I'm a coach. I help people create futures that move them forward.

EDUCATION | MBA (with great distinction) from the University of Toronto Rotman School of Management Certified Professional Coach ("CPCC") from the Coaches Training Institute ("CTI")

HOW TO GET STARTED | Getting really good training is important. Getting trained by one of the leading institutions would be a piece of advice I would give people. There are several that are quite good. Becoming certified is also important, as is upgrading one's skills. Institutions I would recommend include: Coaches Training Institute (CTI) - where I was trained. The Hudson Institute and the Adler Institute are also considered very good. These programs are focused on the core curriculum of coaching individuals. The Center for Right Relationships (CRR) is one of the top institutes for teaching coaching of relationships and groups.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | First and foremost you need to be curious about your client(s) instead of coming to the relationship as an expert who knows what's right for the client, or who aims to 'fix' the client. While you are an expert in coaching, ultimately the work is more about the client -- their learning and growth processes. It's necessary to be curious about the client's motivation, their values, what they would find fulfilling, their challenges, etc. Helping them find their own solutions and uncover what is exciting and motivating to them is key. Another important trait is authenticity - transparency when things are going or not going well in the relationship. What underlies both of these is strong listening skills, which is absolutely key. Calling forth is another important trait; challenging your clients to be what you believe they can be, even when they don't.

how I got started | I've been a coach informally all my life. However my wife was the one who initially took the coach training and decided that it wasn't for her, but she thought it would be absolutely right for me. I took the training and have not looked back since.

why this job?| It's about helping people. I love working with individuals, relationships and teams, so they can "be their best". I felt that coaching would use my skills and experience to bring out my clients' resourcefulness, to connect them more clearly and strongly with their values and with their passion and purpose for their lives.

why I love this job!| (1) I'm master of my own time. (2) I believe that coaching is a wonderful way for people to deepen their understanding of themselves and their lives, and to help them move forward, toward their visions for their lives. Helping people is the big motivator. (3) I love connecting people with their resourcefulness and with what's possible for them.

my typical day| I have about 10 clients, which include individuals, couples and other personal and business relationships and business groups. I typically coach my clients once a week. That accounts for about 10 hours per week. The rest of the time I work on a volunteer initiative I started with three other coaches called "Coaching Youth", whose goal is to bring coaching life skills to youth. Beyond that - I just enjoy my life.

what they are | One of the big challenges in coaching is that it's a relatively new profession, less than twenty years old. It is not widely or well understood, especially outside North America and parts of Europe. Getting into the profession is relatively straightforward but making a living at it is a different story. It takes real commitment and time and an ability to establish a client base. If that's going to be your sole source of income, it can be a challenge. Generally people who stick around a profession for 3-5 years are able to make a living at it. There are a few people who make a very good living at it. It's not a guarantee of financial success. Another challenge is that coaching is an unregulated profession. Anyone can hang out a shingle as a coach. I've gone through intense training and 6 months of certification to become a certified professional coach, and through another intense program and (starting in March 2009) nine months to become certified as a relationship and team coach. The public at large does not have an appreciation for the differences between different types of training and certification. At this time coaching is a self-regulating profession, primarily through the International Coaching Federation (ICF). There are people who see coaching as an opportunity to make quick, easy money and present themselves as coaches in the marketplace without the appropriate training and experience. Some such people can do an okay job while some of them can not and cause real damage -- to their clients and to the profession.

all about growth | Regarding professional progression, there are two rungs in the ICF: a professional certified coach (PCC) and a master certified coach (MCC). Each has a set of stringent requirements associated with them. Other than that it's really a question of reputation and the kind of work you want to do. There are people who develop extensive businesses out of coaching by creating not just direct coaching relationships, but also coaching products (books, seminars, web based products) that are quite significant in terms of their impact and financial rewards. Other people are more content with the classic coaching relationships and go on to have small or large practices. There's also a subset of people who coach other coaches. There are quite a few directions you can take. Within coaching you have people who specialize in a variety of niches. There is a bewildering range of specialties: for example working with not for profit groups, people nearing retirement, or working with certain professions. It's as diverse and rich as your imagination. And like any specialty the more precisely define it the easier it is for people to understand what you do and for you to market yourself.

my website| www.coachingyouth.net