CONVERGE19 - Takeaways 2/4
- Miroslav Czadek
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
4. Lecture: "Three Ways to Become an Ethical Coach-preneur", Dez Stephens, ACC
5. Lecture: "Communicate to Impact", Antonio Sacavem, PCC
6. Lecture: "Psychological Safety", Dan Radecki, PhD
4. Lecture: "Three Ways to Become an Ethical Coach-preneur"
Speaker: Dez Stephens, ACC
What it was about:
Most entrepreneurs and newly certified coaches first want to make money by doing something they enjoy, and only later - once they are “successful” - consider contributing to charity through donations or pro bono work. This presentation turned that model upside down: it proposed starting by giving back to charity through doing what you love, with the money following afterward. During the lecture, we learned three ways to build a coaching practice by leveraging free publicity and using “metal marketing,” while at the same time giving back to the wider community. #projecoach #Ethical #metelic #converge
Key insights and identified challenges:
Establishing my business
“having no debt and no overhead”
In 2005, I did not have Google, social media, a website, an office, or online visibility to build my professional coaching practice.
In 2012, I started my business with no debt and no overhead costs, because I did not want to put pressure on my new, early-stage business.
I found available training spaces, exchanged them for legal support, and increased my awareness of prosperity.
Metal Marketing
“Be metal, not a magnet”
Imagine holding a pile of shiny metal in your hands.
Now imagine holding a huge magnet in your hands.
This is not magnetic marketing or attraction marketing.
In other words, do not do marketing that goes out searching for customers to close deals - do not be a magnet that hunts for clients.
Offer your services and show how you are a rare metal…
Do great work and have visible self-confidence, and the rest will follow.
Services
What do entrepreneurs usually want - and don’t do?
I want to make money on my own.
I want to do something I enjoy.
Once I’m successful, I’ll start giving back.
Flip this model:
First, offer your services charitably / selflessly.
Do something you are passionate about.
The money will follow.
How did I learn this?
By working with entrepreneurs for more than 25 years and building startups.
I learned from their methods, their mistakes, and their successes.
More at: http://radiandcoaches.com
Suggestions and recommendations
An interesting perspective on using “self-service” techniques to acquire clients quickly and effectively, without feeling like you are “selling yourself.”
Understanding how to build a coaching practice with zero debt and zero overhead.
How to realize your humanitarian potential as a professional coach in ways that can help secure grants and nonprofit partnerships.
A similar experience can be found in ICF nonprofit programs such as ICW, etc.
Takeaways
Applying metal marketing techniques…
5. Lecture: "Communicate to Impact"
Speaker: Antonio Sacavem, PCC
What it was about:
Do you know how to bridge the gap between people through human communication? Do you know how to get closer to your audience? Are you aware of the importance of both verbal and nonverbal components of the communication process? Do you create a great first impression? In this presentation, Antonio Sacavem shared key resources that helped answer all of these questions from a fresh perspective. Through storytelling, Antonio shared three important tools that make it easier to reduce audience filters and invite them to access a new level of meaning and insight. #projecoach #storytelling #communication #converge
The presentation included:
Colorful language
Leading the audience
Personal storytelling
Key insights and identified challenges:
Example: “Michelle Obama”
I am a good speaker
I usually bring out the best in others through communication
I am aware of how my body affects my speaking
Most of the time, I am able to remove the distance between myself and others
Success in business depends 85% on effective communication.
Source: Walker, D. (2011), Mass Notification and Crisis Communications. Boca Raton, FL, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, p. 63
By the way, only 9% of the time is spent communicating through writing…
Colorful language
Leading the audience
Use and apply objects to create a tactile experience
Divide the audience into small groups
Voting (raising hands, clapping, etc.), imagination, minimal language (a few words, Converge)
Closing with impact—if it leads to action steps, that is the best possible outcome
Storytelling
Vulnerability – by sharing my story, I become vulnerable and show my vulnerability
Anecdote – present moment
Personal transformation: life lesson
More at: https://antoniosacavem.com
Suggestions and recommendations
Reducing the distance between the audience and the speaker is similar to applying NLP techniques.
Takeaways
Applying colorful language in communication
Thinking through storytelling
6. Lecture: "Psychological Safety"
Speaker: Dan Radecki, PhD
What it was about:
The lecture focused on explaining how the brain influences our behavior through the lens of neuroscience. Its goal was also to build greater understanding and awareness of our actions, emotions, and biases. With this self-awareness, you can improve your ability to understand others and what better drives their behavior and needs. All of this can facilitate better communication and relationships.
The lecture provided an in-depth insight into the concept of “psychological safety” through the S.A.F.E.T.Y. model as an easy-to-use tool that helps explain the core factors influencing human motivation and how these factors shape our personal approach to everyday decisions and social interactions.#projecoach #safety #converge
Key insights and identified challenges:
What is Psychological Safety – Definition
According to Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, the definition is as follows:
Psychological safety is the belief that a person will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes, and that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.
For inspiration, see the link to Amy Edmondson’s TED Talk here: https://youtu.be/LhoLuui9gX8
Research has revealed several universal categories of stimuli that influence behavior. These are represented by the S.A.F.E.T.Y. model. The individual letters stand for Safety, Autonomy, Fairness, Esteem, Trust, and You.
Safety: The brain has a need for predictability. It likes consistency, commitment, clarity, and certainty. There are individual differences in the level of safety between a person who resists change and has a high need for safety, and a person who is extremely curious, seeks new experiences, and has a low need for safety.
What does this mean for coaching?
People like to know what comes next. Our brain is constantly creating patterns in order to make sense of the world around us. When things are unclear, the brain uses an enormous amount of available energy until clarity is achieved. The simplest way to avoid this unproductive use of energy is to communicate goals clearly, explain the process for achieving them, and set appropriate expectations regarding outcomes. Remove as much ambiguity as possible so people can easily see where they are heading and feel safe on their path into the future.
Autonomy: This refers to the sense of control over one’s own environment (whether the control is real or perceived). The feeling of choice in any given situation is actually a reward for the brain, especially in Western cultures, even when it may not be helpful.
What does this mean for coaching?
No one likes micromanagement. Once your team feels secure in terms of their position and knows they are safe, empower them to move toward the goal in their own way. People can be extremely creative when they have the freedom to pursue a goal in their own way. Those with high autonomy tend to be self-starters - the kind of people organizations desire - but when their autonomy is restricted, they are often the first to leave and seek alternative opportunities.
Fairness/Justice: We want the changes that occur in our environment to be fair - both to us and to others. Fair changes are intrinsically rewarding, independent of other factors. When something is perceived as unfair, the brain processes it using the same networks that are involved in disgust.
What does this mean for coaching?
Unfair treatment reduces performance. Even monkeys react aggressively to unfair situations. To see how capuchin monkeys respond to unfair rewards, watch this short YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KSryJXDpZo by Dr. Frans de Waal. When a situation is perceived as unfair, people expend a significant amount of energy on unproductive thoughts, which can lead to very strong and negative reactions.
Esteem: This domain covers how we see ourselves, how we compare ourselves to others, and our perceptions of how we think others see us. Research shows that a positive self-view improves our health and overall well-being. Our brain is constantly scanning and checking our sense of esteem at a rate of up to five times per second.
What does this mean for coaching?
The brain scans the environment several times per second, checking how we compare ourselves to those around us and how others perceive us. The pursuit of esteem drives much of our behavior - whether it is seeking promotion, buying a nice car, donating to charity, or leaving a legacy when we die. The perception of losing esteem is a clear threat and is often met with resistance, whether through exercising power in other forms (such as blocking initiatives) or taking excessive risks (such as making poor, overly aggressive stock trades). Finding ways to preserve and grow everyone’s sense of esteem must be built into management systems and actively managed at an individual level with everyone, including team members, customers, and suppliers.
Trust: This domain addresses our social needs. Historically, humans have thrived in tribes, which leads us to initially perceive any new or different person as an outsider or a threat - part of our “out-group.” As we gradually develop shared traits, they become part of our “in-group,” and from that point on, we engage with them using a different neural network.
What does this mean for coaching?
Trust is paramount. If we do not trust each other, everything becomes very difficult. When trust issues arise, make sure to address them decisively so that everyone feels they are on the same team. Each member should be clear about what they can expect from one another and also believe that others will do what is best for the team. This creates a key of integrity, where integrity is simply defined as doing what you said you would do.
You: There are always very specific factors rooted in your personal background and experiences. Some of these “buttons” may be naturally Pavlovian in nature, having been built up over time, while others may stem from traumatic or highly emotionally charged experiences. What is certain is that we are individuals, each with our own private, unpredictable quirks and motivations.
What does this mean for coaching?
You matter; never forget that we are individuals. Each of us has our own unique background and experiences that have taught us how to live. Fortunately, diversity helps teams avoid blind spots. Let us therefore remember to respect the unique nature of each person and learn to appreciate the diversity that each individual brings to a team.
Interesting book: Psychological Safety: The key to happy, high-performing people and teams
Suggestions and recommendations
The significance and impact of psychological safety on thinking, performance, and the health effects of one’s mental state are particularly noteworthy.
Reflect on and uncover your own emotional and other triggers, and implement a neuroscience-based process to minimize their impact.
Similar to David Rock’s SCARF model.
Takeaways
Conduct coaching in a way that takes SAFETY needs into account and protects and maintains psychological safety.
Apply SAFETY in both project management and agile management.
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