minnesotacoaches.org

The MCA Board of Directors has approved the following Nominating Committee for the purpose of recruiting new board members for 2013:  Anne Olson, Christopher Feider and Robin Nordmeyer.  In order to comply with MCA By-laws, the Nominating Committee will be accepting nominations for the open positions listed below until May 31.  After your decision to serve as a board member, please log into our website and complete the nomination form found at http://minnesotacoaches.org/member-learning-area/  under MCA-related resources and submit your application to: president@minnesotacoaches.org.

Requirements for service on the board include being active members of both MCA and ICF.  Board terms run for two years, with the exception of President Elect (which is basically a commitment for three years).  The new board members will shadow the current board members for the last three months of 2012 to familiarize the new board members with the roles and responsibilities involved.  Effective January of 2013, the new board members become full voting members of the board.  The 2012 board members have committed to continue to answer questions for the first quarter of 2013.

Current open board positions:

President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications, IT, Membership Co-lead, Professional Development Co-lead.  For role descriptions, log-in and go to: http://minnesotacoaches.org/member-learning-area/

Please feel free to reach out to any of the current board members to get more information on the workings of the board and typical expectations: http://minnesotacoaches.org/board-of-directors/

If your eyes are regularly glued to a computer or smartphone screen and you’re looking for an easy way to get involved with the MCA, the Communications Team has the role for you!

We want coaches willing to interact with members (and who knows, potential clients!) by posting on LinkedIn, Twitter,  Facebook or the Catalyst.  Build your media skills, gain name recognition, network and try something new.  We provide training and guidance so don’t worry if you don’t have experience.

Openings available for:

LinkedIn Correspondent (2-3 hours/month)

Chapter Tweeter — c’mon, what could be sweeter?! (<1 hour/week)

Facebook Active Fan (1 hour/week)

Catalyst Blogger (1-2 hours/month)

All roles can be performed from your home, favorite coffee shop or tropical WIFI-enabled location. And, you can correspond in your most comfortable clothes, from jammies to jeans!

Use your PC, Mac, Smartphone, iPad or whatever to contact Julie Berg, MCA Communications Director at Communications@minnesotacoaches.org. Let her know what role appeals to you.

Impress your friends and family–and build your resume–by becoming an Interactive Media Correspondent today!

By Lyndra Hearn Antonson, CPCC, MSW

I was in my second coaching call – after the Discovery session – with a new life coaching client. The call started with the client sounding very defeated and pessimistic about the possibility for change in his life. I felt like I was working too hard. I began silently questioning whether or not he was a good candidate for coaching. As he spoke of feeling so stuck in impossibility, an image came to mind.

Using my training through the Coaches Training Institute (CTI), I “blurted” my intuition. I told him I had an image of him being in quicksand and just barely able to keep his head from going under.

What happened next startled me. He began talking about successes he’s had in life and obstacles he’s overcome. He spoke of applying the tools that had worked in one area of his life to the areas he’s still challenged by. I found myself confused by what had just happened in our session.

So I asked him – how did we get to where we are now from where we were at the beginning of the call? He said he hadn’t liked the image I shared of being stuck in quicksand.

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By Irene M. Kelly, Leadership, Life & Academic Coach

Talk about experiencing the gamut of emotions … I did last month.  I am ever so grateful to Pam Nichols who encouraged me and Denny Stockdale who invited me to offer the program for the March MCA meeting.  Thank you both for providing me a “stretch” opportunity!  And now for the emotional gamut …

I’ve made many presentations over the years; I enjoy the preparation and the “nervousness” that fuels excitement.  I must say once I committed to make the MCA presentation, I became stuck!  Fortunately, my Wisdom Group (WG) coaches supported me to create and develop the presentation.  Good thing because creativity was dormant!

One of my WG coaches assured me that I had all I needed to share important material about the emotional wisdom and how easily images support eliciting the wisdom; I could not seem to muster up what I knew.  It was when she asked me “what was in the way”?  that I recognized the block … EMOTIONS … anxiety, doubt, fear.  Each time I attempted to create, agitation set in!

Her support (how I value coaching) and my subsequent reflection, “unstuck” me!  Once I owned my emotions, acknowledged how they supported me and accepted their value, the barrier disappeared, pathways opened, creativity flowed… voila … a Prezi!

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