For centuries people have used journaling to improve themselves in many ways: to develop a healthier mind and body; to express thoughts and feelings constructively; to increase self-awareness; to reflect on and learn from life experiences, etc. Yet few coaches include journaling as in integral part of coaching, despite the fact that journaling is one of the most effective coaching tools.

Now, a coaching software program opens the door to leveraging the power of journaling in a simple and cost-effective way, helping coaches create and provide a deeper, more meaningful engagement with their clients. The software provides users with their very own web-based, password-protected journaling system. Journaling as a part of coaching creates a whole new dimension of sharing and communication. This additional level of sharing and communication provides awareness to previously inaccessible information, helping clients achieve goals and breakthroughs faster. The relationship between the coach and client develops deeper and faster.

The program is also an intelligent information delivery system. A coach can create and deliver journaling assignments, e-courses, training, daily tips, education or any other types of content – automatically. The coach creates the content, adds it to the system and sets up the delivery parameters. The system supports all media types including audio, video, PDF documents and a variety of image files.

In addition, the software allows a coach to build a community. Clients and members can interact. They become emotionally and intellectually engaged, and visit the site on their own and often. Clients and members have continuous access to the content and opportunities a coach provides. In my coaching practice with school leaders, clients will be able to connect with and learn from each other, and participate in leadership training sessions.

Coaching with a journal has a profound impact on coaching by helping coaches be more effective in helping clients transform themselves and achieve their goals. Clients provide information that may be hard or take longer to get in a typical coaching relationship. Rapid insight into thoughts and beliefs that are getting in the way of a clients’ success helps improve the coaching experience for both the coach and client. Journaling also helps:

• Achieve a level of intimacy and transparency with clients that normally takes weeks or that is never achieved to at all without a journal.
• Increase the number of interactions with clients while spending the same net amount of time with them.
• Be more prepared with content to cover during coaching calls or sessions.
• Clients document their journeys and growth, which will make them more transparent and easy to see.
• Engage in self-development more frequently and, as a result, reach goals faster.

I’m excited to begin using online journaling in my coaching practice for school leaders.