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01 Oct 2009 / The Compassionate Edge
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24 Sep 2009 / The Compassionate Edge
Coach Buffet, a brand new concept in business coaching is open for business thanks to my colleague, Lisa Chandler of Chandler Coaches. I welcome Lisa as my guest blogger today to share her very special announcement. To help spread the news about this exciting development in the coaching world, I will be featuring Lisa’s articles on my blog during the run up to the special event on October 15.
May I also take this space to share that I am one of the coaches who will be present at this event so I hope to see you there.
What’s a Coach Buffet Anyway?
by Lisa Chandler M.Sc. CPCC, ACC, Certified Business and Life Coach
I have been dropping hints all summer about a new coaching concept my friend and colleague Tanya Geisler and I have been developing. So it is with great joy and anticipation that I let the proverbial cat out of the bag. The “cat” is a concept called Coach Buffet and it’s coming soon to a city near you…well, if you live in Montreal or Toronto, Canada, that is.
On October 15th, we will host Coach Buffet in Montreal followed by Coach Buffet Toronto on November 17th. I could leave you to research it it on your own but I am far too enthused to let you go so quickly.
The bottom-line version is that Coach Buffet is an innovative event that is designed to bring a dozen powerful life and business coaches together with participants for meaningful one-on-one coaching conversations in a social evening format.
Coach Buffet is ideal for professionals and business owners who feel stuck in some aspect of business, career or life in general and who are looking for possibilities.
For Montreal, our line up of coaches is extraordinary (by mid September, you can read all their bios on the site) and our venue is exquisite. I can assure you that powerful coaching will take place and strong relationships will form. As we say at Coach Buffet:
We are serving possibility….Are you hungry??
Limited spaces for Montreal. Click here to register for Montreal
Limited spaces for Toronto. Click here to register for Toronto
ps: sorry for my wonky header on my blog. I tried to to ad an application and it all went wrong so now I am waiting for my web guy to get back from vacation to save the day!
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15 Sep 2009 / Uncategorized
I follow a blog called ‘Leading Blog: A Leadership Blog at Leadership Now’ which you can find at http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/
On September 14 they posted a great book review on the new book Clever. I have included most of the review below for your easy reference. One of the reasons that I have shared it with you is because of the reference to the need for clarity in leadership. As you know, clarity is my first pillar in the C3 Principal of Clarity, Choice and Commitment.
The review :
Clever people, according to Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, are highly talented individuals with the potential to create disproportionate amounts of value from the resources that the organization makes available to them. Distinct from those individuals that thrive on their own, clevers need organizations to produce remarkable results. And organizations need them. They can be the competitive difference. In Clever the authors write, “Without clever people, leaders cannot hope to succeed. Without good leadership, clevers can never realize their full potential.”
Making the organization more valuable to the clevers requires a different approach from leaders. Leaders cannot be the ones that lead the charge up the mountain. “Rather they must identify the clever people with the potential to reach the summit, connect them with others, and help them get there.
In fact, successful leaders of clevers they interviewed don’t even think of themselves as leaders. Instead they refer to their roles as a compass (”to give that compass, that direction”), as a magnet (”you have to be a magnetic field. You never touch anything.”), as a bridge (bridging the technical side and the management side), or as a plug (”connecting clever people to the rest of he business … many clever people have a blind spot here born of their own conviction that their way is definitely the right way.”).
The paradox is that while they don’t want to be lead, they need leadership in order to achieve their potential and create value for society.
Clever helps you to identify who the clevers are and in a very practical manner, what a clever organization should look like. Nestlé demonstrates the importance of clarity in the clever organization—”clear about your priorities and efficient in delivering objectives.” While they are keenly aware of those aspects of the business they should never change they have been able to change and continually innovate. That means avoiding the tendency to process people, an over-reliance on systemization, an addiction to efficiency, and the division of labor and the alienation of the workforce. These tendencies are an anathema to clevers.
The authors list several do and don’ts for leading clevers which you can check out at:
Leading Blog: A Leadership Blog at Leadership Now
http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/
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Have you read Clever? If so, please drop a comment and let me know what you think!
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14 Sep 2009 / The Compassionate Edge
Hello there and welcome to my blog. I’m thrilled to announce that I am launching a Mastermind Coaching Group to begin early this November. Please have a look at the details below and feel free to call me or write to me direclty if you have any questions.
The C3 Principal is a mindset that I have created and its time that I share it with the world.
Set and Achieve your Business Goals with the C3 Principal
Clarity, Choice and Commitment
Do you intend to succeed in business so you can thrive in life?
Do you intend to manage the competing priorities of a successful business, without compromising the quality of your life?
Do you intend to achieve laser focus to align your business goals with your personal values?
This 6 week business mastermind course is your unique opportunity to harness the power of the C3 Principal because you will learn the mindset to achieve the extraordinary.Two Options For Your Convenience
Option 1
In person
10AM –Noon ( 2 hours)
Tuesday November 3, 10 and 17, December I, 8 and 15
Investment: $25 per hour
Spaces limited to 8 peopleOption 2
Tele-Coaching
8:30-9:30 PM
Wednesday November 4, 11 and 18, December 2, 8 and 16
Investment: $20 per hour ( + long distance charges)
Spaces unlimitedCall me now to reserve your space.
Tags: business, coaching, goals, group, mastermind, success, thrive, values
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31 Aug 2009 / The Compassionate Edge
The ladder of success is a great metaphor for climbing and achieving new heights.
As with a real ladder, the lower steps lead to the upper steps and the achievement of leadership goals.
Like climbing the ladder, your climb to leadership cannot start at the top, which we refer to as formal leadership. So then, where do you start?
You can only lead others once you can lead yourself, which means you must be able to set goals that are aligned with purpose and you must consistently achieve those goals. Once you can manage your life and career this way, then you will be able to direct others.
A great deal of self leadership is rooted in self image. This means that you must have a positive self image that is strong enough to support the two rungs above it, which are as described above, self leadership and formal leadership.
Where does a positive self image come from? The answer is self acceptance and comfort with who you are as a person.
Here is a recap of the 4 steps of the leadership ladder.
Bottom step: Self acceptance
Second step: Positive self image
Third step: Self leadership
Top step: Formal leadership
Where are you now and what work do you have to do to rise to the top?Tags: achievement, goals, leadership
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27 Aug 2009 / Uncategorized
I found this article this morning and wanted to share it with you. It appeared in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, August 25.
By SARAH E. NEEDLEMAN
Executive coaches report steady demand for their services despite the recession. Individual and corporate clients say the one-on-one counseling is critical for career success, especially during tough economic times.
Coaches typically are hired by companies, at $300 an hour or more, to hone the management or communication skills of senior leaders and rising stars. Even with the recession, many coaches say some companies are retaining their services to help them get lean and efficient. Coaches also said they are seeing an increase in individuals hiring coaches on their own.
Theo Morrison for The Wall Street Journal
Executive coach Wendy Alfus-Rothman says more individuals are scheduling monthly, rather than quarterly, sessions.
Eric Chaffin, a 38-year-old partner at law firm Bernstein Liebhard LLP in New York, has paid coach Dee Soder out of his own pocket on a retainer since 2003, and has no plans to stop. “In a down economy, it’s particularly important to have someone on your side,” he said. “Instead of 10 client opportunities this year, there might be five. You have to make each one count.”
Mr. Chaffin said Dr. Soder, founder of the CEO Perspective Group, an assessment and advisory firm in New York, helps him with tough career and practice decisions. For example, in 2003, she helped him weigh job offers from private firms after his four-year stint as a federal prosecutor. He chose a law firm that represents plaintiffs in consumer and shareholder cases because he and Dr. Soder thought it fit well with his blue-collar family background. Last year, he shifted to another plaintiffs’ firm, Bernstein Liebhard. Recently Dr. Soder advised him on how to work with clients who are hurting because of by the recession. Mr. Chaffin said Dr. Soder gives him a different perspective than business associates. “Most lawyers think alike,” he said. “She’s helped me understand some of the characteristics of my clients and their motivations.”
Executive coaches say they’re being hired by more individuals like Mr. Chaffin, a trend that has helped offset tighter budgets at some corporate clients. Dr. Soder says the number of her clients who are individuals paying on their own has nearly doubled since November. Wendy Alfus-Rothman, founder of Wenroth Consulting Inc., a New York executive-coaching firm, said more individuals are scheduling monthly, rather than quarterly, sessions.
A 2007 study commissioned by the International Coach Federation pegged annual revenue world-wide for the industry, which includes life, career and executive coaches, at $1.5 billion, with about half the study’s 5,415 respondents in the U.S. Of the respondents, 58% reported executive coaching as their specialty.
Coaches say many companies still use their services to retain top talent and support senior leaders while coping with smaller staffs and recession-starved budgets. Amber Romine, director in global human capital at consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC’s Washington, D.C., office, said she fields a steady stream of requests from clients looking for referrals to executive coaches. Gene Morrissy, a management psychologist at RHR International, said demand in the executive-coaching practice of the Wood Dale, Ill., organizational-development firm is up 10% from a year ago.
Denver telecommunications provider Wide Open West Inc. in January canceled merit raises for this year and suspended company matching contributions to employee 401(k) plans. But this year the company will spend $25,000, about what it spends every year, on coaching for three managers. “Our fundamental belief is you have to develop your greatest assets, which are your people,” said Colleen Abdoulah, chief executive.
Humana Inc., a Louisville, Ky., health insurer, also is protecting its coaching program. Humana this year will spend between $17,000 and $30,000 for six months of sessions for each of about 50 senior employees, said Jeff Nally, who heads the firm’s executive-coaching initiative. The meetings cover areas such as how to build an executive presence, communicate ideas and influence others. “Even in a recession, developing talent in key roles is still important,” said Mr. Nally.
Still, Humana is trying to trim coaching costs, which totaled about $25,000 to $50,000 in past years. The company now encourages participants to conduct more counseling sessions by phone, which saves money on coaches’ travel fees. And rather than hire outsiders to assess coaching needs, senior executives and human-resources leaders conduct assessments of more junior employees, which cuts the length of engagements by an average of three months.
Some small-business owners use coaches as sounding boards. Nancy A. May, president and chief executive of BoardBench Cos. LLC, a four-employee advisory firm in Norwalk, Conn., pays her own way to meet periodically with Dr. Soder. Ms. May says she relies on Dr. Soder for honest advice.”You wouldn’t go to somebody junior and say, ‘I’ve screwed up, what do I do?’ she says.
Ms. May, 50, began working with Dr. Soder about a year ago on ways to improve her interactions with clients, among other issues. Sessions are held over the phone, and occasionally in person, twice a month for up to an hour. “At times I have a big personality and the enthusiasm can sometimes be off-putting to somebody who’s more of an introvert,” says Ms. May. “My coach is working with me to manage that based on the personalities of other CEOs or board people I might be working with.”
Ms. May says she has noticed changes, particularly “how people are stopping and listening, and being drawn into a conversation with me a little differently.”
Paula M. Zwiren, president of Allied Title LLC, a small title-insurance firm in Flanders, N.J., said she was inspired to seek coaching after attending a seminar led by a group of women business leaders. Ms. Zwiren, 33, meets quarterly with Dr. Alfus-Rothman for about two hours. “An executive coach helps you identify things that help you be in control of your destiny,” she said.
Ms. Zwiren said Dr. Alfus-Rothman, whom she pays about $3,000 a year, has improved her communications skills. “You have to be very direct at the executive level, very concrete,” she says. “She helps me with my power of persuasion.”
Executives and senior professionals interested in executive coaching should research prospective coaches carefully because the industry isn’t regulated, said Kay Cannon, a past president of the coaching federation and an executive coach in Lexington, Ky. “You want to make sure the individual has some kind of coach-specific training,” she says. For example, many ICF members are certified as master, professional or associate coaches, which means they’ve undergone between 60 and 200 hours of training.
Ms. Cannon also recommends asking for referrals to past clients and getting a sense of whether you have chemistry with a coach before agreeing to a long-term commitment. To find a coach, you can search ICF’s member database at coachfederation.org/find-a-coach.
Write to Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com
Tags: certified, corporate, executive coaches, International Coach Federation, Sarah E. Needleman, training, Wall Stree Journal
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03 Aug 2009 / The Compassionate Edge
Congratulations on your big mistake!
Some people can’t move forward with their goals in life because they are afraid of making mistakes. To overcome this, change your attitude about mistakes.
Past errors are not inhibitors of your potential, they are actually fertilizer. If you make a mistake you have the opportunity to learn, correct and move forward.
The moment you change your mind set and stop allowing past mistakes to immobilize you, you will see the power in the lesson and use it as momentum.
You and you alone are responsible for your success and as a leader you need to be tolerant of your own errors and those of the people who report to you.
There is freedom, momentum and opportunity when the permission to fail exists.
If that statement seems like too much of a mind flip, then give it some more thought. Let me know what you come up with.
Yes you can!Tags: leaders, leadership, learn, mistakes
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27 Jul 2009 / Leading Through the Shift
Pop culture media is propagandizing the children of today towards a moral stance on consumerism.
Now that I have your attention, I would love for you to read my essay.
I write this post because I saw a kid’s movie and was struck by the moral of the story. The 3d was dazzling, scary and awesome. Even my husband and I looked over at one another in delight of the fantastic special effects. When we got home I asked him, in a half joking way, if he caught the ‘propaganda’. ( By the way, I deleted and rewrote the word ‘propaganda’ several times before I decided to use it. Most people don’t get it but I am going to assume that my tribe does and won’t get totally hung up or require that I delve into a deep explanation of that complex word and its history .)
To recap, the premise of movie is silly and insignificant. Pet rodents are trained to be special US agents.
3 guinea pigs and a mole are trained by a brilliant and sweet, gentle, male scientist who knows that his rodent research is on the fringe of science but is about to be shut down by the Feds. Of course, the scientist is supported by a lovely female assistant. ( For some reason that persona of the secondary female persists in pop culture entertainment! Can we get over that, please? Its so boring.)
The antagonist is an elegant, white, gentleman of the Baby Boomer generation, a capitalist ( with a British accent, whats up with that?) who sets out to rule the world through his empire of ’smart’ electronic goods.
Woven into the plot is the presence of millions of tons of satellite trash floating in orbit. As viewers in our 3d glasses we are witness to this vast, dense, floating junk yard, circling the space around our planet. It is, of course, the junk that humans have sent there and is really no different from the litter on the planet. We just can’t see or smell the mess in outer space.
As the story unfolds, the electronic devices and the satellite trash self actualize through a soft ware system supposedly designed by the antagonist. Stylish coffee machines, toasters, microwaves and blenders are now weapons of mass destruction. These once benign luxury items suddenly produce mechanical arms, legs and heads. They surge with all the might of electrical voltage, off the counter tops and store shelves with blades slashing and wires exploding. People run into the streets in terror as pandemonium erupts. The appliances unite as one, forming a huge, destructive, electronic beast that emerges from the centre of the earth to destroy humanity.
In support of the crusade, the awakened abandoned space trash crash to the surface like fabled meteors to create massive explosions. People run in all directions as their efforts to defend themselves are futile. The stuff strikes back.
The heroes of the story, the US special agent-guinea pigs, are grief stricken by the supposed death of their comrade in arms, the mole, yet still conjure the courage to save the day…..and they do. The main guinea pig-protagonist discovers that the villain is not the capitalist whom they had suspected. The capitalist was innocent, a mere , unwitting participant of the Armageddon.
The bad guy was actually one of their own, the mole. ( Yes, the mole was the mole). Upon confrontation in the midst of pandemonium, the final battle between humans and their stuff, the mole confesses that he sought to destroy humans because humans destroyed his home and killed his family when they built a golf course on his habitat.
The day is won when the guinea pigs, the repentant mole and a couple of good humans work together to shut the ‘luxury appliance monster’ down.
Oh, the metaphor! First of all, the appliances are an obvious one. We have too much stuff yet we are starving for more. This addiction to stuff is a monster and we are creating a planetary crisis in terms of the ecology as well as the economy.
Secondly, the guinea pigs are a metaphor for the children of today. The small, choice-less, innocent and over looked members of our population will have to raised by the few, overlooked adults. Adults like the kind scientist and his sweet assistant, both brilliant, wise and courageous, prepared to defend the future that they believe in and will defend at all peril. They are the few who have the wisdom to see through our love of stuff and have the genius to raise children …. oops, I meant guinea pigs. To raise them with not only that wisdom but also the strength,courage and knowledge to make different choices.
The capitalist. During the climax of the film we are shown a different side of him. The plot conjures new feelings in us as we observe. We now understand that we must pity him! He (read we), did not know any better. He just wanted to make a coffee machine that could tell you when to buy more coffee….what a sweet intention, how convenient! Of course we need such things.
As it is Western consumerism that has driven the global crises we must take a compassionate view of this character because otherwise would be to take our own fair share of the blame which is pretty much all of it. On the propaganda premise, this lovely children’s movie gives us an out. The capitalist ( read us) honestly did not know that this would happen. He now wants to help turn the tide and go green! ? Hip hip hooray! All is forgiven! Lets tie a bow on this package and move our angry glare away from here and over to the actual beast that now must be stopped!
It strikes me how American movies always feature antagonists with foreign accents. Its never one of their own who is at fault. Always someone from a far away land. Whats with the British accents anyway? Is it just super subtle so they think we won’t notice the diversion?
Next, the mole, the mastermind whom no one suspected. As the story unfolds, it is the underground, smallest, most unseen whom we, the viewer in 3d glasses, feel is the victim most deeply wounded. It is he who will rise retaliate against the tide of our consumer culture to be the author of Armageddon.
The guinea pigs… well, that one is easy. They represent the children of today. They are the ones who were created to appeal to the primary viewer, the human children of the human world. Will these young ones go home terrified of the toaster? No. Not on the surface anyway because the imagery was carefully crafted for the audience to identify the monsters with toys and TV shows they see around everyday. Exciting visuals yet no real shock value.
This is where my controversial term of above pops up again….propaganda. It was a kids movie, for crying out loud! The main characters were talking guinea pigs, for pete’s sake! There were car chases, crashes, big explosions and no one actually got hurt, so what are you making such a big deal about? This movie packed a lot of punch because the 3d effects were TOTALLY WICKED, MAN!!!! And. And it was layered with a complex message targeted to children about the state of our consumer consciousness and the result of our addiction to buying more and more cool yet utterly useless stuff. Stuff that we will be desperate to ad to the local landfill when the new model comes out 6 months later.
The storyline takes the blame away from us the adult consumers and business people of consumer society and places it on, Well, no one. We are in this mess for no fault of anyone in particular however, certainly not the sweet and elegant old man who just wanted to make fancy coffee machines, nor do we blame the adults who bought all this stuff and drove the economy in that direction!! The mess is here and it is up to kids to clean it up because if they don’t, then one day that toaster is going to jump off the counter and ATTACK!
Pop culture media is propagandizing the children of today to understand the dangers of the consumer world . Is this foreshadowing a modern twist on the genre of Beatrix Potter where her stories include the like of the mummy rabbit warning her bunnies not to stray because if they do they will end up in the farmer’s dinner, like their Daddy did?
Have adults used the fear factor like this on children since the beginning of story telling? Is this a good thing? Is this propaganda the subtle, systematic and ongoing implantation of morals that will lead children to make their future choices ones that will be good for humanity? Or the cultivation of fear, judgment and disdain for the establishment- the seeds that will propagate the status quo?
Or was it really just a story about talking guinea pigs?
These are questions that we, the conscious leaders of our tribe, must ask ourselves with regards to the messages that we cultivate in all media outlets where we choose to voice our opinions.
Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section. And one last thing, I proof read this piece myself until I was crossed eyed so please forgive the typos.
CR
Tags: communication, leadership, media, propaganda
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16 Jul 2009 / The Compassionate Edge
I just finished facilitating a group coaching session which ended with perfect synergy. At the end of the call we all felt a profound and powerfully uplifting shift in our energy. We shared the acknowledgement of this shift and agreed that if we could all surround ourselves by ever increasing interactions such as this, our lives and ultimately the lives of those whom we touch, will become significantly more effective and we will experince more joy.
Consider the ‘pay it forward’ effect of this paridigm. When we approach others and all that we touch with positive emotions and anticipation of ‘good’ through doing and being ‘good’ then that is what we manifiest for ourselves and others. Then others go out into the world naturally expressing the same intent, creating the same result. And so on and so on.
Thank you to my Thursday ladies for this exceptional coaching experience. This is the purest result that I could ask for and is rewarding to me beyond words and into the realm of the spiritual.
Here is a lovely piece on appreciation. I love it and if you do too, here is my affiliate link: -
14 Jul 2009 / The Compassionate Edge
CHANGE BYTES
Choosing and Using the Right Coach
By Peggy Grall
Choosing a coach is a lot like shopping for shoes, and can be almost as frustrating. You start out with an idea of what you want; pick a few stores, and the hunt begins. It’s relatively easy to tell the ones you don’t want, that becomes apparent as soon as you slip them on. But finding the perfect fit is important.
So, with the legions of coaches out there, how do you choose the right one for you? Most coaches offer 15 - 30 minute complementary sessions to help you both decide if it is a fit. Here are some factors to consider:
Chemistry: Coaching is like dating, there has to be chemistry. Oh, not the breathless variety, but the coach and coachee have to like, respect, value and be energized by each other. Chemistry also speaks to personal style. Some coaches hail from the ‘kick-butt’ school of coaching, while others have a more relaxed, ‘Zen’ quality about them.
Part of your initial conversation is about getting to know each other’s approach and style; look at the pace in the conversation, do you feel ‘heard’ and does this coach having something to offer you?
Credentials: Not everyone who calls himself or herself a coach, is a coach. Coaching has gained popularity as a tool for achieving stretch goals, both personally and professionally, and the need for coaches to be well- trained is taking centre stage.
Find out the training and background of your prospective coach. Ask if the coach is certified through the International Coaching Federation and find out what other academic qualifications the person brings to the coaching.
Clarity: Find out if the coach has coached other clients like you. Ask about their experiences with former clients. You can also ask for references or testimonials; items which a professional coach should happily supply.
A coach is not a counselor or a consultant. This is an important distinction. Knowing the type of support you can expect will eliminate confusion and/or disappointment down the road for both of you.
Charges: Of course, no professional engagement is complete until the money question has been settled. Coaches offer their services in all sorts of creative ways; you can hire a coach by the hour or session, the week or month or even by the project.
For example, you could sign up for ‘just in time’ coaching services; that’s when a retainer is paid and you call the coach for brief, laser-like, mini-sessions.
Contract Be prepared to sign a contract with your coach in which you will determine what your goals are, what you want to achieve through the collaboration and what success will look like to you.
How do you make the best use of their services once you find a coach? Be clear on what you want to achieve and use the time together strategically. Throughout the sessions together, you will determine the agenda and when you have reached a goal or are satisfied with your progress, you can call the shots and take a breather.
Having a great coach in your corner is the best insurance for success I can think of, and there are coaches with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. If you’re in the market for a coach, take your time, ask questions and then give it all you’ve got!
Peggy Grall is an executive coach and author of Just Change It. You can reach her at www.justchangeit.com
I have published this article in my blog with the permission of the Author and the publisher of Company of Women. THanks to them for sharing!
www.companyofwomen.ca
Tags: Anne Day, Company of Women, Peggy Grall
