Review:
Ogne and Roehl’s book is based on years of experience as coaches, experience they have now tailored to fit the expectations, needs and ethos of the postmodern generation. Its adaptability to the post- modern generation make this book a needed addition to any spiritual coach’s library. The new coaching paradigm they suggest, transmissional coaching, is also relevant and very helpful.
- M.L. Codman-Wilson, Ph.D., 8/13/11
Summary:
“Great coaches come alongside leaders so that leaders can be transformed into the image of Christ and join Him in His redemptive mission here…We suggest transformissional coaching as a new paradigm to empower leaders in this postmodern generation…The new equipping for transformissional leaders will not be in seminary or Bible college, nor in short seminars from a church; it will take place in ministry in that context and reality. This model takes into account postmodern young people who seek relationships of integrity, context, involvement in mission, community and leaders who sojourn alongside (3,7,13,19).
Acronym for a good COACH
- C – Comes alongside, wanting the best for the person and mission
- O – Observes carefully, objectively
- A – Asks questions wisely – is not a “teller” of solutions, direction etc.
- C – Communicates options and resources, helping the leader think beyond visible first impressions
- H – Holds a leader accountable from the heart so leader can grow personally, improve performance and solve problems for maximum ministry effectiveness. (26)
The new coaching paradigm is contextual, relational, missional, flexible, cross-cultural, practical and holistic. Hence it is not just focused, as in business, on the bottom line of performance. The emphasis is personal transformation through the 4 C’s:
Clarifying one’s call to ministry and spiritual formation
Cultivating personal character so s/he can transform one’s surroundings
Creating authentic community
Connecting to the secular culture in a redemptive way (p. 29).
When a leader is working in the secular culture, the devil will attack so the leader must be protected through strong spiritual disciplines and the whole armor of God. A coach with spiritual authority and discernment can encourage the personal spiritual formation of the leader while also helping to identify and defend against the attack of the Devil. This spiritual formation is called “first order calling” (p. 32).
“Second order calling” is one’s specific calling based on one’s gifts and passion, personality, and leadership style. Coaching for strong and positive spiritual formation will protect the leader against temptation, burnout and moral failure. Coaching to clarify the leader’s calling, gifting passion and ministry fit will release energy effectiveness and increased fruitfulness (p. 33). Good coaches also help leaders engage their culture, helping them establish significant relationships in the culture and keeping them accountable for intentional investment in these relationships (pp. 33-44).
Biblical basis: The New Testament mandate in Eph.4:11-12 says gifts are given for “building up the body of Christ” (NASWB). The Greek word for “building up” is Katartismos – it means bringing into fitness; it can also mean restoring (Gal.6:1), mending or repairing (Mt. 4:21), perfecting (I Thes. 3:10, Heb. 13:21, I Pet. 5:10), (p. 60). Jesus is the Master Coach. He built a team, encouraged them, showed them, sent them, equipped them, asked great questions, was redemptive, extended grace, was purposeful, gave them a vision of something bigger than themselves, believed in them, held them accountable, spent lots of time with them, prayed for them and kept urging them on (p. 63). The Holy Spirit is our internal coach. He comes alongside (paraklete), helps, teaches to pray, affirms, leads, and holds believers accountable...
There must be shared values between the coach and the leader: of honesty (we will speak the truth in love), confidentiality, vulnerability, punctuality, preparedness (completing assignments for each appointment), prayer (pp. 94-95).
Seven habits for good coaches are to:
Listen empathetically within the other’s frame of reference (p. 121). This involve bracketing – the temporary giving up or setting aside of the coach’s own prejudices, frames of reference and desires so as to experience as far as possible the leader’s world from the inside, stepping into his or her shoes. You can’t walk a mile in someone else’s shoes until you take off your own shoes (p. 137).
Care from the heart – for the leader, the leader’s family, personal issues, strengths, weaknesses.
Celebrate – find reasons to accentuate the positive. You can ask, for example: “What are you excited about? How has God been working? Where have you demonstrated your best leadership? What’s your greatest accomplishment this month? (p. 150).
Strategize – keep the leader connected to core values and to the big picture – help the leader discern where God is at work
Train
Disciple
Challenge (p. 106). All these habits need to be practiced in the context of the leader’s understanding
and appreciation of leadership styles as well as the coach’s own leadership style (pp. 195-208).
The authors advocate the 4D relational approach, helping the leader to:
Discern where God is working
Discover how God wants me to participate
Develop the next steps for that participation
Depend – Answer: whom do I need- i.e, God, your intercessory prayer support team, others (pp. 115-118). Within this holistic, relational approach – called coaching from the heart – a coach must be purposeful about the priorities of spiritual formation and growth and spiritual disciplines, the leader’s total surrender to the Lord, the areas and costs of suffering in the leader’s life and the season in the leader’s life at the moment. Each of these 4 areas are shaping the leader (p. 191).
The character traits needed in a good coach:
1. Active spiritually, connected to God and living by faith. You see where God is at work and seek to join Him. You are able to discern and address spiritual resistance and conflict.
2. Personally secure – not projecting your own agenda, experience or ambition. No need to control, or to “tell” instead of listen.
3. Growing personally and professionally in many different areas for a well-rounded balance.
4. Integrity in relationships. Do not talk negatively about the leader you are coaching. Be honest and forthright in love (p. 262).
The credibility to be a coach comes from:
1. Position – you have authority or seniority in age or status or actual position
2. Expertise – in the areas of coaching and in the ministry needs of the one you are coaching
3. Spiritual authority – usually the result of good spiritual disciplines. This will include discernment and wisdom…Coaches with spiritual authority are able to provide spiritual guidance for spiritual challenges” 266
4. Relationship building. “Relational authority is granted by the leader and earned by the coach. Relational authority requires time for trust to develop. It requires vulnerability from the coach. It requires personal and emotional investment. Relational credibility will sustain the coaching relationship when other means of authority fail” (p. 266).
These 4 areas together provide for “4 wheel drive coaching” (p. 267).
Questions for Reflection or Discussion:
1. How does the concept of “coaching in the context of ministry and reality” work practically in your coaching responsibilities?
2. The authors stress “coaching from the heart.” What does that concept mean to you?
3. How would (or does) it affect your relationship with those you coach?
4. How are you implementing the author’s two levels of coaching:
a. First order coaching?
b. Second order coaching?
5. Why is first order coaching so important to emphasize before you concentrate on second order coaching?
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