Archive for Coaching Tips
Why Accountability Is Critical to Coaches and Coaching
Posted by: Adonai | Comments Comments Off on Why Accountability Is Critical to Coaches and CoachingBill Baren of Bill Baren Coaching recently raised the issue of accountability with a group of his coaches. They responded with varying ideas, some claiming that—as adults—clients have to hold themselves accountable, while others said as coaches their job is to find ways to hold their clients accountable for reaching their goals.
Accountability is an important theme of coaching because it’s not something we do intrinsically well. Rather than holding ourselves accountable, we’re much better at being accountable to others.
Indeed, only about 1% of people are really good at holding themselves accountable. Most are better at being accountable to others—they don’t want to let family, friends, clients, co-workers, or “the team” down. (That’s one of the benefits of joint ventures: You’re accountable to each other.)
In defense of those who sometimes struggle with being accountable to themselves andothers, they often don’t realize how much they can (or can’t) handle. They say “Yes” without realizing that they don’t have the bandwidth to do what they’re committing to. If you’re really good at being accountable, you recognize how long commitments will take, realistically, and you know when to say “No.” Some people, myself included, just don’t realize how long something might take or when we ought to decline an opportunity, thus making it hard to be timely and accountable.
Some who are good at holding themselves accountable have higher standards about what constitutes good work. In service to their accountability to self and others, they have to let go of perfectionist standards. It’s important to recognize when good enough is good enough.
Accountability is an important aspect of success. To develop your self-accountability you need to be able to…
- Gauge how long commitments or projects will take.
- Say “No” graciously.
- Recognize when something is “good enough.”
As a coach, ask your clients, “What is the best way for me to hold you accountable?”That question implies that accountability is important AND that they have a preferred way to be held accountable. For some a “kick in the butt” is more motivational than encouragement. As a coach, your job is to discover that and adapt to the style that works for them.
Your other job is to recognize what is preventing someone from being held accountable. You’ll probably find a problem with one of the 3 skills noted above.
Step back and objectively look at your ability to be self-accountable. You’re likely to discover that there are times or contexts in which you struggle. These are the areas in which coaching can be a great service to you. (You don’t have a coach? Then get one!)
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I like to collect stories about belief change experiences. If you have any interesting ones, please share them below so I can comment on them in subsequent articles or posts.
P.S. Do you want to share this post? Please do. Just be sure that it remains intact and includes the following bio.
About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
To Expand Your Business, Be Strategic (Part 2)
Posted by: Adonai | Comments Comments Off on To Expand Your Business, Be Strategic (Part 2)As I mentioned in my newsletter, one of the key messages of the Gifted 2013 event was the value of your contact list. If you want to grow your business, you have to grow your list. It has to be a priority.
Here’s one example of why: If you want to have 200-person event, you need to start by having a 10,000-person list. That’s because only about 2% to 2.5% of those on your list will actually attend your event. There are other ways to get people there, such as bring-a-friend offers, but the truth is that you have to nurture your list.
Critical as it is, increasing your list is just one strategy for growth. If you have decided that it’s important to expand your business, there are some strategic approaches for doing that. Here are three ways to strategically grow your business:
- Ask yourself, “What is important about growing my business?” Teasing out the reasons will help you move forward. For example…
“If I had a larger business, then I could do greater good.”
If you are driven by a mission to do greater good, and the reason for growing your business is to support that mission, then you and your goal are in congruence.
“I want to show my family that I can succeed.”
Though proving yourself is an important goal, it doesn’t carry as much motivation as a mission-driven goal.
- Identify beliefs that lead to success. Find people who have grown their business in a way that resonates with you. If possible, arrange to speak with them and ask how they did it. What did they believe? This is very important because their beliefs ultimately determined the kinds of actions they took.
If you discover the beliefs behind their behaviors, you can ask yourself, “Do I have similar beliefs?” or “Am I capable of believing that?”
- Determine the right strategies to implement. By “right” I mean the most efficient and effective. To discover these, look at the people who have been successful in your field. Learn their strategies by talking to them or reading articles by or about them that speak directly to this. If somebody has already been down that trail, you don’t have to blaze it yourself. As Jim Rohn said, “Success leaves clues.”
Jim also said, “Success is not an accident.”
I agree.
What are you doing to make it happen?
Some beliefs are pertinent to growing a business. For instance, if you believe that what you have to offer is life enhancing and life changing, then it will be much easier for you to do what’s necessary to succeed.
Successful people always have beliefs that support their success, even though they may not be conscious of what those beliefs are.
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I like to collect stories about belief change experiences. If you have any interesting ones, please share them below so I can comment on them in subsequent articles or posts.
P.S. Do you want to share this post? Please do. Just be sure that it remains intact and includes the following bio.
About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
To Expand Your Business, Be Strategic (Part 1)
Posted by: Adonai | Comments Comments Off on To Expand Your Business, Be Strategic (Part 1)If you want to grow your business, you really need to be strategic with your decisions. It’s important to plan for growth. It doesn’t just happen.
You have to decide how you want to be bigger, and you need to determine who you can connect with to help with the growth.
When you strategically plan to expand your business and identify exactly how you want to see it grow, each step along the way should be clear. Each new step should be comfortable. If the next step seems overwhelming, it’s not the right step. You’ve probably skipped one or more steps and should adjust your plan before proceeding.
You should also put yourself in situations with people who are doing better than you, engaging in activities that challenge you to step up to the plate in larger ways. This will help prepare you for similar steps in your business in the future.
When you’re reaching out to connect with others, remember that the way to approach people is from the mindset of how you can be of service to them. That thinking will create a mutually beneficial collaboration.
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I like to collect stories about belief change experiences. If you have any interesting ones, please share them below so I can comment on them in subsequent articles or posts.
P.S. Do you want to share this post? Please do. Just be sure that it remains intact and includes the following bio.
About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
Some of the questions I have considered have to do with people who have worked with the same coach or taken the same business training and yet experienced widely different results…
Why is there a difference? Is it simply taking action, or is there more to it?
Of the ones who are successful, what made success possible?
Based on my own work and my research, what seems to matter most is MOTIVATION.
If motivation is the key to success—the factor that makes the biggest difference—then how do you get motivated? What makes a difference in your life? Motivation is often tied to wanting to contribute, to having a powerful mission. What is it that shapes your ability to contribute?
How do you take your dreams and make them a reality? I suggest you adopt these three ideas from successful dreamers:
- Focus on a moment when you realized what is possible. Think of an experience that ultimately satisfied your internal criteria, like achieving a certain financial goal or business goal that at one time seemed unachievable, and use that as a motivator.
Two powerful examples of people who achieved the “unachievable” are 1) the first person whose website got a million hits in a day, a feat now surpassed several times over, and 2) Roger Banister, the first person to break the 4-mainute mile, even though the prevailing “scientific evidence” claimed that doing so simply wasn’t possible. Certainly what you do will work if you believe it will work.
- Get psyched with success, which creates even more actions, creating a success loop.
- Use fear, if necessary. Paradoxically, this works for some—those who became more afraid of what life would be like if they didn’t follow through. This amplified pain creates action.
How can you push yourself to succeed?
- Recognize who you are (identity) and what you are capable of.
- Set a compelling goal.
- Take frequent action, such as consciously doing one thing a week to achieve something.
- Condition your mind each day. (This allows breakthroughs to happen, which is why it is a must for you.)
- Spend time with people who are hungry. (People can change their standards when they are around others who have different standards; that’s why mastermind groups work so well.)
- Seek out mentors, models or coaches.
- Avoid doubt, because when you are in doubt, you are in no man’s land.
- Maintain an optimistic viewpoint. Avoid pessimism.
And finally, persevere. Be prepared to overcome setbacks and keep going, no matter what. Such resilience makes the difference in achieving success. You must create emotional states that can carry you through the difficulties, boring times, or setbacks so that you can ultimately achieve what you want.
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I enjoy collecting stories about belief change experiences. If you have any interesting ones, please share them below so I can comment on them in subsequent articles or posts.
P.S. Do you want to share this post? Please do. Just be sure that it remains intact and includes the following bio.
About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
My Prostate Cancer Was a Gift
Posted by: Adonai | Comments Comments Off on My Prostate Cancer Was a Gift“Cancer Dude” Joe Johnson recently interviewed me about my experience with prostate cancer, and that video is available below. If you watch and listen to our discussion, you’ll learn about…
- How prostate cancer brought out the best in me.
- How I consider myself lucky to have gotten cancer.
- How I discovered the meaning and greater purpose of my cancer.
- How cancer transformed my ability to receive help.
- The importance of BELIEFS for a man with cancer.
- The importance of creating a “healing team” to support you.
You’ll also hear my advice for men with cancer.
If you would like to share your experiences or respond to anything mentioned in this interview, please include your comments below.
You can learn more about Joe Johnson and his work at www.cancerdudes.com. His post about this interview can be found at http://www.cancerdudes.com/terry-hickey-interview/.
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P.S. Do you want to share this post? Please do. Just be sure that it remains intact and includes the following bio.
About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
Working with Unidentified Limiting Beliefs
Posted by: Adonai | Comments Comments Off on Working with Unidentified Limiting BeliefsAs you may already know, I have created and actively use a Belief Breakthrough Method™. Learning to work at the level of beliefs is paramount in your coaching profession. Beliefs and values, even unconscious beliefs, trump behaviors. Our behaviors are organized by what we believe.
All too often you’ve heard that if you challenge people on their limiting beliefs and suggest an empowered belief, encouraging them to embrace that new belief, it will work. I have found that it often doesn’t. It only works if people were already in the process of changing or challenging their beliefs anyway.
The reason is that if somebody already knows what their limiting belief is, they are already in the process of changing. The most powerful limiting beliefs are the ones that we are unconscious of or unaware of. Those do not easily present themselves, and they are the ones you need to learn how to uncover.
Here’s where it starts to get confusing…
The best way to uncover these beliefs is when you have determined what goals your clients want to achieve. If they are unable to succeed, you will need to help them understand why they haven’t been successful in achieving their goals. In order to do that, you have to understand and uncover their particular understanding of how this happened, which I refer to as their map of the world. Keep in mind that beliefs do not stand alone; they are part of a person’s larger belief system, so changing one belief will have an effect on other parts of the system. Keep in mind the larger context.
It’s important to understand that limiting beliefs present themselves in a number of ways. Sometimes they show up as “part of me wants this, but another part of me wants that.” In that case, it’s important to work with those competing wants.
“I can’t do something” is another indicator. Once you hear that, you must ask additional questions, like “what would happen if you did do it?” The answer will help you determine and discover the underlying limiting belief that supports why the person can’t do it.
When you are working with a client to change a limiting belief, make sure that the new belief comes from your client and that you explore carefully the definite and possible consequences and effects of making that change. There are sometimes very good reasons that someone might not have made a change.
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I like to collect stories about belief change experiences. If you have any interesting ones, please share them below so I can comment on them in subsequent articles or posts.
P.S. Do you want to share this post? Please do. Just be sure that it remains intact and includes the following bio.
About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
Are You Communicating Your Message for Maximum Impact and Success?
Posted by: Adonai | Comments Comments Off on Are You Communicating Your Message for Maximum Impact and Success?It seems like there’s been a change in the way new businesses operate these days. While older, more established businesses have gradually shifted their focus from employees to shareholders, new businesses—especially small ones—seem to be doing “larger” things. They are creating causes and making a difference. These differences aren’t just with their clients but with their families as well, in terms of money, self-esteem and modeling. It’s pretty powerful.
For example, Holistic MBA Live featured over 450 holistic entrepreneurs who wanted to learn how to create a successful business using their unique models of health care. I saw powerful transformations and commitments take place in many attendees, and what I realized is that I was witnessing the birth of several movements in health care. The processes that the attendees went through made it possible for them to connect fully with their missions and purposes.
What I believe this means is that these practitioners are the vanguard of a revolution in the delivery of health care services. Why do I think this? Because part of this conference was focused on creating effective marketing, and some participants learned to be so effective that by the end of the weekend I fully believed that they are part of a movement to take back our health care.
Ultimately, attendees learned to have clarity about what is important to their audience and about how to broadcast their messages. If each one of them touches 1,000 people, their collective messages will have a tremendous impact.
So what does all of this have to do with you?
Marketing!
Are you able to communicate your message in a way that will effectively market your mission and purpose? Do your marketing methods identify you as a mover and a shaker?
Remember, if you aren’t listened to, you can’t have an impact.
Like the participants of Holistic MBA Live who are already successfully promoting their missions, you have to create a way to be seen and heard, whether through writing or stepping forward in public. You also have to have a powerful message. If you don’t, you won’t be able to do the work that you want to be doing in this world.
In order for you to have an impact, and in order for your mission or movement to make a difference, it is imperative that you effectively market yourself. Are you? If not, have you taken steps to learn how? Do it, and do it today!
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If you put this or any of the other tips I’ve shared to good use, I’d love to hear about it. Please share your comments below.
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P.S. Do you want to share this post? Please do. Just be sure that it remains intact and includes the following bio.
About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
Are You Willing to Do What It Takes to Succeed?
Posted by: terry | Comments Comments Off on Are You Willing to Do What It Takes to Succeed?This question alone presupposes that success is a measure or reflection of the actions you’re willing to take.
It’s easy to do what is easy for you—the problem is when what you need to do to be successful is difficult to do. When studies take a look at successful entrepreneurs and businesses, one thing they all have in common is their willingness to do what it takes to succeed. In general, this meant doing the things that were difficult, things that took determination.
Not that you can’t delegate, but you may need to make that extra telephone call, write that extra e-mail, or make that decision that affects your finances… because the failure to do so might slow the growth of your business or movement.
Spend some time thinking about the answer to this: “What are the steps that, if I took them, would make a difference in my business?”
This question presupposes that you actually know the steps and that something would need to happen for you to take them. If you discover that you don’t yet know the steps, that in and of itself can preclude you from taking action.
These seemingly simple questions can generate the kind of answers that, if you’re willing to act on them, will give you big results.
I’ve been watching my spouse define her new business. She’s been an inspiration because she’s been putting in long hours to make it happen. It hasn’t been easy; it’s been a struggle. At times she’s been frustrated, and it’s only been her commitment to following through the process that has made her stick with it.
So if you’re struggling (and if you’re in business, of course you are), it just means that you’re on the right track, and you need to ask yourself these questions.
Since you’re used to me talking about beliefs, I haven’t left those out. As you ask yourself the questions above, you’re likely to come across some of the following questions that reveal underlying beliefs:
- Is the struggle worth it?
- Are you capable of achieving success?
- Will what you do make a difference?
You’re not likely to get to these beliefs unless you’re willing to take on the questions above. Answering all of these questions for yourself will reveal if you’re willing to do what it takes to succeed.
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I would love to hear how well this approach works for you. Share your feedback and comments below.
P.S. Do you want to share this article? Please do. Just be sure that it remains intact and includes the following bio.
About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
2013 Download of the Month Club
Posted by: Adonai | Comments Comments Off on 2013 Download of the Month ClubLet Terry Show You The Power of Your Beliefs
The Belief Breakthrough Series™ 2013 Download of the Month Club delivers hypnotic recordings that work in harmony with your unconscious mind to change limiting beliefs.
With these recordings, you can release limiting money beliefs, accelerate business success, activate positive inner attitudes and habits, and create vibrant health!
For example, this month’s download is about Increasing Wealth in Your Life. It was created to help you discover how wealth is much more than money. See last week’s post for an excerpt from the corresponding letter to members of the 2013 Download of the Month Club.
Invest just $14.97 a month
OR
Make one payment of $149.70 for a full year
(a savings of $30).
Join now to receive this month’s download and to ensure that you get all of the remaining recordings for 2013.
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About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
How to Increase Wealth in Your Life
Posted by: Adonai | Comments Comments Off on How to Increase Wealth in Your LifeThe idea of increasing wealth in your life presupposes that you know what wealth is and that there are ways to increase wealth.
Understanding what wealth means to you is also important—is it money or something else?
Wealth is one of our universal experiences. Everyone has some idea of wealth; it just means different things to different people. I have been particularly interested in this theme because it often emerges when I’m coaching.
Many of my coaching clients want to increase the amount of money they make, and what I discover is that money represents something. It is often expressed as some equivalent such as, “If I had more money I could do _______ or be _______.” The idea is that such an outcome will lead to happiness. When we believe that happiness depends on outside factors such as people or things, especially money, we are caught in a dilemma. That idea is a myth; your happiness depends on your appreciation of what you are and how you are in the world, not on external people or events. All too often we focus on externals to try to achieve happiness.
Focus on appreciating what you have. Be grateful for that, instead of sad and anxious about what you don’t have. Some people go so far as to keep a gratitude journal, noting on a daily or weekly basis what they are grateful for. It works!
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This post came from my letter to members of the 2013 Download of the Month Club. They will also receive the corresponding recording along with guidelines for their hypnotic session. Interested? Join now to receive this month’s download and to ensure that you get all of the remaining recordings for 2013—for just $14.97 a month.
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P.S. Do you want to share this post? Please do. Just be sure that it remains intact and includes the following bio.
About Terry: Terry Hickey, M.S., is a Certified NLP Professional Coach, Business Trainer and Consultant, a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the co-owner of NLP Advantage Group. Originator of the Belief Breakthrough Method™, Terry specializes in teaching coaches and entrepreneurs how to rapidly resolve limiting beliefs about wealth and success. His tips and strategies can help you launch yourself into the future you want… NOW. http://terryhickey.com/
