ICW 2020 - "take aways"

As part of my International Coaching Federation membership, I supported the event of the International Coaching Week (#ICW2020) this year. This edition was exceptional in many respects. The event already has a 10-year tradition in the Czech Republic and took place in the year when the International Coaching Federation celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary and its Czech chapter ICF Czech Republic Chapter celebrates its fifteenth anniversary. ICW took place during COVID-19, when various restrictions were in force in the Czech Republic and it was problematic to organize public events. My observations about how this event enriched me and what it took from me I summarized in the following text.

What is ICW?

International Coaching Week is a week focused on the promotion of professional coaching. The aim of this week is to bring professional coaching closer to the general public and how a significant shift it can bring into the life of each of us. Every year it is announced by the International Coach Federation (ICF); in the Czech Republic it is organized by ICF Czech Republic. In the Czech Republic, ICW2020 took place in the week from May 4 to May 10, 2020.

What did I accomplish this year?

• Since February 14, 2020, I have joined the organizational team of ICW2020 with the aim of supporting coaches involved in ICW.

• Pro-bono coaching and education of the public.

Facts and numbers that are not visible:

In total, I devoted 44 hours of my life to the ICW 2020 activity.

Virtual Coaching Zone

A standard session of 30 minutes to open, possibly also resolve your topic, or simply ask about anything that interests you about professional coaching. The general public had the opportunity to meet with a professional coach certified by ICF, try the power and value of the effective coaching method in the ICF coaching zone, which was an accompanying program of ICW2020 – globally announced by the professional organization of coaches, ICF.

Coaching and Hypnosis

Introducing the public to coaching in relation to hypnosis. How an experienced coach can, by expanding their portfolio with hypnosis, fully use the client’s resources to fulfill the goals of coaching. The webinar was guided by PhDr. Martin Dlabal, Ph.D. Martin is an experienced clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, and hypnotherapist.

The Window Towards Me

How can techniques like the Johari Window or Points of You help with transformation from where you have been to where you want to be or where you dream of going?

Zoom webinar with Luiza Stefan ACC. Luiza is a Coach and Facilitator.

NLP Coaching in Practice

What is the place of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) in management, communication, dealing with people, motivating, influencing, or modeling in order to achieve outstanding performance and success? A webinar on NLP in the form of a presentation, discussion, and their practical application together with Mgr. Daniel Tylš, who is a psychologist, lecturer, coach, and certified master of neuro-linguistic programming.

What did it bring me, what did I discover?

ICW2020 started later compared to the previous year. Even though I had planned minimal participation and to focus on other areas, the situation around COVID-19 changed everything completely. I therefore made a change and partially joined the organizational team. The ICW2020 team had several challenges:

What will be at ICW2020 this year?

• Until the last moment it looked like the content of ICW2020 would not be resolved. The model that somehow worked until 2019 consisted in finding a main partner and coaches created coaching zones at other partners, or in a place where it was possible, so that they could coach at the given time and place.

• Solution: The change of ICW consisted in turning the established mechanism around. Let’s offer events to clients through the ICW2020 website similarly to a conference. However, this means having coaches prepared, changing their thinking, supporting them in the activity of virtual coaching, and ensuring marketing and promotion.

Will the date move to autumn?

• The uncertainty caused by the circumstances of COVID-19 could move the ICW2020 date to autumn, together with the celebration of ICF25.

• Solution: Convince the team and create conditions that will use the moment of celebrations also in other countries. What opportunities do we have thanks to the given limitations?

If there will not be a possibility to conduct personal meetings with clients, how will the process proceed?

• The setup of previous ICW was in many aspects built on personal contact.

• Solution: move and prepare coaches for the virtual world in the form of educational activities – webinars.

A new website which ICF CR selected as the new common platform.

• The historical ICW website does have better presentation possibilities, but in the past it showed unreliability and was on a separate solution.

• Solution: use the new “eagle” website as the entry point for ICW2020. However, the introduction of the website carries significant risks (lack of knowledge of operation, remote administration, new procedures), which had to be addressed.

Coaches and their level of knowledge in the virtual environment

• Most coaches presented themselves as being virtually skilled, but the reality was in many respects miserable. The reason was both the age of some coaches, as well as a humanities-oriented background and a certain status which they did not want to damage in comparison with their surroundings. Stepping out of the comfort zone is also a problem for coaches, similarly as for other people.

• Solution: Prepare coaches for the change through training and the use of virtual technologies. Involve coaches in the process. Create a voluntary safe environment where they can try things, gain knowledge, ask questions, etc.

Unstable organizational team

• At the beginning it was not clear what team would actually be available.

• Solution: time helped here.

New ICW team leader

• In ICW2020 there was a new team leader of the ICW team. The team had to prepare for a different leadership style, support, and organization.

• Solution: support of the new ICW team leader, transparent feedback, recommendations, implementation of some steps.

What would I do differently and change, what would I keep?

What I would do differently next time:

• I would build ICW more on marketing.

• I would create a communication plan and delegate it more to the members in the team.

• I would involve coaches who have a program and want to offer something. I would not include “empty” coaches. When there is no program behind a coach, I do not know why they are in the offer.

• I would set a deadline by which it is possible to register as a coach for ICW. Several clients told me that they did not actually know what is happening during the week, because the content was changing during the process. With such changes, promotion is difficult.

• I would probably not allow a new website, or I would approve it only if the website had been running for at least 2 months before ICW2020. In my opinion, this was the biggest gamble.

• I would organize a workshop to decide how to proceed with ICW2020 in the case of COVID-19. This was another problem. There was no lighthouse showing where we want to get.

• I would use the time for training coaches only for this format, so that coaches could work virtually.

What I would do the same:

• Preparation and training of coaches as a start into the virtual world.

• Regular communication of the team.

• Friday preparation of the team.

• Communication with the surroundings (partners, FB group, LN, etc.).

• I would involve more supporters and make use of their support.

Personal findings?

• I realized how good it is to have a diverse team; everyone is really good for something different. Areas that I did not address were well covered by colleagues.

• Starting new activities suits me.

• I am able to estimate a situation with a view of several months ahead and create and fulfill a vision.

• I am able to involve speakers and create webinars with different people and in an international environment. This activity was the most creative and I enjoyed it.

• When setting a goal in which I participate, another important goal may escape me. I must work better with priorities.

Would I go into it again?

• Yes, but in the next edition I want to be involved only as a coach. The possibility of international cooperation and support across the EU attracts me.

• The organizational arrangements, preparation of the background and support of coaches can certainly be handled by someone else from the new members of ICF CR.

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