Podcast Notes

Episode 467 Finding Balance Through the Enneagram, with Marilyn Vancil Host: Brian Miller, Executive Director of CAM Guests: Marilyn Vancil

In this insightful conversation, Brian speaks with Marilyn Vancil, a leading Christian voice on the Enneagram and author of Self to Lose, Self to Find and Beyond the Enneagram. Marilyn shares how she first encountered the Enneagram and how it became a transformative tool for self-understanding and spiritual growth. Together, they explore the model’s ability to uncover deep internal patterns, guide personal development, and reveal the adapted self we often cling to for survival. The discussion also delves into how each Enneagram type can grow by identifying personal patterns, breaking unhealthy cycles, and embracing authentic, God-given identity. The episode culminates in practical advice for coaches and individuals using the Enneagram in spiritual formation and personal transformation.

Key Highlights

• Marilyn Vancil’s Origin Story with the Enneagram: She was introduced to it via cassette tapes over 30 years ago and initially dismissed it, but quickly became captivated once she recognized herself in the type descriptions.
• Head, Heart, and Gut Centers: Brian and Marilyn discuss how understanding one’s dominant center—and the one most repressed—can clarify personal tendencies and avenues for growth.
• Enneagram as a Tool for Transformation: Marilyn emphasizes that the Enneagram is not about labeling but about identifying patterns formed as survival mechanisms, which can be released in favor of authentic growth.
• Growth Through Arrows and Wings: Movement along the Enneagram’s arrows (toward stress or security) and exploring wings helps individuals mature, especially when they begin accessing repressed emotional or instinctual parts of themselves.
• Practical Coaching Use: Marilyn outlines how she works with clients—starting with identifying type through self-reflection (not just assessments), then exploring internal narratives, strengths, and areas of stuckness.

Takeaways

• The Enneagram is about patterns, not boxes: Your type reflects habitual survival strategies—not a fixed identity—which can be transformed through awareness and intention.
• True growth often involves reclaiming repressed parts: For many, this means learning to trust previously undervalued aspects like the gut or emotions.
• Coaching with the Enneagram should be relational and reflective: Tests can be helpful, but lasting insights come from dialogue, story, and pattern recognition.
• Growth involves risk and discomfort: Letting go of adapted identities can feel unsafe, but it opens the door to living as your true self.
• Wings and integration lines are growth maps: Exploring adjacent types (wings) or your integration direction (arrows) can unlock deeper understanding and resilience.

For more on Marilyn, visit her website at https://marilynvancil.com/. If you loved today's episode, we also invite you to join us on June 12th 11AM EST to hear Marilyn live as she hosts a CAM Webinar on the influence your enneagram has on coaching, with a Q&A following! Register now at: https://coachapproachministries.org/enneagram/ 

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Podcast Notes

Episode 466 Exploring the Principles of Influence with Wes Bryant Host: Brian Miller, Executive Director of CAM Guests: Wes Bryant

Brian and Wes meet again, this time exploring Dr. Robert Cialdini’s seven principles of ethical influence—Liking, Reciprocity, Social Proof, Unity, Authority, Consistency, and Scarcity. Drawing from years of research and practical coaching experience, they unpack how these principles show up naturally in everyday life and how they can be used truthfully, wisely, and generously. With personal stories, biblical connections, and actionable insights, the series emphasizes that influence isn’t about manipulation—it’s about building trust, offering value, and creating alignment between your message and your audience’s motivations.

Key Highlights:

•          Liking & Unity: People say yes to those they like or feel connected to. Shared identity builds faster, deeper rapport than shared interests alone.
•          Reciprocity & Generosity: Give first—genuinely, without strings. True service often leads to unexpected opportunities and relationships.
•          Social Proof: Others’ voices carry weight. Testimonials, champions, and visible approval signal credibility and trustworthiness.
•          Authority & Consistency: People follow perceived experts and prefer to stay consistent with prior commitments. Use micro-agreements and visible endorsements wisely.
•          Scarcity Drives Action: Real limits (time, spots, access) motivate decisions. But urgency must be truthful—false pressure breaks trust.

Takeaways:

•          Serve First, Then Ask – Generosity leads to reciprocity; people help those who help them.
•          Show You Belong – Build unity by naming your niche and connecting through shared identity.
•          Use Testimonials Thoughtfully – Let satisfied clients or respected voices advocate for you.
•          Ask Clearly, Set Real Limits – Micro-commitments boost follow-through; true scarcity drives decision-making.

Check out Wes' website at https://www.commissionsales.coach/!

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Podcast Notes

Episode 465 Creating Space for Awareness Hosts: Brian Miller, PCC and Chad Hall, MCC Date: May 15, 2025

In this episode of the Coach Approach Ministries podcast, Brian Miller and Chad Hall dive deep into the core coaching competency of evoking awareness. They explore how the International Coaching Federation reframed this concept to shift the focus away from simply asking questions and toward generating new insight and understanding for clients. The conversation includes practical strategies, mindset shifts, and real-world examples to help coaches foster meaningful breakthroughs.

1. The Evolution of a Core Competency: The ICF shifted from emphasizing “powerful questioning” to “evoking awareness,” highlighting that questions are just one of many tools to spark insight.

2. The Role of Deep Listening: Evoking awareness begins with truly listening — not just to words, but to tone, patterns, and what's left unsaid — with a deep sense of curiosity.

3. Avoiding Entrenchment: Coaches should be careful not to challenge clients in ways that provoke defensiveness; gentle observations or reframing can lead to more open exploration.

4. Multiple Paths to Awareness: Beyond questions, awareness can be evoked through metaphors, observations, reframing, or offering models and distinctions (like the “3 Ps” for leadership issues).

5. Shifting the Coaching Mindset: Tools like the hourglass model are not instructions for the coach but frameworks to understand and support the client’s thought journey.

• Awareness is the goal, not the question itself — be flexible in your approach.

• Curiosity is foundational: great coaches listen beyond the surface.

• Evoking awareness means meeting the client where they are, even if that’s uncertainty or resistance.

• Effective coaching requires patience — allow clients the space to discover rather than forcing insights.

Evoking Awareness eCourse Available for $79 at http://coachapproachministries.org/awareness 

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Podcast Notes

Episode 464 The Five Step Ethical Sales Framework for Coaches w/ Wes Bryant Host: Brian Miller, Executive Director of CAM Guests: Wes Bryant

In this episode, Wes Bryant—an expert in ethical influence and persuasion—shares his journey from struggling coach to founder of The Commissioned Coach. He breaks down his five-step sales process for coaches who dislike selling, showing how to shift from a fear of being “salesy” to seeing sales as a service. Through mindset shifts, ethical communication, and relationship-focused methods, Wes empowers coaches to grow their practices with confidence and integrity.

Key Highlights:

• Sales and coaching often conflict due to differing communication styles—one pushes, the other explores.
• Wes’s breakthrough came with a mindset shift: sales is a service, not a manipulation.
• His five-step process begins with abundance and progresses through reliability, influence, objection-handling, and more (covered in future episodes).
• Coaches often struggle not because of a lack of effort, but because they fear “being salesy” and avoid direct asks.
• Ethical persuasion focuses on helping people make the best decision for themselves—even if that decision isn’t you.

Takeaways:

• Shift from a scarcity mindset (“I need clients”) to an abundance mindset (“How can I help?”).
• View yourself as a reliable guide, not a nuisance—you’re there to serve.
• Tailor communication to each person in your funnel based on their trust and readiness.
• Influence ethically by aligning motives with the client’s best interest.
• Prepare for objections ahead of time so pricing or hesitation doesn’t derail your confidence.

Check out Wes' website at https://www.commissionsales.coach/!

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Podcast Notes

Episode 463 Your High Performance Patterns Are What Drive Your Best Work Hosts: Brian Miller, PCC and Chad Hall, MCC Date: May 1, 2025

In this episode of the Coach Approach Ministries Podcast, Brian Miller and Chad Hall revisit the concept of High Performance Patterns (HPP)—a foundational tool in CAM’s coaching philosophy. Originally developed by Dr. Jerry Fletcher, HPPs help individuals identify personal conditions that lead to better-than-expected results. Brian and Chad reflect on their own patterns, explore the importance of partnership, time-bound projects, and how performance is shaped by context. They also introduce CAM’s updated High Performance Patterns eCourse, now available at a discounted rate for May 2025.

Key Highlights:

1. Origin of High Performance Patterns Dr. Jerry Fletcher’s research at Harvard shifted the focus from imitating top performers to identifying unique, individual patterns that consistently lead to high achievement.
2. Defining High Performance High performance is defined by results that exceed your own expectations—not necessarily what others think or external benchmarks.
3. Brian’s Key Pattern: Partnership Brian performs at a high level when working with an equal partner. He shares how recognizing this has transformed how he approaches opportunities and collaboration.
4. Chad’s Key Pattern: Time-Bound Projects Chad thrives on projects with clear time limits. Long-term maintenance roles tend to drain his performance, while defined deadlines enhance focus and execution.
5. Using and Refining Your Pattern Over Time High Performance Patterns aren’t static. Through reflection and story-based assessment, individuals can refine and apply their patterns more intentionally over time.

Takeaways:

• Everyone has a unique pattern for peak performance. 
  • Identifying yours can help you replicate success more intentionally.
• Look to your own stories
  • HPP discovery is narrative-based—collect stories where you exceeded expectations to find common threads.
• Partnership may be critical—but only the right kind.
  • Equal investment and mutual respect are essential for collaborative patterns to work.
• Not all work suits all patterns.
  • Understand the kind of environments (e.g. time-bound, collaborative, solo) that enhance or diminish your performance.
• Your pattern evolves.
  • The more you reflect and apply what you learn, the more precise and useful your HPP becomes.

High Performance Patterns eCourse Available for $79 (normally $129) during May 2025 at coachapproachministries.org/hpp 

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Podcast Notes

Episode 462 Coaching as Spiritual Practice Host: Brian Miller, Executive Director of CAM Guests: Eddie Hammett, MCC and Scott Wagoner, ACC

In this episode, Brian speaks with coaches Eddie Hammett and Scott Wagner about their new book, Coaching as Spiritual Practice: Deepening Faith While Deepening Impact. The discussion explores how coaching serves not only as a professional tool but also as a deeply spiritual practice that fosters transformation through reflection, silence, and connection between head, heart, and spirit. Eddie introduces the FAITH framework as a guide to meaningful coaching conversations, while Scott emphasizes coaching’s potential to bring wholeness and clarity, especially in today’s fast-paced and spiritually questioning world. Both coaches share personal stories illustrating how coaching has helped them and their clients navigate profound life shifts, deepen faith, and uncover purpose.

• Coaching as a Spiritual Practice Eddie and Scott reflect on how coaching—especially during the pandemic—revealed itself as a form of spiritual practice. It's not just about achieving goals, but fostering transformation. It invites clients to align their head, heart, and even gut, creating space for clarity, wholeness, and spiritual depth.
• The Power of Silence and Spaciousness Scott, drawing from his Quaker tradition, describes the powerful role of silence in coaching. Holding space—literally through quiet—allows deeper truths and insights to rise, enabling clients to access their inner wisdom and divine guidance.
• The FAITH Framework (developed by Eddie Hammett) A flexible coaching structure designed to guide reflective spiritual engagement:

  1. F – Forward: What's the forward movement from the current dilemma?

  2. A – Alignment: Where is there dissonance? Where do head, heart, and life experiences need alignment?

  3. I – Interest: What fuels passion or blocks engagement?

  4. T – Timing: What is right now asking of you? (Kairos vs. Chronos)

  5. H – Heart: What’s at the core of the issue? How is it impacting decision-making and clarity?

• Transformation through Coaching Both guests highlight coaching’s role in uncovering hidden beliefs, integrating life experiences, and catalyzing transformation—not just behaviorally but spiritually. Eddie shares a powerful parallel between his open-heart surgery and the clarity that spiritual coaching brings.

• Create intentional pauses during sessions—silence can be sacred.

• Approach each conversation as an opportunity to explore meaning, vocation, and inner alignment.

• Use the FAITH framework to guide clients through reflection and forward movement, not just surface action.

Title: Coaching as Spiritual Practice: Deepening Faith While Deepening Impact Authors: Eddie Hammett & Scott Wagner Where to Get It: Click on this link to purchase on Amazon!

Also check out their website: Transforming Solutions: Leaning Into Life's Lessons

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Episode 461 Influential Phrases Hosts: Brian Miller, PCC and Chad Hall, MCC Date: April 17, 2025

In this episode, Brian Miller and Chad Hall discuss the art of sales and the importance of using influential phrases to enhance communication with potential clients. They explore three specific phrases that can help ease the sales process, encourage positive interactions, and create a more genuine connection between the salesperson and the client.

• Brian Miller shares insights from Robert Cialdini's book, Influence, discussing the six principles of influence.

• The hosts emphasize the importance of having memorized phrases in sales to reduce anxiety and provide a systematic approach.

• They introduce three key phrases to use with potential clients:

  1. "Before I go, can I share something with you?"

  2. "Feel free to tell me no, but here's an idea."

  3. "What if I told you I could help?"

• The hosts discuss the psychological principles behind these phrases, such as reciprocity and the law of liking.

• Authentic encouragement is positioned as a powerful tool in building trust and rapport with clients.

• Practice Encouragement: Make it a habit to leave every conversation with an encouraging word to build relationships and trust.

• Use Structured Phrases: Implement the three highlighted phrases in sales conversations to reduce pressure and create openness in potential clients.

• Embrace No as an Option: Encourage potential clients to say no, which can create a more relaxed atmosphere and facilitate honest communication.

• Test New Approaches: Be willing to try new phrases and strategies in your sales approach, even if they feel uncomfortable at first.

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Episode 460 Navigating Complexity: Coaching Physician Leaders with Dr. Richard Allman Host: Brian Miller, PCC Guest: Richard Allman, MD Date: April 10, 2025

In this episode, host Brian Miller interviews Dr. Richard Allman, a board-certified geriatrician and experienced physician leader. They discuss the challenges faced by physicians in leadership roles within academic medical centers, the coaching process, and the complexities of transitioning from clinical practice to leadership. Dr. Allman shares insights from his coaching practice, emphasizing the need for physicians to develop leadership skills and navigate complex healthcare systems.

1. Physicians often lack training in business and leadership, which hinders their ability to lead effectively.
2. Coaching can help physicians recognize their impact on patient care and develop better communication skills.
3. The complexity of healthcare systems requires leaders to manage multiple stakeholders and navigate intricate organizational structures.
4. Dr. Allman's journey through coaching has led him to pursue a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) designation to enhance his skills and serve his clients better.

1. Physicians should seek coaching to develop essential leadership skills, such as team building, influence, and effective communication.
2. Understanding the distinction between coaching, mentoring, and consulting can improve the coaching experience and outcomes for clients.
3. Continuous professional development, such as pursuing coaching certifications, can enhance a coach's effectiveness and credibility.
4. Engaging with peer networks and resources, like those provided by Coach Approach Ministries, can support coaches in their professional journey.

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Episode 459 Sale of a Car Hosts: Brian Miller, PCC and Chad Hall, MCC Date: April 3, 2025

In this episode, Brian Miller and Chad Hall explore the intricacies of the car-buying process, drawing parallels between car sales and coaching relationships. They discuss the importance of trust, social influence, the balance between task and relationship, and the potential pitfalls of manipulation in sales and coaching.

1. The hosts reflect on personal experiences with car salespeople and the dynamics of trust in those relationships.
2. The concept of social proof is introduced, with a discussion on how salespeople may use it to influence buyer behavior.
3. The challenges of negotiating additional offers (such as warranties) and the emotional responses of salespeople are explored.
4. A distinction is made between transactional sales and relationship-based coaching, emphasizing the importance of maintaining integrity in both fields.
5. The interplay between task-oriented and relationship-oriented approaches is examined, including the potential for coaches to lean too heavily in one direction.

1. Cultivate a relationship-focused approach in coaching while being mindful of necessary transactional elements, such as payment policies and boundaries.
2. Consider the ethical implications of influence—strive to use social proof and other techniques in ways that genuinely benefit clients.
3. Reflect on personal sales experiences and identify areas where emotional attachment may compromise objectivity or honesty in both sales and coaching scenarios.
4. Encourage open communication with clients about expectations, deliverables, and boundaries to foster trust and long-term relationships.

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Podcast Notes

Episode 458 Generational Differences, with Cayden Miller Host: Brian Miller, PCC Guest: Cayden Miller, PharmD Date: March 27, 2025 

In this episode, Brian Miller and his son, Dr. Cayden Miller, explore how different generations—from the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers to Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z—have been shaped by key historic events and technological advances. They also explore the evolving workplace, contrasting previous generations’ commitment and hands-on learning with today’s desire for recognition, meaningful feedback, and validation. The dialogue touches on coaching as an emerging solution to bridge generational gaps, helping organizations harness the strengths of Millennials and Gen Z while managing rapid job turnover and shifting communication preferences.

Key Highlights:

1. Generational Definitions & Life Events: Discussion on how milestones (e.g., the Moon Landing, end of Cold War, 9/11) and early technology (first personal computers, emergence of social media) have shaped different generations.
2. Digital Natives vs. Digital Immigrants: Insights into how Millennials and Gen Z navigate social media, with early experiences around Facebook signifying the shift in communication and connection, compared to older generations valuing in-person interaction.
3. Work Ethic & Expectations: Contrast between the loyalty and “paying dues” mentality of Gen X and earlier generations versus Millennials’ and Gen Z’s need for recognition, meaningful work, and faster progression without prolonged entry-level roles.
4. Coaching for Workplace Growth: Highlighting coaching as a tool to empower employees—to foster independence, integrate feedback, and reduce costly turnover—especially among younger workers.
5. Impact of Economic Pressures: Emphasis on how current economic realities force Millennials and Gen Z to juggle multiple jobs, highlighting the need for supportive strategies in recruitment and retention.

Takeaways:

1. For Managers & Employers: Involve employees in decision-making processes to make them feel valued and heard, which can improve engagement and lower turnover.
2. Revise Onboarding Strategies: Rethink entry-level roles by creating clear pathways for growth that resonate with Millennials’ and Gen Z’s expectations for rapid advancement and recognition.
3. Balance Digital & In-Person Communication: Develop workplace practices that blend the advantages of digital communication with opportunities for personal interactions to accommodate diverse generational preferences.
4. Leverage Coaching Programs: Consider implementing or enhancing coaching initiatives to empower team members, helping them navigate modern workplace challenges and harness their full potential.

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