THE POWER OF A PERSONAL COACH
My experiment in trying to become a more effective Christian
leader.
by editor Kevin Miller

I had read about "personal coaches," consultants who work one-on-
one with executives, pastors, and other leaders to increase their
effectiveness. But I had never considered trying one. I think the
name scared me off. "Personal coach" smacked of "personal
trainer," a status symbol for wealthy Hollywood stars.

But about 8 months ago, my work was moving me into a new role,
and I felt uncertain about my ability to adjust. The department
had grown (from 2 people to 7 people in the past 3 years), and I
was shifting from "leading doers" to "leading leaders." What
should I do to effectively lead them? What had to change in my
daily work patterns?

So driven by a desire not to goof up, I asked a personal coach to
help me. Thus began one of the most productive learning
experiences I've had. I count my coaching time more
valuable than almost any conference I've attended. Surprise.

Let me tell you what happened, in case you want to work with a
mentor or coach to increase your own abilities as a Christian
leader.

My coach, Bill Hoyt (executive director of NexStep,
http://www.nexstepcoaching.org/ ) explained in his introductory
letter, "Working with a professional coach usually generates
accelerated personal growth. Most clients hire a coach to
accomplish several specific goals." Thus, he asked me 4
questions, which I had to answer before our first meeting:

1. What are the 1-3 most important things you'd like to
accomplish as we work together over the next 90 days? Please
be very specific.
2. What, if anything, is likely to get in the way or prevent you
from accomplishing any of these things?
3. What's the most important thing you need from me as we work on
these objectives?
4. How will you know your investment in coaching has been
worthwhile?

We talked by phone for 30-45 minutes every week or every other
week. I was responsible to make the call. I set the agenda by
telling Bill what challenges I was facing or where I wanted
to grow. Bill listened and asked lots of questions, mostly to
clarify my goals, situation, or motives. Then he gave me
homework. (I know, I know, we all hate that, but I have to admit
it did help me.)

For example, I explained to Bill that I was spending more and
more time in meetings and wasn't getting time for valuable, but
less urgent tasks: write, read for personal and professional
growth, plan, and just plain think.

Bill helped me carve blocks of time in my calendar for the entire
year and admonished me, "You can move a block but never
remove a block." Then he suggested I spend some blocks of
time outside the office, where I could focus without
interruptions. I didn't like the idea: wouldn't my staff
resent it when they needed me but couldn't find me? So I
tentatively shared the concept with my key team members, and
they actually encouraged me to give it a try.

On those block days, about once a week or every other week, I do
4 things:

1. Projects I need to write or do in larger chunks of time
2. Planning for the department
3. Personal development, reading that will help me become more
effective
4. Prayer.

I now look forward to these days, and on them I am twice as
productive as on any other day. What really surprised me is
that even though I accomplish more work, I finish a block day
feeling refreshed.

That's just one example of what I've gained from a coach, and I
suspect I wouldn't have gained it from merely reading a book.
Why?

In coaching:
--The learning is customized. You pick the topic you need to
discuss, when you need to discuss it.
--Someone holds you accountable. You change because you know that
otherwise you're going to have to explain why you didn't.
--You can pace your learning. A few times I scheduled calls
farther apart because I needed more time to assimilate the
new procedures my coach gave me. You can also quit when
you're done. I now call Bill only once every 6 weeks for a
tune-up.

I encourage you to experiment, if you haven't already, with a
mentor or coach. I know it's not easy to find just the right
coach. Look for someone who will handle your concerns
confidentially, who doesn't affect your employment, who is
wise, who won't be afraid to challenge you.

If you're unsure about working with a coach, as I was, set a
limited number of coaching sessions. But I have become a strong
believer in the power of a personal coach. Give one a try.

--Kevin Miller is editor of Leadership Weekly, editor-at-large of
Leadership Journal, and a featured speaker at the National
Pastors Convention in February 2002 -- check out
http://www.NationalPastorsConvention.com for all the details, to
request a free brochure, and to register by the Early Bird
deadline.