Don’t get Caught in a Summer Rut

Do you have plans for the summer? Many of you have been structured all year long and are looking forward to your summer vacation and to some rest and relaxation. You may have plans to read a good book, enjoy the sunshine, go to the beach, maybe even do some much needed gardening and of course the most important thing is to spend quality time with friends and family. Can you imagine going through the summer and not getting to do most of the activities on your list?

Summer plans also needs some structure

Like most people you may be thinking that summer is also a time to do away with all structures such as day-timer, calendars and lists. As a coach, I have seen many clients in the fall who are upset with themselves because they didn’t get to do some of the things they wanted to do. I think it is important to have a bit of rest and relaxation and I too am looking forward to reading for relaxation, but I have come to learn that it is very important to maintain some structure so that I can enjoy my summer and look back fondly at the things I did without guilt over having missed on some very important things.

Reflections

Sometimes we plan to do too much, which can be overwhelming, as a result we end up not getting anything done. Are you in danger of putting too much on your summer calendar? If you have a lot that you want to get accomplished it is important that you be realistic about what you want to get done and your time availability. Yes, summer is also a time to set realistic goals.

Action steps

Here is how I help my clients go about maintaining structure and fun over the summer months.

• Make a list of all the things you want to do this summer
  
• Arrange your list in order of priority
  
• Identify the amount of time needed to get your top 5 things done
  
• Plan the other two important activities in the time left over
  

I would love to hear what you have planned for the summer and that you are giving yourself an opportunity to work, live and play well even during the long hot summer days.

Be Well

Joyce Odidison is the Director of training at Inter personal Wellness System Coaching Institute. She is a Conflict Analyst, Facilitator and Coach, an Alternative Dispute Resolution Practitioner, Mediator and author of the books “Getting Ready for Mediation, 2004 and “Interpersonal Wellness System, 2010. Joyce is also the world’s leading Interpersonal Wellness expert and the creator of the innovative Interpersonal Wellness System model® and the IWQ Life Planning Profile Assessment®. She is also a great keynote speaker, coach and mentor who work with leaders in organizations and their employees to implement an 8 step strategy for workplace wellness, conflict management and respectful workplace interactions. Joyce help her clients and audiences to work well, live well and play well by providing easy to implement strategies and tips to optimize their interpersonal wellness and success.

Building Client Relationship

This week, the focus of our learning has been on building coaching relationships much like coaches; all other service providers need to know and understand the benefits of building and maintaining good client relationships. The client relationship is the most significant part of any service industry. Too often, organizations and service providers fail to have a clear client relationship goal. Though the ultimate service of our customer interaction is sales, we should also look to maintain a good long relationship with our clients. Relationships that will see them become raving fans that will refer others to use our services.

Without clear focus and direction, client interactions tend to be an adhoc and inconsistent service model that is confusing to clients. In our learning this week, we investigated the key elements of consistent and high quality client relationships. We learned that all areas of responsibility in the client relationship should be intended. The first thing we examined is our role in the relationship; you can do the same by reflecting on the following.

Reflections

When you reflect on your client relationship, what comes to mind? Do you view your clients as only those who can pay for your services or those whom you foster great relationships with?

1. What do you and your client understand as your job?
   
2. What services do you offer to your client; can they get this elsewhere?
   
3. What is the stated goal or expectation of the service quality?
   
4. How much responsibility do you assume to having a good client relationship?
   
5. What is your client role in the relationship?
   
6. What rules of engagement have you shared with your client?
   
7. Who are your clients; if you work in an organization with internal and external clients, what is your responsibility to both?
   

Action Step

As you go through this week, I would like to put a challenge out to you to examine your current client or working relationships and see if there is room for improving your improvement. If you find areas that need to be improved, please make a list of these and put a plan of action in place to renegotiate the client relationship.

To your Interpersonal Wellness and Harmony

Communication and Coaching

This week I taught module III – communication and coaching. This module delivers a very expansive focus for the coach who is looking to develop his coaching language and be more effective when asking questions and summarizing. Since coaching is centered on communication, it is imperative that all coaches develop their coaching language and their listening skills. Participants in the course shared that they found new ways to explore coaching issues and to discuss them with clients. They shared that coaching language is becoming more comfortable for them as they engage in peer coaching and as they practice their coaching in class. Some key pieces that helps us to grow in coaching is to quiet our minds so that we can hear our clients better. We also discussed being mindful of our roles as a coach and how staying focused on our roles will help us to effectively raise awareness for our clients. We practiced many communication strategies to help clients expand their thinking and design actions and winning goals.

Reflections

Have you worked with a coach before, if so what are the key benefits you receive from your coach?

How was the communication with your coach different from the communication you encountered with others?