Evocative Coaching YouTube Videos

If you have been reading our material for any length of time, then you know that together with my wife and colleague, Megan Tschannen-Moran, I have written a new book titled Evocative Coaching: Transforming Schools One Conversation at a Time. The book comes out in July.

We plan on using and marketing the book in many ways. Megan, who teaches educational leadership at the College of William and Mary, plans to use the book in one of her classes. We also plan to use it as the core textbook for a coach training program that focuses on coaching in K-12 schools. You can find out more about that by going to http://www.evocativecoaching.com/.

To spread the news about our program, and to help explain our coaching model to those who are interested, we just posted three videos on YouTube that came out of a recent presentation to the Training and Technical Assistance Center at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. I hope you will follow the links, watch and rate the videos, post a comment, and otherwise let us know your thoughts and feelings. Thanks!

Our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/evocativecoaching

• Evocative Coaching in Schools: Part 1 of 3
• Evocative Coaching in Schools: Part 2 of 3
• Evocative Coaching in Schools: Part 3 of 3

Coaching Inquiries: What is your interest when it comes to the work of schools? How could you assist schools to be more productive and rewarding places? If you don't work in a school, would you be willing to volunteer in one? What would you most enjoy doing?

We invite you to Contact Us using our Feedback Form if you are interested in learning more about LifeTrek Coaching or participating in our Evocative Coach Training Program.

Leadership 101

Laser Provision: In the USA, it's March Madness when it comes to college basketball. The top teams, male and female, in every division are in the midst of their playoffs. One thing every team has in common is that every team has a coach. This designated leader is responsible for recruitment, training, strategy, practice, and execution on the court. The buck stops there when it comes to leadership. One of the more legendary coaches is "Coach K" from Duke University. What's the secret to his success? Nurturing relationships, building infrastructure, and establishing high standards. With that, we kick off our new Provision series on leadership. Read Entire Provision...

Coaching Inquiries: What leadership responsibilities do you hold? In what ways to you nurture relationships? Build infrastructure? Establish high standards? How would you describe those standards? How well do you live by them? Who could assist you to clarify and strengthen your standards?

To reply to this Provision, use our Feedback Form. To talk with us about coaching or consulting services for yourself or your organization, use our Contact for Coaching Form to arrange for a complimentary conversation.

Coach K Leadership Quotes

Now that Duke has advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, I thought you might enjoy these "Coach K" leadership quotes:

• "I don’t look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball."
• "Effective teamwork begins and ends with communication."
• "Too many rules get in the way of leadership. They just put you in a box...People set rules to keep from making decisions."
• "People have to be given the freedom to show the heart they possess. I think it’s a leader’s responsibility to provide that type of freedom. And I believe it can be done through relationships and family. Because if a team is a real family, it’s members want to show you their hearts."
• "Confrontation simply means meeting the truth head-on."
• "During critical periods, a leader is not allowed to feel sorry for himself, to be down, to be angry, or to be weak. Leaders must beat back these emotions."
• "Leaders have to give time for relationships. But more demands will be placed on their time as they become more successful. So if a person’s success is based on developing relationships, then they have to continually find new ways of getting it done."
• "Every leader needs to remember that a healthy respect for authority takes time to develop. It’s like building trust. You don’t instantly have trust, it has to be earned."
• "Leaders should be reliable without being predictable. They should be consistent without being anticipated."

Coaching Inquiries: Which of these quotes speak to you? Which ones concern you? How can you bring their wisdom into your own life? How can you become more of a leader from whatever position you play? How can you empower others to be great?

We invite you to Contact Us using our Feedback Form if you are interested in learning more about LifeTrek Coaching or participating in our Evocative Coach Training Program.

Guidelines for Living with Children

Just in case you have not had enough Guidelines for Living, the North Carolina Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Online website offers the following 10 Guidelines for Living with Children. If you find them interesting or want to learn more, I encourage to visit their site for a full description.

1. "Catch 'em being good." -- The single most important rule in living with a child is to find things to praise
2. "Let them help you." -- The second most important rule is to let your children help you
3. Monitor your children. -- When your children are playing quietly, catch them being good! Don't ignore them.
4. Home routines and responsibilities should (within reason) be orderly and predictable.
5. Discipline and enforcement of discipline should be as matter of fact as possible. -- Follow through with logical consequences.
6. Lectures belong in lecture halls; not in homes. -- Do not lecture your children, not even under the guise of reasoning with them.
7. Show sympathy when you discipline. -- Be empathetic but don't give in.
8. Prompting and modeling, or imitating. -- Children learn by what they see, and hear you and others do.
9. Be a mother, not a martyr. -- Find a good babysitter or preschool, and take a breather.
10. Parents are teachers. -- Whether you program it or not, whether you intend it or not, you teach your children through your interactions with them. What you do is more important than what you say.

Coaching Inquiries: Who are the children in your life? What do they learn from how you live your life? When was the last time you went looking for something to celebrate and appreciate? How have you called that to their attention? What would assist you to become a better role model?

We invite you to Contact Us using our Feedback Form if you are interested in learning more about LifeTrek Coaching or participating in our Evocative Coach Training Program.

Eleven Commandments

Laser Provision: After four months of comparing and contrasting seven different sets of Ten Commandments in my weekly email newsletter, LifeTrek Provisions, it's time to bring this series to a close. So today, if you click through to read the entire Provision, I present my top Eleven Commandments or Guidelines for Living, one right after another. If you've been reading along, then these will be familiar to you. If you are checking this out now, for the first time, then you will get four months of Provisions in one single dose. Either way, I hope you will find this summary to be both helpful and inspirational. I even add a few new pieces that haven't come before. Enjoy! Read Entire Provision...

Coaching Inquiries: What are your guidelines for living? How do they manifest in your life? Which of the above guidelines make the most sense to you? Which ones challenge the way you go about living and organizing your life? Who embodies these guidelines and could serve as role models for you? How could you get closer to them in life and work?

To reply to this Provision, use our Feedback Form. To talk with us about coaching or consulting services for yourself or your organization, use our Contact for Coaching Form to arrange for a complimentary conversation.

Forgiveness Health Benefits

MayoClinic.com identifies the following health benefits of forgiveness:

• Less stress and hostility
• Lower blood pressure
• Fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety and chronic pain
• Lower risk of alcohol and substance abuse
• Healthier relationships
• Geater spiritual and psychological well-being

How do we do that? Here is their recommendation for reaching a state of forgiveness:

"Forgiveness is a commitment to a process of change. A way to begin is by recognizing the value of forgiveness and its importance in your life at a given time. Then reflect on the facts of the situation, how you've reacted, and how this combination has affected your life, health and well-being. When you're ready, actively choose to forgive the person who's offended you. Move away from your role as victim and release the control and power the offending person and situation have had in your life. As you let go of grudges, you'll no longer define your life by how you've been hurt. You may even find compassion and understanding."

Coaching Inquiries: How would your health and well being benefit through the practice of forgiveness? What's stopping you from doing that work today?

We invite you to Contact Us using our Feedback Form if you are interested in learning more about LifeTrek Coaching or participating in our Evocative Coach Training Program.

Be Forgiving

Laser Provision: Have you ever held a grudge? Are you holding one right now? Last week I wrote about the importance of fairness, but fairness without forgiveness can become an obsession. It can eat away at our spirits as we connive and strive to see justice done. Forgiveness is the mitigating factor that releases our bondage to enemy images and aggressive actions. It demands courage and integrity, but it is never too late to forgive. If, when, and how that happens is up to us; this Provision simply points out the value of forgiveness when it comes to making life more wonderful. Read Entire Provision...

Coaching Inquiries: How ready are you to forgive? What has been bothering you and eating away at your heart? What combination of fairness and forgiveness will release your spirit? What and who could assist to get to that place?

To reply to this Provision, use our Feedback Form. To talk with us about coaching or consulting services for yourself or your organization, use our Contact for Coaching Form to arrange for a complimentary conversation.

Be Fair

Laser Provision: Fairness conjures up notions of even-handed accounting. Think balance scales, with no one having more or less than anyone else. Although a case can be made for some measure of economic parity in life, fairness also means giving all people the opportunity to meet their needs. This goes far beyond subsistence-level accounting; it goes to the heart of what makes life worth living. When we honor, respect, and cooperate with the strivings of people to meet their many different needs, we make life much more meaningful and satisfying for all. Read entire Provision...

Coaching Inquiries: How do you understand the notion of fairness? Do people treat you fairly? Do you treat other people fairly? How can you assist people to experience more satisfaction in life and work? Who serves as a role model for you in this regard? How can you experience more satisfaction in your own life and work? What's stopping you from doing that today?

To reply to this Provision, use our Feedback Form. To talk with us about coaching or consulting services for yourself or your organization, use our Contact for Coaching Form to arrange for a complimentary conversation.