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     KEYZINE: An e-zine for LEADERS:
   ABOUT THE PEOPLE PART OF BUSINESS
             Volume 3, June 7, 2001
    Publisher: © Key Associates, LLC, 2001
           http://www.mkkey.com

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IN THIS ISSUE (the theme is COACHING):

• What's Hot in Leadership
• Frequently Asked Questions from Leaders
• Meetings and Courses
• Useful Websites
• Articles/Publications
• Maintaining Yourself as a Leader

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"A mentor is a person who saw more in you than 
you did and described it in ways that you could 
grow into."
                                    -Lou Tice, High School Coach

"Be the change you wish to see in others."
                                                    -Mahatma Gandhi

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WHAT'S HOT IN LEADERSHIP
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In our research, people have been asked to describe the 
attributes of someone who has been an influential leader 
to them personally. The results are always characteristics 
that would describe a coach, helper, teacher--not a 
powerful, in-charge, charismatic dynamo who enjoyed 
being served. 

Here are some thoughts to get you started on improving
your coaching skills:

To inspire is to breathe life into other people's
aspirations.

Leaders are responsible for creating more leaders.
Therefore coaching becomes a process of helping
others grow and realize their potential.

The best assistance you can provide others is  to 
help them realize their answers for themselves.  
In other words, use effective questions to draw
out, rather than drive in.

"What results do you want?"
"What did you learn from the process?"
"In what ways can I support your success?"
"What future do you envision?"

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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How do I connect with someone in order to do 
effective coaching?  You build rapport.  Through 
genuine interest in the person, you ask a series of open,
but non-threatening, questions.  "What types of things
do you enjoy doing?"  And you make your aim clear--
you are there to assist the person in being as successful
as they want to be.

Can I use the annual performance appraisal for
coaching?
Not likely.  Unless it is the culmination and celebration
of ongoing mutual feedback and development.  
Useful feedback is:

• Specific
• Descriptive
• Behavioral, and
• Timely.

If learning is to take place, the feedback needs to occur
as close to the behavior as possible.  Not once a year.
 
What if I have to fire someone.  Have I failed as a coach?  
It depends on the degree to which you have helped the
person find a good fit for their skills.  That could be outside 
your organization.  And they may thank you for it.  But no one
should ever be surprised at their dismissal, which should 
follow serious coaching (under normal circumstances).

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MEETINGS AND COURSES 
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Key Associates offers onsite courses in The New Leadership,
encompassing coaching, motivation and the human spirit, 
trust and integrity, systems thinking, visionary planning,
working with cultures, teaching and learning, new methods
of communication, developing teamness, managing conflict, 
leading change, renewing your own spirit, and celebration.
See www.mkkey.com.

Coaching clinics and professional business coaches by phone 
are available at Ken Blanchard's www.coaching.com.

Receive one hour's Q&A or online coach training at
www.coachcampus.com.

The Institute for Life Coach Training invites therapists/counselors 
to became a life coach through teleclasses. Call 1-888-267-1206, 
or (972) 867-1915 or see schedule of classes and live seminars,
speaking schedule at http://www.LifeCoachTraining.com. 
Send e-mail to info@lifecoachtraining.com.  

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USEFUL WEBSITES & NEWSLETTERS
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View a number of other links and order newsletters from 
www.coachingscoop.com.

The Coach Talk Channel  is a site dedicated to establishing'
expanding and healing relationships.  They host audio
performances on coaching topics--you can be on the
show!  E-mail mail to:allan@success-talk.com for details.

Join a discussion group on coaching at the Center for
Creative Strategies, www.bestcoaching.com.

Have a conversation with a coach at
www.coachingbydesign.com.

Find a coach, a tool, a conference--both personal and
corporate--at www.coachingcircles.com.

Order ezines, websites, eforms, gifts, tapes, classes and
books at www.thomasleonard.com.

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ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS
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Block, Peter. Stewardship: Choosing Service Over 
Self-Interest. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 1993.

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MAINTAINING YOURSELF AS A LEADER
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WORN OUT LEADERS.  So many leaders I coach 
are exhausted with their role.  They are burned out, 
having trouble with balance, feeling the great weight on 
an organization on their shoulders.  Their misfortune is 
that they have not let go of the idea of the all-knowing, 
totally competent super leader.  They are still clutching
all the tasks of leadership.  A shift would be to view all people
as leaders and responsible for leading with you. Hold 
a study session on Ira Chaleff's The Courageous Follower:
Standing Up To and For Our Leaders (Berrett-Koehler,
1995).  Then, Leader, consider yourself the orchestrator 
and let the talents of others soar, to play the symphony 
for you, while you direct.