|  By
Michael O. "Coop" Cooper
Past President, International Association Of Coaches
We get several requests
each week asking about the state of coaching in different parts
of the globe from our members and the media. It's difficult to answer
these questions, simply because we don't live in other parts of
the world - but our members do! In this new series, we'll be asking
you, our members, to give your insights, opinions and observations
about coaching in your corner of the world.
Below is our first installment in this
series, with insight from the talented Dr. John Koo of China.
We hope you enjoy this series, and we welcome input for other article
ideas and suggestions for improving the IAC Voice.
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Coaching
in China
A Candid Conversation with Dr. John Koo
Dr. John Koo is the
first and only western-trained clinical psychologist in the world
to also hold a Ph.D. in Chinese Medicine. He has degrees from the
University of Hong Kong and Clayton University, as well as from
the Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
According
to his web site, Dr. Koo is well-known in Hong Kong as its premier
clinical psychologist. He has authored several books, videos, cassettes
and CDs. He is a frequent subject of television and print interviews
and he is widely recognized by the Hong Kong public.
How many
coaches are in China?
Dr. Koo: The latest official estimate is that there
are 7,000 registered training companies in the major cities of China.
It is important to note the two words "registered" and
"major". They denote that, if we take into consideration
the "unregistered" companies and "minor" cities,
the figure could easily be tripled and quadrupled.
My personal feeling is that there could easily be over 60,000 persons
doing all fashions of coaching work in China.
Where do coaches flourish in China?
(inside companies, as independent business owners, etc.)
Dr. Koo: While there are no formal statistics available,
this is what I can proffer: there are a few regionally and nationally
famous coaches (no more than 5), and a couple of famous training
companies.
Very few businesses have "internal coaches" as such, although
some do have HR departments which conduct internal training.
Who seeks coaches?
Dr. Koo: Wow, that's a hefty question! The answer
is likely to be this: probably half the nation. You know, some 12
years ago John Naisbitt ("Megatrends") said that the number
of people in China learning English is larger than the population
of North America.
And you know, at least half of the nation are earnestly learning
to be entrepreneurs."To get rich is glorious": this earth-shaking
utterance by the late premiere Deng Xiao-ping inaugurated an era
of prosperity-seeking in China.
What are some very distinct differences
to coaching in the US/Western Hemisphere?
Dr. Koo: One would think that we're all created
equal, however there are some real differences between what we want
from coaches and coach training than what is available to us now.
There was an abundance of American trainers feverishly putting their
fingers in this delicious Chinese pie, however they met with poor
results. They concluded that China is a tough market.
I think Chinese people really want yankeeism (Western education
and entrepreneurialism), yet they want it localized. They want the
knowledge, yet it must be delivered in such a way that it makes
sense to Chinese people. They want the knowledge translated in a
meaningful manner. We want the superior knowledge of the West, but
not the sense of superiority from Westerners.
In other words, China wants the content of Western knowledge, yet
the content provider must be well-versed with the Chinese culture,
and must be able to blend with China. Remember, when Christianity
conquered Rome, Rome in return paganized Christianity. So the Western
content must be paganized - indigenized - before it can become a
deliverable. We need an army of Western-trained coaches who can
translate training for this culture.
Are the 15 Proficiencies used as the
primary coaching model in Asia?
Dr. Koo: They constitute a beautiful model indeed,
as far as I am concerned. However, the certifying system provides
a major challenge because currently we cannot find Chinese-speaking
certifying coaches to certify our coaches here.
By
the Numbers
Online Exam Statistics
Of the 593 IAC members
who completed taking the online exam, 349 (59%) have passed and
are now eligible to take Step 2, which will be available in August
2004. The first step of the IAC Certification Process is comprised
of 200 multiple choice questions in three sections: Demonstration
of Proficiency, Most Appropriate Proficiency and Legal & Ethical
Questions.
| IAC Members |
6,808 |
| Members
who have started the online exam |
728
(11%) |
| Members who have completed
the online exam |
593
(9%) |
| Completed test and passed |
349
(59%) |
IAC members may take the online exam
by logging into the IAC web site at http://www.certifiedcoach.org/
and clicking on "Take Step 1" on their account pages.
Where are the Coaches?
United States IAC Membership Statistics
Have you
ever wondered how many coaches are in your area? Here's a map of
the US indicating how many IAC members we have registered for each
state. Click on the map for a larger version. We'll feature other
regions in future IAC Voice issues.
Interested In Advertising
In The Voice?
The IAC Voice accepts advertising from coaches, coaching
organizations and those providing services to the coaching industry.
What better way to advertise your business to over 6,000 members
of the coaching profession? For more information, email advertising@certifiedcoach.org.
You will receive an autoresponder message
with full details on advertising in the IAC Voice, including our
rates, publication deadlines, etc.
Interested
In Writing For The Voice?
The IAC Voice accepts articles from IAC members. To submit an article
for consideration, please send it along with your name, contact
information and photo to voice@certifiedcoach.org.
Writers' Guidelines:
- Articles should not exceed 350
words and should be written in standard journalistic style.
- The Voice reserves the right to
accept or reject any article. When articles are
accepted for publication, the editor determines publication date.
- The Voice also reserves the right
to edit articles to fit the publication’s style. Articles
edited for grammar and style will be run without consultation
with the writer. Any articles edited where content is updated,
altered or changed for any other reason be will be reviewed by
the writer prior to publication.
- While the IAC Voice does not pay
for articles, it does offer the writer the opportunity to include
a short bio, a photo and contact information.
- When an article is submitted to
the Voice, the writer grants IAC the right to publish the work
in the IAC newsletter as well as on the web site and in other
IAC communications. Prior to use, the writer will be notified
and all contact information will be included at the time of publication.
For a complete deadline and publication
date guide for 2004, please contact IAC at voice@certifiedcoach.org.
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