Sep 16, 2009 - Debriefing short term mission experiences Those who debrief their experience shortly after they return home are able to assimilate their experience more effectively into their world view. - Read More
Aug 18, 2009 - Why the Swing?The swing has become for me a symbol of global transition. - Read More
Coaching:
- Cultural Transition Coaching
- Relationship Coaching
- Life Coaching
- What results can you expect from coaching?
- What is a coach?
- Phases in the coaching process
I coach people whose work requires that they enter a new culture as well as those who are already living as expatriates in their country of assignment.
I offer the following coaching services to enhance cultural transitions:
1.Intercultural Readiness Assessment. Prior to leaving for an overseas assignment I administer the Intercultural Readiness Assessment and meet with you in person or by phone or skype to discuss the results and set goals for growth that will enhance your future cultural adjustment. This may be followed by further coaching sessions as you work on achieving the goals you have set.
If you are planning to work overseas and are interested in taking the IRA or are a leader of an organization who deploys personnel to work in other culture, please contact me to discuss how this instrument could be helpful for you.
The Intercultural Readiness Assessment contains.... (read more)
At least 50% of marriages end in divorce and its been estimated that only 15% of all couples have a satisfying relationship. The remaining
35% experience the yo-yo effect, sometimes coming close to ending the relationship or at least thinking about it, and then pulling out of it before it ends, only to experience the dip again. Many people play a game of chance with their relationship, letting it take the natural course. Unfortunately for the majority, the natural course doesn't lead to a healthier more satisfying relationship. The pressure of living in another culture often places unusually high stress on marriage and family relationships.
You will increase your odds of being one of the 15% couples when you take concrete steps to get your relationship on a solid footing. As a coach I act as a thought partner by asking you questions that will help you envision how you want your relationship to be, identify ways to move towards that dream, then take action and receive encouragement in the process. I help each partner identify and celebrate their strengths and encourage them as they work on areas that need strengthening. Assessment tools used will help you define the areas you want to work on. When relationship issues would be better addressed by counselling rather than coaching, Marilyn will make this recommendation.
Do you feel dissatsified with some area of your life? You or your partner are on a work assignment overseas. You're not sure if your dissatisfaction is related to your international assignment or if you have reached a plateau in your life and you've lost motivation. You may resent your partner's assignment and are counting the days until it's over. Your children aren't adjusting well and you don't know how to help them. You don't feel your issues warrant going to see a therapist but you wish you could talk with someone about what you're feeling and get some ideas of how you can get past feeling stuck. Many people report that after working with a coach they're more self-aware and motivated, have a better idea of what they want out of life, have acquired workable ideas of how to reach their goals, have put these into practice and have experienced the benefits from their efforts.
As a coach, I become a thought partner with you to clarify what you want to achieve and how to get there. The coaching relationship starts the first time we have contact, either by e-mail or phone
What results can you expect from coaching? Globally transtioning clients can expect to:
- become better observers of cultural differences
- become more aware of their own strengths and challenges and find ways to use these to their advantage to thrive in their new surroundings
- change negative self-talk that is triggered by the stress of multiple changes to positive thoughts that will help them thrive in their new community
- find ways to enrich significant relationships in circumstances that often threaten relationships
- find ways to thrive in their new cultural community rather than count the days till their assignment is completed
What is a coach? A coach is a thought partner who:
- asks thought provoking questions
- helps clients identify their vision of the area in which they want to do work
- helps clients form a plan of how they want to move forward
- encourages them as they take steps towards their goal
- helps them become more emotionally intelligent (more aware of their strengths and challenges and how they impact those around them)
- challenges them in areas that hold them back from moving towards their vision
- holds them accountable by checking on follow-through and progress
- together with the client celebrates personal and professional gains
There are various phases in the coaching process:
1. Free consultation. In this phone or skype conversation we talk about what you want to accomplish with a life coach and what the experience will look like for you. You will have the opportunity to ask questions. If we decide together that this could be a beneficial experience for you we will set up meeting times and proceed to the next step.
2. Assessment phase: This will include thinking through your values, that which you've already accomplished, and where you still feel you need to grow, and communicating these to me so that I can work effectively with you. The process is facilitated by working through questions and personality inventories which I will send you ahead of time. Some people find the process of thinking through these questions helps them see possibilities of moving in the direction they desire even before the session which we talk about goals.
3. Goal setting phase. In this phase we look at all the different aspects of your life -- career and life purpose, family and friends, relationships, finances, intimacy, self-care, social life and personal and spiritual development. How satisfied are you in each of these? What have you done that most gives you a sense of accomplishment in each? What ideas do you now have that would enhance each area even more? What would you like your life to look like? These are only some of the questions I will ask you as together we explore what you most want to focus on.
4. Implementation phase. Each week, or however often we decide to meet I will be a thought partner with you as you decide how you want to move towards you goal during the time between our sessions. In the following session we will talk about how things went and what you want to do before the next session. And we will celebrate your accomplishments!
5. Termination phase. During our last few sesions we will focus on ways to maintain the progress you have made. You will have made some important gains and it's important that you take some specific steps that will give you the greatest chance of continuing to move forward and learn to deal with the inevitable setbacks that you will experience along the way.
I am passionate about empowering people to move forward in their lives. Please contact me to discuss how we might work together.
