I’ve been using a coaching methodology in programs I co-lead for departmental and NGO leaders at the United Nations. This one was a lunch time dialog on Sustainability at the UN Foundation in May.

I love working there – it’s truly a dream come true. The NGO I work with, Global Vision Institute, uses the coaching model because they believe there are too many white papers, too many goals and declarations, and too many meetings that say good things but aren’t producing results.

We’re finding that UN members are frustrated – they come there with great intention in their hearts, they sign on to the magnificent visions of the UN Charter and the Millennium Development Goals. Yet, their day to day work gets caught up with other things and they don’t feel like they’re accomplishing what the organizational mission or their own professional missions. According to the evaluation forms of our programs, people report that they’re “relieved,” “inspired” and now have “concrete action steps” for doing what they came there to do.

These seminars are as effective in the private sector as in the international civil service sector. Leaders create legacy leadership when they understand the power of values-driven action, and who carve out the corporate time for everyone to wrestle with it like we did at the UN Foundation in May – and continue to do in and around the UN. They also create systems that most effectively leverage time, talent and treasure.