I’ll admit it. I’m an evangelist when it comes to coaching. It helped change my life on multiple levels—

• I believe I can do more than I used to think (and do),
• My income has increased (primarily because of belief breakthroughs),
• I bounce back from setbacks and surprises faster, and
• Much more!

The changes didn’t happen overnight. My journey to being credentialed by the International Coach Federation (ICF), the gold standard in professional coach credentialing, has been a long one. It took six years to earn the entry-level ACC credential, and another year to earn my PCC (Professional Certified Coach) credential. Those who have earned a PCC (or more) from ICF know that it’s no small feat. The PCC credential takes:

• 750 hours of documented coaching time (not consulting or counseling time) with clients, and
• 130+ hours of coach-specific training (and the many thousands of dollars to make that happen!).

Was it worth it? You bet! In the process, I have learned that coaching is a safety net for any conversation. The competencies set out by ICF are pure wisdom and, when mastered, ensure that your client comes away with greater clarity on what they want (and often a bigger dream for what they want), how to go about getting it, and the commitment and confidence to go for it.

I’ve also learned that clients DO have the answers, and that I don’t have to tell them what to do or be ready with a solution. (What a freeing epiphany that was, especially when I truly believed it in my heart and didn’t just give lip service to it.)

But I’ve also discovered something that seems to be a misconception among many career professionals, which leads me to a potential controversy.

In the coaching world, the saying “the client has the answers” is common speak. Said another way, “coaches don’t tell clients what to do.”  True, to a degree. So here’s my controversial claim: Career coaches SHOULD tell clients what to do . . . on occasion!

Recently I had the opportunity to present at The Career Thought Leaders Conference in Baltimore. I experienced many “highs” from the programs presented and especially reveled to be in the company of more than 150 career professionals—all thought leaders in their own rights, doing impressive things for clients, companies, and the communities they serve.

At the conference, I presented a session “From Stuck to Unstoppable” that highlighted some strategies for shifting from stuck, stalled, or spinning your wheels to unstoppable, stress-free, and successful. Here are just a few highlights:

Play the “Blame Game”:

I doubt that anyone reading this is blaming others for their situation, right?! However, if you know of someone who has a tendency to blame other people or circumstances for their “problematic” situation, have them try this:

• Reverse the blame game by pointing fingers at yourself.
• Ask yourself, how have my actions or inactions contributed to my circumstances?
• What can I do to change the circumstances?
• What will I do to change the circumstances? (yes, this question is different than the prior one!)

Note: I am NOT proposing a guilt trip or advocating self-deprecation with this exercise; the goal is simply to find ways that will help shift your thinking from victim to victor.

Be a Control Freak:

You read that right! Be a control freak: control the controllables and sing the theme song, “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.” Some questions to help shift into control mode and take charge of your time (your most precious commodity):

• What do you need to say “no” to?… “yes” to?
• What do you need to re-prioritize?
• What will happen if you don’t devote time to this?
• How much time will it take you to _____? Where is that time in your schedule?
• When’s the best time of day to do that task?
• How much time are you spending on resume tweaking and/or Internet surfing?

Reframe and Reclaim:

Our limiting beliefs about challenging situations often drive us to a place of fear, frozen with indecision and inaction. If you know of someone who fits the bill, consider this exercise:

• Stand up and find a space in your room where you’ll have room to move a few feet in several directions.
• State your current perspective on the challenging situation.
• If the current perspective were at 12 o’clock on a clock face, step over to the 3 o’clock position.
• State your perspective from the 3 o’clock position by answering the question: What perspective would a trusted advisor or your most faithful advocate have about this situation?
• Step to the 6 o’clock position.
• State your perspective from the 6 o’clock position by answering the question: What is your perspective one year from now where the situation is resolved, and you’re looking back with gratitude and peace about the resolution?
• Step to the 9 o’clock position.
• State your perspective from the 9 o’clock position by answering the question: What does this situation look like from the perspective of the living legacy or eternal impact you want to have on your world?
• Finally, ask yourself, which of these positions will make me the most empowered?

Of course, adopt the position that will allow you to think and take action from a place of perspective and choice.

Interested in the entire presentation that you can deliver to your audience of job seekers or career-minded professionals? It’s just one of the products available for sale (complete with presenter scripts for all 22 slides) as one of my “Done for You” presentations. Just contact Lyndsey@TheAcademies.com for more info!

I love serendipity and allowing room for “Life” to intersect with best-laid plans. But sometimes I sway too far on the side of serendipity and don’t focus enough on clarifying the things I would like to create and achieve.

With a new year around the corner, I sat down to think about my intentions for 2010 and wrote up my personal list. Then I got to thinking about what a savvy careerist would need to be intentional about to create a career that is radically rewarding . . . here is a suggested list of “Career Intentions for 2010” you might want to adopt or adapt:

1.     Be Intentional: That’s right. #1 on the list requires that you focus on being intentional. It all starts with awareness. What do you need to do to stay focused on your goals and not let the busyness and distractions of life take you off course?

2.     Make Space for Career Management: Like exercise, it won’t happen unless you make space for it. Set aside time, at a minimum once a month, to evaluate where you are with your career plans and what adjustments you might need to make.

3.     Find Out What Your Boss (or Boss To Be) Wants: It’s impossible to experience career success without intersecting your desires with what your employer needs. When is the last time you asked your boss “How can I help you be wildly successful?”

4.     Share with Your Boss What You Want: Frame it in the context of company goals. For example, “Mr. Boss, I’m committed to helping XYZ Company continue on its course of success. Down the road, I see myself _____ [fill in the blank – for example, “contributing in a director role and coordinating new product launches that will allow us to be first-to-market in Web-based widget solutions.”] Then ask, “What would it take to make that happen?”

5.     Leverage & Collaborate with Your Career Community: These days, it takes the cooperation and collaboration of teams to make real progress. Who are the key members of your career community—the people who can help you get where you want in your career? Who needs to be added to that community? How can you reach out to them, learn what they need, and deepen connections?

6.     Know Your Value: Can you identify how you deliver a return-on-investment to your employer? If not, start thinking about how you can make them more money, save them money, solve important problems. This will allow you to become the “hunted” and not a “hunter” of new opportunities.

7.     Know Your Values: Are you honoring your values in your current work? Do you know what your values are? Whether it be the ability to make a significant contribution, work with integrity, take risks, etc., knowing your values and living by them is the one thing you can always control during the day.

8.     Don’t Give Away Your Power: If you’re in a difficult situation, don’t resign yourself to thinking, “I’m stuck. There are no options. This is the way it’s always going to be.” Instead, remember the saying “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.” There are always options you can take action on, even if it’s only reframing your perspective.

9.     FAIL Forward: A wise soul once said that FAIL stands for “From All I Learn.” Make 2010 a year of learning, even in those places of unmet expectations and disappointments. Ask yourself, “What do I want to learn in this situation that will benefit my career long-term?” Likewise, identify what new skills, competencies, or credentials you want to add to your toolbelt in 2010.

10. Be an S.O.S. Worker: S.O.S. stands for Serve Others Selflessly. I’m not advocating being a doormat or a candidate for abuse. I am advocating that you “find the need and fill it,” without an agenda or expectation of a payback. Trust that it will come to you. Those who persevere, prosper.

Here’s to a year of prosperity!