1. Coach Michele’s Group Coaching
Sept 13, 2011

2. Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011
Today’s Topic
Techniques: Creating Change
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

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How to Participate
If you’d like to participate in the call, please press 5*
If you’d like to just listen, don’t press 5*
If you change your mind, you can always press 5* again to change your status
If you’d like to follow along with things, there is a PowerPoint available in the client area
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

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Opening Q’s
Before we start, I’d like to open the call to questions…It can be a follow up to last week, a success or personal development question, a question about your own life, a question about coaching, a comment or observation, or anything at all!
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Introduction
Today we are going to explore Creating Change, either with our clients, or with ourselves!
Clients come to us with all sorts of “problems” but almost every time, they’ll say that they feel stuck! So, we are going to talk about creating change, the remedy for stuck-ness!
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

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Discussion
Was there ever a time when you really felt stuck in life?
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Stuckness
Feel stuck or trapped
Can’t see any way out of problems
Thoughts go in circles
Feel frustrated or depressed
Not enjoying life
Any other ways people might describe or experience being stuck?
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

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Why does change work?
Change is in and of itself a move in a positive direction
Movement feels very different than being stuck
Movement can create momentum
Movement can get people into a more resourceful state
Why else is change good when you are stuck?
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

9. Our Big Metaphor – Car Stuck in Snow!
We are going to use the metaphor of a car stuck in the snow, for our person stuck in their life
This metaphor works for several reasons, not the least of which is our car often symbolizes our life, in dreams for example
When we are stuck in the snow, it can be similar experience to stuck in life!…Feel frustrated, hopeless, don’t know what to do
When we do the wrong things, we can get more and more stuck
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

10. How to Get a Car Out of the Snow!
Here is our reference:
Put the transmission into four-wheel drive (if your car has it).
Shift into the lowest gear available.
If the car won't go forward, put it into reverse and try backing up.
Turn the steering wheel slightly and try driving in a different direction.
Grab your shovel and remove as much snow as you can from in front of all the wheels.
Determine which wheel(s) are slipping by having a friend look at the wheels while you step on the accelerator. Place sand, salt, dirt, cat litter or a piece of old carpet in front of the slipping wheel(s).
Ask friends or passersby to push while you slowly depress the gas pedal. Make sure nobody is standing in front of the car. Be careful--accelerating too much makes the tires spin and heats up the snow underneath, turning it into ice.
Be prepared to steer and brake after your wheels gain traction.
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

11. 1. Put the transmission into four-wheel drive (if your car has it).
What this really means, is focus on gaining traction
I believe this is directly analogous to hiring a Coach!
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

12. 2. Shift into the lowest gear available
People are often “spinning their wheels”, trying WAY too hard to go to PUSH their way forward
Suggest to your client the idea to let go, stop trying so hard…Would they even be willing to completely STOP trying to move forward in this area for one week, or one month?
I have found this to be EXTREMELY effective
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3. If the car won't go forward, put it into reverse and try backing up.
So, I am sure at least some of you are familiar with this. You can create momentum by rocking the car backwards and forwards. It is a super way to get unstuck in snow, and in life!
The analogous move in a clients life, is to do the OPPOSITE of what they’ve been “trying” to do.
So, let’s say they’ve been trying to leave their job and find a new one…An example of the opposite might be to “pretend” for a while that you are staying in your job, and make the very best of it, as if you were going to make a career there
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4. Turn the steering wheel slightly and try driving in a different direction.
This means moving in whatever direction you CAN move. There is always somewhere where life is working or ready to work!
Things to explore with your clients (or yourself!):
What’s the one area of your life that you are least stressed about? What could be an exciting expansion of this area?
Is there something less daunting you’ve been stuck around, that you feel up to tackling? (e.g. clutter busting, taxes, difficult conversation)
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5. Grab your shovel and remove as much snow as you can from in front of all the wheels.
This is analogous to clearing away whatever is in the way, or blocking your client!
Draining thoughts, limiting beliefs
Lack of energy
Too much attachment
Fears
Clutter, physical, social, mental, emotional
Is there anything else that could be in the way?
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6. Determine which wheel(s) are slipping by having a friend look at the wheels while you step on the accelerator. Place sand, salt, dirt, cat litter or a piece of old carpet in front of the slipping wheel(s).
In this case, the “friend” is the coach, and stepping on the accelerator, means action steps!
Determine together with your client, action steps that can be attempted…Then the coach can help the client troubleshoot where they are losing “traction”, and help them get traction!
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7. Ask friends or passersby to push while you slowly depress the gas pedal.
This is analogous to creating positive power/energy in the direction you want to go
The Coach can be the one to help provide that power, through affirmation, belief, encouragement and inspiration, while the client SLOWLY takes actions (mental, emotional and/or practical)
Eventually, the client can provide more and more of this energy themselves, and that can be one of the objectives of the coaching
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

18. 8. Be prepared to steer and brake after your wheels gain traction.
This is about the bigger picture in coaching
Once movement starts, we want to “steer” (move towards the things that are right) and “brake” (say no to what is not right), based on a new or renewed understanding of the clients values, and renewed connection to self/intuition/Source
We want to be “preparing” for this from the very start, so when movement happens, the client is ready to move in the right direction!
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

19. Summary – Getting Unstuck in Life
Get a Coach
Stop trying so hard!
Do, think and feel the opposite
Move in whatever direction you CAN move
Remove obstacles to movement
Let your coach help you figure out where you are going wrong
Let your coach provide some of the energy you require (and help you get connected to energy)
Get clear on where you really want to go, based on your values, your heart and your intuition
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011

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Discussion
Any thoughts or questions?
Is there anything in particular you’d like to try with clients?
Is there anything in particular you’d like to try in your own life?
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Final Thoughts
Any final thoughts before we sign-off?
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Next Call
Our next call will be Tuesday September 20th, a mastery call
We are going to switch to Wednesday nights in October
Have a fabulous week!
Copyright (c) Michele Caron, 2011