coaching
International Women's Day
Submitted by bron.bi on Tue, 03/08/2011 - 10:33
Today is International Women's Day. On this day every year many activities are organised by women. Last year to celebrate the 100th International Women's Day, events occured all over the world. You can read about them here. Today is a day to acknowledge women for the work they do around the world. Of all the coaches around the world, most are women. A survey done a few years back noted that around 80% of coaches are women. Women are the major contributors in the helping profession of which coaching is a part.
In Edgar Schein's book 'Helping' he explains how being "thrust into the role of helper is immediately a gain in status and power-literally if I help someone up who has fallen, or symbolically if I am a counsellor, consultant or coach who is being asked to provide wisdom and expertise to solve a problem.'
However today is a day to celebrate all those women who did not accept the status and power in their role as helper. This is possible through recognising that a coach is not an advisor but rather a person who empowers another to seek their inner wisdom and expertise.
Bill Gates and High School speech
Submitted by bron.bi on Mon, 03/07/2011 - 17:51
I read today a list of 11 rules Bill Gates believes are not taught in schools and should be. Each rule is based on some large assumptions and judgements that Gates makes. They include judgements around teenagers being untidy, lazy, blameful, dreamers. This speech Gates gave highlights for me that he is not in touch with teenagers and the many pressures they face in school today. Every teenager is reminded daily of the grades they need and the results they must achieve. They are reminded also of how their grades reflect the school they are going to and their parents needs for them.
We are living in times where being the top is expected of every child, yet we know there is only one top position. Children today are expected to take extracurriula activities, to study for hours on length, to find that child genius inside them to make their parents proud. Their social activites are curbed during their school years and so too are their hobbies and passions.
Yet when they complete all their studies and arrive at their first day of a new job the most important attributes needed are social skills. In addition they are required to be creative and flexible yet they have just left a system where they are required to follow a very strict pathway and to stop creative activities ie hobbies, passions etc. Read more »
