Coach FEATURE: Meet Ben Dooley, MCC

Ben Dooley Headshot

I love featuring our fellow coaches, building community and learning more about people coaching and doing great work! This month we're featuring another of our writers - I love learning more about our guest authors! Ben has been writing for us for a few years now, and we share his podcasts monthly too. So, a big thank-you to Ben for sharing more of himself with us for this month's coach feature.

About Ben Dooley, MCC

From: Elmhurst, IL, USA

Business name: BeDo Coaching

Describe your coaching business in one sentence: I help good coaches (like you) become confident, powerful and AWESOME coaches, tapping into the Science, Artistry and Performance of MasterFull coaching! Discover Deep coaching confidence. Tap into your Power. Create your success.

Meet Ben:

QUESTION 1: What one book should every coach read - and why?

It's a book about an individual who holds the fate of an entire planet in his hands. It's up to him to protect all the inhabitants from those who wish to destroy it. And the only problem is, he can't actually prove that this planet exists. No one can see it or hear it. And yet, by pure faith alone, he must stand strong.

It's a powerful parallel of how we can't see many things that we know to be true. We can't always prove that something exists. And yet, by believing in it, we have the power to save lives.
Everyone is special. Everyone.

The book is "Horton Hears a Who!" – Because a person's a person, no matter how small.

QUESTION 2:  Which website do you visit the most?

Currently it's mine, but only because I'm continually touching up, reorganizing and adding new content. However, If I don't include that one, I'll say then that I often visit Ain't it Cool News to catch up on the latest in film and television.

QUESTION 3: Whom do you admire most?

Anyone who uses the word, "Whom", cause I never know when it's really appropriate. Otherwise, if I had to pick a person, I don't know if I could narrow it down so easily. There are many for different reasons. Celebrities, political figures, historical, etc. Even fictional characters are on my list. However, what comes to mind are two that I hadn't thought of until this moment.

1) The new coaches coming into this conversation. You may even be one of them. When I started, coaching was just starting to spread and become something in the public awareness. But now, I'm continually stunned and amazed at the incredible directions coaching has gone. Certainly us older and more… *ahem*, seasoned coaches are still redesigning and redefining ourselves (of course, we must continue to grow and evolve and discover new things about who we are and what we do) but it's the new coaches that are coming in fresh, with new ideas, new inspirations, new directions, new concepts. It's the new coaches that will evolve this profession into an entirely revolutionary experience.

Just like those early pioneers who had home computers had no idea what was to happen with the internet and software and graphics and processors. Coaching is poised to become something even bigger and better than we know it to be today.

And I can't wait to see what it becomes. Cause I bet the world is really going to need it.

2) I also am continually in awe of my clients. Their experiences, their truth, their history, and mostly their courage to take a stand and declare something for themselves - that they deserve something more than what they have and could easily settle for. They are also up to great things, things they may not even be aware of now, but the fact that they have reached out to me (or you) indicates there is possibility. And when there is possibility, there is hope. And I like hope.

QUESTION 4: What's your vision for your life? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully alive, and still wearing pants. But if I really got to dream, I would be living the trifecta:

  1. Helping coaches all over grow in their skill, discover their powerful and unique style and their deep unshakable confidence (I truly love helping coaches grow).
  2. Taking my coaching to the business world and transforming Leadership of all types. I'm just starting with a new group and we are very excited about what we've created that could really create a powerful impact.
  3. Having wonderful fun with my wonderful wife, and working on my second novel (cause I'll have finally finished the first).

QUESTION 5: What is your "big project" at the moment?

There are a few "big projects".

  • Building TLE (Transformational Leadership Experience) with my partners to create a nation-wide impact on our leadership and hosting the Engaged Leadership Forum calls.
  • Continue to expand and attract as many coaches to the Fast Pass to MasterFull coaching teleclass that I created. I am truly proud of this work and it continues to expand and evolve in so many amazing and unpredictable ways (I'm a little scared to see what it will be in 5 years - it's already 19-super-packed lessons).
  • My 4th coach growing book, "The Amazing ATEBAR Formula".
  • A novel that is a good part about bullies and those who are bullied by them. It's a slow process, but I so love immersing myself into at the very least the thinking about who goes where and what happens when and how do we get here.

QUESTION 6: What has been your favourite coaching moment so far?

ONE MOMENT? REALLY? After doing this thing for nearly 15 years, I don't think I can narrow it down to even the top 100.

But I will say, I always think back to my first coaching session I ever did. It was with a woman whom (did I use it correctly?) I toured in the circus with. She was in the band and I was the head clown (yes, it's true). And she was so kind to take my offer/request to be a client for my homework in my first coach training class. After going through some basic coaching I asked if she had any questions and she said, "Yes. Are you wearing your nose?"

To this day, my nose is on my lamp at my desk, to remind me to bring in my clown in coaching (when appropriate) and that life is just like a circus.

QUESTION 7: What are your Top 3 favourite coaching tools and/or resources?

While I love tons of tools, I have to say, I still believe that the basics are some of the most powerful tools we can use.

  1. The Wheel of Life - one of the most amazing and versatile tools we have at our access. We can modify and adapt each section to apply to anything in our client's life. To date, I think I have created over 30 different wheels, each one providing powerful insight to my clients.  [Editors Note: We offer both a Free Wheel of Life Template and Blank Coaching Wheel]
  2. Scale from 0-10 - again this is really simple. But the fact that we get to measure something immeasurable is incredible. This is not only how we are able to shift our clients much more easily, but we also get to reveal a deeper ROI (Return on Investment) for the client. It's one of the quickest and easiest ways to access the client's power and move them forward so they can begin to experience and create their desired results.
  3. Any of my tools. All right, I know this is cheating, but the tools and models I have created and teach to other coaches are extremely powerful, versatile and easy to use with any client: The ELEMENTS of Our Coaching. The Coaching BRACE. The ATEBAR Formula. And the Five Words. It's all awesome. And I continue to marvel at all the new levels and layers to each of them. Don't believe me? Call me!

QUESTION 8: What do you love most about being a coach?

Man, this is even harder to answer than the previous ones. Why can't these be simple, like, "What did you have for dinner?"

However, in college I studied to be an actor in the Theater department. I moved to Chicago and spend about 20 years as a working actor-on stage (musicals, comedies, dramas), television, radio, commercials, training videos, educational modules, recorded novels, children's books, print work for catalogues, trade shows, animated shorts, and even talking toys. And all the while when I did the work, I felt alive and engaged in exciting ways. It's what every artist feels in some way (though each one's experience is different and unique). Being an actor tapped into strengths, values and parts of me that felt fulfilled, and there was nothing else I did that came close to that feeling.

So years ago, I had an astrological reading (believe what you will, but stick with this a little bit). And she explained to me that because of how my chart laid out it was clear that I was very skilled at being an actor, but I would never be fully successful (thanks a lot!). However, she continued, I would be very successful in either teaching or therapy.

I smiled and was polite and bided my time not really paying attention until she was done, thanked her and then went off to continue my rollercoaster acting career.

Two months later I was stepping into my first coach training, and a different part of me came alive. A part of me I didn't know I had - the part that loves to help people, the part that loves to explore and discover, the part that loves to teach others, the part that can understand deep concepts and translate them into easy to understand lessons, the part that believes in the good of others, the part that feels like I'm making a difference in some small way.

And when I discovered how to fuse my acting history and skills with my coaching, amazing doors opened. I discovered myself in an even newer and more exciting way. The part of me that is calm, solid, grounded, fully expressed, empowered and empowering, creating on all levels, and committed to this amazing journey of discovery, growth and connection.

So yeah. Coaching is cool.

QUESTION 9: Tell us a secret about you...

I'm not wearing any pants as I write this.  [Editors Note: TMI Ben! You do realise in England that pants are your underpants?? 😉 ]

And I was a clown in the circus (but you knew that from my previous answer).

QUESTION 10: If you could change one thing in our world, what would it be? And how would you go about it?

I'd want every person to know one very important thing: You are unique, special and the most important person in the whole wide world.

And my three favorite quotes:

  1. "The space between thought is filled with unlimited possibility." Deepak Chopra
  2. "There are more things on heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy." William Shakespeare
  3. "All you need is love." John Lennon

LEARN MORE about Ben here:

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