Professional Christian Coaching Today

This week, we are giving you a rare, behind-the-scenes view of what it really takes to become a professional coach. In this candid interview with Kris Kelso, PCC, you'll hear the ups and downs, the successes and the mistakes Kris has experienced in his transition from owning a technology company to becoming an author, entrepreneur, and executive coach.

Tune in to learn the importance of:

• Emphasizing mindset more than mechanics.
• Growing personally as well as professionally.
• Integrating multiple passions into a portfolio career.
• Figuring out the blend of services that's right for you.

About Kris Kelso

Kris Kelso, PCC is an entrepreneur who has founded and run multiple companies in the technology and healthcare industries. Today, he works primarily as an executive coach, a keynote speaker, and a contributing author for publications including Fast Company, Yahoo Finance, and The Nashville Business Journal.

His book, "Overcoming The Impostor: Silence Your Inner Critic and Lead with Confidence", offers entrepreneurs and leaders a practical look at impostor syndrome, and explores that inner voice that downplays our own accomplishments while amplifying those of others.

Kris has coached and consulted with hundreds of entrepreneurs, business owners, and their leadership teams. He is a faculty member at the Professional Christian Coaching Institute, an advisor and instructor at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, and has served on the boards of directors of several non-profit organizations.

He is an active member of Cornerstone Nashville, where he serves, teaches, and coaches other leaders. He lives with his wife and three teen aged sons in a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee.

Connect with Kris at www.KrisKelso.com.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on spiritual maturity and finishing well, a critical aspect of life for Christians and Christian coaches. Our guest, Bryan Brown, MCC, a Global Outreach Pastor and experienced executive and leadership coach, will provide insights on how to deepen our understanding of God's purpose for our lives, how to align our thoughts, actions, and decisions with His will, and ways to increase our intimacy with Christ.

Join us as we explore:

• A comprehensive definition of spiritual maturity.
• The reasons why some Christian leaders struggle to stay the course.
• The six essential traits of individuals who finish well.
• The coach-approach to aid clients in their spiritual growth.

About Bryan Brown

Bryan Brown, MCC , loves helping leaders embrace their identity and calling, then live and lead as a follower of Christ. Bryan is the Global Outreach pastor at Perimeter church located in the northern suburbs of Atlanta. In addition to his role at Perimeter, Bryan enjoys being an executive and leadership coach where he works with leaders and churches around the world in areas of spiritual formation, leadership development, and healthy team dynamics.

Bryan lives in Johns Creek, GA together with Jackie, his wife of 30 years. They have three children and one very energetic golden retriever.

Bryan has a passion and track record for developing leaders so that they can effectively influence others for a lifetime. For more information on Bryan and his private coaching practice visit www.coachingtolead.com.

As Christian coaches we spend a lot of our time asking genuinely curious, open-ended, and exploratory questions so that our clients can wrestle and discover the answers that only they can find. Yet, most of us are not naturally comfortable sitting in question, but instead, prefer rushing to an answer. Today, Nancy Lopez, PCC, shares her own journey to becoming comfortable in questions.

Tune in to hear:

• Why questioning is more than a skill, it's a mindset.
• The importance of coaching the person, not the problem.
• How breathing can help center you in the moment.
• Ways to deepen your comfort level with questions.

About Nancy D. Lopez, PCC

Nancy is a former C-Level executive with a diverse background in Human Resources. She is a Certified Professional Leadership, Life and Career Management Coach and carries the ICF Professional Certified Coach designation (PCC).

Nancy's demonstrated impact around leadership and career development with corporate professionals has led her to specialize her practice, NDL Leadership, LLC as a professional leadership and career transition coach and consultant. She works with emerging leaders to executive levels and has the reputation as a trusted partner who is approachable and credible. She's also enjoys teaching and is on faculty with the Professional Christian Coaching Institute. Nancy helps leaders catch their breath so they can navigate with clarity the challenges they face.

A native Floridian and graduate of both Stetson University (BBA) and Penn State University (MSBA), Nancy resides in the Greater Rochester, NY area with her husband, Wayne and their two children, Nathan and Catherine. Nancy has a passion for immersing herself in God's creation through travel, long walks, bird watching, sunrises, sunsets, good food, great espresso, and savoring moments with her family and friends.

You can learn more about Nancy at www.NDLLeadership.com and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancydlopez/ or contact at [email protected].

You are a culture-shaper. As a Christian coach, you are uniquely equipped to draw out of others "the Good, the True, and the Beautiful" that God has placed in them.

Join Chris McCluskey as he shares a behind-the-scenes look from his speaking engagement with coaches Greg Leith and Helen Mitchell at the C.S. Lewis Foundation and learn practical ways to influence culture in the 21st century.

Discover how to…

Find and fulfill the central purpose of your life so you can influence generations to come Use direct communication to irrigate the spiritual deserts in our everyday world Align your life with your day-to-day activities to intentionally live out your calling in the world

What could be more important in these disturbing and uncertain times than tapping into God's perspective, His wisdom, His plan, and His provision? Join us as Chris shares his thoughts on why Spiritual Vision is perhaps more important now than ever before in our lifetime.

As you listen, you'll be reminded of the:

• The love and light shining even now as an anchor for your soul.
• Importance of Spiritual Vision, especially now when our physical vision is limited.
• Promises of God that transcend uncertain outcomes and loss.

Raising your standard of professionalism and changing the world requires asking important questions. What does it mean for coaches to keep raising their own standard? What sabotaging mindsets might need to be addressed? What does the future of coaching look like, and what role can you play?

Tune in to this valuable episode with Master Certified Coach, Charles Hooper, and learn more about the valuable contribution your coaching can make.

About Charles Hooper

Charles Hooper, Jr, MCC, is an Atlanta-based Executive Coach and Leadership Development Trainer. He has worked with senior leaders in a variety of industries and organizations domestically and internationally to design and deliver leadership development processes and systems. Charles is especially skilled at accelerating leaders who are HiPo, NuRo, and YoGo (High Potential Leaders, Leaders in New Role, Leaders Developing New Leaders). Clients regularly gain clarity and confidence as they go through the change and transition process in their professional role. In addition to his private practice, Charles trains coaches with two international coaching training companies. He is married and has 6 adult sons.

Learn how to get your complimentary 90-minute strategy session at www.HooperCoaching.com

As professional coaches, we are called to a world of expansive cultural diversity. In this global and multicultural context, it is more important than ever that we have a deep awareness, consideration, and appreciation of how we are alike and how we are different as humans. Coaches need to be aware of and manage our own biases to serve our clients effectively.

Dive in with today's guests and:

• Grasp the importance of going into each coaching relationship and session with an open mind that's culturally competent and ready to serve people from all walks of life.

• Learn the unforced rhythms of grace that abound when we approach coaching with curiosity so we can become more aware of and honor the variety of cultures in our world.

• Experience the value of better understanding various people and setting aside bias to help our clients follow the call of God on their lives.

Raising your standard of professionalism and changing the world requires asking important questions. What does it mean for coaches to keep raising their own standard? What sabotaging mindsets might need to be addressed? What does the future of coaching look like, and what role can you play?

Tune in to this valuable episode with Master Certified Coach, Charles Hooper, and learn more about the valuable contribution your coaching can make.

About Charles Hooper

Charles Hooper, Jr, MCC, is an Atlanta-based Executive Coach and Leadership Development Trainer. He has worked with senior leaders in a variety of industries and organizations domestically and internationally to design and deliver leadership development processes and systems. Charles is especially skilled at accelerating leaders who are HiPo, NuRo, and YoGo (High Potential Leaders, Leaders in New Role, Leaders Developing New Leaders). Clients regularly gain clarity and confidence as they go through the change and transition process in their professional role. In addition to his private practice, Charles trains coaches with two international coaching training companies. He is married and has 6 adult sons.

Learn how to get your complimentary 90-minute strategy session at www.HooperCoaching.com.

Are you a counselor considering a new vocation? Have you wondered what the differences are between coaching and counseling? Then join this lively discussion between three former counselors turned coaches as they compare and contrast these two amazing professions. Listen in to discover:

• What to learn and unlearn when moving from counseling so you can thrive in the coaching world.
• The role of emotion in the coaching relationship.
• The 4 levels of development that will help you continue to embrace your identity as a coach.

About Andrew Gorter

Dr. Andrew Gorter, PCC is a leadership coach with a passion to help leaders navigate the interpersonal challenges of leadership. He earned a doctorate in family therapy and has over 30 years of experience working helping leaders build trust, elicit true buy-in, and inspire passion for their vision and values.

In addition to his work with leaders, Andrew has developed an internal coach training program for Franklin Covey a large international training corporation, and serves on the faculty of a Professional Christian Coaching Institute, a virtual coach training school where he has opportunity to multiply his influence, promoting high standards of effective credentialed coaching in the marketplace.

Andrew and his wife, Karen, live in Holland, MI, near the beaches of Lake Michigan. They have two married daughters, four grandsons and one granddaughter. He enjoys cycling, watercolor painting, reading and woodworking.

Learn more about Andrew Gorter at www.plusonecoaching.com.

As professional coaches, we are called to a world of expansive cultural diversity. In this global and multicultural context, it is more important than ever that we have a deep awareness, consideration, and appreciation of how we are alike and how we are different as humans. Coaches need to be aware of and manage our own biases to serve our clients effectively.

Dive in with today's guests and:

• Grasp the importance of going into each coaching relationship and session with an open mind that's culturally competent and ready to serve people from all walks of life.
• Learn the unforced rhythms of grace that abound when we approach coaching with curiosity so we can become more aware of and honor the variety of cultures in our world.
• Experience the value of better understanding various people and setting aside bias to help our clients follow the call of God on their lives.

Welcome to an Encore of Episode 7 of Professional Christian Coaching Today in which we sit down with our show's host, Christopher McCluskey, PCC, for part two of his inspiring story.

In the previous podcast, Chris talked about the challenges and obstacles he faced after shutting down his successful counseling practice to move his wife and children cross-country to the family farm and launch a private coaching practice.

Shortly after relocating, Chris was struck by a debilitating illness that took years to diagnose. He entered a "dark night of the soul" that took a toll on both he and his family. But instead of allowing difficult circumstances to harden their hearts, they served to strengthen their faith and resolve. During these difficult years, God inscribed valuable life lessons on Chris' heart, which he shares with us today.

Chris identifies five critical beliefs that shaped his life and decisions during these years:

• Discern your life's call and listen to the song of your heart.
• Count the cost and do your due diligence when launching your coaching business and in honoring your values.
• Commit for the long haul. After putting your hand to the plow, resist the temptation to look back (Luke 9:62).
• Persevere through the dark times and allow nothing to deter you from God's plan and purpose for you, both personally and professionally.
• Work creatively and collaboratively. Say, "Lord, show me something fresh here." Ask, "Collaboratively, who else can help me?"

How might these key takeaways mold your life and coaching practice?

If after listening to today's broadcast, you're asking yourself, "So, what's next?" or "How can I do a similar examination of my life and priorities?" download the "Align Your Life Inventory" for free. Just go to our website, ProfessionalChristianCoachingToday.com, and enter your name and email below the masthead. Signing up for this free resource will also add you to our mailing list and keep you up-to-date on new topics and podcasts. Until next time, keep Raising the Standard and Changing the World!