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Foundation Four C23 Discussion
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When I think about coaching/guiding others, I think about bringing life to my potential clients… the word that comes to mind is aliveness, help them discover the power of adventure and nature while understanding themselves better.
I want to help them trust that whatever they put their mind into they can achieve it. I am all about overcoming challenging situations and have the support of a community, feeling surrounded.
My ideal clients are in their 30s/40s, want to become a better version of themselves and have enough money to invest in themselves.
I see myself guiding people in nature retreats for a weekend for example and also doing one-on-one coaching for additional support. I’d like to create my own program that would be centered on nature/adventure, self-discovery/self-love and relationships with others. I know I can do it because it’s exactly what I’ve been through. Nature has always been my go-to, I am now living full time in a RV as a business development engineer (who would have thought it was possible?! not me!), I’ve been on the journey of self-awareness/self-discovery since 2019 and I’ve grown tremendously in my relationships (with myself and others) since then. I want to infuse that in others. The question is: how do you find these clients?
I’ve also recently been certified in DISC personality styles and started teaching it within my company. This tool will allow me to teach the personality styles to others so they understand how their behaviors are impacting their own success and impacting others. Improves individual and team communication. Increases acceptance of others and decreases conflict and drama. Improves organizational culture, one interaction at a time. This will help people become a far more effective leader, salesperson, or teacher; revitalize their career; build deeper personal relationships; fully leverage their natural gifts, and empower everyone around them.
DISC personality styles is also a tool that can give a better understanding of your kids (or kids in your family/life) and their personalities. As a teenager, I wanted to be a therapist for kids and help them through drawings… but now I feel I want to work with adults and raise their awareness on their kids strength so they can pull the best out of them and help them understand who they are, what they like/dislike, and realize that they do not need to be any different.
As a kid, I’ve been told by a teacher that I was “too slow” in school when I didn’t finish my exam… even to this date, I remember feeling like a failure, I wasn’t good enough… Reflecting back and knowing all what I know now, I am the type that needs to take it slow, I am detailed oriented, I like to do things a certain way, it takes me time to get it but once I get it, it’s there for good! If this teacher had taken the time to ask me what was happening or had more awareness/emotional intelligence, things might have been slightly different or at least I would have felt understood and not like a failure…
I realize that I am still seeing things are one OR the other, instead of BOTH..AND… Am I becoming a life coach/nature coach or an executive coach? I don’t feel ready and experienced enough to be an executive coach yet although I know that all my network is with my corporate job and it’s where the possibility of finding clients would be easier I think.
I am going to continue my path and let go of the outcome.
Few examples of individuals or organizations who work with similar populations:
– https://merrickrosenberg.com/
Merrick is the CEO of Take flight learning, he’s the leading authority on how personality drives success and happiness. He is the one that helped me learn more about myself and others and realize that we are all successful in our own ways, no need to change and mimic someone else. I’ve done couple team builiding events over the years with the different companies I worked for and I have to say, this is something that interests me a lot. A mix of fun, connection, community and learning/emotional intelligence. One thing that I particularly enjoy is the parallel Merrick is making between personality styles and birds. Somehow he managed to bring a bit of nature into the personality styles.
– https://teambuildersplus.com/
Their approach to corporate team building is that it has to be fun, engaging and help change future behavior. Participants in the team building programs will build trust, improve communication and develop the skills that lead to a more cohesive team environment. Doing some research and finding this style of team building events gets me excited. How amazing would it be to do this as a job while having fun at the same time?! I think the only downside is that corporate team building is not really tuning in into Nature and the slow pace of the environment. Hmmm maybe something to develop?! Corporate Team building with the 7 breaths and other awareness concepts in Nature 🙂
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Foundation 4 – Summary Post
Foundation 4 was really helpful to understand and to practice the threshold and stages of incorporation. I was able to experience the high energy flow through ceremony where we see things differently in this expansive state and where the belief in ourselves increases. The key is really to pause and to start taking actions and writing down a plan when we’re in this high energy.
After reading everyone’s post, it really hit me how our life experiences seem to have such a strong impact on the type of clients we want to work with. Yes we all learn so much from EBI and we’ll be NCC certified after this one year program but it’s a good reminder that in a way we are all “life certified” with our own skills. Nobody knows better than us what we’ve been through and how to cross “that bridge”. It is a matter of finding ways to transmit this information to help others do the same.
I really enjoyed this discussion because it allowed me to learn more about everyone’s vision, to discover new websites that I didn’t even know existed and I am so excited to be a witness of everyone’s growth. It is truly exciting and inspiring!
And it really helped me solidify my thoughts on who I would want to work with and what type of work. If I can summarize in few words what my coaching is about: aliveness, power of adventure, play, overcoming, community, trust, self-love, relationships.
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Rahhh for some reason I can’t modify my previous post… makes it really hard for a perfectionist like me with an owl personality haha.
Ok I am letting go right now 🙂 and adding some websites in here that inspired me! I see myself doing outdoor team building activities for the corporate world where I can use the Nature awareness tools and work with groups as well as one-on-one coaching.
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I feel like my life’s work/purpose is to support others with their life’s work/purpose, so I envision ideal clients as people who are working on their dreams. I feel drawn to start a business with the purpose of offering support to “soulpreneurs” in a variety of ways (strategic/action-oriented, nature-connected coaching, and craniosacral)—particularly womxn. I want my clients to feel like they are not alone and that they have a helping hand in working toward their dreams, whether starting a new business or non-profit or a special project. I also want to support my clients with self-love and helping them feel whole, which I have personally worked on a great deal. I would like to help clients lean into fears—to get out of their own way—to pursue their passions.
I want my work to be accessible financially and anticipate having a sliding scale or some other creative way of accommodating people of lower incomes.
Collaborating with nature—ideally I will meet my clients outside as much as possible, perhaps on nearby trails or in a park. Even if we are inside or over Zoom I see tapping into nature as a way to enhance the experience. Collaborating with nature is challenging for me to articulate, because it feels so holy and in the moment that I just don’t think words do it justice. I want to help people make soulful decisions.
Re: organizations that serve similar populations: one that came to mind is the Small Business Development Center (https://bouldersbdc.com/). I actually don’t know that much about it, but I have a contact there and am in the process of setting up a coffee date with her soon to learn more about what they offer!
Also, this site has inspired me: https://yourlightspace.co/ I want to help Paige’s clients (“soulpreneurs”) as they implement the business model strategy she provides to them. Think I might reach out to her too. . .
I think these organizations have great resources for folks but probably don’t focus as much on the touchy feely “tap into yourself” conversations. That’s where I come in!
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Summary Post
It has been really fun and inspiring to reflect on this and to see everyone’s else’s reflections and thought process. I can really feel everyone’s passions coming through, which is why I love this program and this creative process. It has also confirmed in me that I want to support others because I know how much being—and feeling—supported has meant to me, and I believe that supporting one another is a way to lift up individuals and the collective (Age of Aquarius, anyone?).
I am noticing more and more people who are advertising themselves as coaches (this is probably partially the Reticular Activating System at work and partially the fact that coaching is, indeed, a growing field). In my moments of self-doubt* I wonder how I can distinguish myself from others—why someone would come to me when there are so many great coaches out there. Ultimately I am learning to trust that the right people will show up and to trust that I have something to give.
*For you Partswork aficionados, this is probably “Protector Pete” trying, well, to protect me from failure. “Thank you, Protector Pete. I see you, and I hear you. . .”
(the Forum was acting weird, so I am replying to myself to get this Summary Post up there ;-))
(Foundations done–woot! Mic drop!)
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I have long struggled with the question of which population most excites me for guiding and coaching. Feeling the call to guide, but feeling not oriented towards a clear sense of direction.
Throughout the Foundations Modules and beyond, I have struggled with the tension of wanting to guide people find purpose through coaching work versus helping companies influence and find profit and power. When I first started this program, I was seeking to run away from my past and professional experience and move towards a more nature connected way of living and guiding.
In my professional work today, I lead a mid-sized communications and brand strategy agency that helps some of the largest, most powerful companies, brands, and organizations tell a more effective and compelling story to influence their respective audiences.
In the weeks and months since, it has become clear that these are not opposing paths, but instead, point towards a shared path and purpose ahead. I now get excited about the possibility of helping organizations find and achieve purpose through the application of nature connection and coaching principles and practices.
Helping leaders, both established and new, lead and execute their organizations in a way that leads to a more positive impact on the world and the people they lead and manage. And, then I also get excited about working with individuals across these organizations and others. How can people better find their purpose and lead a life full of vision aligned work (or, a vision aligned life distinct and separate from work)?
Too often, it feels our relationship to work drives a growing wedge between our innate desire and needs to cultivate connection with nature. As work for many shifts even more online, this wedge puts more pressure on our relationship with and connection to nature.
It is clear we have an opportunity to reorient organizations, those who lead them, and those who comprise them, and the cultures that unite them towards a new form of growth and culture. A growth that is oriented towards the people organizations and companies serve and the lives they lead beyond their work. Not a culture of profit-seeking productivity but a nature connected organizational culture that recognizes and acknowledges our shared heritage and belonging with nature. As we reorient, we have an opportunity to reclaim purpose and vision as our own — not one defined by society or its existing structures.
Now, this feels like an increasingly crowded and undifferentiated space.
There is a glut of individuals and organizations that work with organizations to help them find purpose, vision, and mission (heck, I lead one of those already). But, all too often these are focused on brand marketing to influence and shift perceptions.
There is also a glut of work focused on team building, collaboration, and culture through outdoor and wilderness education and experiences. But, all too often these themselves are devoid of their own purpose and vision. Too short term focused on short term gains rather than true change and transformation over time.
And, there is a glut of executive and leadership coaching focused on working with individuals and organizations to cultivate and retain leadership talent. There is a small and growing number of coaches and guides that recognize the value in highlighting “nature” or “outdoor” or “wilderness” in their pitch. But, for most this amounts to coaching or guiding in nature, rather than with nature. A backdrop for a retreat or a walk rather than a true collaborator or catalyst for change.
At the end of the day, I am interested and most excited in guiding the broad swath of individuals and organizations seeking change and transformation, those who recognize the need to reorient towards a nature connected culture, community, and life; those who seek to live lives of meaning and purpose through a deeper collaboration with nature through all elements of life and work.
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Summary Post
Reflecting and re-reviewing everyone’s posts in the Foundation Four module is so energizing and reinvigorating. The passion, energy, and creativity from everyone is truly inspiring. It truly points to the virtually infinite possibilities for what we as nature connected coaches can create with the knowledge and experience this program provided.
During the foundation’s webinars, Daniel discussed the importance and value of finding a specific, focused niche. Among other things, it allows us to be more differentiated, better target our outreach and marketing efforts. The uniqueness of NCC can help provide some focus and specificity and that is magnified more through a focused target audience.
Over the past several months, I am increasingly interested in centering some work around outdoor and wilderness experiences. Being based outside of Park City, UT, between the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains provides a rich tapestry of wilderness experiences combined with an accessible destination for so many.
I’ve been exploring tailoring nature and wilderness experiences based on duration or time in wilderness (and, relatedly, investment on the part of the clients). For example: offering day trips or experiences to (re)connect with nature, weekend or 2 day experiences for deeper connection and exploration, and longer multi-day experiences and excursions geared toward facilitating lasting change or transformation. These experiences would all be supported with coaching both before and after the experiences, with the goal of creating long term coaching engagements and sequencing combinations of experiences to support the clients goals.
As I plan ahead for an ultimate transition into coaching full-time, I am excited to continue to refine my target audience and value proposition over time.