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Living, Learning, Leading

With all of the daily emotional, mental, financial, and immediate demands that are part of everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of your own goals, dreams, and the ability to look at life from a big-picture perspective. Busy, schedules, long to-do lists, growing career responsibilities, and various life changes often make us feel like we’re just treading water, rather than moving in a positive, challenging, and growing direction. Furthermore, our various situations frequently require significant leadership that we sometimes feel inadequate–and too exhausted–to impart.

The professionals at True Course recognize that continuous learning and intentional leadership contribute to comprehensive growth and fulfillment, enabling individuals to reach their highest potential personally, professionally, and relationally. True Course understands that living, learning, and leading can be profoundly enhanced with dynamic, one-on-one interactive guidance.

Meet Michael

J Michael GodfreyMichael Godfrey is the founder and president of True Course. Founded in 2003, True Course specializes in mentoring, coaching, and consulting services for executives, clergy, nationally renowned, successful businesses and non-profit organizations. He is the author of Without Regret: Be More, See More, and Achieve More that Really Matters and Put Stress to Work: Turning Headaches into Advantages which are available for purchase on Amazon.com in paper, Kindle, and audio formats. In addition to True Course, Michael served for 12 years as a part-time lecturer in Christian education, leadership, and mentoring at the George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, and 10 years as an independent contractor with Truett’s Doctor of Ministry program. He is a highly experienced Birkman Master Certified Professional for the Birkman Method®, and the author of more than 48 published articles and chapters related to his revolutionary work.

Michael holds the Professional Certified Coach credential from the International Coach Federation. He is a Coach U Certified Graduate with more than 250 coach-specific training hours and more than 2,400 clock hours of coaching individuals to achieve what they really want in life and helping organizations achieve maximum health and productivity.

Michael holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Psychology with specialties in adult education, mentoring, creativity, and problem solving from the Baylor University School of Education as well as a Doctor of Ministry degree in church and education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he also earned a Master of Arts in religious education.

A native of East Texas, Michael has more than 42 years of experience in Christian ministry. His previous positions include interim pastor, executive pastor, minister of education and business administration, associate pastor, youth minister, and music minister.

For complete information about Michael Godfrey and True Course Living, Learning, and Leading LLC and True Course Ministries, Inc. please visit www.discoveryourtruecourse.com.

Curriculum Vitae

FAQs

What is coaching?

True Course Coaching has synthesized the best from psychology, philosophy, spirituality, human growth and development, and adult learning, to benefit the individual in their personal life and career.

Why does coaching work?

Coaching works because of three unique features:

  • Synergy: Client and coach become a team, focusing on the client’s goals and needs to accomplish more than the client would alone.
  • Structure: With a coach, a client takes more action, thinks bigger, and gets the job done, thanks to the accountability the coach provides.
  • Expertise: The coach knows how to help individuals discover their own answers, find clarity, develop as a “whole” person, make better decisions, set the best goals, and restructure their professional and personal lives for maximum productivity.

Who works with a coach?

High-potential, growth-oriented individuals, clergy, educators, entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals, and people in transition use a coach to fix, solve, create, or plan something, personally or professionally.

What is worked on?

Here is what the client and coach work on together:

  • Career planning and goal setting
  • Integrating personal and professional life for balance
  • Turning around a difficult situation
  • Achieving maximum work performance
  • Handling business or personal problems
  • Making key decisions and designing strategies
  • Prioritizing actions and projects

How does a coach do this?

Coaching is delivered during regular, weekly, or bi-weekly sessions by telephone or in person whichever is more convenient. Clients bring an agenda of items to the call or meeting. The coach serves as a facilitator for thought in helping the client solve problems and make the most of opportunities.

When they are taking on a large goal, we help them design the project and provide the support and structure needed to make sure it gets done. We bring out each client’s best by asking challenging questions which yield clarity, occasionally offering advice, expecting a lot, helping them strategize and celebrating their wins.

A practice can be national, with clients in every area of the country, from big cities to small towns; clients can range from life coaching for individuals to coaching small business owners and CEOs; and coaching can focus on either business goals or personal goals.

True Course coaching focuses on life and career development.

What should I look for in a coach?

The right coach brings out your best, consistently. To do this, the coach you select should pass the following three tests:

(1) Does this coach have a track record of helping someone like me accomplish the goals I want?

(2) Do I feel good and motivated to act when with this coach?

(3) Will this coach keep up with me–and stay ahead of me–as I grow?

That’s it. You can always check references and try out the coach for a month to see if he or she is really the right one for you.

I work well with three types of clients:

(1) members of the clergy who are smart, quick, and ready to do what it takes to reach blockbuster goals;

(2) individuals who are making substantial changes in their personal lives and careers and

(3) individuals who are working on an important project.

How can I get started?

If you feel that this type of relationship could work for you, call and let’s talk. Coaching is not something we sell; it is something you buy because you want it.

Where do I start with a coach?

Most coaches begin with a special client meeting to get to know each other. The coach wants to hear about the client’s goals, needs, and problems. The client wants to get comfortable with the coach.

During this meeting, both parties design a list of goals and a game plan to reach these goals and together they design the best way to work together as a team to accomplish the goals.

Copyright © 2010 by Coach U. Inc. www.coachu.com. Adapted by permission.

Our Clients

True Course Living, Learning, Leading, LLC (Est. 2008) serving business professionals and organizations with executive coaching, soft skills training and consulting, team building, team coaching, emotional intelligence assessment and training, Birkman consulting (Signature and Perspectives), group process consulting, strategic planning facilitation, and conflict management.

Businesses Served

AAON Corp, Longview, TX
Alliance Bank Central Texas, Waco TX
Texas Baptists, Dallas, TX
Baylor University, Waco, TX
Bell County Bar Association
Caplin A&D, LLC, Waco, TX
Center for Congregational Health, Winston-Salem, NC
Chick-Fil-A of Longview, Longview, TX
Chick-Fil-A, Franklin Ave and Richland Mall, Waco, TX
Curtis-McKinley Roofing Co. Longview, TX
East Texas Baptist University, Marshall, TX
Habitat for Humanity, Waco, TX
Hardin-Simmons University, Abilene, TX
Presbyterian Children’s Home & Services, Dallas, TX
RLM General Contractors, Longview, TX
Texas Eastman Chemical, Longview, TX
Texas Life Insurance Company, Waco, TX
TFE Connect, Hewitt, TX
Pasadena Family Dentistry, Pasadena, TX
Premier ER Plus, Waco, TX
Simply Design Group, Dallas, TX
Summit Dental Lab, Waco, TX
Texas Bar Association Lawyer Assistance Program, Austin, TX
Non Profit Foundations

Numerous individual professionals:

Attorneys
Financial Advisors
Bankers
Physicians
Dentists
Other Healthcare Practitioners
Healthcare Administrators
Small Business Owners
Graduate Students

Non-Profits Served

Carpenter’s Way Baptist Church, Groves, TX
Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, TX
Center for Ministry Effectiveness, Baylor University, Waco, TX
Central Baptist Church, Fountain City, TN
Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, Waco, TX
Dillsburg Brethren in Christ Church, Dillsburg, PA
Elkview Baptist Church, Elkview, West VA
First Baptist Church of Atlanta, TX
First Baptist Church of China Spring, TX
First Baptist Church of Crawford, TX
First Baptist Church of Elm Mott, TX
First Baptist Church of Hallsville, TX
First Baptist Church of Huntsville TX
First Baptist Church of Kilgore, TX
First Baptist Church of Lorena, TX
First Baptist Church of Marble Falls, TX
First Baptist Church of Marlin, TX
First Baptist Church of Mart, TX
First Baptist Church of Norman, OK
First Baptist Church of Palestine, TX
First Baptist Church of Temple, TX
First Woodway Baptist Church of Woodway, TX
Houston Metropolitan Baptist Ministers Conference, Houston, TX
Meadowbrook Baptist Church, Waco, TX
Memorial Baptist Church, Jefferson City, MO
Mobberly Baptist Church, Longview, TX
Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, Houston, TX
New Beginnings Christian Fellowship, Waco, TX
Normandy Church, Dallas, TX
Park Lake Drive Baptist Church, Waco, TX
Southern Baptist Business Officers Conference
Sugarland Baptist Church, Sugarland, TX
Susquehenna Conference of the Brethren in Christ Church, Carlisle, PA
University Baptist Church, Fort Worth, TX
Waterstone Community Church, Littleton, CO
The Wesley at Oklahoma University, Norman, OK

Press Kit

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