So Maybe You’re Wondering, Who’s the New Guy?
By Mark Joyella
Perhaps you’ve noticed the new guy unpacking boxes, botching new names, and generally looking lost as he strolls the Coaching Commons in search of a bathroom and a cup of coffee. Well, I am that guy, and I hope you’ll bear with me as I get settled.
If you haven’t already heard, I’m your new Community Supported Journalist (has a nice fills-out-the-business-card-with-distinction sound to it, wouldn’t you say?), which may have you asking yourself, “what is a community supported journalist, and what does it mean to me?”
Excellent question.
Well, simply put, I’ll be your friendly neighborhood reporter, conversation-starter, and, should I ever find a coffee pot around here, reliable strong-coffee-brewer.
The idea, a bold one indeed, was to parachute a strong-willed and moderately fearless reporter into the world of coaching to stir things up, get people talking (or, if I really do my job well, passionately debating) and, you know, to do some reporting. For a field with as much going on as this one, you knew a reporter was going to show up eventually, right?
I know a lot about reporting. I’ve been a television reporter in Colorado, Florida and New York, and I’ve written for newspapers including the New York Post, [Editor's note: We have tried not to hold that against him] and I’ve won a few awards along the way. I’m also a coach, working with journalists and jobseekers, using what I know to support others in achieving their professional goals. I’m good at that, even though I don’t have formal coach training or certification (perhaps like some of you?).
Despite that experience, I don’t pretend to be an expert on coaching. I’m here with a blank pad, a fully-charged laptop, and no agenda. I’m here to ask questions–sometimes tough questions–and report back on what I find. Sometimes, I’ll make a mistake. When that happens, I’ll count on you to hold MY feet to the fire.
I’m really interested in what you think would make a good story. What’s been on your mind, but hasn’t been reported? What needs to be talked about? Drop me a note with a story idea, or just say hello. And if anybody knows where that coffee maker is, I’ll go brew a pot.
Comment by Mark Joyella on 23 June 2009:
Hi Nina!
Keen and witty? Why thanks!
Mark
Comment by Nina East on 23 June 2009:
Welcome, Mark!
Glad to know we have such a keen (and witty) journalist to help us look in the mirror more accurately.
This is just what the coaching profession needs – and it’s no surprise that Ruth Ann would be somewhere behind the push.
Nina!
Comment by Mark Joyella on 22 June 2009:
Hi Donna,
Thanks… putting the feet up and having a cup of coffee often gets the ideas flowing!
Mark
Comment by Donna Karlin on 21 June 2009:
Hey Mark…
Welcome to the Coaching Commons. I hope you do stick around for a while and make yourself welcome. Whenever you’re ready for a cup, let me know. We can put our feet up and see where the conversation goes. In the meantime I look forward to seeing what unfolds and I know it’ll be great
Comment by Billy C H Teoh on 20 June 2009:
Mark, the thing nowadays in my coaching practice is that almost all my clients are ‘demanding’ some form of measurements of the Return on Investment (ROI) or Return on Expectation (ROE) on coaching, [whichever is the appropriate term?] whether ‘tangible’ or ‘intangible’ measurements?.
I am wondering if you have some great pieces on this issue that could shed light, and open more grounds for my explorations?
I would definitely gain insights from fellow coaches who would like to share experiences grappling these ‘ROI/ROE’ issues with their clients, and how they were resolved?
Meta-cheerio.
Billy C H Teoh
Malaysia.
Comment by Mark Joyella on 20 June 2009:
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for the warm welcome! It has indeed been fun and inspiring so far, and I’m just getting started. I’d definitely like to know more about how you combine your loves of coaching and writing: do share!
Mark
Comment by Ellen Brown on 19 June 2009:
Hi Mark,
I hope you’re enjoying your first few weeks in the Coaching Commons. As a fellow writer, I’m eager to see what you’ll be writing about. Although my undergraduate degree is in journalism, I haven’t called myself a journalist for years, but I still do make my living in part as a writer (specializing in health and wellness). As a relatively new coach (I received my certification a year ago), I continue to think about how I can combine my two loves: coaching and writing. We shall see, but in the meantime, I’m interested in seeing what you’ll be writing about. I hope you find your new position fun and inspiring!
Ellen
Comment by Mark Joyella on 18 June 2009:
Hi Tatiana!
Great to hear from you, and glad you’re checking in from Spain. I’d definitely love to hear how things are going for you there, and you can email me here… or tweet me (www.twitter.com/coachreporter) anytime to keep the conversation going!
Mark
Comment by Tatiana on 18 June 2009:
Hi there all the way from Palma de Mallorca, Spain! I am a Health and Wellness Coach trained at Wellcoaches Co, originally from New York, and am the founder and owner of BodyVision SL company. (I wish I could write as well as you.) Coaching is new in Spain but gaining ground, so I find myself spending much of my marketing activities as an ‘educator’ so to speak, ie. ’so, what do you do?’ Deary me, I’ve re-written my elevator speech about 20 times by now, still on the lookout for the right one.
I believe I have the very first coaching company in Spain dedicated exclusively to health coaching with clients, as opposed to life coaching, etc. BodyVision attends clients in English, Spanish and German, and I’m opening up telephone coaching packages to the market (this is really new here). If anything exciting happens, I’ll be sure to let you know and if you are in the neighborhood, please stop by!
Good luck, don’t drink too much coffee….
Comment by Mark Joyella on 8 June 2009:
Marc,
Thanks for reading my post…and for your great comment. I can understand how a great coach might not be the best accountant–or even business development/marketing person. And I think you’re right, that’s a great idea for a story.
It’s great to have another new face at the Coaching Commons… don’t be a stranger!
Mark
Comment by Marc Manieri on 8 June 2009:
Hi Mark. I too am a virgin Coaching Commons post-er. I just took the time to read through several threads and am glad I’ve found this resource…I recognize several names of other coaches on here that I know and have a lot of respect for.
I’ve been in the coaching world for about a decade and I think one of the more interesting conversations I find myself in with other coaches is the business side of this industry. I’ve talked to many, many coaches and I find that most are very good at providing the service, but not so hot at building their businesses and staying afloat. Marketing and coaching are 2 separate animals. As a company we’ve really been studying this and have had our own ups and downs from a business standpoint. I think this would be a great conversation starter, one worthy of reporting within the coaching community.
Comment by Mark Joyella on 4 June 2009:
Hi Dee!
Fanfabutastic is a good word… and a good way to describe how I feel about being here. It’s going to be fun. And by all means, pour a nice detoxing cup of tea from time to time!
Mark
Comment by Elizabeth on 4 June 2009:
Seattle, yes! We’re sizz’lin out here! Today it’s ‘Micro-Star’ with the launch of Badda-Bing!
We need to get busy now…investigating, writing and creating cool profile pics, no?! (thanks Sandra)
Soon….Elizabeth
Comment by Sandra De Freitas on 3 June 2009:
Mark,
I’m glad you like my cool profile pic! It was created by Amanda at http://www.9livesillustrations.com I’m not sure if she still does them, if not, I’ve got another contact who is does them. Let me know if you are interested.
Comment by Dee on 3 June 2009:
Hello!
Reporting, ‘ey? Fanfabutastic, looking forward to your input!
Btw, am I the only non-coffee drinking tea-nose around here? Sheesh…
xx
Comment by Mark Joyella on 3 June 2009:
Sandra!
Thanks! So where do I get a cool profile pic like yours??
Comment by Sandra De Freitas on 3 June 2009:
Welcome to the team Mark!
Comment by Mark Joyella on 3 June 2009:
Hi Suzi,
Yes… I’ve often felt that walking three dogs at once in New York was training… for something. Perhaps only for answering the inevitable question from passers-by: “are you a dog walker?” (Well, technically yes, but professionally, no.)
I will definitely be in touch!
Mark
Comment by Mark Joyella on 3 June 2009:
Hi Phillip,
Indeed this is an experiment, and I feel very much like a pioneer here. I’m definitely not doing PR, but possibly exploring a new way of being a journalist, and that’s really, profoundly exciting. As you say, journalism is undergoing a massive change, and beat reporting is getting harder and harder to find. In this unusual effort, we seek to determine if a “beat” can find its own journalist, instead of waiting patiently for news operations struggling to keep the lights on to get around to finding an uncovered beat (even a beat as big as coaching) and to decide to assign a journalist to cover it.
Mark
Comment by Mark Joyella on 3 June 2009:
Elizabeth!
Thanks! It’s great to be here. As for Seattle (a city I’ve never visited but always wanted to)… I’d love to get there. And this Star- what was the name again? Not ringing any bells. Is it some kind of Pacific Northwest mom-and-pop coffee shop?
Mark
Comment by Mark Joyella on 3 June 2009:
David,
On board and ready to roll! Thanks for the warm welcome, and you bet I’m eager for all the help and suggestions I can get!
Comment by Mark Joyella on 3 June 2009:
Hi Angela,
Glad to hear you’re excited by the idea of a reporter digging around in the sun-shiny and not so sunny spots. It’s going to be a great experience… and maybe one day I can find my way to Hong Kong!
Mark
Comment by Angela Spaxman on 3 June 2009:
Welcome Mark! What an interesting development …the Coaching Commons does it again.
I’m excited because I so loved the Coaching Insider during it’s brief life. It stirred up some controversy and that was refreshing. So I hope you’ll be doing something similar by digging into some of those not-so-pretty corners of the coaching world, as well as celebrating some of the downright amazing things that go on.
I’m currently the (very passionate) President of the International Association of Coaching, so I have plenty of opinions to share with you about the professional aspects of being a coach, if you are so inclined. I’m also in Hong Kong, so I have inside information about coaching in Asia. Over to you…
Comment by suzi pomerantz on 2 June 2009:
Welcome to the most generous and thought-provoking community you ever reported on, Mark! It’s been said of coaches that working with us is like herding cats, so your experience with a cat and three dogs at home will surely come in handy.
As someone who’s been around the coaching industry for over 16 years, if I can be of service as you get acclimated, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to help.
Comment by Phillip McClure on 2 June 2009:
Wow! This is an interesting idea. As someone who started out in college as a journalism major, changed to counseling, and now (lo these many years later) has developed an interest in coaching and hopes to one day have a solo coaching business, I find the idea of the coaching community hiring their own journalist very intriguing. As far as I know this is a first. (But I bet it won’t be a last! This is going to catch on if it works out well.)
While it isn’t unusual for an organization or business to hire a public relations specialist, this sounds like it’s different in that you aren’t here to make us (the coaching world) look good and give our side of things, you’re just here to do something that has almost disappeared from our society today: objective reporting on a particular beat. But rather than being hired by the TV channel, radio station, or newspaper, the foundation supporting coaching is paying your salary. Is that an accurate description?
Do you know of this ever being done before? It will be interesting to see if you can go beyond PR and what kind of response you’ll get when you do your first negative story (as you inevitably will if you’re true to the above description because not even something as wonderful as coaching can be all good if human beings are involved in it. We’re not perfect creatures–or else we wouldn’t need coaching!)
So, Mark, welcome to the experiment. Good luck. You could do a lot for the coaching industry. I believe it is just about to break free and become a commonplace mainstream industry.
BTW, I’d like to thank Andrea J. Lee for telling me about the Harnish Foundation and especially this particular development. Very interesting Web site you have here. Keep up the good work supporting coaches.
Comment by Elizabeth on 2 June 2009:
Welcome to the Coaching Commons Mark!
Coffee please? Hmmmm, I may offer a wee bit of enticement for you to visit Seattle, home of Tulleys, Torrefazione, Cafe Lladro and the ever-so-slightly-known Starbucks! Caffeine crazed anyone? And the next line is….
I raise my cup to you! Cheers! Elizabeth
Comment by David Goldsmith on 2 June 2009:
Mark:
I’m thrilled you are on board to cover the coaching profession!! As the former publisher of the no longer Coaching Insider, I’m happy to share what I know about our previous efforts.
Comment by Mark Joyella on 2 June 2009:
Deal! I won’t turn down a real-life coffee… and by the way, thanks again for inviting me into the Coaching Commons… I’m very excited to be here and I’m confident it’s going to be great.
Comment by Ruth Ann Harnisch on 2 June 2009:
Mark – Welcome to the Coaching Commons! Perhaps you’ll have time for a RL cup of coffee in the next day or two? It would be great to meet you.
Comment by Mark Joyella on 2 June 2009:
Linda,
Thanks… I needed that!
Comment by Linda Ballew on 2 June 2009:
Welcome to the Coaching Commons, Mark! We are honored that you have joined the Commons community. May I be the first to offer you a (virtual) cup of coffee?