12 Days of Coaching Resources – Day 9 2

Day 9’s coaching resource is:

Maestro Conference

So what is the difference between running an event “live” in person and a teleclass?

Traditionally, teleclasses may have provided much more geographical flexibility and convenience, making it easier for attendees to participate from around the world with no travelling.

However, the technology meant that the structure of your content was restricted to being presented as one large conversation. Your delegates may or may not have been able to vocally participate but when they did share it was with the entire group, one at a time.

One giant conversation can work but you loose some of the interactivity and flexibility that live events can offer. Even with a compelling speaker realistically there can only be minimal interaction with each individual caller.

It can be far too easy for participants to multi-task whilst on the call – checking emails etc and easily get distracted from the class you have prepared. There’s also the added complication that some may not immediately be comfortable talking on a call when they know the whole group also listening.

There is now technology that will allow far more interactivity and flexibility over the phone (or Skype) so that your event is much more like having an event “live” in person.

Maestroconference allows you to have the option of having break-out groups during your call. Allowing you to divide all participants into groups of your choosing so that they can talk to each other without hearing what all the other groups are saying at the same time. You can then bring everyone back into one conversation. When in break out groups, you and any other assistants/speakers you nominate, can “walk the room” listening and participating with different groups.

This technology also allows you to ask participants to vote using their phone keypads – which as leader you can see on screen what people’s response is on a web interface and allow you to capture that information if necessary.

Video, Powerpoint and desktop sharing is currently in beta testing but is an option that that they are currently exploring so that a visual aspect can also be included in calls.

I know the first time I participated as a delegate I was immediately struck at how much more this technology allowed – and the positive benefit the added interactivity brings to the experience.

To find out more about MaestroConferences latest developments and even experience the live interactive platform in a demo visit www.maestroconference.com

Missed Day 8’s coaching resource? Find it here.

12 Days of Coaching Resources – Day 8 3

Today’s coaching resource is one that many class as a classic coaching text:

“Coaching for performance” by Sir John Whitmore

Sir John Whitmore does have a background in sport, having begun his career as a professional racing driver and founding a sport and business training company with Tim Gallwey (Author of such books as The inner game to tennis).

However, you’ll find that as you read this book the main focus is from a business perspective. This does not mean that the skills, models and ideas discussed can not be transfered into other arenas – the book just doesn’t use those examples and you will have to create your own 😉

This book has sold over 500,000 copies in at least 17 languages. It’s a book that has been popular in the corporate world for new managers as it’s presented in a user friendly manner, you’ll find that it’s written in a concise style with any “jargon” clearly explained. Presenting coaching as a method to grow people, performance and purpose.

One of the first coaching models that many coaching schools teach is GROW. You’ll find that this book provides an overview of the model and each section within it’s pages. Which is perhaps why this book is many people’s first coaching book.

Whilst earlier editions will vary in how the book is arranged, you’ll find that the latest edition is divided into 4 sections:

  • The Principles of Coaching;
  • The Practice of Coaching;
  • Leadership for High Performance;
  • Transformation through Transpersonal Coaching

The first edition of this book was published in 1992 , whilst the latest and forth edition was published in 2009. The last publication saw the inclusion of a new section on leadership and chapters such as the future focus of coaching. Adding an extra 50 pages to the third edition copy.

You can click the link to go straight to this book on Amazon UK, or Amazon.com

Did you miss Day 7’s coaching resource? You will find it here.

12 Days of Coaching Resources – Day 7 1

As we arrive at Day 7 of our 12 Days of coaching resources today’s is:

Time Trade

Time trade is an appointment scheduler that I personally find really easy to use. When I first started as a coach, particularly when setting up an initial chat with someone who had expressed an interest in coaching, I found that it wasn’t unusual to play email and/or phone mail tag before we could find a time that worked for us both.

I found that it has eliminated a lot of email/voice mail tag that used to go on – so I’m actually having conversations with people at a convenient time for us to both and a lot quicker than previously!

If you, like me, often talk to individuals in other parts of the world you will be familiar with working with different timezones. This scheduling system automatically detects the timezone someone is physically in and coverts the available times to show automatically in the local time for the person looking at the schedule. This cuts out either person having to manually do any maths to work out what time it will be for them – I like things that make processes easier! 🙂

Once I started using this scheduling system as opposed to manually setting up calls the conversations I’m having are with people who are showing up a lot more committed without noticeably affecting the number of conversations I’m having. This may naturally have coincided with my progression as a coach but the automatic reminder emails that go out 24 hours before an appointment certainly helps.

This system allows you to set up potential session times to offer as available times to book. If you use either outlook or google calendars this system can integrate with that so that appointments showing as an option will only appear if there is space in your schedule – if you add something else into your outlook/google calendar then time trade will adjust what is shown as available. It will also automatically add any booked appointments straight into your google/outlook calender.

This system is available as both individual, team or corporation subscriptions. My guess would be that many coaches will be interested in the individual option which at the time of writing they are offering a 30 day free trial.

Visit Time Trade’s website here.

Missed Day 6? You can visit the last coaching resource here.

12 Days of Coaching Resources – Day 6 1

As we reach the half way stage of our 12 days of coaching resource, day 6 is:

“The 8th Habit: From effectiveness to greatness” by Stephen R. Covey

Stephen R. Covey is perhaps best known for his international best seller originally published in 1989, “The 7 habits of highly effective people.” As you may have surmised from the title the 8th habit builds upon the foundation of the 7 habits.

It could be easy to say that this book focuses mainly on teams, leadership and business. However, the underlying message is about realising and unlocking the greatness within ourselves and others. A message that could also appeal to coaches who don’t specialise in business coaching.

The book is split into 2 sections:

  • Find your voice
  • Inspire others to find their voice

and also contains detailed appendices and notes section.

Personally, I think that the written style is not as conversational as some authors, yet it does include many anecdotes and examples. Given the focus of the book and the written style I suspect that the author had a managerial and business audience in mind whilst writing this book.

Some will find the style either too dry or long-winded to read from start to finish. Others will find that they discover some great insights.

It’s not the shortest book ever produced (the hardback edition on my bookshelf is around 400 pages.) It is also slightly more involved then the 7 habits book. It is possible to get editions of this book that contains a bonus dvd containing 16 inspirational companion films to illustrate points being made throughout the book.

You can find the book on Amazon UK, or Amazon.com

Missed Day 5’s coaching resource, visit here.