The Gift of a Contributory Life

When I arrived in Palm Desert on Canadian Thanksgiving Day, the first thing I noticed was amid the Halloween costumes, the stores had Christmas decorations displayed! I felt very disconnected from Christmas as I trudged along in 95 degree weather at the beginning of October, no less; but, more than disconnected, I felt dismayed.  – Christmas decorations in October?  Really?  Festive propaganda? Yes!  I felt overwhelming sadness at what I saw as the debasement of the season’s true meaning.  The holiday season reduced to a spending spree compelling people to overspend and start the New Year off in debt.

Subsequently, these thoughts were supported.  The Saturday, November 10, 2012 edition of The Desert Sun published an article by Anne D’Innocenzio, “Black Friday shoppers will begin preparing now”.  “Black Friday” is the day following American Thanksgiving, so the end of November.  The article described how the retailers are making an early bid for consumer cash. 

                

Stores are making a big push to lure in bargain-hungry shoppers before the Friday after Thanksgiving, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. They are putting on special sales that further creep into Turkey Day – and earlier. For the first time, Disney Stores, Sears and Kohl’s are among the stores offering at least some of the same Black Friday deals to customers a few days before Black Friday. “It’s no longer Christmas creep.  It’s Christmas crush,” said Marshal Cohen, chief research analyst at NPD Inc., a market research firm, referring to the bevy of Black Friday deals that shoppers will be able to buy earlier that week.

  

Stores on both sides of the border are now well into holiday hype – the festive garlands that dress the shops, the snowflakes in the windows- seem to mock rather than celebrate the spirit of the season.  I realized how easy it is to succumb to the miasma of consumerism madness; losing sight of what is really matters - what is important. 

Coincidentally and in juxtaposition to the seasonal mass consumerism going on around me, I happened to watch the HBO documentary, Ethel, a personal portrait of Ethel Kennedy, produced by Rory Kennedy.  The documentary included candid interviews with Ethel and her children, along with film footage of the family unit before and after Robert (Bobby) Kennedy’s assassination.  The documentary highlighted Ethel’s political awakening, her deep commitment to and love for her husband, Bobby, and her faith.

What I found most compelling was Ethyl’s fortitude:  her strength securely founded in her values, her faith, and her principles. She is a courageous woman.  She had and still has a clear vision of what is important in life and never lost sight of it.

The documentary made me reflect back on my own values, my relationships with countless women who generously extended their guidance and support to me through the years, as well as the spirit and intent of the holiday season.   What greater gift than giving of self to others can someone give?   

This year, my friends and family are limiting gift giving to children.  I am giving money to charity – to help those less blessed than I.   I also decided to give the gift of self in support of the Minerva Foundation through ICF Vancouver's Coach Giving Portfolio.  It was important to me to give meaningfully; something that will (hopefully) positively impact someone’s life – a lasting gift – not a seasonal token soon forgotten, shelved or re-gifted.  I want my legacy to be the gift of a contributory life.  I want to make a difference.   

In this season of giving, if pro-bono coaching for the Minerva Foundation peaks your interest, please contact our very knowledgeable and approachable Coach Giving Chair, Shelly Harris. 

Cherie Williams

ICF Vancouver Chapter - Vice President

ICF Vancouver – Prism Award Announcement

As summer made its entrance in the lower mainland and provides glorious blue skies, many of us feel compelled to just relax and savour moment. Indeed, this seems to be an opportune time re-balance our busy lives and enjoy the outdoors to our hearts’ content in the company of family and friends.

Yet, at this time, members of various committees in our local chapter, are also in the midst of organizing exciting events for the upcoming fall and winter seasons.  The Award committee was recently formed to help ignite and recognize the spirit of coaching excellence by leading the development of two award programs for local members of ICF.  This committee is now pleased to announce that the Prism Award along with a new award ceremony will take place in Vancouver in February 2013.

 Given that ample time is needed to assess the Prism Award candidates and ensure we have sufficient nominations, we have set November 15 as the limit date for such nominations to be brought forward. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the guidelines and criteria to apply http://www.coachfederation.org/about-icf/icf-awards/prism/

In the event that you don’t qualify for the Prism Award, please think about others you know that may fit the criteria and consider encouraging them to apply.  Additionally, in August, we will provide information about the new award program which will have different and less rigorous criteria thereby enabling more coaches to be honoured for their achievements as outstanding coaches in our local community.    

Isabelle

www.inspiredmomentum.com

BCHRMA STELLAR PRESENTATIONS

BCHRMA Conference Summary

By Isabelle St-Jean, RSW ACC

If you wish you could have spared the time to attend the whole BCHRMA conference last week, read on to eavesdrop on the thought-leaders who were part of that big conversation. Between Rick Mercer’s captivating stories, David Rock’s neuro-leadership, Jeremy Gutsche’s talk on innovation, and many more stellar presentations, the BCHRMA event was a feast for the mind. Here’s a sampling of the highlights laced with insights of relevance to our coaching profession:

-        Rick Mercer delivered a fun ride through his adventures across our vast landscape. Along with his twists of humour, he also moved the audience with anecdotes about the good causes he served by instigating popular fund-raising campaigns in several Canadian schools.  Mercer ended by saying he used to be a “glass-half-empty” kind of guy, but now he celebrates our country’ s diversity and commonality of folks who are hard-working and truly generous.

-        Ms. CEO was a well moderated panel discussion including 3 CEOs: Nicole Stefenelli, Krista Thompson, and Karen Flavelle. Right at the start, they acknowledged that many of us are tired of the fight for gender equality. But, thanks to current research, the conversation has changed. No longer just about fairness, we now have facts proving that organizational health and profitability increases when women are involved as leaders. Among surprising stats, it was said that only 17% of “C” positions are occupied by women although this gender represents 47% of the total workforce.  The audience was encouraged to support women by coaching them to recognize their own value to counteract the common tendency toward the Imposter Syndrome.  Coaching was praised as an effective way to break down the barriers and limiting beliefs that still reside in both genders at the subconscious level.  We were reminded to be Ambassadors of diversity and to promote a truly collaborative culture as a pillar in organizational success.

-        Jeremy Gutsche’s expertise on trendsetting shone as he promoted a culture of revolution that fosters innovation, creativity and super charged viral messages that convey succinctly – in 7 words or less - what the company does best.  He pointed out that we should counter the tendency, in economically challenging times, to be overly conservative rather than innovative; after all several multi-billion dollar corporations like Disney and Microsoft were started during economic downturns.  Gutsche said that when we get good at something we can be trapped on top of our small hill.  But instead we should venture out and look for another bigger hill and head for its top.  One of his catchy phrases, quoted back by others, was “culture eats strategy for breakfast”. Aggressive kind of language, but it affirms many coaches’ view that the importance and power of an organization’s culture based on clear compelling vision and core values-in-action cannot be over-stated.

-        David Rock presented contents from his latest book Your Brain at Work in both his keynote and breakout session.  He pointed out what has to improve: self-awareness among leaders, better change initiatives and an understanding of the brain in the workplace.  This will facilitate good decision making and problem-solving as well as collaboration and knowing how to retain composure under pressure.  Three of his main points were that the rational is overrated, attention changes the brain and that emotions are misunderstood.  It turns out that feelings are better managed and their intensity decreases when we acknowledge them and talk about them. (Off course we know that but now neuroscience is proving it).

-        Tony Hsieh author of Delivering Happiness: A Path to Passion, Profit and Purpose delivered the closing plenary keynote with an amazing elaboration about how his US company Zappos.com built its lasting success with exceptional customer service, tribal leadership and a robust company culture.

In addition, I attended several great breakout sessions that were packed with value and good content.  The award ceremony was also very well done and certainly augmented my positive anticipation for our chapter’s coaching award ceremony in 2013.

Coaching: It’s In Our Hearts

It is no surprise to me that International Coaching Week is held in the month of February! ‘February’ also hosts Valentines Day & it is Heart & Stroke Month in many areas.

February is all about the heart and as coaches, colleagues and ‘coachees’, my guess is that we would agree, coaching is also ‘about heart’!

My heart was touched when I received the phone call from a friend and new coach who ‘saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself’ and wanted to support me to see it too with coaching.

Again, my heart was touched during coach training, listening to the other students practice their coaching skills and feeling the open heartedness of the participants and instructors.

I can’t count the times during coaching sessions that my heart blossomed as I ‘saw’ the vulnerability, courage, resiliency, determination, joy and profound awe from coaching clients as they experienced their own heart center.

Finally, being with a group of coaches; life coaches, executive coaches, business coaches, career coaches, leadership coaches, mentor coaches, it doesn’t matter; it is an experience like no other! It is like being with a room full of instant best friends.

The common thread is unabashed ‘heart connection’ and it is infectious!

So, to honor Coaching Week and all the amazing clients and other coaches that I have worked with, I leave you with this quote:

“Even the most exalted states and the most exceptionally spiritual accomplishments are unimportant if we cannot be happy in the most basic and ordinary ways, if we cannot touch one another and the life we have been given with our hearts.”
- Jack Kornfield from “A Path With Heart”

In peace & mindfulness

namaste,

Zoey

Zoey Ryan, BSc., PCC
Life & Leadership Coach for Women
coaching for your heart & soul
http://zoeyryan.com