In his book “Unter Vier Augen: Coaching für Manager” (coaching for managers) Wolfgang Looss mentioned that there are many alternatives to resolve your issues before you call for professional coach: conversation with yourself, with books, with your life partners, with your friends and colleagues, conversation with your bosses, depending on your specific situations.
One possibility for conversation with your self is writing. This is the most effective way for my self coaching. When I have an uneasy feeling or when I face challenges I write it down my thoughts and feeling. To make it interesting and maybe valuable some time I write down in form of stories and some times I publish it on my blog.
If I do not like the story, I change a little the course of the story, so that I feel more comfortable about it. By modification of the story, I shift my feeling about the situation. By shifting my feeling, I changed literally my realities. It takes me about one hour to write a story. I think it is a relatively effective alternative to a coaching session.
As wonderful by-products, you, as my blog reader, can enjoy the stories I published at my blog. Is it not amazing? ;-)
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Glückliche Arbeitswelt - Wonderful Working World (WWW)
Today I have got an idea to create a forum about wonderful working world. Lets see if there is any interest.
(In German: Heute habe ich eine Idee, ein Forum mit dem Thema "Glückliche Arbeitswelt" zu schaffen. Mal sehen, ob es Interesse dafür gibt.)
(In German: Heute habe ich eine Idee, ein Forum mit dem Thema "Glückliche Arbeitswelt" zu schaffen. Mal sehen, ob es Interesse dafür gibt.)
Friday, November 27, 2009
Darwinismus in der Job-Jagd
I promised myself to write in German some day on my blog. Here is the fist one. For people who do not speak German, please refer to a similar text Darwinism in Job Hunting
-------------------
Liebe Bewerberinnnen und Bewerber,
in der heutigen Arbeitsmarktsituation ist die Massenbewerbung vielleicht nicht die erfolgreichste Strategie. Denn die Recruiter suchen nur einige wenige Top-Bewerber, mit denen ein Gepräche geführt werden soll. Die restlichen tausende Bewerbungen werden höflich zurückgeschickt, mit einer Bemerkung, dass die Absage nicht an Ihren Fähigkeiten liegt, sondern lediglich nur daran, dass Ihr Profil einfach nicht zu der Stelle passt.
Und die Recruiter meinen es ernst. Sie suchen nicht den stärksten oder besten oder klügsten oder schönsten Bewerber, sondern den geeignetesten, ganz nach der Logik des Evolutionisten Charles Darwin: „The fittest survives.“
Darum stellen Sie für sich fest, ob Sie ein Elephant mit einer langer Nase sind oder ein Nilpferd mit einem großen Mund. Suchen Sie sich die Stellen aus, bei denen die Wahrscheinlichkeit sehr groß ist, dass Sie zu einem der Top-drei Kandidanten gehören. Top im Sinne „der Geeignetste“. Und nehmen Sie sich Zeit und geben Sie sich Mühe, dass Sie eine der besten Bewerbungen schicken. Best, auch ganz im Sinne „der Geeignetste“.
Sie können das, da Sie sich ja nur auf einige wenige Stellen beschränken. Sie sparen damit Zeit für die Recruiter und für sich selbst und erhöhen gleichzeitig Ihre Chance auf eine Anstellung.
Viel Erfolg bei der Job-Jagd!
-------------------
Liebe Bewerberinnnen und Bewerber,
in der heutigen Arbeitsmarktsituation ist die Massenbewerbung vielleicht nicht die erfolgreichste Strategie. Denn die Recruiter suchen nur einige wenige Top-Bewerber, mit denen ein Gepräche geführt werden soll. Die restlichen tausende Bewerbungen werden höflich zurückgeschickt, mit einer Bemerkung, dass die Absage nicht an Ihren Fähigkeiten liegt, sondern lediglich nur daran, dass Ihr Profil einfach nicht zu der Stelle passt.
Und die Recruiter meinen es ernst. Sie suchen nicht den stärksten oder besten oder klügsten oder schönsten Bewerber, sondern den geeignetesten, ganz nach der Logik des Evolutionisten Charles Darwin: „The fittest survives.“
Darum stellen Sie für sich fest, ob Sie ein Elephant mit einer langer Nase sind oder ein Nilpferd mit einem großen Mund. Suchen Sie sich die Stellen aus, bei denen die Wahrscheinlichkeit sehr groß ist, dass Sie zu einem der Top-drei Kandidanten gehören. Top im Sinne „der Geeignetste“. Und nehmen Sie sich Zeit und geben Sie sich Mühe, dass Sie eine der besten Bewerbungen schicken. Best, auch ganz im Sinne „der Geeignetste“.
Sie können das, da Sie sich ja nur auf einige wenige Stellen beschränken. Sie sparen damit Zeit für die Recruiter und für sich selbst und erhöhen gleichzeitig Ihre Chance auf eine Anstellung.
Viel Erfolg bei der Job-Jagd!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
How to Deal with Uncertainty in Organisational Changes?
In my 18 Years career in the industry, I got about 20 Bosses. The company I worked for changed the owners and names for four times. Yesterday I made a friend and what he told me broke all my records, he got this year alone already 6 bosses in a row.
I asked him: “How do you deal with the uncertainty of the organisational changes?”
He smiled and answered with a lightness: “I do not really deal with it. The uncertainty just does not exist any more.”
I was bluffed: “What do you mean, exactly?”
He smiled again and said: “Well, in the past I was always seeking for advices from my boss, when there is an organisational change. Recently, I realize that it was just not possible. My boss lived in uncertainty himself, and his boss does not really know what his next job will be and if he would have a job himself within the company at all.”
“So you lost completely the orientation.” I added.
He responded: “Until I changed my strategy. I set my own goals. There are two parts. First from what I know in the current situation what should I do to add value for the company, this is related to create either more sales or to reduce more cost. And second, what should I do to create for me more career chance within the company and outside.”
I said: “That sounds interesting. What is the outcome of that strategy?”
“The results are that I know at any given time of organisational change what I should do and feel really empowered.”
I asked him: “How do you deal with the uncertainty of the organisational changes?”
He smiled and answered with a lightness: “I do not really deal with it. The uncertainty just does not exist any more.”
I was bluffed: “What do you mean, exactly?”
He smiled again and said: “Well, in the past I was always seeking for advices from my boss, when there is an organisational change. Recently, I realize that it was just not possible. My boss lived in uncertainty himself, and his boss does not really know what his next job will be and if he would have a job himself within the company at all.”
“So you lost completely the orientation.” I added.
He responded: “Until I changed my strategy. I set my own goals. There are two parts. First from what I know in the current situation what should I do to add value for the company, this is related to create either more sales or to reduce more cost. And second, what should I do to create for me more career chance within the company and outside.”
I said: “That sounds interesting. What is the outcome of that strategy?”
“The results are that I know at any given time of organisational change what I should do and feel really empowered.”
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Client Oriented Coaching Approach (COCA) by Wenyue Ding
Yesterday a coaching colleague asked me a very fundamental question: what is your special and unique coaching approach (Auf Deutsch: Coaching Ansatz). At that time I was unclear. This morning I got an answer: coca! Client Oriented Coaching Approach. (Copy Right Notice: All Right Reserved. Please refer to the origination when you use this name.) (Auf Deutsch: Klienten Orientierten Coaching Ansatz: KOCA)
Coca is based on three believes:
1) Coaching is vehicle: Coaching is nothing else than a tool to bring SOMETHING from A to B. The original meaning of coach is vehicle. Therefore all the tools and methods are allowed in the coaching, which meet this purpose. The only question remains: is this specific method or tool effective and efficient? There is no dogma.
2) Beyond the Boundary of I: in the traditional coaching approaches there are two parties involved: the coach and the coachee (client), as separated entities. However, this view limits us from the fact that coach and coachee build actually a system with very special relationship. They stay in an energy field. Coaching is about to bring this energy field to somewhere.
3) Time and space are illusions: Once it is clear where this energy field should go, then the way of coaching can be obtained. Sometimes face to face sessions with systemic questions and answers(see "Beratung ohne Ratschlag" by Sonja Radaz) can be the most effective way, some times to tell a story is the simplest approach, sometimes email communication can work wonderfully. Some times meditation can reach extra ordinary results. To realize the enlightment it can take a single question at this moment or a whole life of suffering. So the coaching contract should be more focused on the clear defined outcomes. The duration or the ways are secondary questions.
Therefore to select a right coach it is important to know and feel if you can come along with him/her and if the coach has the wisdom and flexibility to chose with you the most cost effective and results oriented way for your very special issues.
Coca is based on three believes:
1) Coaching is vehicle: Coaching is nothing else than a tool to bring SOMETHING from A to B. The original meaning of coach is vehicle. Therefore all the tools and methods are allowed in the coaching, which meet this purpose. The only question remains: is this specific method or tool effective and efficient? There is no dogma.
2) Beyond the Boundary of I: in the traditional coaching approaches there are two parties involved: the coach and the coachee (client), as separated entities. However, this view limits us from the fact that coach and coachee build actually a system with very special relationship. They stay in an energy field. Coaching is about to bring this energy field to somewhere.
3) Time and space are illusions: Once it is clear where this energy field should go, then the way of coaching can be obtained. Sometimes face to face sessions with systemic questions and answers(see "Beratung ohne Ratschlag" by Sonja Radaz) can be the most effective way, some times to tell a story is the simplest approach, sometimes email communication can work wonderfully. Some times meditation can reach extra ordinary results. To realize the enlightment it can take a single question at this moment or a whole life of suffering. So the coaching contract should be more focused on the clear defined outcomes. The duration or the ways are secondary questions.
Therefore to select a right coach it is important to know and feel if you can come along with him/her and if the coach has the wisdom and flexibility to chose with you the most cost effective and results oriented way for your very special issues.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Perspectives
When I was at swimming pool two weeks ago, I came to the idea to test how long I could hold my breath in the water. So I started with 45 seconds for the first time, 50 seconds for the second time. And after some practice I could reach 90 seconds. I was very proud of my achievement and tried again and again.
Then the pool supervisor came to my place and said with a very angry voice: “Do you enjoy yourself?”
I did not understand why he was so upset and told him: “I am just practicing to hold my breath as long as possible.”
He said: “What do you think how it was looking like for me?” At the moment I realize that I was floating at the surface of the pool with the back upside, head below water, arms and legs hanging in the water. Yes, it looked like a dead body, specially, when I stayed in the water for long time without any movement.
For me I was enjoying the practice how long I can hold my breath. But for the pool supervisor I was a dead body he was responsible for. And what would be the consequence for him if this really happen?
Then the pool supervisor came to my place and said with a very angry voice: “Do you enjoy yourself?”
I did not understand why he was so upset and told him: “I am just practicing to hold my breath as long as possible.”
He said: “What do you think how it was looking like for me?” At the moment I realize that I was floating at the surface of the pool with the back upside, head below water, arms and legs hanging in the water. Yes, it looked like a dead body, specially, when I stayed in the water for long time without any movement.
For me I was enjoying the practice how long I can hold my breath. But for the pool supervisor I was a dead body he was responsible for. And what would be the consequence for him if this really happen?
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Ask the Right Questions
One of the best ways to redirect your or some one else’s attention is to ask a right question, because the universal conscience is trying to answer all the questions which are posted on to it. Let me give your some examples:
1) When you need an advice, write down for example “how do I find the best marketing strategy for my new service XYZ within one week?” When you put this question clear for yourself, then your mind start already to search for the answers.
2) In a conflict situation within a meeting, when two people are fighting each other to argue who is right, ask both of them “what is the right statement that you both can be happy with? Then suddenly both of them start to think about how to answer your question.
3) In the coaching situation, when your client talks to you about a dilemma “If I do A, it will be disaster, if I do B, it will be catastrophe. Then you can say: “The question here is, what is the situation C.” Then the client will look for situation C. After he finished, you can ask: “What is the situation D?” und so on.
4) In an on-line news group coaching, I posted a question “How do you come to the orders? Four people answered the question with a lot about what they have done to get the orders. However, my real question is “how do the orders come to you?” Maybe the orders can come to you without any efforts from your side.
Ask and you will get. Ask for the right thing you will get the right thing, Ask for the wrong thing, you will get the wrong thing, independently, where you put the question: on your mind, on paper, on the web, to other people. The universal conscience will get it and immediately work for it. Did I get your full attention? :-)
1) When you need an advice, write down for example “how do I find the best marketing strategy for my new service XYZ within one week?” When you put this question clear for yourself, then your mind start already to search for the answers.
2) In a conflict situation within a meeting, when two people are fighting each other to argue who is right, ask both of them “what is the right statement that you both can be happy with? Then suddenly both of them start to think about how to answer your question.
3) In the coaching situation, when your client talks to you about a dilemma “If I do A, it will be disaster, if I do B, it will be catastrophe. Then you can say: “The question here is, what is the situation C.” Then the client will look for situation C. After he finished, you can ask: “What is the situation D?” und so on.
4) In an on-line news group coaching, I posted a question “How do you come to the orders? Four people answered the question with a lot about what they have done to get the orders. However, my real question is “how do the orders come to you?” Maybe the orders can come to you without any efforts from your side.
Ask and you will get. Ask for the right thing you will get the right thing, Ask for the wrong thing, you will get the wrong thing, independently, where you put the question: on your mind, on paper, on the web, to other people. The universal conscience will get it and immediately work for it. Did I get your full attention? :-)
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Market Segmentation of Coaching in Germany for Newcomers
When you decide to enter into the coaching business in Germany, please read the article "Grau grau ist der Coachingmarkt" by Cordula Ehms. Obviously, the reputation of the title coach is not as good as it should be.
If you would like to know the market trend in Germany, here is an article: “Markt und Trends im Coaching: Der Coaching-Markt professionalisiert" by Klemens Lange.
From both articles above and from the answers to the question I posted on the news group Coaching at XING my conclusion is that only a small percentage (<10) of Coaches do earn their income from coaching alone. The majority are doing something else, for example training, consulting, therapy etc.
There are also uncountable coaching approaches in the market. A systematic frame concept with a three dimensional “magic” cube is provided in “Rahmenkonzept für den Überblick über Coaching-Ansätze und Coaching-Ausbildung” by Harald Geißler.
The market requires more and more coaches with special competences other than pure process coaching. Therefore, in case you want to enter into the coaching business, be prepared that you offer other services for a special area in addition to your coaching offers. And it will help you to market your coaching services.
How is the market segmented? And here is my trial which is not based on any scientific research. I would segment the market for the coaching newcomers in four segments:
1) The high end
The clients are successful entrepreneurs, doctors, artists, top politician, top managers (CEO). They are looking for coaches with long coaching reputation, spiritual maturity and competencies in some special areas. The honorary paid can be expected between 500 to 1300 € per hour. The clients are usually self payers. exMarketing strategy here is, long enough in the coaching business, publication of books, to be invited for speeches for important conferences. So be patient and work hard and long enough if you want to enter this market.
2) The mass market
Here is the lion share of the market. The clients are usually large, multi-national companies. They are looking for coaching company with a large pool of coaches, so the decision maker, usually personal developers, will have easy time to select the right coaches for their needs. The honorary for the coaching company would range from 200 to 300 €. The clients are company payers. Your marketing strategy as newcomer is to cooperate with those well-established coaching company. Certainly the coaching company will charge their fees.
3) The new market
The new market is coming from the small and medium size business. The decision makers are usually the company owner. They are looking for competent coaches with low prices between 100 to 150 €. The clients are usually company payers. Also, the clients are more and more willing to the online coaching services. Your marketing strategy here is the reference. Talk to your friends if they can recommend you to any one who might need coaching. Do a nice web site, write a blog, do volunteer job for online networking groups. Join reference groups among your coaching colleagues. Write news articles. Answer to online questions.
4) The low end
These are the self payers. These people are more open-minded for online coaching through emaile, telephone coaching, skype coaching. They are willing to pay a coaching services between 30 to 100 € depending on the topics. The clients are self payers. The key marketing strategy here is web site, newsletters, blogs. Internet marketing is a topic itself and I am still need to figure out how to do it. But if you understand it, the potential is unlimited, because you are not bound to the locations where you live and work. And this is an efficient way to reach people international.
Acknowledgements: I got lot of advices and insights from members of the news group coaching from XING. Thanks to all the experts.
If you would like to know the market trend in Germany, here is an article: “Markt und Trends im Coaching: Der Coaching-Markt professionalisiert" by Klemens Lange.
From both articles above and from the answers to the question I posted on the news group Coaching at XING my conclusion is that only a small percentage (<10) of Coaches do earn their income from coaching alone. The majority are doing something else, for example training, consulting, therapy etc.
There are also uncountable coaching approaches in the market. A systematic frame concept with a three dimensional “magic” cube is provided in “Rahmenkonzept für den Überblick über Coaching-Ansätze und Coaching-Ausbildung” by Harald Geißler.
The market requires more and more coaches with special competences other than pure process coaching. Therefore, in case you want to enter into the coaching business, be prepared that you offer other services for a special area in addition to your coaching offers. And it will help you to market your coaching services.
How is the market segmented? And here is my trial which is not based on any scientific research. I would segment the market for the coaching newcomers in four segments:
1) The high end
The clients are successful entrepreneurs, doctors, artists, top politician, top managers (CEO). They are looking for coaches with long coaching reputation, spiritual maturity and competencies in some special areas. The honorary paid can be expected between 500 to 1300 € per hour. The clients are usually self payers. exMarketing strategy here is, long enough in the coaching business, publication of books, to be invited for speeches for important conferences. So be patient and work hard and long enough if you want to enter this market.
2) The mass market
Here is the lion share of the market. The clients are usually large, multi-national companies. They are looking for coaching company with a large pool of coaches, so the decision maker, usually personal developers, will have easy time to select the right coaches for their needs. The honorary for the coaching company would range from 200 to 300 €. The clients are company payers. Your marketing strategy as newcomer is to cooperate with those well-established coaching company. Certainly the coaching company will charge their fees.
3) The new market
The new market is coming from the small and medium size business. The decision makers are usually the company owner. They are looking for competent coaches with low prices between 100 to 150 €. The clients are usually company payers. Also, the clients are more and more willing to the online coaching services. Your marketing strategy here is the reference. Talk to your friends if they can recommend you to any one who might need coaching. Do a nice web site, write a blog, do volunteer job for online networking groups. Join reference groups among your coaching colleagues. Write news articles. Answer to online questions.
4) The low end
These are the self payers. These people are more open-minded for online coaching through emaile, telephone coaching, skype coaching. They are willing to pay a coaching services between 30 to 100 € depending on the topics. The clients are self payers. The key marketing strategy here is web site, newsletters, blogs. Internet marketing is a topic itself and I am still need to figure out how to do it. But if you understand it, the potential is unlimited, because you are not bound to the locations where you live and work. And this is an efficient way to reach people international.
Acknowledgements: I got lot of advices and insights from members of the news group coaching from XING. Thanks to all the experts.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
New Version of Good Boss and Bad Boss
In good manager and bad manager I concluded that good managers make the bad employees good and the bad managers make the good employee bad. Here another definition of good boss and bad boss in international companies with lot of locations world wide. Here you go:
Good boss is located remotely, but still talk to you very efficiently
Bad boss is sitting next to you, but never talk to you at all
Would you agree? Do you have your version of the definition of good boss and bad boss? Please post here as comments.
Good boss is located remotely, but still talk to you very efficiently
Bad boss is sitting next to you, but never talk to you at all
Would you agree? Do you have your version of the definition of good boss and bad boss? Please post here as comments.
Monday, November 9, 2009
My Brain on the Web
In one of my NLP training session I learnt that we do not only have one brain sitting insight the head, but also other brains, one sitting near our stomach, one sitting near our heart. They function autonomously and control a large part of our feelings, actions and thoughts.
Today I discovered that we all have at least one more brain: the brain on the web. Let me give you an example.
I was thinking if it is the right time to start my coaching business which I planned for long time. I posted to a networking community called Coaching about what is the chance to sustain to become a full time professional coach. To my surprise, more than 10 professional coaches responded to my question with highly valuable and relevant answers, suggestions and advises. More than 690 clicks on the article thread within 4 days. Today I am smarter on this topic than few days ago.
If you ask the right questions to the right target audiences on the web, I am certain that you will get the answers virtually for any cases. So is the web part of us or is the web outside us? I would argue that we do not stop ourselves by the boundary of our body. The web is part of us. And I am grateful that internet made this part of us more accessible to us and that I am more and more aware of my brain on the web. I commit to use my web brain more wisely :-) in the future.
Today I discovered that we all have at least one more brain: the brain on the web. Let me give you an example.
I was thinking if it is the right time to start my coaching business which I planned for long time. I posted to a networking community called Coaching about what is the chance to sustain to become a full time professional coach. To my surprise, more than 10 professional coaches responded to my question with highly valuable and relevant answers, suggestions and advises. More than 690 clicks on the article thread within 4 days. Today I am smarter on this topic than few days ago.
If you ask the right questions to the right target audiences on the web, I am certain that you will get the answers virtually for any cases. So is the web part of us or is the web outside us? I would argue that we do not stop ourselves by the boundary of our body. The web is part of us. And I am grateful that internet made this part of us more accessible to us and that I am more and more aware of my brain on the web. I commit to use my web brain more wisely :-) in the future.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Moments of Decision
Yesterday I came back from a short business trip within Germany. It was late and I was not in the mood to cook for myself. So I decided to go to a famous fast food chain. The reason I went there is the simplicity. It does not take much time to order, to get the food and to eat.
After finishing the food I realise that I was not very happy. Back in my mind I made a decision, not to go that fast food chain any more. However I could not tell the reason why.
Granted that I am a person with a very conscious mind of living healthily. Granted that I act consequently according to certain principles in life. But some times I decided to go to a fast food restaurant. Sometimes I decided to drink a beer or a glass wine or others. It was never an issue for me. Why did I decide not to go to that fast food chain any more, probably for the rest of my life?
Why? The food tasted always well. I went there since my twenties after I arrived in Germany. And yesterday, I got a clear feeling that it did not taste any more. It tasted awful. The taste of the food there may not change at all.
But my taste changed. This is the entire reason of my decision.
After finishing the food I realise that I was not very happy. Back in my mind I made a decision, not to go that fast food chain any more. However I could not tell the reason why.
Granted that I am a person with a very conscious mind of living healthily. Granted that I act consequently according to certain principles in life. But some times I decided to go to a fast food restaurant. Sometimes I decided to drink a beer or a glass wine or others. It was never an issue for me. Why did I decide not to go to that fast food chain any more, probably for the rest of my life?
Why? The food tasted always well. I went there since my twenties after I arrived in Germany. And yesterday, I got a clear feeling that it did not taste any more. It tasted awful. The taste of the food there may not change at all.
But my taste changed. This is the entire reason of my decision.
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