Five Coaching Concepts from Dan Miller's Coaching with Excellence Conference

This week I spent two glorious days with my friend, Kim Wiggins at Dan Miller's Coaching With Excellence Conference in Franklin Tennessee.  It was like returning home after a long absence. I have been a huge fan of Dan's ever since I learned about him through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. Attending his Write to the Bank Conference four years ago jumpstarted my writing journey and inspired me to write four books (one of which he wrote a forward to). Through his social media site, 48days.net I have met life long friends and learned how to do everything from start a blog to market a book. I've even created a group just for women who, like me, want to discover their passion and move forward in making it a reality.  That led to putting on the Called Woman Conference which has become an annual event.  Dan Miller with his encouraging, optimistic but realistic approach to life has been a huge factor in shaping my life journey. I consider him my greatest mentor.

Learning to Be a Coach

The Coaching With Excellence Conference was designed to help the 38 participants learn about the business of setting up a coaching practice.  Everyone had a different focus; there were leadership coaches, career coaches, physical fitness coaches and  happiness coaches just to name a few.  My focus is on coaching woman through transitional points in their lives.

Dan's whole family participates in the conference, even his grandchildren make an appearance.  In the picture above, you can see his daughter, Ashley, teaching us about the DISC personality profile.

In typical Miller style, there were lots of opportunities to network and connect with everyone.  Lunch and dinner were delicious social affairs on the porch, catered by local restaurants.  Conversations could be heard all around as participants from around the country outlined their dreams and goals for making a difference in the world.  It was a caring, compassionate group focused on profit and service, two things that often seem at odds with each other but that Dan blends beautifully into one.

Speaker and coach Kent Julian arrived after lunch on Friday to talk about his journey and to inspire everyone.  Kent has turned a passion for mentoring youth into an extremely successful speaking and coaching business.  He offers a terrific boot camp for aspiring speakers that I have attended twice.

Five Important Concepts I Learned at the Conference

It would be impossible to  summarize the information learned in two days in just a few points.  I'm still processing and digesting it myself.  However, here are a few key concepts:

• Coaching differs from counseling in that coaching is active rather than empathic listening with a focus on where the client wants to  be rather than where they have been.
• The number one thing that people want is not "the answer" but rather someone who actively listens, clarifies and guides them along the journey.  Thanks to Dallas Demmitt from Arizona, fellow coaching participant, for great illustrations of this!
• You don't have to have everything figured out in your own life to help someone else figure out where they are going.  You do have to be actively searching and working a plan however.  
• Identify your area of specialty--don't be a generalist.  The more you can narrow down who your target audience is and where your sweet spot of expertise is the better.
• Connection and building relationships is key to any business but especially the coaching business, this is after all a business about people not data.  Get to know other coaches, get involved in organizations, attend conferences, network, network, network.

Are you a woman who is interested in coaching for a transitional period in your life?  Let's connect!  You can read about my coaching packages here.  Coaching packages

Interested in attending Dan's Conferences?  Sign up through my affiliate links here:  Dan Miller's Conferences

Interested in attending Kent Julian's Speakers' Bootcamp?  Sign up through my affiliate link here:

Speak It Forward Bootcamp

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