The Chronicle of Coaching provides a snapshot of what’s happening in the coaching profession, and is updated weekly. Compiled and edited by Ruth Ann Harnisch, Christine Heinrichs, and Linda Ballew.

In this week’s Chronicle: As we track trends in coaching worldwide, we make note of another government-sponsored coaching program this week: The State of Florida will actively coach prisoners to prepare them for life on the outside. Another trend: press attention for Nintendo’s “My Life Coach” videogame. Last week the first reports hit the press; this week we learn more details about how the game works. A major network television show features the well-reviewed coaching of Debbie Ford – she gets fourth billing behind The Ex-Wives (including one former Mrs. Donald Trump). Coaches help careerists find meaning, self-confidence, and humiliation (yes, you read that right). We’re tracking the trend of teaching “regular” people to engage in coaching conversations – this week parents are encouraged to be life coaches for their teens, and the ongoing growth of health coaching is evident. Do clients brag about having a coach or do they keep it a secret? Coaches are blogging about empowerment strategies, best business practices, and emerging specialties. Press releases went out this week for an audio conference for health coaches, a leadership workshop and drama-based coaching seminar for business managers.

The Chronicle of Coaching strives for 100% accuracy and regrets any deviation from that standard. Our policy is to correct errors promptly and prominently, in the next edition and in the online archive. Please tell us immediately if you see something wrong.

And as always, if we missed anything, let us know at info@thefoundationofcoaching.org

Generous Gift Will Help Endow MIT Crew Coaches
May 25, 2007, Wall Street Journal (New York, USA)
The Wall Street Journal reported a $1million gift to MIT from Richard J. Resch, CEO of Krueger International Furniture, to endow four full-time freshman crew coaches. He crewed while a MIT student, then coached while studying at Harvard. He learned teamwork, hard work and time management.

Florida Governor Approves Coaching for Inmates
May 23, 2007, Palm Beach Post (Florida, USA)
Representing a marked change from the past, the Florida Department of Corrections is working with the state's labor department, the Agency for Workforce Innovation, the Florida Home Builders Association, and the state's Habitat for Humanity program, in addition to its own public-private partnership, to coach inmates to be better prepared for release.

Coach Teaches Self-Confidence to Post-Apartheid Women
May 27, 2007, Scotsman.com (Scotland, UK)
She believes there is a strong mind-body connection, and explains that by thinking in a negative way and by not forgiving, your physical health is impacted.

“Get Psyched” with New York Life Coach
May 26, 2007, Gothamist (New York, USA)
After hitting rock bottom, literally, this coach uses his “Get Psyched” seminar to excite people about their lives. The program includes having fun, pumping it up, going for it, enjoying, drinking plenty of fluids and of course, getting psyched.

Guidance from a Coach Can Revitalize Career
May 28, 2007, The News Journal (Delaware, USA)
Career coaches work with clients through self-discovery, uncovering what impact and meaning they desire from their job.

American Idol Contestants Benefit from Coaching and Advice
May 28, 2007, American Chronicle (California, USA)
Music business professionals coach contestants on everything from singing, performance, image, dress, movement around the stage, and every other aspect of being a star singer. This article concludes that Jordin Sparks, this year’s winner, may have been the best at listening and taking their advice.

Life Coaches Help Graduates Find More than Money in a Career
May 27, 2007, The Tennessean (Tennessee, USA)
Fulfillment and self-expression are important to these job seekers, as well as an opportunity to find meaning and build on their strengths.

Be the Best Life Coach for Your Teens
May 26, 2007, Bradenton Herald (Florida, USA)
Spend family time, teaching teen-agers life skills such as household management, budgeting, simple car repair, decision making. Hire a personal coach for help, or join a parenting class, ask a teacher, buy a book.

New Reality Show Features Life Coach
May 28, 2007, ABC–TV (USA)
Debbie Ford supports The Ex-Wives Club with coaching. She conducts an anger-releasing workshop and helps people purge their lives of negative emotions.

Executive Coaching a Billion Dollar Industry - What Is It?
May 24, 2007, Black Enterprise (New York, USA)
This article describes what to look for in an executive coach and outlines the coaching process.

Business Leaders Use Coaches But Don’t Talk About It
May 24, 2007 The Spectator (UK)
Although many senior businesspeople regard their coaching as private and absolutely not something to declare openly, this executive freely shares her positive experience.

Business Coaches Help Employees Focus on Big Picture
June 2007, Entrepreneur Magazine (USA)
Coaches can also help the company’s team stay on track toward goals and teach them new skills and techniques. Managers can learn ways to deal with difficult employees, handle changes in their business, and assess workers.

Email Coaching Service May Help Smokers Quit
May 23, 2007, EurActic.com (Brussels, Belgium)
Survey showed in the last 12 months, one in three European smokers tried to stop, but 70% failed. Email campaign will offer support.

A Coach By Any Other Name Is What?
May 23, 2007, Chicago Tribune (Illinois, USA)
This columnist responds to a question from a professional wondering what to call himself.
When people ask you what you do, what do you say? The words you use to describe your work might determine how much you get paid.

Want a Successful Life? Coach Says Create a Strategic Plan
May 23, 2007 Milwaukee Small Business Times (Wisconsin, USA)
Strategic life plan includes examining your present situation, deciding what you want out of life, identifying values and lifestyle choices, choosing options and strategies, taking action and remaining flexible.

Personal Development Coach Outlines 12 Empowerment Strategies
May 28, 2007, Internet Marketing Blog (USA)
Guest author’s strategies include letting go of what is not working, continuing steps to grow, getting out of denial, stop making ego-based decisions, giving up being a perfectionist, tuning into personal energy, and more.

Executive and Business Coach Outlines Best Business Practices for 2006
May 27, 2007, The Leadership Blog (USA)
He says business should use these best practices to train the next generation of leaders since half of baby-boomer CEO’s will be retiring in the next five to ten years.

Sales Coach Says Choose Humiliation
May 24, 2007 Direct Sales Coaching (California, USA)
To reach goals and build a business in sales, one must be willing to risk uneasiness, rejection and humiliation.

Coaching Blog Advises Coaches on Practical Matters
May 24, 2007, Life Coaching Resource (USA)
He offers advice on developing policies and procedures and identifying expectations for both coach and client.

Blogger Chats about New Niches in Coaching
May 23, 2007, New Persuasion (USA)
She gives brief descriptions and links to specialties, including retirement coaches, sleep coaches, dating coaches, nutrition coaches and more

Nintendo DS “My Life Coach” Game
Ubisoft
May 26, 2007 PALGN (Australia)
Through interaction with cartoon stick figures, players are encouraged to think about their lifestyles, to create new goals and work towards making changes for a better life.

Audio Conference Helps Health Coaches Manage Data
May 25, 2007 PR Web (Washington, USA)
This IT platform organizes medical data in order to free time for coach to focus on the patient’s needs. It also allows the company to track clinical outcomes, and the bottom line.

Challenges of Effective Leadership Are Workshop Topic
May 24, 2007, Earthtimes.org (USA)
In the workshop’s Peak Performance Development Plan, goals are to assess and improve personal management style. They try to increase 20 behaviors that employees, customers and management identify as effective leadership.

Business Managers Learn Coaching Through Drama-Based Training
May 23, 2007, UKPRwire (UK)
This half-day workshop shows managers different ways to empower their teams to take more responsibility for decisions and actions. Each participant takes part in a role play, where they demonstrate what they learned with an actor.

By Vikki G. Brock

The roots of coaching from the decade of 1970s include the rise of large group awareness trainings such as Werner Erhard’s EST, Life Spring, and others. Sir John Whitmore brought together the California hippies of Esalen with the British aristocracy of Findhorn in a series of “May Lectures” in 1974 in London.

Fernando Flores, sponsored by Werner Erhard through Amnesty International, delivered “Communication for Action” workshops. Terry Cole-Whittaker, involved in EST, began television ministries. Richard Bandler & John Grinder developed NLP during this period.

Personal and group success literature included Richard Bolles, “What Color is Your Parachute?” Barbara Sher, “Wishcraft,” Julia Cameron, “The Artist’s Way,” Gail Sheehy, “Passages”, Tony Buzan, “The Mind Map,” Richard Leider, “Inventurers,” and Helen Schucman, “A Course in Miracles.”

Next week we will look at the roots of business coaching from the decade of the 1970s.