President's Letter - April 2018
Shari Fruechte, ACC, CAP, OM
ICF Minnesota President
Happy Spring!
I have finally recovered from my trip to Vancouver, British Columbia and am excited to write to you and share my thoughts, learning and experiences from the ICF Global Leadership Forum that your President Elect Trish Perry and I attended March 15-18th.
I must say Global knows how to execute learning and connection at these events. Personally, I feel that this year was even more beneficial in learning and knowledge exchange than last year; partially because I knew somewhat what to expect and partially due to the structure changes to the conference. I will share a few of the highlights with you here; however, if you have additional questions please feel free to reach out to me or I welcome you to attend our Coaching Connections event on April 24th. We can chat then!
The conference kicked off with keynote Jonathan Raymond’s talk on leadership. One of the questions he posed was around the implications of ‘missed conversations’ – the conversations you don’t have because they are uncomfortable and how they can spiral and impact the organization/situation long term. The other point that resonated was: “What if the greatest purpose is to change the lives of the people who work there?” While the statement was in relation to a work organization, it can easily be transferred to any collective. As coaches we do this, yet I know being reminded is always beneficial.
This ties into value and sense of belonging. When we feel valued in the work we do, we want to stay. Value of membership is a topic that is at the forefront of any organization’s mind; ICF Global and ICF Minnesota are no exception. In his welcome to attendees in Vancouver, Colman Eldridge, Vice President of Global Development and Membership stated: “Membership is a choice.” His comment resonated with me. As a chapter, membership is fundamental; it is why our chapter exists. It has me thinking deeper into what we can do to engage members. How can we help you learn, grow and connect? What is going to make you automatically hit renew when you get your notice? I want you to feel that your membership to ICF Minnesota is so valuable and worthy of your time, financial resources and energy that the thought of not being a member is not an option. It is a choice and often choices are based off of feelings. What are you feeling? I want to know.
With thirty-two thousand members globally, ICF has to be thinking about this all of the time, as do we. ICF is the gold standard in coaching (our Code of Ethics sets us apart and is a great reason to be a part of ICF alone); however, it ultimately comes down to feeling connected to the chapter. In Minnesota, as a board we have been working on our value proposition. It is included in this edition of the Catalyst so please take the time to read it. Lance, Christine and the entire board have worked hard to create this version and I am proud that we can now articulate what we have to offer.
For me, the majority of my learning came from the Compass Conversations. They were smaller breakout groups that consisted of a presenter and then Q&A. The topics were:
• Leadership
• Membership
• Credentialing
• Finance
Leadership was lead by Denise Hinden, Ph. D, PCC. She emphasized how impactful leadership starts with a vision and self-motivation. Motivating yourself starts with knowing who you aspire to be – both in chapter leadership and personally. This session was valuable in that she suggested the book The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posnera. She also stressed the importance of listening.
Membership was led by Carolina Stilhano, ICF Member Experience Ambassador and Don Whittle, ICF Director of Member Experience. The premise of their presentation was about how to ensure new members feel welcomed and engaged. They suggested that the way to do this is by creating a memorable experience. I am going to reach out to the president of Panama as she shared several tips that their chapter has implemented to engage their new members. I also welcome suggestions for how to do this as well as ask that any of you that would like to create this process and be a part of a welcoming committee to please raise your hand. What a perfect opportunity to be an engaged member of the chapter as well as help others feel welcome!
Credentialing was led by George Rogers, ICF Assistant Executive Director for Credentialing and Accreditation. The condensed version of his talk is there are changes coming and going forward the communication will be shared one time per year in February. The details have/will be shared via an email from Global. Please reach out to Trish or me if you have questions as it may seem complicated yet it is fairly simple and ultimate helps us retain our credibility in the industry.
Finance was led by Jose de Sousa, ACC and Ben Polk, CFO. I am not going to talk a lot about their presentation. While it was very good, it was basic and aimed at chapters that are starting up. We are fortunate to have an experienced accountant/CPA assist us with our budget. I personally learned more from having a conversation with Christopher when it was budget time than I did in this presentation; however, many found it valuable.
Last but not least, while the Chapter Recognition Awards were fun to watch, it was especially moving to hear the stories from the ICF Foundation and Gift of Coaching Awards. This was led by Minnesota’s own Dave Wondra. The stories and impact that Ignite is having globally truly touches my heart and had me sitting there with my mouth open at times. It is truly breathtaking to her how coaching is having an impact on social change universally and if for no other reason that human impact and connection; being an engaged coach is making a difference in lives around the world. I am excited to hear the outcomes and stories that our own Minnesota team is creating by working with Neighborhood House.
I look forward to serving as your President for the remainder of 2018. I am also extremely excited for the profession of coaching in the coming years.
Enjoy April and I will see you at the Coaching Connection on the 24th!
Shari Fruechte, ACC, CAP, OM
Chapter News
2018 ICF Minnesota Chapter Prism Award
ICF Minnesota will have a Minnesota Chapter Prism Award in 2018. The ICF Minnesota Chapter Prism Award honors businesses and organizations with coaching programs that:
• Fulfill rigorous professional standards
• Address key strategic goals
• Shape organizational culture
• Yield discernible and measurable positive impacts
ICF Minnesota will accept nominations for the 2018 Minnesota Chapter Prism Award between April 1 and May 30. The Awards Ceremony will take place on the evening of September 18, at the Metropolitan Ballroom.
The ICF Minnesota 2018 nomination form and process is a simplified version of the Global ICF process that also takes nominations beginning in early April.
The nomination process is intended to be lead by an ICF coach working with a for profit or non-profit business or organization. If you know a great organization, please work with them to apply for the ICF Minnesota Chapter 2018 Prism Award by completing the 2018 Prism Nomination Form. The nominaton form is available from Christine Pouliot or Lance Hazzard or it can be downloaded HERE. All nominations must be submitted by May 30 to: Christine Pouliot at christine@evokethepossible.com or Lance Hazzard at lance@oppnacoaching.com
ICF MN Outreach Chair and Co-chair
LCST Ignite Project Update
As you are reading this article, ICF Minnesota Ignite Coaches have met with their Neighborhood House coachees one to four times. By the completion of our project on August 10th we will have coached up to 100 sessions with our ten coachees!
If you attended the February chapter meeting you heard the names of our team – and they bear repeating:
Coaches: Gary Dietrich, Elaine Gaston, Joan Haan, Theresa Henkelman, Nancy Jamieson, Jean Johnson, Dana Kadue, Sandi Lindgren, John Owens and Chris Schwebel
Coach Liaison: Carla Beach
Communications: Theresa Nutt
We are grateful for the coach volunteers who have offered their time and skills for this project!
For more information about this project and ICF Ignite, please review February’s Catalyst article or http://foundationoficf.org/home/ignite/. Christine Schwebel Chris@Tsoulnami.com, John Owens john.owens552@gmx.com and Joan Haan joan@joanhaan.com, Core Leadership Team
Upcoming Events
April 10th Webinar - Coaching Strategies for the Multi-Generational Workplace
Location: Webinar/Zoom (requires additional registration)
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
1.5 Core Competency CEUs
Register HERE for the Event Register HERE at Zoom to access the event
For the first time in history, four generations are working alongside each other in the workplace—often creating frustration, tension, misunderstanding, isolation & communication breakdowns. The good news is, strategies exist for understanding the shifting workplace environment so organizational leaders and their employees can create workplace cultures which inspire creativity, relevant solution-finding and buy-in, regardless of the generation they identify with.
Attendees will be introduced to a coaching model for creating a culture of insight within the workplace beginning with the cultural and systemic issues shifting the 21st Century workplace. This workshop is for anyone interested in going beyond, “how are millennials and Gen Z different?” to understanding the drivers of generational differences, conflict and how to get to solutions. This unique systemic perspective will set the stage for the shifting perspectives necessary for developing insight and relevant solutions.
Core Competencies Addressed:
Communicating Effectively through active listening and powerful questioning
Facilitating Learning and Results through creating awareness, designing actions
Objectives:
• Provide context for understanding the underlying drivers of generational conflict in order to facilitate shifting perspectives.
• Increase understanding of the impact multiple generations will impact every organization.
• Identify the twelve-common generational “sticking points” and how to differentiate between business decisions and generational preferences.
• Learn a process for creating a culture of insight utilizing coaching competencies
Meet our Speaker:
Mary Kay Delvo, LSW, Master of Liberal Studies in Leadership & Psychology
Mary Kay is a speaker, business coach, and strategy consultant with INspiring SIGHT. Her grasp of macro-level and complex system dynamics, understanding of the drivers of multi-generational tensions and passion for leaving things better than how she found them differentiates Mary Kay from other consultants and coaches. She draws from her twenty-five-year multi-sector experience working with family, public, private, non-profit, educational and organizational systems to nudge others to “wake-up to how they show-up”.
Prior to founding INspiring SIGHT, she was the director of strategic engagement for a member association representing agribusiness and food companies throughout Minnesota. Mary Kay serves on several boards including ICF Minnesota, Fridley School Board (2nd term) and Minnesota Ag in The Classroom Foundation Board. She was also selected to participate in class IX of the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership (MARL), a two-year cohort leadership program. marykay@inspiringsight.com https://inspiringsight.com/
April 24th - In Person Event - Coaching Connections
Location: Crave Restaurant - 9100 Hudson Road #108, Woodbury
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Cost: free for members, $10 for non-members
Register for this event HERE
Booming Business Blueprint
by Lynn Nodland, Ph.D., MCC and Robin Nordmeyer, CLC
Greetings, Lynn and Robin here with Masterful Coaches Community helping you to reach your goals for a booming business and a balanced life. In this article, we explore the value of building a good foundation to have a prosperous business.
GROW A THRIVING BUSINESS FROM A RICH FOUNDATION
What makes the foundation of a business rich?
There are three things that contribute to a rich foundation: expertise, support and professionalism. Let’s look closer at these components.
Expertise means you are an authority in your field with the required training, experience and knowledge in a specific area. You stay informed and up to date on best practices. You stay focused on what is the right fit for serving your clients.
• Good coaching starts with getting the training you need to be a good coach.
• Connect with what you are best suited to do based on strengths and interests while working in and on your business.
• Within your area of expertise, it is beneficial to stick to the niche and clients you really want to attract and have the desire to serve.
Reflection Questions on Expertise:
1. What training do you have and what would you like to acquire to feel empowered in your coaching practice?
2. What strengths and interests help you with your business? How can you use these in your coaching practice?
3. What niche do you really enjoy working in and who is your ideal client?
Support means setting up your own systems and structure for success so you don’t have to do it all alone or reinvent what needs to be done over and over again.
• Leveraged support for your business can often accomplish more than trying to do it all alone. It’s often easy, to think you will save money by doing it yourself, when in reality you lose money with lost opportunity.
• Approach your coaching as a business. Be curious about how day to day responsibilities and activities can be automated, delegated, or eliminated to save you time and energy.
• Create systems to help with productivity and personal effectiveness. Examples might be autoresponders, technology platforms, billing processes.
Reflection Questions for Support:
1. What could you leverage support for to help you move forward faster?
2. What day to day responsibilities and activities could be automated, delegated or eliminated?
3. What systems and technology do you need that would save you time, money and energy?
Professionalism means providing excellent customer service, adhering to standards and boundaries as an ethical coach. It also means protecting your personal life from intruding demands from your business.
• Know your clients and give them what they want, not what you want.
• Practice good ethical standards and boundaries in all that you do.
• Always be mindful of the customer experience and remember the customer is king. Deliver, and even over-deliver, on what you promise to your customers to keep them happy and coming back for new offers and opportunities.
Reflection Questions on Professionalism:
1. What helps you to stay focused on the client’s needs and agenda?
2. Where do you need more clarity or stricter boundaries regarding the ethical standards in your business?
3. What areas of customer service in your business need to be better?
Summary:
We have explored how expertise, support and professionalism contribute to having a prosperous coaching practice. Your business is like a garden. You have to continue to provide nutrients, care, and cultivation to continue to grow. When you have everything in place, it’s like putting Miracle Grow on your plants. What stood out the most for you in this article? What are you willing to work on to help cultivate a thriving and prosperous business?
Know that you are not alone. We are here to support you. You can reach us at Support@MasterfulCoachesCommunity.com. We invite you to join our Masterful Coaches Community Facebook Group and let’s get the conversation going. Please feel free to pass this entire article on to other coaches who may have an interest.
Here’s to your success!
Lynn Nodland, Ph.D., MCC and Robin Nordmeyer, CLC
Chapter News
Value Proposition – ICF Minnesota Chapter
The ICF Minnesota Chapter is an inspiring and innovative community of coaches committed to your professional excellence. Connect, engage, learn and grow with a coaching community that supports you at any level of your practice. You’ll benefit from:
• Monthly events that includes speakers, webinars or coaching connections
• Find a coach feature that allows the public to search for you as a coach in the ICF Minnesota Chapter
• CCEU’s for credential requirements
• Coaching awards and recognition for individuals, businesses and organizations
• Partnerships with accredited coaching schools and inspiration for aspiring coaches
• Opportunities for our certified coaches to work with non-profits in a pro-bono or reduced rate fee schedule to give back and create greater capability and community value
Regional News
Register for Full Conference
Our theme this year is Creating Connections in the City of Bridges. We are coming together in June at the Westin Hotel in the cultural district of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh has an iconic history; home of Rosie the Riveter, Heinz everything, and Mr. Rogers. With Pittsburgh's culture, premiere sports teams, industries, diverse communities and thriving restaurant and tourist attractions, you will discover a new favorite place.
We have terrific opening and closing speakers to provide new insights, inspire and equip you. There is a very robust and dynamic professional program focused on four different tracks:
• Client Connections
• Business Connections
• Science of Coaching Connections
• Global Connections
We have designed into the program, time to relax, connect with other professional and take advantage of the city.
There is still an opportunity to volunteer at the conference. When you volunteer, you expand your network with many leaders in our profession and make a difference in your coaching community. Please contactinfo@icf-midwest.comif interested in volunteering.
More exciting news about the conference is coming soon so stay tuned!
2018 Midwest Region Coaches Conference: Call for Presentations
Do you have expertise and resources valuable to your professional colleagues? Do you want a chance to test your new ideas, practice your message, and share your proven approaches? Review the Call for Presentations for the 2018 Midwest Region Coaches Conference: Creating Connections in the City of Bridges. Submit your proposal!
2018 Midwest Region Coaches Conference: Call for Volunteers
We are looking for additional Program Committee members for the 2018 Midwest Region Coaches Conference in Pittsburgh. Please contact Diane Bickford at programs@icf-midwest.com if you are interested in getting involved.
Global News
2018 Business Development Series
The popular series is now available OnDemand and will help you build, sustain and expand a successful coaching business. Four weeks of content, 14 sessions. Up to 14.25 Resource Development CCEs. To view the session descriptions, speaker bios, and to purchase, visit the BDS Webpage.
Chapter Member Announcements