Bringing IDEAS to Life: Practical Approaches in Coaching - "I"
The DEIB/IDEAS Committee’s mission is to embed the values, behaviors, and activities associated with DEIB/IDEAS into the culture of the ICF New Jersey Charter Chapter. It is part of our strategic plan that drives our transformation.
The IDEAS/DEIB Committee and Community Group members will contribute five columns of IDEAS Matter each month on our new website page (coming soon). Each column will explore the relevance to coaching clients, fostering engagement, and how we can embed the values and behavior anchors into our chapter’s culture to create spaces where every member feels seen, heard, respected and diversity of every kind is welcomed. Reflect on how these behaviors and ones that you identify show up in your coaching practice, your conversations, and your leadership.
Let’s start this journey with the letter I in IDEAS, which stands for Inclusion.
Inclusion in Action:
Explore these key behaviors for the letter I for Inclusion
- Greet clients and others authentically and acknowledge individual differences — show genuine interest in their unique experiences and ways of thinking from the very first interaction.
- Ask instead of assuming by checking your biases to inquire about preferred ways of processing information, taking notes, or interacting during sessions (e.g., camera use, movement).
- Practice active listening by linking to clients’ experiences — validate what they share by connecting it to their own goals, interests, and strengths.
- Build a safe space for self-disclosure — foster an environment where clients feel safe to share diagnoses, challenges, or preferences without fear of stigma or judgment.
We invite you to become part of the transformation! What else would you add to “Bringing IDEAS to Life” for the letter ‘I’?
Your DEIB/IDEAS Advisory Committee:
Malina Poshtova Delamere
Louis Fioccola
