{"id":23615,"date":"2019-06-21T10:17:53","date_gmt":"2019-06-21T17:17:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=23615"},"modified":"2019-06-21T10:17:53","modified_gmt":"2019-06-21T17:17:53","slug":"coaching-for-narps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/coaching-for-narps\/","title":{"rendered":"Coaching for NARPs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not being very athletic, I was not involved in any regular sports programs. My usual interaction \"\"<\/a>with sports teams were observed from the bleachers or the recliner. The idea of a <\/span><\/span><\/sub>\u201ccoach\u201d usually brings vision of a person on the side lines yelling either inspirational things to the team or profanities to a shamed group of people. So thinking of a coach outside a sports metaphor seemed like something that I didn\u2019t want to have anything to do with. I know intellectually that the idea of a coach is someone that should motivate to bring out the best within someone; yet using a sports word continues to bring sports imagery with all the baggage that is attached. Even today our organization is promoting \u201ccoaches\u201d and the training that is involved with that. I have been approached to be a coach and know that participating in the training will involve some of my own obstacles to overcome. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Reading <\/span><\/span>Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders Through Coaching<\/i><\/span><\/span>1<\/a><\/span><\/sup>, I was moved to see the value and potential for transformation that could take place with a \u201ccoach\u201d that could ask those deep questions and help one process the gaps in leadership that we all have. I have struggled during this program with the journey that the PLDP has brought us through. I was a reluctant participant and usually was a bit grumbly while processing the activities, writing assignments and even the final presentation. I know it is egotistical to think we have it all together. However that is what I often believe. I know it is a bit self deceiving to think that life is as good it gets. As I read about the failed church plant, I began to wonder about the value of coaching for my own life. Leading teams of both those from Asian and the States, I recognize that there are large gaps in the way I lead, the way we strategize and the vision that is cast. I began to reflect on how not only my work but my life could benefit when we become vulnerable with another. In other words, I see that being a coach and having a coach could be a great asset to my life and work.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I believe coaching once trust is built could work on a community minded society like the Chinese. This shame based culture that uses the balancing of any compliment with a negative response has many broken and hurting individuals that do not see their own value. Recently a psychology professor taught a course on individual worth and identity in China. Concepts like \u201ctransparency\u201d and \u201cintimacy\u201d are not translatable to Chinese without spending many minutes in developing these concepts. These are not a natural part of collective societies. westerners (like myself) have to overcome our desire to do everything ourselves seeing any else as sign of weakness and a potential doubting of the call on our lives. For Chinese with concepts of state first, family first, and community first, personal growth, and well being are foreign or new ways of thinking. Coaching concepts are needed but there are real cultural obstacles that need to be over time slowly integrated for the formation of young leaders.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I was struck with the apparent simplicity of Chapter 4. Specifically the section on how to create a culture of coaching. As a review here are the main points: <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n