In this virtual world of coaching it’s always a treat to see a smiling face ‘live and in person’, hehe. If you will be in Montreal for the ICF Conference be sure to stop by The Harnisch Foundation Wine & Cheese Reception on Friday night and say hi… RSVP to Linda by the 7th to save your spot.

The Foundation of Coaching
The Coaching Commons
The Gift of Coaching

Please Join Us

Wine and Cheese Reception

Hosted by
The Harnisch Foundation

Friday, November 14, 2008
Hyatt Regency Montréal
Jeanne-Mance Room

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Please R.S.V.P. by November 7, 2008
Linda@thehf.org

The Harnisch Foundation is a catalyst for sustainable social change, funding and implementing innovation in the fields of philanthropy, coaching and journalism.

I am very happy to be able to participate in Tina Forsyth’s blog book tour for the launch of her book, Becoming an Online Business Manager: Playing a Bigger Game with Your Clients (and Yourself).

I wanted to share with my readers the conversation I had with Tina to find out more about the book, enjoy!

(1) So Tina, can you describe for posterity’s sake the ‘eureka’ moment when the concept of ‘Online Business Management’ came to you?

After my stint as Event Manager for CoachVille ended in 2003, I started doing similar ‘higher’ level work for some new clients - taking on bigger projects and management of various elements of their virtually based businesses. I knew that this wasn’t the ‘traditional’ role of a virtual assistant, and so we coined the phrase Online Business Manager (OBM) as a way to describe this role. Business owners were (and still are) looking for a higher level of support and an OBM is ideally suited to fill that need.

(2) I don’t think many people know how in demand you have been over the last 5 years. As your business partner I certainly see it, but I would love for you to share a little of that experience. The lack of online business management skills such as you have is one of the reasons you wrote this book right?

I have had the idea for this book for a number of years now, and was originally thinking that it would be targetted to the business owners who wanted to hire an OBM. I talk to business owners literally every week who are eager and excited about hiring an OBM, yet they have a hard time finding someone to fill that role. There are lots of great virtual professionals out there, but very few who are actively working at this level (yet).

Then it really clicked for me last fall - write the book for the people who want to BE an OBM! I know there are many great professionals out there, experienced virtual assistants in particular, who would love to play a bigger role with their clients. Some are already doing this level of work but haven’t formalized it with their clients, whereas others may have a ways to go before they can officially take the role on… regardless they now have a definition of the role and something they can work towards.

The book really serves both sides of the equation:

1. It gives the aspiring OBMs a bigger (and yes, more lucrative) role to play with their clients, which leads to…
2. More OBMs out there who are ready to start working with the many business owners who are eager to hire someone!

I’ve had people ask if they could clone me and then hire my clones, LOL! Writing this book is a close second to cloning - I wanted to share as much of ‘what I do’ as I could so that others can enjoy being an OBM as well.

(3) Speaking as an active in the trenches OBM yourself, what would you say are some examples of the most rewarding results you’ve helped create as an OBM?

For me the most rewarding results are those that truly would not have happened if the business owner did not have an OBM on board. A couple of years ago one of my clients was planning a big telesummit, and then had a personal crisis that took her focus away from the business. I took on ‘ownership’ of the telesummit, and made sure that we had all the pieces in place along the way so the telesummit would be a success - and it was. This particular client told me later that the telesummit simply would not have happened if I hadn’t been there to push things along. It’s funny, as I hadn’t even really thought of it along the way… I was just doing my job as OBM. And yet without an OBM on board the telesummit would have fizzled and probably not happened at all.

I also had a client tell me just this past week that having me on her team has been a huge relief for her. She recently did a big launch and said that she felt alot less stress simply knowing I was there to take care of things, answer questions, etc. This isn’t a tangible result per se, but I do consider it a very important result none the less. As I say in the book, the role of the OBM is ultimately to free up the business owner to do only the things they can do in their business - and to feel less stress as a result.

(4) What about the dark side of this story? What is the saddest thing you’ve observed happen in the online business world, that only a person in the role of OBM could be privy to?

I think the saddest thing that I’ve seen happen is when the OBM / business owner relationship falls apart because of differing expectations. We’ve witnessed this a few times, and it can be a pretty challenging situation for everyone involved. Being that the role of the OBM is quite new in the world of online business, not everyone really understands the responsibilities of both the OBM and the business owner when they enter into this kind of relationship. The business owner thinks that the OBM will do X, when the OBM doesn’t consider that to be part of their job… so things aren’t done and each side blames the other. Ick!

It is SO important that both the OBM and the business owner have the same expectations of this role if they are going to work at this level. I’ve already been getting this kind of feedback from business owners who have ready the book and are saying ‘Yes! Now I finally understand the role of the OBM… where do I find one?’. I highly recommend that both sides read the book before they enter into this relationship, so they can agree on the responsibilities of both parties and have a smooth and enjoyable experience.

(5) I know you say in your book that becoming an OBM - or even hiring an OBM - is NOT for everyone. What are the key skills or competencies needed for anyone to even consider either?

The foundation of becoming an OBM is what I like to call having a marketing mindset. I get into this in greater detail in the book, but essentially a marketing mindset is about being able to think strategically on behalf of your client’s business. You need to really enjoy and understand online business - otherwise the role of the OBM will become a burden. And there are of course the four main ‘management to-dos’ of the OBM (project, operations, people and money) - which you need to understand and have experience in. As an OBM your focus and responsibility is now on ‘growing the business’, not on ‘doing stuff’, and you need to be inspired by that.

And if you are looking to hire an OBM you need to make sure that you have a clearly defined and proven business model that is already making money. The purpose of hiring an OBM is to take an already successful business to the next level. If they are a brand new business or are struggling, an OBM is a bad idea. An OBM is an accelerant or catalyst that can create great results, but needs a foundation to stand on. Asking a client who isn’t already experiencing a modicum of success to take on an OBM can be like asking a kayak to go out into the wide open ocean – it’s way too much too soon. The business owner needs to get their business established first before they bring on an OBM.

You can get a copy of Tina’s new book at www.BecominganOBM.com.

Next stop on the tour is Donna Toothaker at 1st VA.

For 6-figure (or almost 6-figure) Business owners (and their teams) 
 (This one-of-a-kind 4-week small group training begins soon)

In the last 6-12 months, my business partner Tina Forsyth and I have been noticing a trend: business owners have become active (assertive) about hiring a new level of support for their businesses.

Are you a business owner who has been feeling this need too? 

After nearly 8 years of helping building six and seven figure businesses, we are enormously excited to formally introduce the concept of The Online Business Manager, the next generation in online business support.

As soon as Tina’s book, ‘Becoming an Online Business Manager’ was quietly released a short while ago…it’s been as though she poked the sleeping bear. The appetite for OBMs is nothing short of voracious, and if you’re a business owner who doesn’t ‘get’ this trend, you will soon be behind the curve. If you’re a virtual support professional, no excuses, you must get smart about this and soon.

To continue forwarding this conversation, and dig into the launch of her book, Tina and I are delighted to offer a brand new online Workgroup called ‘How to Hire an Online Business Manager.”

Remember when Virtual Assistants or VAs were a strange new word? Notice how mainstream the concept is now? If we have anything to do with it, the same will happen with Online Business Managers and OBMs. We invite you to join us in the early adoption of this concept.

Most business management books are written for the “big guys” - companies that operate with millions of dollars in revenue and a large staff. Tina Forsyth’s “Becoming an Online Business Manager” is the first book I’ve ever found that focuses on helping small companies and solo entrepreneurs understand the dynamics of running a successful operation. Evolving from a one-person business to a profitable scalable entreprise - that’s what I am most excited about when I read Tina’s book!”

- Milana Leshinsky, “Coaching Millions”

How to Strengthen Your Reputation as a Coach

A prolific and profound article from Thomas Leonard - it brought the most ‘AHA’ responses from readers of Today’s Coach when it was originally shared a number of years ago. I’m still learning from what he wrote and how he wrote it.

Every week, we receive requests for coaching services that we forward to the coaches listed in the CoachVille Referral Service.

The most common requests are for “strong” coaches.

And not just experienced or skilled coaches, but coaches with either a strong personality or what I call having “the Edge.”

And, I’ve never met a very successful coach who didn’t/doesn’t have this Edge.

And as you develop this Edge, you will begin to attract more clients and keep the clients you have, longer. For whatever reason, the Edge works. And the marketplace will either dub you a ‘nice person/nice coach’ or a coach who can make something happen, because they have the Edge.

What, exactly, is the Edge?

The Edge is several things…

1. The Edge is a no-nonsense component in the tone of your voice.

In other words, you have something more important to do than coddle your clients. Or be bored by their lack of commitment. Or impatient with their success cycle. You’ve gotten to a certain place in your life, not just in your coaching, where you’re just not that interested in the excuses, stories and wavering that clients tend to come with.

This is not to say that you’re rude, pushy, obnoxious or insensitive to the realities that your clients are facing, especially as they make significant changes in their lives. In fact, most of the coaches with the Edge are fairly quiet in tone, but there is this underlying note that the client hears which the client responds to and respects. The benefit of having the Edge is that clients don’t play games or do a number on you.

I think it’s really important to realize that many clients are experiencing more than a twinge of fear around the goals they’ve set for themselves with your help. And, being human, when we’re scared, we’ll look for a way out, even to the point of distracting our coach or changing goals or being flaky. But when the coach has the Edge, the client just doesn’t go there. Which saves everyone a lot of time.

2. The Edge means having a very sensitive b.s. detector.

I am NOT one to call the client on their b.s. It’s my view that that approach is a power trip and not professional. However, I can/do detect inconsistencies in what the client is saying (and/or how they are saying it) and I do point those out, gently, simply, easily, fearlessly and in what’s called a ‘charge neutral’ tone, meaning there’s no ‘charge’ to my voice. It’s a clean communication. And it’s part of what the client is paying me for.

Because most clients don’t even know when they are b.s.’ing and they APPRECIATE your asking for a clarification. As a coach gains experience, they hear the subtle inconsistencies or things that just don’t ring true. And, the coach who has the Edge brings this up within sixty seconds of hearing it. Not as a confrontational challenge (unsophisticated, unseemly, amateurish) but rather as a simple, shared observation or question. Just doing this will advance the relationship you have with your client, which leads to more honest communication and faster results.

Read the rest of this entry »

The 30-Day Challenge to Coach One Person a Day

The old adage is true: if you want to build your coaching business get out there and start coaching already, right?

But how? Especially if you are new, or haven’t been out marketing for awhile, you’ll want to check out the the 30 Day Challenge to Coach One Person a Day. Conceived of by the good folk at Solution Box, this is a great 30 program with a game-like atmosphere and supportive environment to create business-building habits. It lays out the challenge step-by-step so it is crystal clear…

Here is how it works:

For 30 days starting October 23 you would invite a minimum of 1 person a day to an introductory session. Each day you will receive a quick daily tip on making the best of introductory sessions to those that sign up. You get a tried and true ‘How to Structure a Trial Session’ audio along with Solution Box’s biggest contributions to the coaching world: ‘How to convert exploratory sessions into signed paying clients.’

For more information, click here to join now.

ICF Global Coaching Client Survey: Deadline October 31, 2008

Have you heard about the client study commissioned by the International Coach Federation (ICF) in early 2008?

The most important component of this involves something very unique and requires all our help: the completion of an online survey by individual coaching clients. (That’s you, if you have a coach you hire, or, clients of yours, for example.)

The goal for this survey is to reach as many individuals as possible throughout the world who have experienced coaching in their professional or personal lives. The online survey is now available for your clients to complete in English, French, German, and Spanish.

Please help. To ensure the research is truly representative, we need coaches throughout the world (regardless of their ICF membership) to forward an e-mail invitation to past and present clients so that they are able to participate in the study. All information provided will remain 100% confidential and there is no way to identify the coach or client in the survey whatsoever.

Are you curious about what the results of this survey will be? Won’t you take a moment to fill this survey out, now, and help make it a great result? Click here to learn more, just be sure to do it before October 31, 2008. Thanks!

Josh Groban at the Emmy Awards

Whether we’re avid television watchers or not, there is no getting around the cultural context and (sometimes) social agenda TV programming gives us. 

At the Emmys a few weeks ago Josh Groban condensed 60 years of television history into four minutes, performing a medley of beloved TV show themes – and even changing his voice with each tune. Regardless of your age or what TV you watch, or not, I think you’ll find it a fun and at times moving four minute video clip.

LocalSpeakerLeads.com provides online convening place for coaches to find local speaking opportunities

In a classic example of generosity-based business building or what we affectionately call ‘Pink Spoon Marketing,” I’m impressed by this brand new website: www.LocalSpeakerLeads.com.

The goal? To bring (1) local meeting planners such as those from Rotary, Chambers of Commerce, special interest groups, and more, together with (2) speakers of all kinds (you?)

Speaking at local civic groups is often an excellent way to get in front of potential clients. In fact, speaking is probably one of the best (if not THE best) ways to make that initial connection.  But where to find more speaking opportunities without pounding the pavement and letting your fingers do the walking (through the Yellow Pages) one person at a time? Until now, nowhere…

A big thank you to Dan Janal who recently launched LocalSpeakerLeads.com to make this process a whole lot easier for all concerned. Another bonus - it’s early days on this service yet, so go sign up here sooner than later, and you’ll be one of the few to get in front of meeting planners before everyone else.

Under the Circumstances, Give Honor To Those That Set an Example

So often when it comes to news, we linger and anguish over the bad, yet spend much less time savoring the good.  We hear so much about lives gone wrong, yet - I don’t think it’s my imagination - we really haven’t celebrated the life of one Paul Newman much, for example.

It’s a hard habit to break, apparently, not making a big deal out of something good. And though I’m not the lionizing type, Paul Newman’s life really represents something to me.  Sure he was a movie star and a philanthropist.  He was also a crack businessman and straight-shooting marketer.  He was humble, wrung his talents dry, and seemed like he laughed quite a bit. 

Of course, nobody is perfect, especially when all we can see of him is from a distance, but this life seemed well and truly used to the last juicy droplet. I respect that to my toes.

So thank you for indulging with me a moment to linger over the life of Paul Newman. And whether you join me in this or not, the question becomes: how can you celebrate something, a little more fully, today?  Feel happy about something you’ve accomplished? I bet there is something big - how well are you honoring that?  Looking at the lives of your clients, are they marking their milestones as much as they do their woes?

I like to think that one of Paul’s crowning moments was receiving fan letters like this, which I reproduce in full for your reading pleasure…

“Dear Mr. Newman:

We each bought a carton of your Newman’s Own Old Fashioned Roadside Virgin Lemonade. It was very tasty and refreshing; however, we have a few questions:

1. Do you have to be a virgin to drink this lemonade or

2. Is the factory where it is produced run by virgins? If so, do you, Mr. Newman, personally certify that each worker is, in fact, a virgin? Does he/she have to be a virgin during the entire processing or can he/she be a virgin when first hired?

3. If the lemons are virgins, how can you tell? Perhaps a few promiscuous lemons sneak their way in. You know how it is with lemons.  Would a quick squeeze disqualify the virgin lemons? Is it ok if they are a little tart?

This whole virgin business is confusing, however, we may be willing to work with other virgins in your factory if the price is right. Our husbands will certify that we are truly virgins.

Sincerely, C.S. and D.N. Delmar, NY”

[p. 108-9, Shameless Exploitation in the Pursuit of the Common Good, by Paul Newman and A.E. Hotchner]

Are you celebrating something - a life, an event, a something - and wish to share? Comment below to do so.

Under the Circumstances, Grab Knowledge that fills in the Gaps

Did you know, there is a quiet little revolution going on in the ‘time management’ world?  No longer is time management the darling of the circuit, now it’s time mastery.  For coaches, of course, this word mastery is a familiar one, and we all seek, at some level, a level of personal mastery that must include mastery of time.

Well, do you feel you have it? Mastery of time, that is? What, for example, do you think a Zen master would advise us about time?

In fact, the Time Experts TeleSummit, a no-fee virtual event hosted by Coach Bill Baren, will bring you an exclusive interview with Zen Master Genpo Roshi so you will have to wonder no longer!  Plus 9 other presenters  with commentary on time, all at no charge until October 14.  Translation? Perfect for getting up to date on the latest conversation about time.  Topics include:

• A simple action to help you get the most important project done first
• Eliminating distractions and interruptions that steal your time
• Delegating and outsourcing the things you shouldn’t be doing
• How to work with less stress and find peace with your email inbox

Ironically enough, I’m not sure exactly *when* the segment I’m to present will air, but it will all be made clear when you visit the site.  Last but not least - a very special nod - knowing the quality and care of Bill and his team, I know this event will be head and shoulders above most.  Thanks, Bill, for the gift of your time, to put this event together.