Living and Leading in Professional Coaching: A Tribute to John Lazar

And high quality it was!  Under John’s very challenging leadership, IJCO became a beautifully prepared publication containing essays written by thought leaders and senior practitioners in the field from throughout the world.  My many coaching colleagues still treasure the issues of IJCO that John produced. IJCO is never thrown away!

The only problem concerned the timing of IJCO. The world was starting to turn from printed to digital formats. We were a little late in entering the field and eventually had to close down the journal. But what a joy it was to join with John in preparing this prized document four times a year. And what an honor it was to collaborate on this project with a visionary craftsman like John Lazar. I will miss John and the prospect of future colleagueship and work together.

John is on the far right.

Setting the Stage

Our celebration of John comes in three parts. First, we offer several essays written by friends and colleagues of John who comment on his character and their friendship with John. The second set of essays come from John’s work with me as co-founder and co-editor of the International Journal of Coaching in Organizations (IJCO). I offer a third set of essays that have appeared in this digital library. Each of these sets offers a slightly different perspective regarding this remarkable man.

Section One: Friends and Colleagues

We first offer a tribute to John that is made by Bill Carrer—the co-editor of The Future of Coaching. Bill focuses on John Lazar’s generous guidance. For Bill Carrer “John’s generosity and kindness, as well as his passionate intentionality, made his coaching and friendship great gifts for so many.”

Some Memories of Our Friend, John Lazar

The second tribute comes from four of John’s colleagues: Phyllis Arceneaux, Kim Frerichs, Gail MacDonald and Lynnette Yount. They write about “holding the space” for teaching and learning, about John’s ability to “receive” from others as well his willingness to help other people. John was “truly present to other” people and did an exceptional job of encouraging and opening the way to those who were beginning to coach. These colleagues of John Lazar wrote of his “irrepressible spirit, resilience and optimism.”

Coach and Friend Extraordinaire