scheduling tools, and communication channels to facilitate client-coach interactions.
3. Resources: Third-party coaching organizations often offer access to a vast library of resources, including articles, videos and assessments. These resources can help you stay connected to your clients and help foster client growth. 
4. Data Management: Often these organizations offer secure platforms for storing client notes, session recordings and other confidential information.
5. Flexibility: Working for a coaching hub often allows for a degree of schedule flexibility. In many cases, you have the freedom to submit the number of hours you wish to work, along with your preferred schedule.

 
Here are a few companies that are a great place to start:

• Arootah - https://arootah.com/careers/
• BetterUp - https://www.betterup.com/about-us/become-a-coach
• CoachHub - https://www.coachhub.com/for-coaches/
• EZRA - https://helloezra.com/become-a-coach
• Mindgym - https://themindgym.com/about-us/our-coaches
• Mindbloom - https://www.mindbloom.com/careers

 
What you need to be competitive:

• Enrolling in a reputable coach training program is crucial. These programs offer comprehensive training in coaching frameworks, methodologies, and a plethora of coaching tools and techniques. Additionally, you'll gain hands-on experience and learn about ethical considerations in coaching practice. 
• Get credentialed. Obtaining credentials is highly beneficial for establishing credibility and demonstrating your competence as a coach. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is widely regarded as the gold standard in coaching accreditation. Pursuing an ICF credential not only enhances your professional credibility but also opens up opportunities, as many employers and larger companies require or prefer coaches with ICF credentials. Holding an ICF credential signifies your commitment to adhering to high ethical standards and continuous professional development, making you a more competitive candidate in the coaching marketplace.

 
Are you ready to embark on your coaching journey? 
 
Begin with our Coach Training 101 FREE home study course. It serves as the perfect starting point for aspiring coaches like yourself. In this comprehensive program, you'll delve into the fundamentals of coaching, explore various training options available to you, and gain insights into current industry trends shaping the coaching landscape.
 
Whether you're new to coaching or seeking to enhance your existing skills, our Coach Training 101 course provides invaluable knowledge and resources to kickstart your journey towards becoming a successful coach. Sign up today to take the first step towards realizing your coaching aspirations.
 
More information:

• Podcast: The 3 Titles, Types and Styles of Coaching
• Coaching Fundamentals
• LEVEL ONE - Foundations
• LEVEL TWO - CPIC