When you use 3Lunches in a collaborative fashion, to offer ideas, to kick around business concepts or to share information, there is a slightly different dynamic. We call this Collaborative Coaching. Though we’ve developed suggested rules to guide this kind of exchange, we haven’t posted them in the Table Manners section of this site because of space.
That [...]

The young writer who never called after our first lunch finally called. Our lunch had clarified something for her. As she thought about the difference between having a good idea and actually working on it, she focused on what role she wanted to play in the development of her book project. Turned out, she wanted [...]

So, here you are…sitting across the table from your coachee. What now?
Between ordering lunch and being served, your coachee should have enough time to outline the issue. There’s no need for a huge preamble.

I think we’re all part of very distinct tribes— not based on genetics, but on values. A tribe is like a political party; all the members speak the same language and completely understand one another. Your tribe is made up of people who share the same values, have similar emotional IQs, and maintain related ethical [...]

A friend of mine, Mary–a museum exhibit designer and a painter–was approached by a young woman who wanted a career in the museum world. Mary was delighted to help and asked the recent college grad to visit the 3Lunches blog to get familiar with the process, and call when she was ready to start.
Enthusiastic, the young [...]

In this coaching example, it’s easy to see how one person’s difficult experience can be a gift to another person. The process of transferring the knowledge gained from your experience can be quite easy; especially when the coach’s direct experience mirrors the coachee’s. When you find a coach who has been through what you may [...]

If you’re going to coach someone over 3Lunches, it’s worth taking a look at how the professionals do it.    
 
Legendary coach, Phil Jackson—known for his unorthodox coaching style—led the L.A. Lakers to victory in the NBA Championship Finals last week. The night after the big win, several of the Lakers appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!  [...]

“3Lunches is even more than a movement…it’s a state of mind. It’s people helping people…in real time. It’s 3Lunches for businesses, for out of work executives, for the lovelorn. It’s 3Lunches to find your mate, 3Lunches to close a deal, 3Lunches to learn something you don’t know, to make a career transition, to learn a new skill, to test out an idea.”

I’d met Mary eight years before when I visited the hair salon where she worked. She was just twenty-one, a talented stylist and we quickly became friends. A year later, Mary opened up her own salon. I admired her courage and entrepreneurial spirit.  
When I shared the idea of 3Lunches with Mary, she immediately said, [...]