What are the benefits of having worked to achieve a Prism award? That's the question we've asked past Prism recipient coaches. We wanted to hear more about their experience.
Here are some thoughts from Troy King of Corporate Symphony International (www.corporatesymphony.ca) who has been a Prism Judge in Vancouver and Calgary and has had client organizations he has coached win 4 Prism awards over the last 4 years (Toronto, Atlanta, International and Vancouver).
Great responses from Lynne and Dave so I'll see if I can make some original points here in addition to affirming the good points they have already made.
Benefits to clients:
- Inspiring and Calling Forth clients to even greater success! Simply talking about a possible nomination with a client and partnering on it with them if it is important to them catalyzes coaching energy in the organization and inspires greater success! Emails and conversations sharing coaching successes increase, momentum grows exponentially!
- Acknowledgement and celebration! As coaches we facilitate this individually but rarely does it occur at an organizational level and Prism facilitates this process during the nomination and interview process, whether the client wins or not. Coaching takes effort, it involves stretching outside the comfort zone - there is incredible value in an organization celebrating these and other qualities.
- The next level of Challenge! I always feel that with every award I win there is a greater responsibility to stand taller, speak more widely, share more, take more risks and overall carry the torch of living into all that I have been recognized for. I've found this in all the clients who have won - they feel a renewed responsibility to be on the leading edge of coaching and to be strong and eloquent champions for its impact. Coaching for the client or the coach is never about the trophy - it's about the Contribution - Prism naturally leads us from recognition back into contribution.
Benefits to our coaching practice:
- All the above are equally true for me and for the team of 15 coaches I lead with Corporate Symphony. We are Inspired, Called Forth, Acknowledged and Challenged by our involvement with Prism nominated clients. We are better coaches for it.
- Beaming widely as our clients are celebrated for their full engagement in the coaching process and the cumulative impact it has had over time on their organization, their families and their communities - there is no better feeling as a coach!
- I've often said 'the best coaches are not the ones with the most training .. or awards .. or experience .. the best coaches are the ones on the leading and at times bleeding edge of growth and development themselves'. Prism is a way to publicly share the leading edge of what we are up to and be inspired by the leading edge of what other coaches are up to. Even more than the public sharing, Prism is a high leverage learning process with the client - what worked, didn't, can be improved, what did we learn about how we are learning as an organization?
- Prism challenges us to bring our very best as coaches! In Corporate Symphony that is our focus on Triple Bottom Line Results: People, Profit and Sustainability. In Prism that is the 3 key factors: Qualitative Impact, Quantitative Impact, and Sustainability. Whether you nominate or not it is a great 'true north' to be guided by in any organizational coaching project.
The Prism Award can make a year round positive impact in the coaching field and I am proud that the Vancouver chapter is taking a leading role in building this positive impact.
Here's to celebrating the passion and positive impact of coaching - that's what Prism is all about!
I'm looking forward to hearing more great stories this year! Will we see your name on the roster of coaches who have submitted award nominations for your client? We know there are fabulous coaching stories waiting to be told.
The 2011 Prism Awards will be held in late April, nominations will be accepted in early March.
What great coaching stories do you and your clients have to share?
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