This month, we are featuring Sarah Short of The Coaching Revolution, who will be doing a workshop with us on April 14. For more information about this workshop, please visit this link.

I Already Have a Niche

(excerpted with permission from www.thecoachingrevolution.com)

When I invite coaches to join the Nail Your Niche Challenge, a common response is “I already have my niche.” They tell me they’re going to focus on overwhelm and anxiety, or burnout recovery, or mid-life women in transition. They’ve identified what they think is a clear focus, so they don’t need a challenge about niching.

Except what they’ve identified isn’t a niche at all.

The year 2026 has begun on an exciting note! We are thrilled to announce that two programs, Foundational Coaching SkillsEU and Foundational Coaching SkillsCru, have recently completed Phase Two of their onsite intensive training for the year. These programs are part of the year-long Foundations of Coaching Skills training. 

This year, we had 12 participants from 5 countries attend FOCOS EU and 18 participants from 9 countries attend FOCOS Cru onsite intensives.

Celebration: a joyful word filled with energy and excitement!

Sometimes in life, celebration is also calm and simple. 

What does this have to do with coaching? 

Psalm 150 and Zephaniah 3:17 are good places to start! 

Let everything praise the Lord, everything that has breath.

This passage invites us to remember many things, one of which is the posture of thankfulness and gratitude with the word of Christ dwelling in us. (Additional depth is available in the surrounding verses.) When Christ’s word dwells within us, our lives can be transformed beyond our ability. This touches even the postures of thankfulness and gratitude; two words complement and reflect one another.

In coaching, these elements can be foundational in various ways, including communicating effectively. ICF core competency #6 (1-4): “Listening actively" rooted in gratitude and thankfulness allows each session to be a gift. A coach can remain in partnership/agreement with what the client brings and movement forward as a valued gift rather than a possible distraction.

As coaches, we understand that the client's culture and perspectives significantly influence their process. Joining this process is the most efficient way to achieve lasting transformation. Using tools that respect and evoke client awareness within their cultural context is valuable in a cross-cultural world.  

As we focus on ICF Competency 7 (Evoking Awareness #7-6 through 7-11), 

ICF definition:

 "7. Evokes Awareness ‘Definition: Facilitates client insight and learning by using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, metaphor, or analogy.’"

Here are two tools to kick off this discussion:

“Jesus, how am I significant to you?”

This question touched both a deep desire and a deep fear in my life. Through this coaching session, I realized that many of my actions emerged from a desire for significance. Now, I was taking this deep desire to Jesus as I wondered what He would say.

Questions are not just tools, they are keys that can unlock transformative conversations, connections, and opportunities. They have the power to invite clients to grow in awareness and development, and as a coach, you hold these keys in partnership with clients.

As coaches, our effectiveness hinges on our ability to listen attentively. However, staying fully present and focused in conversations has become increasingly challenging in today's fast-paced and uncertain world. The constant noise of thoughts, external pressures, and rapid changes can overwhelm our minds, leading to cognitive overload and diminished listening capabilities.