The Chronicle of Coaching provides a snapshot of what’s happening in the coaching profession, designed to show where and how coaching appears in the popular culture worldwide. It is not intended to be a summary service nor a news roundup, although it may serve that purpose for some readers. The Chronicle is updated each Wednesday at noon EDT. Compiled and edited by Alex Goldsmith, Linda Ballew and Ruth Ann Harnisch.

In this week’s Chronicle: The coach who got the most attention worldwide this week was the American professional basketball coach Isaiah Thomas, found guilty of sexually harassing a woman on his staff. Marion Jones returned her five Olympic medals as she admits her coach gave her steroids, not flaxseed oil. A health coaching website is teaming up with Microsoft’s new health technology to provide more client information to online wellness coaches and programs. In Switzerland, a management training program offers coaching as part of its curriculum. Librarians at one university in Tennessee add the title of “research coach.” A business coach training program uses streaming videos for participants to have two-way communication online. Coaching shows up in the comics. Many prosperity coaches help clients seek wealth – here’s one who says if you resent rich people and the way they live, you are sabotaging your quest to join them.
As always, if we missed anything, please let us know at info@thefoundationofcoaching.org

CONTRIBUTORS: We welcome your suggestions for inclusions in The Chronicle of Coaching. Please let us know about articles, broadcasts, blogs, and other instances of coaching in the culture.
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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.

Basketball Coach and Executive Found Guilty of Sexual Harassment
October 2, 2007, CNN (New York, USA)
The well-known NBA coach’s actions will cost his team $11.6 million dollars.

Disgraced Track Star Marion Jones Accepts Responsibility; Coach Is Implicated
October 9, 2007, Los Angeles Times (California, USA)
Admitting she took steroids and pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about it, Marion Jones faces prison. Most observers believe she and her coach made the decision together to cheat.

Coaches Give Smart Advice To Job Newbies
October 7, 2007, New York Times (Print Edition, Jobs Section, Career Coach Feature)
Several coaches offer practical tips for new hires as they learn about the politics and procedures in the unfamiliar workplace.

Coach Comments on E-Mail Overload
October 5-7, 2007, USA Today (Print Edition, Page One)
A front-page story on the new corporate “e-mail-free-Friday” concept includes comments from an executive coach.

Columnist Defines Difference between Coach and Mentor
October 2, 2007, Hospitality Net (The Netherlands)
Mentors give mentees freedom to choose their own direction and act as a sounding board, while coaches concentrate on helping clients strategically assess and self-monitor their progress.

Business Coaches Find Work Helping Entrepreneurs
October 7, 2007, The Seattle Times (Washington, USA)
Coaches can help entrepreneurs have better focus and stay on task.

Coaching Part of Management Training Curriculum
October 3, 2007, Hyper Island Blog (Karlskrona, Sweden)
One of the students’ assignments is to coach two people, one inside of the school and one outside of the school.

Life Coach: Coaching is Good for Couples
Fall 2007, Christianity Today (Illinois, USA)
Coaching can help families set up clearer goals and increase intimacy in a marriage.

Life Coaching and Business World Intersect
October 2, 2007, The Olympian (Washington, USA)
Local business owners turn to life coaches to help improve productivity and leadership skills.

Workplace Coach Gives Advice on Giving Advice
September 30, 2007, Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Washington, USA)
Consider the timing of the feedback, focus on the acts and not the attitudes, and define expectations.

Coach: Reach Out to New Employees
September 28, 2007, Small Business Times (Wisconsin, USA)
Invest time and money on improving and personalizing new employee training programs.

Coach: Lead Like a Coach
September 28, 2007, ManageSmarter (USA)
Coaching develops high commitment to common goals, produces leaders, and builds confidence and competence.

Coaching Firm’s Study Looks at Why Businesses Can’t Retain Employees
September 21, 2007, Roseville and Rocklin Today (California, USA)
Employees tend to leave if the workplace is unsafe, the work is unchallenging, or taking up too much time.

Newspaper Comic Pokes Fun at Coaching

Newspaper Profiles Executive Coach
October 2007, Black News (Ohio, USA)
Her mission is to help African American women break through limiting beliefs, define success, and achieve their goals.

What is Life Coaching?
October 8, 2007, Coaching Excellence Blog
Blogger offers her description.

Success is a Choice, Says Business Coach
October 5, 2007, The Coach Virtual Assistant Blog
Don’t use the words “but” or “can’t” and learn from the rich instead of defining them negatively.

Women’s Coach Recommends Prosperity Workshop
October 5, 2007, Smart Women’s Blog
The teleclass focuses on what you’re doing to sabotage your income and earning power.

Business Coach Lists Steps to Make a Good Business Plan
October 4, 2007, On Track and On Purpose Blog
Set a goal, know your current situation, find what’s wrong, and create a strategy to fix it.

Librarians are Now Research Coaches
October 4, 2007, Middle Tennessee State University (Tennessee, USA)
Research coaching sessions can be scheduled in 30-minute blocks.

Coach Gives Realtors Advice on Branding
October 3, 2007, Realty Business Coach Blog
Determine who the customer is, what they want, reasons why the business can provide what they want, describe how the product is unique, and repeat.

Doctors Needing Anger Management Can Learn By Being Coached
October 3, 2007, Anger Management News & Views Blog (Texas, USA)
The ten-hour coaching session gives physicians seeking anger management a more private environment.

Life Coach Offers Three-Level Model for Having Better Life Balance
October 2, 2007, Inner Path Coaching Blog
Take care of yourself first, relationships second, and career third.

Taking Regular Action Helps Change, Says Life Coach
October 2, 2007, Ecademy Blog
Getting in the habit of doing something to make slow and steady progress will help bring goals within reach.

Coach Gives Five Steps to Help Leaders Dealing With Change
September 24, 2007, Training Zone Blog (UK)
Have a vision, establish values, and gain the capability to get your team through change successfully. Find ways to motivate the team and then track progress.

Executive Coaching with Backbone and Heart: A Systems Approach to Engaging Leaders with Their Challenges, 2nd Edition
October 3, 2007, Business Wire
By Mary Beth O’Neill
Her book takes a systems-based approach to executive coaching.

Business Coach Training Firm Uses Streaming Online Video for Seminars
October 5, 2007, PR Web
Participants can watch the seminar live online and communicate with the leader through a chat feature.

Wellness Coaching Program Compatible with Microsoft’s New Health Search
October 4, 2007, Earthtimes.org
The search platform allows employees to easily share medical history with anyone including these online health coaches.

By Vikki G. Brock

According to Jeffrey Auerbach in his 2001 book, one definition of coaching came from the Professional and Personal Coaches Association (PPCA). “It was first published in 1997 on the PPCA website and in the PPCA’s media packet. The definition was created by a group of PPCA member volunteers and several board members who also interviewed several top coaches and coach training organizations. The PPCA and the ICF merged in 1998. The PPCA had a large dues-paying membership and a full set of industry ethics and standards. The ICF had incredible media exposure and a large email database. Bringing these two groups together created a synergistic effect for the coaching field.”