So, what exactly is Coaching?
Coaching is the art of engaging leaders in a conversational process that results in levels of growth and performance they would not have achieved on their own. While it typically focuses on growth and change, it is not primarily about fixing under-performing leaders. It’s about taking good leaders and making them great, and helping great leaders access and utilize their full abilities. By believing in them and encouraging responsibility, instead of giving advice, the coach helps a leader clarify and take action toward the growth and change goals that they themselves have set. These may be personal or organizational. A helpful contrast is with mentoring. While a mentor draws on what they have to give from their own experience and expertise, a coach focuses on drawing out what’s already inside the leader being coached, and then maximizing their own insight, gifting and ability.
How does Coaching work?
Coaching provides a relational support structure that intentionally fosters growth and change through regular “phone appointments” with the coach. It provides a blend of challenge, encouragement, perspective and accountability that helps leaders fulfill their unique potential. Coaching is growing explosively in the business world, and is also widely used with small group leaders and church planters. In all these spheres, coaching has been found to greatly increase leadership effectiveness and development. Because it is normally done at a distance, professionally certified coaches with cross-cultural experience and a heart for the nations can provide high-quality individualized coaching to multiple missionary leaders in several different countries at the same time.
The Power of Leadership Coaching
Coaching is a dynamic method for helping leaders grow, change, and become more effective. Leadership coaching is not about fixing people. It’s about taking good leaders and making them great, and helping great leaders access and utilize their full abilities. Coaching provided by CMI will help mission leaders lead more satisfying, balanced and productive lives, while dramatically reducing the burn out and attrition that drain skilled workers from the field. Multiplying the impact and longevity of those who have already been sent will yield great rewards.
The Scope of Leadership Coaching: Worldwide
Because it is normally done at a distance and by internet telephony, professionally certified coaches with cross-cultural experience and a heart for the nations can provide high-quality individualized coaching to multiple missionary leaders in several different countries at the same time.
