Alongside "what can I do to help?", "do I have to be a coach to get involved?" is the most common question I have received so far. The answer is no. There's room for many contributions to this project. I thought I'd share a few thoughts about what those contributions might be.
Firstly, anyone can join the Coaching for Haiti group on LinkedIn and get involved in the discussions which will be shaping the project as it goes on. It's especially helpful to have people's ideas at this stage - it's early days and people are clearly looking for inspiration.
It's also a time of spreading the word - something everyone can do. The more you are involved in the project (via the LinkedIn group, for example), the more you will know who to reach out to and what to say to them when you do.
Maybe you have some specific skill that might support the project. I can imagine that a great marketeer could help me to jazz up the page for donations on JustGiving. A great salesman might "sell" some sponsored coaching to some person or organisation that's keen to support this project. I may be wrong and still, I am imagining that for as many "sponsored coachings" sold there will be coaches who are eager to support this project by giving their time and coaching skills.
And of course, if all else fails, you can make a donation via www.JustGiving.com/CoachingforHaiti. This will go directly to the Disasters and Emergency Committee together with the tax they reclaim on your behalf.
Saturday 30 January 2010
Friday 29 January 2010
Coaching for Haiti: what can I do to help?
One of the most common questions that is coming back to me is "what can I do to help". I thought I'd take a moment to answer it here.
Maybe it's worth prefacing what I say with this thought: that I hope that everyone who contributes will do so because they are following their natural inclination to do so. For me this is about joyfully giving in ways which meet one's own needs. Let there be no sense of obligation in this project.
Right now, of course, it helps to spread the word. This is a project the success of which depends on many contributions. For this reason I took two simple actions to spread the word. One was to programme an automated PS on my e-mail signature and the other was to programme my autoresponder so that everyone who sends me an e-mail will get a brief introduction. This is my automated PS:
PS This automated message is to let you know that this year, Learning for Life (Consulting) is sponsoring Coaching for Haiti to raise money for the men, women and children of Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquakes in January 2010. If you'd like to support this initiative, you can read more at http://CoachingforHaiti.blogspot.com, or join the Coaching for Haiti group on LinkedIn or make a donation directly at www.JustGiving.com/CoachingforHaiti.
It also helps to have people's ideas and involvement. For this reason I have set up a discussion page on the Coaching for Haiti LinkedIn group. If you join the group and sign up to 'follow this discussion' you will be notified of any new ideas people choose to post.
I don't know about you but I am interested in what often gets called 'enlightened self interest'. For this reason, I am enjoying some of the ideas that support me as well as the project. For example, I have made a commitment to donate a percentage of the first invoice that is paid this year by any new client who reaches me by referral. Am I enjoying sharing this commitment with people? You bet I am.
And what about you? What ideas do you have?
Maybe it's worth prefacing what I say with this thought: that I hope that everyone who contributes will do so because they are following their natural inclination to do so. For me this is about joyfully giving in ways which meet one's own needs. Let there be no sense of obligation in this project.
Right now, of course, it helps to spread the word. This is a project the success of which depends on many contributions. For this reason I took two simple actions to spread the word. One was to programme an automated PS on my e-mail signature and the other was to programme my autoresponder so that everyone who sends me an e-mail will get a brief introduction. This is my automated PS:
PS This automated message is to let you know that this year, Learning for Life (Consulting) is sponsoring Coaching for Haiti to raise money for the men, women and children of Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquakes in January 2010. If you'd like to support this initiative, you can read more at http://CoachingforHaiti.blogspot.com, or join the Coaching for Haiti group on LinkedIn or make a donation directly at www.JustGiving.com/CoachingforHaiti.
It also helps to have people's ideas and involvement. For this reason I have set up a discussion page on the Coaching for Haiti LinkedIn group. If you join the group and sign up to 'follow this discussion' you will be notified of any new ideas people choose to post.
I don't know about you but I am interested in what often gets called 'enlightened self interest'. For this reason, I am enjoying some of the ideas that support me as well as the project. For example, I have made a commitment to donate a percentage of the first invoice that is paid this year by any new client who reaches me by referral. Am I enjoying sharing this commitment with people? You bet I am.
And what about you? What ideas do you have?
Thursday 28 January 2010
Making your donations: it's all set up!
It's amazing what you can do in between the cracks and what you learn in less than a day. One person has signed up (so far) to the Coaching for Haiti group on LinkedIn. My intray has been blossoming. Some people are making offers. Some are letting me know they have passed my e-mail on to friends (great idea! Why didn't I think to ask people to do that?). And... and... and...
Lynne, my coach in the US sends me a link to an article about Charlie Simpson, the seven-year old boy whose sponsored bike ride has become a major news event. It's not news to me but it does remind me that one simple way to organise fundraising is via Just Giving. So, today, I set up a page at http://www.JustGiving.com/CoachingforHaiti.
Where will the money go? Via the Disasters Emergency Committee in the UK to a range of charities who are supporting the relief efforts in Haiti.
Now, dear friends and colleagues, it's time to get creative.
Lynne, my coach in the US sends me a link to an article about Charlie Simpson, the seven-year old boy whose sponsored bike ride has become a major news event. It's not news to me but it does remind me that one simple way to organise fundraising is via Just Giving. So, today, I set up a page at http://www.JustGiving.com/CoachingforHaiti.
Where will the money go? Via the Disasters Emergency Committee in the UK to a range of charities who are supporting the relief efforts in Haiti.
Now, dear friends and colleagues, it's time to get creative.
Wednesday 27 January 2010
Coaching for Haiti: what's it about?
In recent days I have been watching news of the terrible aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti and I found myself wanting to do something that goes beyond putting my hand in my pocket – something that goes beyond anything I can do alone. From this thought the bare bones of an idea – which I am calling Coaching for Haiti – was born.
For a few days I have been watching the to’ing and fro’ing of my thoughts. What if I put the idea out there and nobody responds? What if the response is so overwhelming that it takes over my life? What if...? What if...? Today I have decided to share it and to let you know how you can, if you feel moved to, get involved. This way, I get to see if the idea does indeed have wings.
What’s the aim of Coaching for Haiti? The aim is to leverage the power coaching has to do good in the world in order to raise money for the men, women and children of Haiti. As the ICF’s International Coaching Week (7th to 14th February) approaches I am also aware of the potential for Coaching for Haiti to raise the profile of the coaching profession.
How might it work? I see Coaching for Haiti as a time-bound (one-year?) project that could capture the imagination of coaches, their clients, their friends, family and many other contacts: the essence of Coaching for Haiti is to leverage the support of many people who, like me, are moved by the plight of the people of Haiti and recognise the long road ahead. I imagine there may be a key sponsor that provides practical support (setting up a website, managing receiving funds for Haiti and passing them on, helping to raise interest in the media etc.). I also imagine many ways in which coaches might help to raise money using their coaching and other skills.
How can you contribute? If Coaching for Haiti is to take flight it will need a wide variety of contributions. These range from offering ideas, through helping to find a sponsor or sponsors right through to offering coaching in exchange for sponsorship for Coaching for Haiti. Right now, more than anything, Coaching for Haiti needs your ideas.
Over time, I imagine different ways that coaches might set about raising money. Some of them may be in exchange for coaching (writing to offer coaching to five people you’d really like to coach in exchange for a donation to Coaching for Haiti, for example). Some of them may involve coaches rather than coaching (going on a sponsored walk with members of your coaching supervision group, for example). Some of them may involve people other than coaches.
What can you do if you are interested to learn more? Coaching for Haiti is an opportunity to follow your heart and to make the contribution that suits you. At this stage, it is an idea that may or may not have wings. If you would like to belong to the community of people who are interested to support this idea, please sign up as a member of the Coaching for Haiti group on LinkedIn. This is a place where you can get involved and contribute ideas. You can also follow the progress of Coaching for Haiti here at http://coachingforhaiti.blogspot.com/. I look forward to seeing you there.
For a few days I have been watching the to’ing and fro’ing of my thoughts. What if I put the idea out there and nobody responds? What if the response is so overwhelming that it takes over my life? What if...? What if...? Today I have decided to share it and to let you know how you can, if you feel moved to, get involved. This way, I get to see if the idea does indeed have wings.
What’s the aim of Coaching for Haiti? The aim is to leverage the power coaching has to do good in the world in order to raise money for the men, women and children of Haiti. As the ICF’s International Coaching Week (7th to 14th February) approaches I am also aware of the potential for Coaching for Haiti to raise the profile of the coaching profession.
How might it work? I see Coaching for Haiti as a time-bound (one-year?) project that could capture the imagination of coaches, their clients, their friends, family and many other contacts: the essence of Coaching for Haiti is to leverage the support of many people who, like me, are moved by the plight of the people of Haiti and recognise the long road ahead. I imagine there may be a key sponsor that provides practical support (setting up a website, managing receiving funds for Haiti and passing them on, helping to raise interest in the media etc.). I also imagine many ways in which coaches might help to raise money using their coaching and other skills.
How can you contribute? If Coaching for Haiti is to take flight it will need a wide variety of contributions. These range from offering ideas, through helping to find a sponsor or sponsors right through to offering coaching in exchange for sponsorship for Coaching for Haiti. Right now, more than anything, Coaching for Haiti needs your ideas.
Over time, I imagine different ways that coaches might set about raising money. Some of them may be in exchange for coaching (writing to offer coaching to five people you’d really like to coach in exchange for a donation to Coaching for Haiti, for example). Some of them may involve coaches rather than coaching (going on a sponsored walk with members of your coaching supervision group, for example). Some of them may involve people other than coaches.
What can you do if you are interested to learn more? Coaching for Haiti is an opportunity to follow your heart and to make the contribution that suits you. At this stage, it is an idea that may or may not have wings. If you would like to belong to the community of people who are interested to support this idea, please sign up as a member of the Coaching for Haiti group on LinkedIn. This is a place where you can get involved and contribute ideas. You can also follow the progress of Coaching for Haiti here at http://coachingforhaiti.blogspot.com/. I look forward to seeing you there.
Tuesday 26 January 2010
Stepping over the threshold
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?'
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Source: A Return to Love – Marianne Williamson
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?'
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Source: A Return to Love – Marianne Williamson
Moved by the terrible aftermath of the recent earthquakes in Haiti I was inspired last week to take action - to do something which would leverage the power of coaching to raise far more money than I could hope to give myself. The vision that came to me has been inspiring and my brain has been full of ideas about how to make this happen - even as I write they are multiplying. At the same time, I have been having the ultimate 'Marianne Williamson moment'. What if I put the idea out there and no one comes forward to help? What if it is so successful that I cannot handle it?
Tentatively, I pop the idea on an e-mail on Sunday night to share with my dear friend Andy. By Monday 5pm I know I have to share it with Lynne, my coach. As much as anything, this is about giving voice to the idea, about stepping into the fullness of what's possible, about stepping over the threshold. For this is the beginning of what Joseph Campbell describes as a 'hero's journey', the time when the hero of the title hears the calling and gets to choose. Do I or do I not cross the threshold and embark on the journey?
By the time we finish our call I am ready to embark on the journey and eager to take a couple of steps that will get me going. I set up this blog and prepare my first posting. I set up a group on LinkedIn called Coaching for Haiti. I set aside time on Wednesday to take my next steps. I have stepped over the threshold.
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