Serban Chinole

I still recall the days I went to my first CTI coaching training. CTI approach is to help you absorb what is like to be a coach through an experience.

Woaw, what an experience. I was shattered by that experience. I found myself with the choice of getting to be a COACH. At that time I was a successful salesman at Microsoft. I chose to be fulfilled over comfort and to grow by being a coach.

It was quite a journey. A hard stretching one. If I would have known how hard it is, I would have considered more before leaving the comfort zone. But here in the learning zone is the place where the growth happens.

After more than one year I managed to have my record revenue month. Besides the personal coaching I am having I  coach a team of Sales Management Executives in one corporation and there is one more about to be signed.

What helps you?

Choose the right niche, built a strategy, use your inner strengths exercised wherever you live and be in constant contact with your spiritual part.

Now guess what are some of the coaches biggest problems?

• Clients, how to get them? How to choose a niche and how to deal with it?
• Find resources that would make the human in the coach and  client transcend all these problems?
• How do you coach in the corporate world?

Does any of the above sound familiar to you?

If you are curios how to get to be a professional coach, how to coach in the corporate world and how to tap into the infinite resources reservoir you are at the right place, in the right moment. Join us at the International Coaching Federation - Romanian chapter 2010 conference. If you consider that you want to get the answers click here.

In  the last two weeks I had a chance to work with three groups of managers, to discuss with some prospect clients and to work on launching the ICF Romania 2-nd conference.

What is my learning point? The only way to project and make yourself clear about what coaching is and why is considered one of the best ways to achieve change and results long term, is when you practice.

Talking or promoting is not enough, selling is even worse, however when you embark in a coaching journey no matter in what format you are in a different reality.

I heard comments on the recent Oscar awards, and many reported disappointment for Avatar score. I wonder why, my answer is simple, many of us have fantasies and avoid what IS.

The Iraq war is reality and we like to believe that this will not happen to us, the analogy I see here is that people are determined to pursue fantastic outcomes, but will avoid what is here NOW.

Five years ago I was wondering if coaching can change lives, now I measure the results, and boy, the journey is just starting.

So what is this title? Could be a sales model, or maybe a mnemonic ?

How about three great teachers? Yes, this the key, you want more about the mystery, go to

www.coachfederation.ro and find out.

This my gift for you, read the post and make comments, more to come soon.

Cool?

Yes we do, we enjoy every moment and this is our secret as coaches.

How we start is a different story, everybody has a personal experience and some of us prefer a route for development, related to a certain school or model.

It is the beginning with a-ha moments, the process and attention to skills, early clients that challenge our way of thinking, the questions that we welcome at networking events and of course the excitement of new.

We keep doing week after week sessions and we add, and sometimes lose clients to our practice, no matter what, we do not give up what we love.

How is this journey now? Well, the same, exciting, we celebrated in style last week, we offered pro-bono sessions and we are ready for the next challenge.

Somebody asked me last week, what is my Destination in coaching, the answer was:

I just love the journey, this is what keeps me happy,

Peace and love for everybody!

We are busy with current events, chasing new prospects and projects and in this continuos run forget to breathe and enjoy the NOW.

This is my challenge and I stop today and offer my services pro-bono for a week, meaning I celebrate my profession, my clients, my partners and last but not least all my teachers.

I want to thank my clients first because they give me permission and allow me to implement solutions, what is more they pay me for my efforts, my partners many thanks to Andrew Atter, Viorel Panaite, Radu Stanescu, Ioan Nicut, Raluca Chinole, to name a few, and of course Steve Mitten, Kathy Munoz, Phraba, Bill Turpin, CTI community, ICA community, ICF Romania local chapter members.

I accept that not everybody will understand why we volunteer and do things for free, that is fine with me, peace and love to everybody.

Just returned from a ski trip in Cervino, Italy and wanted badly to share a couple of comments and findings.

First one is about the beauty of Western Alps, magnificent, incredible infrastructure for winter sports, traveling and site seeing. Matterhorn and the surroundings brings you closer to your own reflections about life, purity, making you wonder about many things.

Now, how are people here, well, I am a little bit embarrassed to admit that I felt strange in the small family hotel we have been accommodated. I thought is just me and my high expectations raised somehow last year in Ischgl, Austria, however after a week of mistreatment I decided to share, starting with a ridiculous poor breakfast, and stopping the heath during night and last but not least never smiling and being polite with guests.

We say that Romania is a warm country with tourists, based of course on their feedback, I would say that I felt frozen in Valtournenche and do not recommend this area for  people used with normal customer service.

My final remark is again related to the mountains, in such a breathtaking environment it is a shame that the local people behave this way, in other words beautiful place, bad inhabitants.

It was funny to see Orlando and wonder, what is this city?

Parks, hotels restaurants and convention centers, no other businesses, so either you go to a meeting or you have fun or both. Back to my trip purpose, I got there easy with my GPS, which is not as accurate in Europe, the hotel which is a golf resort, looked huge, and for zillion conventions inside still comfortable.

I had a chance to meet in person internet legends as Milana Leshinski or Life Coach Mary Ellen and of course Peter Block and Richard Strozzi.

From the experience point of view is hard to share, one thing I realized, that if you follow your intuition and let go the should see events , you are better off.

The main event was Robert’s Middleton marketing presentation and for some reason I said I should be there, well, disapointed not for the quality of the event, but for the hard sell type of presentation, almost asking to sign in there and now.

On the contrary Peter Block and Richard Strozzi created the space for us to be alive and combined spiritual, music and words in beautiful and tasty melange.

We all sung partiro in Italian, and somehow felt home because from next year the ICF President is from Italy, Giovana D’Alessio, so we as Europeans have a great chance to be noticed.

More on www.coachfederation.ro

One more week and a new global coaching conference organized by ICF (International Coach Federation) will take place.

What is so exciting? For starters, location, Orlando Florida, lots of touristic places, Universal Studios, Disneyland, shopping outlets.

From the content point of view, this year we will be honoured to see Peter Block, probably the most known voice in professional consultancy, he will open the first day, same way as Peter Senge did last year in Montreal.

Four days packed with sessions concerning leadership and coaching, mind, body and spirit, coaching competencies, research and last but not least many parties, including meetings and drinks offered by coaching schools.

For my followers, please go after #icfconference on twitter, live coverage and we can exchange ideas or I may answer to your questions.

Later,

Today we celebrate the Army day, and I realized that 25 years ago I decided to volunteer and become a paratrooper.

I remember the excitement of the whole deal, I am gonna jump from a plane, be the king of the world, I said to myself.

Well the reality was a little bit different, we made probably over 40 marches and took me 8 months of preparation to jump for the first time.

First I learned how to pack my shute, and make sure it is perfect folded, second we learned survival techniques and endurance, the point is for some minutes of fly we worked 8 months.

What is the lesson here?

Many professionals decide to leave their careers and to become entrepreneurs and many of them want to jump and enjoy the fly immediately.

If we look over the websites we see a lot of words about ME how smart, well trained, extremely good specialist and so on, in other words buy ME now because I WANT so.

Is this the right way? Certainly not, even the mis-use of Social Media for selling services and products shows the lack of understanding of the newcomers.

What is the context now? It is clear that the game changed and all sales and marketing strategies are different.

My intention is to give for 6 weeks my perspective of the new SALES CODE, if you want to listen the audios on this go to www.iconsultants.ro and subscribe.

And one more thing, look at your business and ask yourself this question: Can I sell my business now?

Yes, this is true, I am afraid of this, looks like an intrusion in my perfect body, or let us say the way I see myself.

Why in the world I would want a qualified person to check my potential sickness when I can still dream that I am perfect and untouchable.

Now, seriously, some months ago, about 10, I attempted to do this by promoting teleseminars with serious content and after 5 lukewarm encounters I said, this is not working.

We all love procedures that we know, believe that we are good in something called simple: habit.

If somebody presents us the benefits of a new procedure what is the first thing we say? No, it is natural to reject such a new and dangerous way, but hey let us look at some numbers:

300.000.000 people, about the 8th country in the world ahead Japan, this is what Facebook has today as members, 100.000.000 videos seen per day on YouTube, 1382% growth rate for Twitter January-February 2009.

So, Mr.Clooney you can be motivated more by a prostate check, I will always prefer Social Media.

For the early adopters and survivors, 3 more seats for Social Media Boot Camp, www.iconsultants.ro