Author: Adrijana Milosavljević

“Am I truly equipped to coach? Do I possess the necessary skills after the training, and what if the opportunity to practice doesn’t arise soon? 

How can we retain and effectively apply the knowledge acquired during our coaching training?”

These are the questions that emerged during our WellBe mentoring session among the group of adult educators who attended coaching training.  It’s possible that these doubts could occasionally resonate within individuals in the coaching and and other supporting professions, sometimes leading to a sense of being an imposter.

Feeling inadequate or unnatural when trying to apply newfound knowledge is not uncommon. This occasional struggle with imposter syndrome can prevent our progress in this field. But although having this struggle, it’s essential to acknowledge and address these concerns for personal and professional growth.

Initiating with self-reflection instead of immediate self-criticism

Do you feel fake or not natural when trying to apply something new?

Questions group discussed which could be good to start with: 

What is important to you? 

What drives your pursuit of learning and application? 

What outcomes are you striving for? 

What feedback do you receive, beyond your self-criticism?

Is the support we are providing effective enough?

Facilitators shared examples and alternative perspectives beyond labeling oneself as an imposter. The group is encouraged to consider: 

If you could describe yourself in a different way, without using the term imposter, what would it be? 

The overarching need for effectiveness in supporting professions is emphasized—to deliver more, support better, and witness changes in our clients, validating our successful efforts.

Additionally, sometimes we take on all the responsibility ourselves and overlook the role clients should have in their own development.

Redesigning our Coach/Trainer Identity:

In a coaching approach, facilitators proposed two techniques to overcome the ‘imposter’ topic: 

Community of Self: Using this technique, we view ourselves as a sum of many ‘selves,’ where each ‘self’ possesses different personalities and attitudes. And theme when we identify our different selves we try to answer these questions:

Who would take the spotlight during training? 

Whom do we want to dominate? 

How can we build or improve relationships between these different parts of ourselves?

What can we learn from them? What are they trying to tell us?

Another beneficial technique involves framing this collective as an ‘Inner Team‘, strategizing how this team (of many parts of us) can collaboratively help us achieve our growth goals.

The Role of External Validation and Recognition

A related discussion emerged about individuals identifying themselves as coaches. What do we need in order to call yourself a coach? Is the certificate/accreditation necessary? Group shared that to them it seems that everyone can label themselves as a coach, leading to the stigmatization of this title. 

The primary focus of the discussion was on the application of learned approaches based on WellBe principles: 

partnering, inclusion, growth, and agility to bring actual value.

Conclusions and Moving Forward

Pausing during training can be very useful, providing reassurance that we are on the right track. Taking a moment to check, ask for feedback, and implement changes on the go.

Relaxing more and enjoying the process without overthinking each step is vital. Learning to believe in the process and in ourselves.

Comparing ourselves with others has its pros and cons. Balancing learning from others to improve, while acknowledging that some showcase content just to sell services, should not discourage us.

The value of the training, mentoring, and content from the Wellbe handbook was reaffirmed, especially regarding the scaling technique—an excellent tool for initiating conversations and contextualizing discussions.

As this was the final group mentoring session on this project, the networking, exchange, and the ‘opportunity to flourish’ during this process, as one participant mentioned, were more than enough for a fulfilling closure. 🙂

About the author: Adrijana is representing the Serbian partner in the project, Koucing Centar
Connect with her via LinkedIn: 
Adrijana Milosavljević, ICF PCC
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrijanamilosavljevic/

The WellBE project, dedicated to enhancing well-being through education, acknowledges the pivotal role of coaching in empowering trainers and facilitators to nurture diverse learners. Mentoring trainers in their journey of introducing coaching skills into their work is one of the most important activities in this project. During these sessions, participants explore various topics that change the way they organize their learning sessions fostering an environment where learners of all backgrounds can thrive

We already mentioned in our previous posts and articles that one of the intriguing aspects that participants from diverse countries found compelling was the concept of embracing silence in both online and offline classrooms. This topic challenges traditional teaching methods and encourages trainers to adapt their approach. Silence, when used strategically, allows space for reflection and deeper understanding. By fostering an environment where silence is seen as a tool for reflection, coaching enables learners to engage with content at their own pace. Because of that, teaching trainers how to be comfortable with silence, coaching promotes an environment where learners can process information at their own pace, fostering a more profound learning experience.

Two more topics introduced by our fantastic participants were about handling challenging participants in training and different teaching approaches in order to adapt to different learning styles.

Handling challenging participants in the training

Irma Sijamhodzic, an experienced trainer in customer support and language teacher, facilitated a session on managing challenging participants in training. This critical discussion addressed various questions, such as:

• The extent to which we can anticipate and understand our target audience’s unique characteristics.
• Strategies for monitoring and managing group dynamics.
• Dealing with participants displaying arrogance towards others or the facilitator.
• Balancing the preservation of facilitator integrity and authority with fostering a collaborative and flexible learning environment.
• Approaches to address potential discrimination within the group.

The session revealed valuable insights:

• The coaching approach encourages trainers to leave their egos at the door, making room for open dialogue and collaboration.
• It emphasizes the importance of asking questions that encourage participants to actively contribute to achieving learning objectives.

Tailoring Education to Diverse Learning Styles

The other mentoring session was filled with inspiring content from Jelena Ruzic Petrovic about different ways people can learn foreign languages. This session placed the learner’s perspective at the forefront, exploring how learners can fuel their curiosity, seek out relevant resources, and pinpoint their unique learning styles.

Participants not only discussed these concepts but also practiced coaching skills from the very beginning of the session, setting expectations and asking questions that encouraged deep reflection.

The incorporation of coaching skills into the realms of training and education could be a tool that fundamentally reshapes the learning journey for trainers and students. By embracing coaching principles, educators can cultivate an inclusive, engaging, and highly effective learning environment, nurturing the growth and potential of learners from all backgrounds.

About the author: Adrijana is representing the Serbian partner in the project, Koucing Centar
Connect with her via LinkedIn: 
Adrijana Milosavljević, ICF PCC
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrijanamilosavljevic/

We already wrote about the importance of preparation and introducing NEW(S) habits.

And we are inspired to dive deeper into one specific topic connected with the letter S meaning Sleep. 

Watching one TED talk from a series called “How to be a better human” motivated us to explore the situations when sleep is not the only, or most helpful way to raise our level of energy.

The sentence we heard: “Sleep and rest are not the same thing”, confused us at the beginning. 

If you are confused too, when read this, try asking yourself:
Did you sometimes feel so exhausted, even after having enough sleep?

According to Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, author of the book Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Renew Your Sanity, “We live in a society of high-achieving, high-productivity, chronically tired and chronically burned-out people,” and that “true power of rest” lies in understanding the different ways we can practice to restore our energy.

There are seven different types of rest that we need in order to feel truly rested and rejuvenated.

“Recognizing your own rest deficits is the first step to being at your personal and professional best,” says Dr Saundra.

So let’s learn about each type and try experimenting with new ways to rest.

1. Physical rest
First type of rest, called physical rest, can be passive or active. We are passively resting when we sleep or nap, and physically actively resting when we perform activities which encourage circulation in our body and enable our body to be more flexible and restore our energy, like stretching, yoga or massage.

Question for you: 
Do you practice active physical activities before, after or even during your training session?
How would you benefit from them in an online or offline environment?

2. Mental rest

Do you feel exhausted and overwhelmed even if you sleep enough? You wake up at night thinking about work, constantly reviewing something in your head and have difficulties concentrating? Than you probably need a mental rest. 

If you want to have more of this kind of rest, advices for you to slow down a little bit and clear your mind are:
to organize short breaks every two hours during workday,
have a notebook and pen or notepad beside bed to write down things that keep you awake.

Question for you:
How many breaks do you arrange for yourself during training preparation or training facilitation?
How can you enable space for mental rest for training participants during training?

3. Sensory rest

You sometimes feel your senses are overwhelmed. Looking at a computer screen all day, or listening to many conversations (participating or hearing them in the background in a work space), can cause this feeling. And what can we do about that?
Sometimes something simple as closing our eyes could be helpful.
The other advice is to decide to turn off all your devices when you finish with work.

Question for you:
How often do you find yourself successful in resisting external stimuluses?
Can you intentionally introduce the small habit of closing your eyes for a few minutes several times during work day?
What are the ideas in order to introduce sensory rest for you and tour participants during the trainings?

4. Creative rest

Your job is connected to constantly solving problems or there is frequent need for fresh ideas, and sometimes you find yourself stuck and unmotivated?
You can find inspiration and creative rest by:
– Remembering the first time you saw some world wonder or some art that left you amazed
– Exploring nature, go hiking
– Just having a walk or some nice time in park nearby or your own garden
– You can also search for inspiration on Pinterest and create your own visual boards on Miro or Mural.

Question for you:
Where do you find inspiration when designing training sessions?
What triggers your creative moments?
What would your visual board look like?

5. Emotional rest

It is important to you to be nice to other people. So much you sometimes accept some obligations and tasks even if you do not feel like doing it? And often after you say yes to someone, you regret. Does this sound familiar? Anyone called you a people pleaser?
If some of the answers to these questions are yes, emotional rest is what you need more of.

They say this kind of rest requires real courage to show our authentic selves, express our feelings in an open and honest way and to disagree and say no in an assertive way.

Person who invested in emotional rest allows him/herself to be vulnerable and admit that he/she is not at his/her best at the moment. 

Question for you:
How often do you accept tasks or invest time in activities just to satisfy others?
What is the first next opportunity you can try to say no.

6. Social rest

This kind of rest is pretty much connected to the previous one. It is about balancing how we invest our time and assessing the amount of time we spend in some exhausting relationships compared to time with people with whom we recharge our batteries and feel well.

It is important to become aware that you are choosing how you spend your time.

You are socially resting when you surround yourself with positive people who provide you support.

Question for you:
If you create a list of great people in your environment who make you feel well – who would be on it?
Try to pick some names from the list and organize some time with those person/s.
If we take into consideration how our job as adult educators looks like, what would be your biggest challenge as a trainer regarding search for social rest.
What would be the first step in overcoming it?

7. Spiritual rest

When you feel engaged, have a sense of belonging and you know your purpose – you found your spiritual rest. Some people pray, others meditate and some introduce some contribution to the community. It is all about feeling that we are connecting our physical and mental side, and that we are doing something meaningful and important to us.

Question for you:
How would you define your purpose as a trainer?
How do you live according to your purpose?
What could you do even more in this journey of supporting and educating others?

As we mentioned in the beginning, sleep is not the only way to recharge energy and feel rested.

Now, the question for you is how do you rest?

After reading this article, what would be the type of rest you would like to experiment and invest more time in it?

For all of you who prefer visual and auditory learning style – follow the link to the whole talk – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGNN4EPJzGk

And please, leave us a comment on our social media channels about your wellbeing practices which can be useful to us and our trainers. 🙂

About the author: Adrijana is representing the Serbian partner in the project, Koucing Centar
Connect with her via LinkedIn: 
Adrijana Milosavljević, ICF PCC
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrijanamilosavljevic/

How would you rate the level of your energy when you enter your training or coaching sessions? Do you always feel ready and fully present? 

As this blog (and the whole WELLBE project) is all about well-being, and how we take care of ourselves, we decided to explore more the ways of preparation and activities we practice before our sessions.

In her book “Engaged”, author Amy Brann from Synaptic Potential emphasizes the importance of introducing and nurturing NEW habits into our daily life. And she also says there is nothing “new” there, we somehow know what we should do some things, but forget or put them aside.

This short acronym can be a fast reminder of how we take care of ourselves, so let’s what it stands for:

Nutrition
Think of your eating habits. As Amy Brann says in the book: Fuel yourself well. Think of what gives you energy and prepare those meals. Also, if you are having the training or coaching sessions live it would be great if you have some fruits around.

Exercise
Most of us know that exercise is good for the body and mind, but somehow it does not have a proper place on our priority list. Create short exercise rituals before entering the session – just a little bit of stretching can make you more present and concentrated.

And, the W stands for – Water. Make sure you drink enough water and that you always have a bottle around.

Maybe we can add a letter in the above-mentioned acronym and create NEWS?

Because, is an additional thing to have in mind for sure, and also not something totally fresh as an idea, but important to mention – be mindful about your Sleep. The night before your session make sure you turn off all distractions and provide enough hours of quality sleep so you are fresh and fully committed to your participants/coachees.

And after you read your NEWS :), there are just several more questions to ask yourself before starting our session:

Do you know who your trainees/coachees are?

Are there any technical/logistical preparations needed (regarding the online tool you use or the room if it is a live session?)

Have you prepared all the needed materials? When we answer all these questions – we should be ready for our session.

How do you take care of yourself and prepare for your sessions?

About the author: Adrijana is representing the Serbian partner in the project, Koucing Centar
Connect with her via LinkedIn: 
Adrijana Milosavljević, ICF PCC
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrijanamilosavljevic/

What first comes to your mind when you hear the words well-being and coaching? Maybe just another buzzword? Reflecting on both of these words could have an important impact on our lives, so – let’s try to demystify them together. 🙂

When you google well-being – you will run into many different explanations, and definitions, but the essence is in the very word – being well, feeling good about ourselves. So when do we feel well? We can say we are in that state when we feel comfortable, energized, socially connected, fulfilled, and what is most important healthy – in a physical and mental way.

Tchiki Davis, Ph.D. in Psychology Today emphasizes the importance of building overall well-being by considering 5 major types:

• Emotional Well-Being which implies our ability to manage stress and build resilience, practice relaxation techniques and nurture self-love
• Physical Well-Being considers the ways we take care of our body, by nurturing healthy habits and exercising
• Social Well-Being is our ability to communicate,  develop, and nurture meaningful relationships 
• Workplace Well-Being implies our ability to develop professionally in line with our interests and values
• Societal Well-Being is the ability to actively participate in a thriving community, culture, and environment.

So when we think of all these types we ask ourselves a question – which is the most important to us and how to work on growth in that field?

Although we can see that well-being is a universal challenge nowadays, there is no universal recipe for all of us. We all experience different situations in a variety of ways and have diverse perspectives and not the same activities and techniques make us feel well. So, based on our unique contexts, some of us are going to enjoy meditation, or mindfulness techniques on our own, and for others it is essential to surround ourselves with people who have similar interests, creating a kind of accountability group.   

Also, another question that arises is: how to measure progress and achievement in the field of our well-being? How would we know we improved?

Here is where the word “coaching” from the beginning of our story enters the scene. 

International Coaching Federation defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. If we try to simplify this we can say that coaching could be an opportunity to pause, look inside ourselves, reflect, and become aware of some of our potential and ways to overcome challenges. To understand ourselves better so we can boost our self-confidence. What could be also important, coaching helps us to think of desired outcomes and set goals which are important to us.

Results of BetteruUp research from June 2021.  showed how coaching could be effective in building well-being and mental fitness.  BetterUp Labs followed 391 Members with access to unlimited BetterUp coaching with certified, best-in-class BetterUp coaches over a period of 8 months. 

This research suggests that improvement in well-being is going through three phases:

1) understand our emotions, define goals, and become aware of our capacity
2) improving stress management skills, improve relationships, and resilience
3) refining our sense of purpose and making changes that elevate life satisfaction

Coaching truly helps people move through these phases of well-being improvement by building the skills to adapt, recover, and grow from challenging situations, as well as predict an improvement in life satisfaction, feeling more prosperity and sense of purpose. We can say that increasing our well-being is simple; we somehow know what we should do. But it is not easy because we should create some sustainable habits to achieve it. And in order to do that we should think of:

What is most important to us and how do the changes we want to invite will impact our life?

In the process of coaching, you think about yourself as a person, your values, and beliefs, and decide about the activities you want to practice. It can be mindfulness, breathing technique, building self-compassion, or practicing gratitude through journaling, but what is most important is that it is aligned with your desires and makes sense to you.

Because of all those reasons and important insights, we gathered, our project WellBE is committed to making a difference in the training modules, equipping a group of trainers from different countries with coaching skills, and spreading coaching culture by bringing well-being feelings to trainers but also participants. 

About the author: Adrijana is representing the Serbian partner in the project, Koucing Centar
Connect with her via LinkedIn: 
Adrijana Milosavljević, ICF PCC
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrijanamilosavljevic/