Week 1 of 4: Why be a coach?

Welcome to week 1 of our ICF accreditation celebrations. This week we're answering the question "Why?" and breaking it down into two areas.

1. What's so great about being a coach?
2. Why should I choose NPCA, especially when there are other schools to choose from?

What is so great about being a coach?

If any of the following are important to you then coaching skills will definitely be a plus.

• Knowing how to deepen conversations to things that really matter, both to you and others
• Being able to bring your best self to any situation
• Developing a grander vision for your life and helping others to do the same
• Supporting other individuals and groups to achieve the things they only dreamed were possible
• Being able to offer a gift of feedback in a way that is both powerful and received well
• Working with your internal world to support your external world
• Understanding how values and beliefs affect the everyday life of you and everyone else and what to do when that it's working

Being a coach means your eyes have been opened to seeing the interplay between your internal and external world, that you've begun to learn how to work with this and that you have the skills to support others on this journey too.

Why choose NPCA?

Maybe you're already sure you want to be a coach. Why choose NPCA?

1. We provide all the training hours and mentoring that you need to apply for your ICF credential.
   • Some schools teach you and leave you wanting for more support.
2. We continue to support the growing community of NPCA coaches.
   • We have regular NPCA community meetups. The next is on 9th January 2016.
3. We're home-grown in Dubai, UAE and developed this programme in, and for, the blend of people and cultures that come together in this region.
   • Other programmes attempt to bring ways of viewing the world that ill-match life and culture here.
4. We're based here in UAE.
   • Some other schools either only have satellite bases in UAE, or worse, no base at all and instead choose to fly in just for "delivery".
5. We're run by coaches, for coaches.
   • Sarah Anthony and I have lived in UAE for 17 and 10 years respectively, we're both coaches working in the region and we developed the programme with you in mind.
6. We know what we stand for and encourage our coaches to do the same.

Lastly, we encourage you to investigate the other coach training schools in your area. Different programmes cater to different needs. The ICF maintains a list of all accredited coach training programmes in each country including a list of all accredited coach training programme the UAE. Go take a look and see us in the official list.

Write any questions that you'd like answered about being a coach or any other part of NPCA in the  comments below or email me at [email protected]. We'll answer the top 10 questions in Week 5.

Next week, my co-founder Sarah Anthony will be opening up the Certificate in Professional Coaching programme to show us the "What" you can learn by joining the programme.

See you next Wednesday,

Matt Trenchard

Co-Founder of North Point Academy