I can’t do it alone and there are times in my life when I need a good coach. I’ve talked about it before. The benefits of an ongoing professional alliance with one person (or a small team) creates unique benefits I can’t get in other learning environments—it’s a challenging, rewarding, provoking, empowering and highly-personalized experience.

Because of coaching networks in various seasons of my journey, I’ve been able to:

• gain clarity & focus my efforts
• sharpen my self-awareness & accelerate my personal growth
• improve my personal effectiveness to positively impact lives around me

Anyone who knew me before and after every coaching season saw the long-term gains of the short season of investment. Not only am I thankful for those opportunities, I’m an advocate for others to find them. I’ve been able to lead several seasons of Communications Coaching over the past couple of years and have always said I’ll make room for more as long as there is a demand. Even with tight budgets and tight schedules, people are still reaching out. So, I’m kicking off a new network starting this spring.

• Who: It’s for anyone who leads, influences or supports local church communications before, around and after the weekend message. While a coaching network isn’t for everyone, it’s a highly unique and rewarding experience for anyone who is a part of it. Several seasons of coaching networks has produced a diverse alumni list. See for yourself.
• What: We’ll tackle the challenge of clearly communicating everything happening across departments and campuses without competing against each other and shutting audiences down in the process.
• Why: Maybe you (or someone you know) is in a season or crossroads and needs customized, focused, up close and personal attention in a safe forum where you can be blunt about the challenges you face and get frank, encouraging insight in return.
• When: This document holds the rest of the details you might be looking for (including dates, costs, alumni reviews, etc.).
• How: If this sounds like something you want to be a part of, complete the application by March 7. By design, it’s limited to only 12 participants. 

I’m looking forward to seeing who shapes this season.

Tip: We’re hosting coaching networks for Executive Pastors and Guest Services at the same time to make it easier for teams to leverage the time and travel investment. That’s how we roll and we thought you might, too. We're also hosting coaching for EnterMission in 2013. See their schedule and info here.

It can be so easy to forget the power of a first impression. 

Think back to your last job interview, or maybe even your first date: how much time did you invest in making sure your first impression communicated the right message?

First impressions matter! 

We recently hosted men and women for our Summer Coaching Networks who came from all over the country to learn from Mark Waltz, GCC's Pastor of Connection and Multi-Site.

Here's just a few highlights from the first hour of the session:    

• With vision, you need to know where you are so that you know where you can go
• Analogy of being in a shopping mall and planning which stores you want to visit
• You can’t get where you want to go until you are honest about where you are. What steps are going to be required, how do you take them, and where are they going to lead.
• You can’t be any other place than where you are because you’ve taken the steps you’ve taken

What one or two words comes to mind when you see these images:

• Starbucks
• BMV
• The person to your right
• Last hotel stay
• US Postal Service
• Your local church
• Last movie preview you watched
• A Walmart store
  

As a true test of first impressions and associations, imagine a photo of a boarded up, run down home. What do you think of? A quick survey of the room, none of the answers were about the structure we were looking at – all of them were judgments about the people (homeowners) we have never seen or met. 

Your first impressions – or associations – with these images matter. 

If you missed this session, get tuned in from more info on the upcoming Fall Coaching Networks sessions.

I’ve said it before, and it’s still true today: One of the most enjoyable things I get to do is lead a Coaching Network for Executive Pastors. In a couple of months, I’m going to offer this again. I will be meeting with 12 church leaders for a coaching experience that begins in March and concludes in May. I’m designing it specifically for Executive Pastors (or leaders in a similar role) who want to take their leadership to the next level. I’m not quite sure how to describe it, but here is my best attempt… 

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