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About Me
- Gary Collins
- Gary Collins (that’s me) is a life coach, licensed clinical psychologist (with a PhD from Purdue University), and professor of leadership and coaching at Psychological Studies Institute. I’ve written a bunch of books, founded and edited "Christian Counseling Today" magazine, and was co-founder and first president of the American Association of Christian Counselors. I am still writing books, am an avid reader, work out most days at a local fitness center, and am determined to be committed as a follower of Jesus. I speak at conferences (frequently overseas), most often concerning the emergent church, coaching and coach training, leadership, and trends in Christian counseling. In addition to personal coaching and consulting on issues relating to leadership and coaching, I have a special interest in the emergent church and in mentoring and learning from next-generation leaders. My wife Julie and I were married in 1964, have two daughters, and live in Northern Illinois. This newsletter usually arises from my reading, student contacts, and opportunities to interact every week with creative and interesting people – including the people who read my newsletter and respond to this blog.
10 comments:
Gary, thank you so much for your emails, I always read them with interest and draws nuggets of God's wisdom on your life. I think I am coming full circle, to some degree hiding my faith to fit into this world but now God's seems to be prompting me to just reveal His truth to a broken world.I will remain respectful of others but I need to be faithful to the God who died on the Cross for me and my failings. While problems can be very complex, I am finding that without the "truth", all other efforts are temporary and insufficent. Your email brings that home again to me! Thank you!
Gary,
Thank you for raising the issue of disclosure about faith beliefs.
Before I was trained as a Professional Coach, I trained as a Professional Clinical Counselor. Immediately after graduate school, I went to work for 'secular' agencies and hospitals. Sharing faith was forbidden unless/until a client raised those issues. However, in the early 90's we were strongly urged to query issues of faith with our clients, and to disclose to them ('to build rapport') the value of our own faith beliefs and practice. Amazing, huh? Urged to 'speak about the reason for the hope that we had'?
Still, I was cautioned against being 'too' evangelical, as it was a technical violation.
As I stepped into private practice I marketed under Professional Counselor and Christian Counselor, but used the same informed consent form for all clientele. This informed prospective clients that my personal faith beliefs significantly colored my worldview, and were inextricably intertwined in my practice. In conversation I promised not to 'go there unless/until they chose to'. To me and those w/ whom I consulted, this was the most balanced way to broach the topic of faith in a professional manner. It was also very effective. Christians were relieved by my proactive boldness, and non-Christians appreciated the professionalism of such disclosure. My written disclosure went something like this, 'My personal faith beliefs are as a Christian, meaning that my relationship with Jesus Christ is the center of my life, and I believe that Biblical principles for relationship are important to consider for your own relationship with God, yourself, and others.'
Some were initially wary, but professionalism and effective treatment planning/service was the ultimate bottom line. If I could provide accurate diagnosis and effective treatment, the door often opened to more faith discussion. Non-believers came to Christ, seekers did more seeking, luke-warm Christians became more passionate, and those w/out beliefs often made their first foray into serious consideration of a relationship with Jesus. And I realized some effectiveness with the Great Commission.
I do the same as a coach. I will work w/ avowed atheists, agnostics, and persons of different faith, but I always disclose my personal faith beliefs as a Christian alongside disclosure of my coaching credentials and experience.
Just this week I presented to 60 real estate agents. Their manager expressly forbid me to mention my faith. OK. I wasn't going to do an altar call anyhow. I trusted that I could speak about coaching as a life-giving relationship through which life purpose can be discovered and affirmed; where one's energy and motivation for growth and change and their prerogative to choose would be honored. When some of these folks call for a complimentary consultation I will disclose my faith , as per usual. Will that afffect their choosing me as a coach? Maybe. But their impression was good enough to call me and now the onus will be on me for the professionalism to behave as a coach; a good way to demonstrate the Christian ethic in relationships (that's another topic). probably not. As we begin to build an authentic relationship I will trust God to reveal the open doors to query their faith, and to speak hopefully and attractively about my own. If not, then I will serve them as best I can, and trust that my service has planted a seed that may germinate into full-blown faith and salvation. It is mine to plant and water, not to make it grow.
I understand why some are hiding their faith and why some encourage it, but it sure is a dangerous line to walk when we begin playing situational ethics, especially if the first thought is, 'I can't reveal my faith or I won't get/retain clients'
'This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine . . .' How do we do that in coaching? How do we best honor and fullfill the Great Commission?
Many blessings,
Jeff
Coaching is a beautiful avenue to pose any number of perspectives on an issue a client may be facing. Christianity can be one of those. Plus, I believe as a coach, I am a model of Christianity in the way I respect my clients and how I treat them. If I'm genuine, it will show through in a nonthreatening way.
I have learned from listening to that
small voice inside me to answer the question of what I do with "I am a business accelerator with Axcelus
Advanced Business Acceleration, a Personal Coach and a Christian Coach." If asked what is Christian Coaching I answer with "It is coaching with a Biblical Worldview."
God has been honored and has honored
my coaching every time I have done this.
Whenever we work with a person in any capacity, we are influencing them. A coach's beliefs and identity in variably shape the coaching process. Scripture is very clear that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" -- in other words, what we say comes out of and reflects our identity. So there is no getting around the fact that our values and identity will be expressed in coaching.
So if they are expressed, will they influence the person's behavior as well? I would hold that there is not human relationship (or possibility of relationship) that does not exert influence on the other person.
For example, just the fact of choosing to use the coaching approach and asking instead of telling is a value choice we make, which communicates our own value of believing in people. We intentionally asking our clients questions for the express purpose of communicating that value (that we believe in them) and influencing the person to take responsibility for their own life. The coaching methodology itself is a value system that communicates certain truths to the client and is intentionally designed to influence them in certain ways.
If the question we are asking is, can we coach without our values and identity influencing the person or the process, the answer is clearly that that is impossible.
Gary, I agree with you that it's important for coaches to be transparent about their beliefs with clients. Here's the way I approach communications with clients about my Christianity. My web site says that clients may choose to be coached from a Christian or secular perspective. And, in the client agreement form, it asks whether they want to be coached from a Christian perspective or a secular perspective. If they choose Christian, I share my beliefs. And, if they choose secular, I do not share my beliefs.
Would any team hire a coach who said they would not place any of their own values on the team being coached? No way! Teams want a leader and they want a coach who will push and pull the team to play at their best. Is a life coach really different?
There is a strong opinion in coaching for life coaches to be non-directive. What athletic team would hire a non-directive coach? Is there an example of a world class team or player who was coached by a non-directive coach? There is balance in this. Direction is not a synonym for dominance or control.
Perhaps it is time for the pendulum to swing in the opposite direction, allowing coaches to bring more of their personal experiences to the game.
You can coach any game, but you can only coach masterfully the games you have played!
Hey Everybody,
Thanks so very much for your great input. I am rushling off on a trip so I may be delayed a little in responding but I will make a few comments later in the week after I return.
I must say that I enjoyed Jeffrey Williams' comments on the blog just as much as I enjoyed your article, Gary. I am from the Atlanta area and I'm wondering if there is a list of Christian coaches in my area. I'd like to become a client to find out what a coach does exactly. Thanks!
Gary, I believe that one must take a stand to be committed to Christ and His values. In a coaching situation, as in any other situation, if I am lead of the Spirit to share my Christian convictions, I will be very sensitive but will not go back on sharing my beleifs. Yes, if such is the stand then client must be informed accordingly. Christian coaches who subscribe to ICF's ethics must be clear that they have such freedom. a soldier always wears his stripes on the outside. No need to hide.
Our ministry in the field of Christian Counseling - 'Person to Person' is known and appreciated for its clear Biblical stand. Like Gerry commented, it is the effectiveness of the treatment that becomes the bottomline. Being in ministry, such a stand makes for a sharper focus on the vision that we set out for. If I am in a situation where it is against the policy, my coaching and counseling will be Biblical principles without the chapter and verse. Thanks Gary for giving an opportunity to express and read wonderful stuff like that of Gerry
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