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• Join ICF-NE for the 2012 Gratitude Awards Gala more � on June 18 2012 06:00 PM

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Stop “Trying” and Watch Yourself Grow

Guest Blogger: Maggie French

How many times have you sat and listened to your client say, “I try . . .” How do you feel about what they are saying?  It resonates with me as a dull thud, stopping them from action. I feel their energy blocked and the “try” keeping them from doing.

Early on in my coaching I found my client’s energy would shift when I asked them to reframe what they said without the word “try.”  Still today, it does not cease to amaze me how much lighter and more energized they feel with this same reframe.  Neurolinguistics is such a fascinating aspect of coaching; the use of words and their ability to motivate and unmotivate, “try” being the latter.

As a coach who endeavors to walk her talk, I challenged myself to remove the word “try” from my vocabulary.  It was quite a challenge early on.  When we “try” we are placating ourselves with a false sense that we are doing.  I, too, could feel how I did the same myself.  Today the word creeps into a sentence now and then. When it does I pause, smile, reframe and feel I am doing.  As Yoda would say “Do or not do, there is no try.”  Check out “The Coaching Circle” for another way to hone your coaching skills.

Maggie French, ACC
Living Whole Coaching
www.livingwhole.net
Maggie is a member of the ICF-NE Membership Committee

 

Teleseminar Recording: ICF Membership Eligibility Requirements

Did you miss ICFNE’s teleseminar with ICF Global President Janet Harvey on March 14, 2012? If so, then you missed a deeply informative conversation that offered details about many important ICF topics that impact you, including:

• New ICF membership eligibility requirements
• How these new eligibility requirements impact new, current, and future members
• Why ICF is making changes to eligibility requirements
• Key results from the new ICF Global Coaching Study
• ICF Credentialing

Happily, technology allows us to travel into the past, albeit briefly…

Click here to access the recording of the teleseminar, which you can listen to online or download to your computer and listen to later.

 

 

Leverage Your Workshop & Webinar Content to Grow Your Business

Guest Blogger: Jean M. DiGiovanna, Founder of Workshop University

Leverage Your Workshop & Webinar Content to Grow Your Business

Every year I take inventory of the products, services and content I have created throughout the year and figure out how I can repackage it to provide even more value to my target market. I learned back in the corporate world when I was a Management Consultant how critical reuse is, not only for saving time and energy but for increasing your margins and ultimately your revenue. Why reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to?! Below are some quick and easy ways you can leverage what you already have to create fresh new value for your raving fans:

• Create “free gift” or leave-behind e-tips – Take inventory of the workshops, webinars, newsletters, articles &/or blogs you have created in the past year, pull out the top 20 tips and package them into a free gift or e-tip/e-book for your target market. These can be great leave behinds in your workshops and webinars as well!

• Expand to new markets – Review your past workshops and webinars and with the content you already have, brainstorm with a colleague on additional target markets who could benefit from it. Begin researching the needs/areas of pain of those markets and viola! you now have a new market you can promote to without altering a lot of your content.

• Offer your 1-hr workshop/webinar to a business partner’s list – Seek out partnerships with other colleagues who share your target market but deliver different services and offer to cross-deliver your respective 1-hr workshop or webinar to each other’s mailing list. No skin off your back – you already have the content and delivered it before. You both get to share your message with more people and expand your mailing lists.

• Create short videos – Review your workshop/webinar content and pick out 2-3 minute pieces you could turn into video training. Video is here to stay so get on the bandwagon, get all dolled up and show your audience what you are made of

I invite you to take on one of these items to increase the value you provide to your target market.

Enjoy and wishing you all the best to your workshop & webinar success!
Jean M. DiGiovanna, Founder of Workshop University

 

 

Is Your Topic Appropriate for a Webinar?

Guest Blogger: Jean M. DiGiovanna

I get this question a lot from entrepreneurs who are already running workshops and live events and even though they understand the global impact of running webinars, they are just not keen about delivering their expertise “on-line”.   Can you relate?  I felt exactly the same way about 5 years ago.  In fact, I never thought I would even enjoy running webinars.  After all, my passion is in delivering experiential learning and seeing the “aha’s” on my attendee’s faces when they experience a shift.  How could that possibly be achieved in a webinar?  Well, to my surprise, as I translated my material into webinars and helped loads of other solopreneurs do the same, I came to realize that most topics can be delivered on-line and still have a powerful impact. You just have to shift how you design them. 

This really hit home when I was at a Chamber of Commerce event and I was networking with a handyman thinking to myself, “This guy would probably never have a use for webinars”.  But as we got talking, the ideas started flowing.  He could create short webinars for at-home Mom’s on how to fix basic things in the house and use them as a marketing tool to attract new clients. It had me realize that when you challenge yourself, you can really come up with creative ways to reach a larger audience through webinars and on-line training.

Even topics such as Team Building or Public Speaking skills can be covered in a webinar format with creative use of the technology. The impact may not be as great as delivering in person, but it surely is possible.  And, yes, there are topics that are not appropriate for webinars – specifically those requiring physical equipment/props and highly physical experiential learning.

Here are some key principles to keep in mind when shifting from live to on-line training:

Webinars are heavier on content so it requires strong visuals/multi-media/interactive polls and questions to keep it highly engaging

A 3hr workshop may translate into a 2-3 part webinar with homework in between the sessions.  Instead of live exercises in the moment, you will need to add more powerful examples, demos and visuals so attendees leave equipped to do the “work” afterwards.

A great webinar design requires more creativity and the delivery requires high energy throughout to sustain interest.  The great news is, though you can have all your notes in front of you!

If you are new to webinars or have wondered if your topic is even webinar appropriate, I invite you to apply these principles and notice how creative you can be in designing and delivering powerful webinars.  Let me know how it goes and feel free to call/email me with questions!

 

Jean M. DiGiovanna is the Founder of Workshop University.

 

 

Vitality, Positivity and Grace are now available in pill form…

Guest Blogger: Anne Jolles

Wouldn’t that be great?  No, It wouldn’t!  But I bet it would sell!

I think that is what many of us are striving for… vitality, positivity and grace.  Sounds good.  And it feels good when we can land there.  Unfortunately, we often seem to be looking in all the wrong places.  We Americans have never been more medicated, in debt, overweight or addicted.  Yikes!  Sorry to remind you of that reality.

These times are full of uncertainty and turmoil, and they are full of potential for positive change. Chaos often precedes change.  This can be a time for transformation for us. I know at times, I feel very vulnerable, as many of my friends, family and colleagues do.  We can’t stop what’s going on in the world but we can learn to do things differently if we choose. We can learn to be more resilient.  Resiliency leads to resourcefulness. That is a skill set we really need today.

And it has to start right here inside each of us… It all depends on us making different choices.  The big challenge is:

“How do we access our best during these challenging times?” 

Though the circumstances are certainly different, the question is the same one that each of my parents were faced with in their lives. They faced even tougher times.

Top Two Strategies

There are two strategies that most resilient people in the world use.

• The first is to remain calm during adversity.  If unable to do that, then they are able to return to calm quickly following and recenter themselves in order to re-focus.  This can be learned.

• The second step is to engage in the practice of positive inquiry.  Just asking questions and being curious is an admission that you don’t have all the answers.  Whew! What a relief that is!

Direct your energies by asking questions that point to the positives or strengths in a situation, like:

• What is going right?
• What is in my control?
• What is the lesson here?
• What do I desire?

When I am able to do that, I land in a place closer to vitality, positivity and grace. 

Questions bring us beyond what we already know… beyond what we currently feeling. They help us to find the answers so we can start living them.

Feeling vulnerable feels like the new normal.

That’s not so bad as long as we don’t assume we know what the future holds.  Getting comfortable with this discomfort can help us to stay right there instead of searching for the many ways we do to alleviate the feeling.

Finding new ways of coping and moving in the direction of resourcefulness, are not just important but I will go as far as to say your life depends on it!

So, let’s gather all our strategies and tools for bringing our best to just this moment… Because that is all we really have.  And let’s gather our resolve to make the most of our precious time on earth.

 

Anne Jolles is offering a 5 week webinar, Rise and Shine Anytime: 5 Steps for Bringing Your Best To The Next Moment.  You will learn strategies and tools to increase positivity, resilience and grace while earning 5 CEU’s from ICF.

Learn more at www.riseandshineanytime.com

 

 

2012 Board of Directors Nomination & Selection Announcement

Every spring, we ask our membership to nominate individuals to serve on the coming year’s Board of Directors.     If you are interested in participating in the exciting growth of the coaching profession and in a leadership capacity locally, please consider nominating yourself or nominating a colleague.

Our Mission: “ICFNE is the leading organization for professional coaching in New England. We are a welcoming, thriving and collaborative community providing valuable resources, programs and tools that inspire excellence, facilitate opportunity, and support success.”

Board of Directors: ICFNE currently has nine board member roles.  The board is accepting nominations for the following positions (click on each for role profile):

President-Elect Vice President, Finance and Administration

Vice President, Programming Vice President, Membership

 

Board Role	Board Member	Term of Office	Comments
President	Ed Evarts	2012 – 2013
President-Elect		2012 – 2013	Open for 2012 – 2013
VP, Programming		2012 – 2014	Open for 2012 – 2014
VP, Membership		2012 – 2014	Open for 2012 – 2014
At-Large Board Member	Kate Carleton	2012 – 2013
VP, Finance  & Administration		2012 – 2013	Open for 2012 – 2013
VP, Marketing	Suzan Czajkowski	2011 – 2013
VP, Sponsorship	Kim Coburn	2011 – 2013
At-Large Board Member	Brad Glass	2011 – 2013

Next Steps:

Nominating - To nominate yourself or a colleague, please complete the following nomination info form no later than March 17, 2012. You may nominate yourself or someone who you believe would be suitable as long as that individual is aware of and supports their nomination.  Please allow 72 hours for a confirmation that your nomination has been received.

Voting – Members will receive an e-mail announcing the candidates and the voting process.  Voting will be open through March 30, 2012.

Announcement - The current Board of Directors will finalize the voting and our new board members will be announced on June 18, 2012.

If you would like more information about being a board director or a committee member, please e-mail ICF-NE at admin@icfne.org.

We welcome your consideration of these extraordinary opportunities to be a leader in one of the largest chapters in the International Coach Federation!

Teleseminar: ICF Membership Requirements

Please join ICF-NE as we welcome the 2012 International Coach Federation Global President Janet Harvey, MCC who will discuss the following topics:

• New ICF membership eligibility requirements
• How these new eligibility requirements impact new, current, and future members
• Why ICF is making changes to eligibility requirements
• Key results from the new ICF Global Coaching Study
• ICF Credentialing

Following this discussion, we will “open the mic” for a question and answer session where you can ask Janet questions on any ICF topic important to you.

Meet the Speaker:

Janet Harvey has 25 years of successful professional experience as both a corporate and entrepreneurial business executive coaching individuals and teams for leadership development in diverse private and public sector settings around the globe.  As a leader, business owner, coach, mentor of coaches and trainer of coaches individually and inside of organizations, Janet was an early adopter for group and team coaching and creating a coach-centered workplace.

Working now for more than a decade with individual clients and groups interested in self empowerment for personal and professional success, Janet possesses the following areas of expertise: executive leadership coaching and personal development; generating and communicating vision; facilitating executive collaboration; inspiring strategic thinking and team commitment; creating environments that breed both innovation and accountability for effective results.

Janet specializes in times of transition – the period during which an individual experiences accelerated growth that requires a surrender of old habits and beliefs that are limiting in order to adopt an expanded capacity for the long view of the business and the development of strategies and operating plans that enable sustainable use of both financial and human resources.  Holding the belief that long-term, thriving success for the ICF depends upon full member engagement, continuously fresh creativity, and colleagues helping colleagues develop, Janet also understands the importance of establishing and gaining adoption for global coaching standards that will accelerate the perceived value of earning a professional credential. Janet values the opportunity for modeling and inspiring a deepening commitment, by every coach she meets, to excellence and advancement of the art, science and practice of professional coaching.

Qualifications:

• MA Organization Development & Human Resource Management
• BA Economics & Finance
• Academy for Coach Training (now inviteCHANGE) Certified Professional Coach
• Birkman Method Advanced Consultant
• American Society of Training & Development Innovation Award Recipient 2004
• Master Certified Facilitator, International Association of Facilitators.
• Partner & CEO, inviteCHANGE, an ICF-ACTP and CCE provider

Pace, Practices and Possibilities

Guest Blogger: Jackie Woodside, CPC, LICSW

When we are engaged in the day-to-day living of our lives, it is so easy to lose track of our own thoughts, desires and inner voice. I have a six-year-old son whom I adore, yet there are times when he talks so much that I cannot even finish a thought of my own! Whether it is our kids, our jobs or the demands of our fast-paced society, life seems to always be coming at us.

So how do we regain a sense of control and intentional direction rather than continue to be pushed down the fast-moving river of life? Here are some suggestions to help you slow down and tune into a deeper rhythm:

• Develop a “savoring pace.” Kirk Byron Jones is a minister and author of several books on the topic of our relationship to time. He uses the phrase “savoring pace” to address moving through life with a sense of purpose, ease and gratitude. In order to develop a savoring pace, we have to slow down enough to notice what is happening. By slowing down, I do not necessarily mean doing less (although for many of us, this will likely be essential). It is more a matter of slowing down our inner world. Turning off our incoming emails and text messages long enough to think more deeply about what we are doing, taking 20 minutes in the mornings to set our intention for the day, look at how we want to experience the coming activities and what we want to accomplish. Living in a savoring pace means that you sometimes pick up the phone and call someone rather than shooting off a quick text message. Take the time to intentionally connect with others rather than operate in a transactional mode of quickly getting things done so you can move on to the next thing. Allow yourself to savor the connection, appreciating the person on the other end of the line, celebrating your relatedness with those around you.
• Develop practices that bring order to your life. An ordered mind gives rise to an ordered life. Take stock of the way you are living your life, and begin to develop practices that enhance order. I teach a course called “Energy Management” in which people look closely at how they are managing all of the energy in their lives: the energy of time, money, possessions, their body and relationships. One of the challenges that nearly every person deals with is clutter and disorganization in their physical environment. By beginning to bring order to your physical environment, you begin bringing order to your mind, your energy and your direction in life. Begin with simple things like dealing with your mail when it comes in the door rather than letting it pile up. Choose one closet to declutter and organize. Just spend an hour or two and see how it energizes you once you get started. Do not let the energy of overwhelm stop you! That feeling really does disappear once you get moving. Inertia is a powerful force and what overcomes inertia is action!
• Create a vision for what is possible for a life of balance and ease. Everything that is intentionally created in our lives first begins with a vision. In fact, if you do not have a vision for how you want your life to look and feel, it is almost guaranteed that you will get caught up in the rat race of other people’s demands or desires for you. Stop right now and ask yourself this question: Is the way I live my life aligned with how I want it to be? If the answer to this question is no, what one small thing can you do to bring greater alignment? I have a friend who does “tech-free” days in which she does not interface with technology at all – no cell phone, no email, no Facebook. She liked it so much that she expanded it to “tech-free weekends.” Living for even brief periods of time without the constant interruption of texts, calls and emails slows down your mind and gives rise to increased clarity and calm.

Pace, practices and possibility – these are ways you can begin to manage your energy rather than manage your time. By managing your energy, you create a sense of clarity and peacefulness that is uncommon in our days. Notice your pace and your practices and ask yourself if this is what you want for your life. If the answer is “no,” create a new possibility and begin moving toward it – for yourself and for the benefit of all those you love!

 

Leadership Coaching in Transformational Times: How Deep Simplicity Can Show Us the Way

Guest Blogger: Alan Seale, PCC, CTPC

While many people might describe the state of things in today’s world as challenging, unpredictable, volatile, or unsettling, these times can also be transformational. It all depends on us. Where do we choose to place our energy and focus? What new approaches, practices, and paradigms will we create? How will we shift the mass consciousness to a new level of awareness? Bottom line: How can we show up to life, leadership, and coaching in ways that inspire transformation?

The first steps in answering these questions, at the most fundamental levels, are actually much simpler than we may think. As coaches, we know that often the most powerful questions are the simple ones—simple questions that cut through to the essence of things quickly. Simple does not always mean shallow, nor does deep and profound have to mean complicated and complex.

Deep simplicity is a key to transformational leadership and coaching. In today’s world, we can no longer afford complex models and structures that many people will never take the time to understand. We must provide simple, straightforward, practical, and duplicatable tools and models for transformation that people can put into practice immediately and see a shift in their perception and resulting action right away. Read more »

Your Coaching Brand: Low Cost Ways to Build It This Year

Guest Blogger: Pamela Wilson

One coach is pretty much like the other, right?

I mean, it doesn’t really matter which coach I work with. I can expect the same results, no matter who I talk to. You’ve seen one coach, you’ve seen them all!

If these statements are uncomfortable to read, it’s because you know how untrue they are.

Unfortunately, many of your potential customers think this way, and it’s your job to distinguish what your coaching offers in their minds. How can you do this?

Branding.

Branding isn’t just for corporations or consumer products. Branding helps establish your unique offer in the minds of your prospects. Branding is for everyone.

“But I Can’t Afford to Hire a Branding Expert!”

Branding your business doesn’t have to be expensive. There are some simple things you can do, and for most of them, you don’t need to hire outside help.

Your branding efforts should start with one important exercise: you must understand who your ideal customer is. Ask yourself:

1. What type of person do I enjoy working with?
2. Who can I get the best results for?
3. What type of customer is the most profitable for my business?

Read more about understanding your ideal customer, or target market, here.

Once you have a clear picture of who you’re trying to attract with your brand, you can make decisions about how to present your coaching offer using the powerful combination of a carefully-developed verbal and visual brand.

Your Words Attract or Repel: Use Them Carefully

What do you call your business, and how do you speak about what you offer? It all starts with your business name and tagline, which form crucial first impressions. Your tagline sets the tone, so craft it carefully. Use this short sentence to let prospects know who you enjoy working with, and what you do for them. Your copy writing style is another way to help your prospects understand your offerings. Be sure to use similar words to describe your coaching services as they use to describe their problems. For example:

If your perfect customer says: “I know I can be more than I currently am if I just discover what I’m best at.”
Your copy could say: “My coaching will help you to reach your full potential by uncovering what you can be the best at.”

If your perfect customer says: “I work too many hours and have no balance in my life. I want to live a life with meaning, and fulfill my dreams both at work and with my family.”
Your copy could say: “Working with me will help you fulfill your dreams of a balanced work and family life.”

Listen carefully to how your perfect customers speak about their frustrations and challenges: they’ll demonstrate the exact words to use to build your verbal brand.

Appearances Count: Your Visual Brand

You can establish your visual brand by making some targeted decisions very carefully, and then applying them consistently over time. It starts with your logo or business identity. These days, the most prominent place your business name is displayed might be at the top of your website.

To save money, talk to a designer about developing a “multi-purpose image” that can be used as your website header and repurposed in your email template and on your business cards. Let them know ahead of time all the places you plan to use the image so they can resize accordingly.

As you develop your visual brand, use the power of color to communicate it. Pick two main colors to represent your business, and apply them consistently in everything you do. Follow the lead of major corporations who use a reduced color palette to convey their brand.

Another great way to communicate your brand visually is through the use of fonts. Fonts add personality to your words, and choosing them carefully will round out your visual brand. Choose formal, classic serif fonts (the kind with little “feet”) if that’s the personality you’d like to convey. Use streamlined, modern sans-serif fonts (the kind with no “feet”) if you’d like a more contemporary brand.

Branding in Baby Steps

You know your coaching is different than anyone else’s, and so do I. But do your prospects?

Take baby steps this year toward establishing your coaching brand with the techniques outlined here. Use your verbal and visual brands together to help your prospects understand your unique offer. You’ll attract those perfect customers you’re looking for, and end the year with a stronger, better business.

Pamela Wilson owns the Big Brand System, a site devoted to helping small businesses grow through strategic marketing and great design. Learn more about branding your coaching business with her free Marketing Toolkit.

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