Derek Mohr, a friend and deeply respected colleague shared what happened with his life over the past 9 months via email on 18 Sept 2014.  It’s such a sad yet beautifully poignant note about his granddaughter…  in the event that it is meaningful to you. On 13 December 2013, my precious, then 2-year old granddaughter Emma Barnes had blood tests and a full blood count done for recurring minor illness and potential allergies. (Emma turned 3 in January this year). The tests showed that she p ...

What I was looking for found me – I believe I found my calling in life, and it brings me immense joy. I’d like to ask you a personal question…..What is your calling in life? If you don’t know yet, how will you find out? A job is how you make money. A career is how you make your mark. A calling is how you acknowledge a higher vision, whatever it may be. Your calling, the thing you were meant to do, is Dharma, a word that means much more than finding a job you love. Yo ...

What does it mean and what are some examples?  From the ICF definition: Powerful Questioning

• Ability to ask questions that reveal the information needed for maximum benefit to the coaching relationship and the client.
• Clear direct questions that lead to new insight and move the client forward. Open ended questions using ‘What’ and ‘How’ that are clear, direct and succinct.

As coaches we spend on lot of time asking questions with ‘Powe ...

Holding space is something I practice often as an integral coach, mentor and as a friend. I’ve experienced holding space in it’s highest form – while dealing with death and grieving… holding space for myself and others. Holding space is really quite beautiful. At the time I lost my partner, my grief took me to a very deep dark place and I realized that others didn’t know anything about supporting me during this difficult time. I learned to hold space for myself a ...

I was asked recently by a PCC coach about appropriate approaches to dealing with grieving and loss and whether professional counselling,  coaching or simply talking to close friends would be determined by personality types. This made me reflect on my own personal experiences as well as clients I have coached where dealing with grief was not a predictable emotional trajectory, leading from distress and sorrow to ‘recovery’. There are a variety of losses and everyone experiences and exp ...

A coaching circle typically consists of a group of five to six individuals who meet for a day every 6 to 8 weeks to coach each other on complex issues they face in the workplace. Whilst the aim is to bring together a diverse group of people ie. in terms of function, experience and challenges very often the composition of circles consists of people from the same team. The key criterion to consider when forming groups is to ensure that the level of complexity of the work of those participating is ...

Mindfulness, a concept and practice inherited from Buddhist traditions, has found its way into mainstream psychology and medicine – and slowly into the workplace. Mindfulness is being fully present in the moment, moment-by-moment with awareness, without judging and is best described by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a Western Buddhist practitioner  as:

• Paying focused attention
• On purpose
• Without judgment
• To the experience of the present moment

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The essence of spiritual coaching is tuning into the spiritual journey, helping people to discover and embrace the magnificence of their true identities, and to bring spirit fully into form. What is a mandala? Although you may not have heard of the word mandala before, you already know what it is – mandala means circle or centre in Sanskrit. A mandala is a plan, chart or geometric pattern which represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the univ ...

Merlene Nieuwoudt has practiced Appreciative inquiry for a number of years and found it a valuable technique (sometimes referred to as a model) for analysis, decision making and implementing  and embedding change.  It is a useful approach to asking questions and envisioning the future prior to facilitating a strategy and goal setting session; in leadership development; change management initiatives and coaching for individuals and teams.

• Appreciative Inquiry is about searching for ...

The Enneagram is an invaluable tool used to assist coaching and personal development. It provides a unique insight into personality types and how that impacts on the performance of individuals, teams and organisations. The Enneagram offers profound understanding and awareness on nine different ways in terms of how people think, act and feel. Reports can be used in support of coaching in the development and structuring of a coaching program; to assist in the development of emotional intelligen ...