To kick-off the New Year, I propose a guiding question for you and those you coach to further the work of catalyzing disciplemaking movements:
What is your most fruitful activity this year to catalyze disciplemaking movements in your community?
Reflect on that for a moment. What is your strategic focus for 2017? …for those you coach?
I look forward to reading your response below.
I’ve found that one of the ways to help leaders learn how to coach is to first, be coached.
I remember serving as a coach mentor for a network of church planters. A leader in that group had a particular understanding of the posture of a coach that collided with the non-directive approach I was taking. If you mapped out a continuum with “non-directive” on the left side and “directive” on the right side – he was on the far right end.
Over the next couple of appointments I reinforced the power of coaching using a non-directive, self-discovery process until he came to the realization that he really did not like that style of coaching. He concluded that his advice-giving preference suited his personality. I agreed – but challenged him to call it something other than coaching When you experience what it is like then it is easier to embrace (if your goal is to facilitate a self-discovery process) or REJECT coaching.
Justifiably, there is room for confusion about coaching as it relates to developing leaders, disciplemaking and church planting. After-all, many people use the term “coaching” to describe what they do.
Here are three reasons why it is helpful for people to experience coaching:
Coaching tip of the month:
If your desire is to empower people – then use a process that allows the individual to discover and choose.
One of the best ways to take good intentions and move them to action is through coaching. If you are interested in taking your vision to the next level in 2017 please contact InFocus for an exploratory conversation. Please let us know how we can serve you.
The last two blogs I’ve shared questions to help you reflect on your accomplishments this year (2016) to prepare for the year ahead (2017), by envisioning where you believe God is encouraging you to grow. These questions are also intended for you to use with those you coach. It is always energizing to put the final touches on one year and anticipate the possibilities to come.
As I reflect on the year ahead I am reminded of the words of the the prophet in Jeremiah 29:11.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
I encourage you to rest in that knowledge.
Moving into next year, I am excited about the many ways God wants to use you and your unique gifts to catalyze disciplemaking movements. InFocus is committed to your success and E.source is a vehicle focused on that vision. Here is what you can expect every month as we move into the New Year.
May the Lord richly bless you, may He surround you with a team of people that will make your vision a reality and provide the resources to fulfill what he has called you to accomplish.
December is a very important month to help leaders reflect on the past and set goals for the upcoming year. A friend and colleague of mine, Brian Howard, gave me a list of questions that he uses. Last week I shared questions to reflect on 2016.
Here are a few samples from that list to help leader reflect on the year ahead:
What questions do you use to help leaders reflect on the year ahead? Take a moment to identify some of the questions you have used. Please share a question to help leaders project into the new year to formulate goals they want to pursue.
December is a very important month to help leaders reflect on the past and set goals for the upcoming year. A friend and colleague of mine, Brian Howard, gave me a list of questions that he uses to help leaders he coaches reflect on the past. Here are a few samples from that list:
It would be easy to move into a goal-setting exercise for the year to come. However, asking leaders to pause, reflect and celebrate is a life-giving exercise – giving gratitude and thanks to the Lord. This establishes a healthy foundation to craft goals for the upcoming year.
What questions do you use to help leaders reflect on their year, progress made and challenges encountered? Take a moment to identify some of the questions you could use this month. Next week I will share some of the questions I use to help leaders project into the new year to formulate goals they want to pursue.