Photo By Greg Wilson | Health and life coaches are an essential part of ASC’s commitment to Soldiers,...... read more read more
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ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. ¬— Organizations are comprised of people. Yes, it’s a simple and obvious statement, but one with far-reaching consequences. Developments in artificial intelligence notwithstanding, real humans will be at the core of any organization for the foreseeable future, hence the U.S. Army Sustainment Command is investing heavily in its people.
It’s stated strongly in ASC’s Line of Effort 4: Develop and Empower a Professional Workforce. This coordinates very closely with its parent command, the U.S. Army Materiel Command’s Line of Effort 1: Soldier, Civilian & Family Readiness.
With that commitment to its workforce – Soldiers, Civilians and their families – ASC has implemented a number of initiatives to empower the people who help the command fulfill its vital mission of supporting the warfighter.
That includes “health and life coaches.” The title may seem a tad unusual, but their function is crucial to developing and maintaining a professional workforce.
“A health and life coach is a person who helps guide you on the journey you have chosen,” said Nick Osterhaus, who, along with colleague Linda Ottman, is a certified health and life coach for ASC in G-1 (Human Resources). “We focus on changing habits in a way that is sustainable,” he added.
“A health and life coach is a master of habit change with strategies to help guide and empower others to reach their personal wellness goals and maintain optimal health through lifestyle changes,” Ottman said.
Wellness opportunities are sent out regularly about upcoming and ongoing classes and workplace challenges dealing with real life issues, such as healthy eating habits, dealing with stress, or balancing work and family life, to name a few. Osterhaus and Ottman either conduct these programs themselves, or bring in experts from other commands or the surrounding area to cover these issues.
Both of them received specialized training in order to become certified health and life coaches.
“Linda and I attended a six-month virtual program provided by the Health Coach Institute,” Osterhaus said. The HCI is based out of Boise, Idaho, and provides online training. “We learned to use evidence-based, skillful conversation and strategies to actively and safely engage our workforce in healthy behavior change,” Ottman added.
Despite being virtual, the training was “hands on”, Osterhaus said. “We practiced our coaching skills with a classmate and reversed roles, each taking a turn being the student and the coach.”
The topics are relevant to the Soldiers and Civilians at ASC.
“The feedback I received from the first two series was very positive,” Ottman said. “Wellness is a journey and as the eight weeks progressed, the groups became closer, shared personal perspectives and experiences, and supported individual wellness journeys.
“We are all different but we can certainly empower ourselves and provide support to others,” Ottman said.
Osterhaus said the class topics are often developed from workforce feedback.
“With all of our classes we want to hear what will benefit them most,” he said. “I think some of the best feedback is when we hear that people take what we teach and share it with their families so it becomes helpful for all, and then it is easier to apply to their everyday lives.”
Jennifer Vital, a human resources specialist with ASC, participated in a virtual class in the fall of 2021. She has nothing but praise for the eight-week session that Ottman presented.
“Everyone can use a little extra support and having a life coach was amazing,” Vital said. “Sometimes outside encouragement can really help to see things clearly.
“I was able to find clarity and make thoughtful, informed decisions when talking through various goal setting processes with Ottman.”
Vital also said that it was a program where you get out what you put in.
“I walked away with a lot of interesting ways to stay on track with my personal and professional goals and various ways to sidestep distractions,” she added.
A series of weekly sessions running currently is called Lifestyle Transformation. It began Feb. 16. It is an eight-week, small group, virtual series focused on empowering employees to not only reach their personal wellness goals, but to maintain optimal health throughout their life by implementing incremental, long-term, lifestyle changes.
One effort that is coming up soon will be familiar to many ASC Soldiers and Civilians. Beginning March 3, a 13-week “Choose to Lose” challenge will focus on safe and effective weight loss, including healthy eating, goal setting and individual accountability. This challenge is spearheaded by Osterhaus.
In recent years, and especially with the advent of the COVID-19 crisis, attracting and keeping good people is a very competitive undertaking. Like many other organizations, ASC has to compete for people, not just with other federal agencies and military commands, but also with private industry.
Health and life coaches, and the programs they present, directly support LOE 4, and they’re not just for the “feel good” sentiment. They have real practical value, and can be seen as a strong enticement as ASC works to attract and keep a workforce that is capable, resilient, and committed to the command’s mission of supporting the warfighter.
Just like the participants, these programs have had a personal impact on the coaches.
“It has helped me improve accountability to myself,” Ottman said. “I want to be a good role model and also share the realistic side. Life isn’t perfect and it is constantly changing for everyone.
“We all have to deal with life’s challenges and struggles,” she added. “When I share resource tools and teach strategies to help others navigate through tough times, it helps me as well. I learn just as much or more than the participants enrolled in the classes. It’s a win-win.”
ASC wants it to continue to be a win for everyone involved, and the mental and physical wellness of the ASC family will remain an important focus of the command’s efforts now and into the future.
| Date Taken: | 02.25.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 02.25.2022 11:06 |
| Story ID: | 415306 |
| Location: | ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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