EP511 - Jeff Seckendorf on bringing coaching to learning

In this episode of Chasing the Insights, I talk to trainer extraordinaire Jeff Seckendorf.

Jeff talks to us about bringing coaching to learning.

Jeff began his career as a photographer and filmmaker, first as a stills photographer for UPI and other national publications, then as a director/cameraman producing, directing, and/or photographing over 1000 TV commercials, dozens of music videos, movies, and documentaries. One recent project documents a team of Parkinson’s patients on a trek to Mount Everest Base Camp. Jeff has won numerous awards for his cinematography, including Sundance Film Festival and Independent Spirit Award nominations for best cinematography.

In 2008 Jeff eased out of the film industry and founded Unified Team Diving, a global scuba training and certification agency. While traveling the world training scuba instructors, Jeff authored eight training manuals and dozens of online courses. Jeff also teaches a “train the trainer” corporate leadership course. In 2022 Jeff became the Director of Operations for the Parkinson’s Association of San Diego.

As a masters athlete Jeff races a bicycle on track and has stood on the podium multiple times at the California state championships. He holds the hour record in his age group at the San Diego Velodrome and is a course record holder at the World 6-Hour Time Trial Championships. Jeff’s current project on the bike is an attempt to break the U.S. hour record in the 70-74 age group. This entails riding his bike over 44 kilometers in one hour in a velodrome of his choosing.

The hour record has led to his renewed interest in purpose. Initially this ride was completely self-serving, much like climbing a mountain because it’s there. But that seemed like an empty reason to do all this hard work. So, as his training ramped up and got harder, and the commitment became more important, the purpose came into very clear focus and Jeff realized he could use this event to motivate others to find purpose.

Jeff also offers a “Path to Mastery” workshop to help people discover what a renewed sense of purpose can look like. This short exercise guides the audience to look at something they are currently good at, how they got there, then apply that to something new. This interactive session looks at a process of discovery/training/practice/teaching and helps people answer the question, “I need a new purpose but I don’t know what to do and I don’t know what I’m good at.”