Learning, Growing Professionally, and Connecting
I travelled to Paris to attend the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Converge Summit this month.
Coaching, like other professions, has many opportunities to learn and gain more depth in established methods as well as to explore emerging trends. Attending in-person conferences helps you grow in your professional area of expertise and connect with other like-minded people with similar interests and shared values.
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) was one of the emerging trends in coaching around which ICF attendees had robust discussions. As in other professions grappling with the increasing use of AI, reactions range from fear to excitement about integrating it into the coaching process.
The fears expressed include thoughts that AI could diminish human-based coaching or create ethical issues with information used, shared or recorded with AI. Opportunities cited include AI making more targeted information available to understand how to help our coaching clients move into action that takes them in the direction they wish to grow.
How AI will play out in coaching is still evolving. Whether it presents threat or opportunity likely depends on the individual coach. From my perspective, I see more opportunity than threat: the human connection created during the coaching process is authentic, not artificial. Feelings like trust, concern, encouragement, empathy and joy take place in deep, active listening and interactive coaching sessions. While AI may be useful in some aspects of coaching, it lacks the ability to facilitate connection.
Speaking of connection, this is another reason I am enthusiastic about attending industry leading professional conferences – In an industry where much of my work is conducted directly with the client, the chance to expand my network of coaching colleagues is invaluable to me. By attending the ICF Converge Summit, I was able to make meaningful new connections with a number of coaches, as well as to deepen my relationship with coaches I already knew. I was especially grateful to meet with international coaches of both John Mattone Global and CoachSource, as I serve as an executive coach in both of these firms.
Learning, growing professionally and connecting. Thank you, ICF, for putting together such a great conference. Having it in Paris in the Spring, that was icing on the cake!
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Lance Hazzard, PCC, CPCC, is a Master Certified Executive Coach and Executive Team Coach helping people and organizations achieve success. Lance and Eric T. Hicks, Ph.D., co-authored Accelerating Leadership, published in June 2019. Lance is Executive Coach and President at Oppnå® Executive & Achievement Coaching. More information on the book, Lance and Oppnå® Coaching can be found at the links below: