BACP Coaching - Inaugural Conference 17 June 2011

I woke in the morning excited. This would be my first Conference as a member of the BACP Coaching Executive and I wondered what the experience would be like. Most of the hard work in designing, planning and co-ordinating the Conference had already been completed behind-the-scenes by our Chair Linda Aspey, our Executive colleague Jacqueline McCouat and the wonderful BACP event staff led by the calm, centred, Richard Smith.

My role on the day was to introduce workshop presenters and so before breakfast I set about researching Tatiana Bachkirova. I wanted to have a deeper knowledge of her work when I met her in the next couple of hours. I read about her very interesting career and work – and can also now place both Russia and Belarus on the map. This research stood me in good stead in quite a different way than I imagined.

One of the first people I met at the Conference was a senior manager of a large charity. In our conversation she talked of her hopes of finding some support to evaluate a new coaching service. My early morning research had informed me that Tatiana was at present working on evaluation methodology that might be relevant to my new connection. At that moment Tatiana walked by, I introduced the two and left them talking. Later the senior manager came back to me and exclaimed that she had been given a number of ideas and contacts from Tatiana and had already, in the first hour, gained more from the Conference than she had hoped.

This really encapsulates the whole day. Expectations surpassed! Connections vital and fruitful! Discussions generative! Key note by Nancy Kline legendary!

Tatiana’s workshop led to an interesting discussion on a new framework for developmental coaching; Debra Jinks and Nash Popovic delivered a lively exchange on a new model for the interface between counselling and coaching – personal consultancy; and Lynne Macwhinnie invited us to walk around the 9performancepi circle and reflect; drawing out personal learning. Each workshop stimulated my own thinking.

Simultaneously workshops were run by Paul Brown; Edna Murdoch and Miriam Orriss; Kate Anthony; Val Sampson & Malcolm Hurrell; Liz McCann; Viv Ahmun; Karen Smedley; Margaret Adams; Becky Wright; and Evan George.

In between workshops we witnessed, and participated in, dynamic conversations building our understanding, our knowledge, our connections… listening, absorbing, challenging, agreeing, disagreeing, resonating.

In the closing panel of the day presenters and Linda Aspey gave their reflections on the Conference. I heard people in the audience say that it was the best conference that they had EVER been to. I smiled. This is the BACP Coaching Division – long awaited and brought into being following members’ requests - not a year old yet. What a great start!

Jo Birch, BACP Coaching Executive