Understanding the "I" in Improvement (12 May 2026)

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:30:00 GMT

1.0 RD CCEUs

Date: May 12, 2026

Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm MST

Tickets: ICF Members: $15 CAD | ICF Premium Members: Free | Non-Members: $30 CAD

As coaches we spend our time supporting others to grow, adapt, and improve. But the quality of that support is always shaped by the coach behind it.

Before strategies, tools or frameworks, there is awareness. The ability to be present, to notice, and to respond with intention. Because before you support the client, you have to be able to support yourself.

Blending mindfulness and Kaizen, James Simon explores how self-awareness and intentional presence form the foundation of meaningful coaching. This work is about developing the ability to return to yourself, again and again, so you can meet each moment with clarity and intention.

This is not about adding more. It's about refining the source.

Participants will explore:

- Why supporting yourself is foundational to supporting others

- How awareness shapes every coaching conversation

- The connection between personal practice and what unfolds in the moment

- Simple ways to return to presence when it matters most

An invitation to reconnect with the most powerful lever for change, how you show up, moment to moment.

About the Speaker:

James Simon

High-Performance Coach, Speaker, Author

James Simon is a high-performance coach, speaker, and author of Headwaters to Change: Navigating Growth, Cultivating Presence, an Amazon Top New Release. With over 20 years of experience spanning healthcare, business, industry, and elite sport, James is recognized for blending the philosophy of Kaizen with the stillness of mindfulness to unlock genuine, lasting performance.

As the founder of Headwaters to Change High-Performance Coaching, James helps individuals and teams cut through the noise, master their mindset, and lead with intention. His teachings are shaped by mentorship from Toyota leaders and mindfulness and performance coach George Mumford, who has brought mindfulness to NBA legends such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and many others.

Whether he's working with organizations, athletes, or leaders, James brings a human-focused edge rooted in lived experience, from the boxing ring to the boardroom. His approach is grounded, real, and results-driven, inviting people to embrace the process, sharpen their focus, and take meaningful steps forward, one moment at a time.

Challenging Coaching, Going Beyond Traditional Coaching to Face the Facts (29 Sep 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:30:00 GMT

0.5 RD & 1.5 CC** Pending CCEU Approval

Join Linda Maul and your ICF Edmonton Chapter colleagues in person for an evening of engaging conversations and community building

Challenging Coaching is a real-world, timely and provocative book which provides a wake-up call to move beyond the limitations of traditional coaching. Based on the authors' extensive experience working at board and management levels, they suggest that for far too long coaching approaches have shied away from adopting a more challenging stance - a stance that can provoke greater performance and unlock deeper potential in business leaders and their teams.

The authors detail their unique FACTS coaching model, which provides a practical and pragmatic approach focusing on Feedback, Accountability, Courageous goals, Tension and Systems thinking. The authors explore FACTS coaching in theory and in practice using case studies, example dialogues and practical exercises so that the reader will be able to successfully challenge others using respectful yet direct techniques.

This is an original and thought-provoking book that dares the reader to go beyond traditional coaching and face the FACTS.

What Makes This Approach Different

More direct, courageous, and evidence-based.
Less about non-directive neutrality; more about honesty and results.
Integrates psychology, adult development, and leadership thinking.
Helps coaches avoid “collusion” — going along with limiting stories to preserve comfort.

Benefits to the Coach

Coaches who adopt this approach typically:

Become more confident confronting tough issues
Build stronger impact with senior leaders
Reduce polite, surface-level coaching
Grow their own range — moving from safe to bold
Create measurable behavioural shifts in clients

Bottom Line

Challenging Coaching is a powerful resource for coaches ready to stretch their clients, not simply support them.
The FACTS model gives you a practical way to raise accountability, encourage growth, and tackle uncomfortable realities — all while maintaining trust and partnership.

It’s particularly useful when you’re coaching experienced, ambitious clients and you want to push boundaries in a clean, ethical, and productive way.

ICF Edmonton upcoming events

Understanding the "I" in Improvement (12 May 2026)

Challenging Coaching, Going Beyond Traditional Coaching to Face the Facts (29 Sep 2026)