From the President

by Susan R. Meyer,
MCC (IAC)
president@certifiedcoach.org

Communities of Practice

I'm sitting in an auditorium at a large conference that purports to bring women
together to change the world. The problem for me, though, is that like at so
many conferences, there's no time for actual connection. We are hearing a lot
of speakers, but we are not building community here. And that makes me think
of how often that is true at coaching events and within coaching organizations.

A business practice that occurs spontaneously in many organizations is the
creation of communities of practice. These are naturally occurring groups that
come together to share ideas, generate solutions and support each other. It
turns out that they can't be created artificially, but that seeds can be planted,
opportunities can be created and communities of practice can be nurtured and
sustained.

We call ourselves the coaching community, yet many of us work in isolation.
The IAC has face-to-face and virtual chapters that help create community. I
applaud the tremendous work our chapter leaders are doing. And yet, there are
still members who continue in isolation. We have a LinkedIn page, a Facebook
page, a Twitter account, and yet there are still members who continue in isolation.

Some people like to be alone. And that's certainly a viable option. Some people
hate social media. Some don't like structured, regularly scheduled meetings.
And some of these people are still looking for a sense of community. So we're
going to try to create another option.

Announcing new calls for IAC members

Starting In October, I am creating a series of calls for members. I'll be joined
by at least one member of the Board. There will be no agenda—there will
just be a space to touch base, chat with other coaches, raise issues, ask questions,
share a few laughs—whatever you want. In October, we are scheduling calls
on the 16th and 23rd at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Here's the link for members to register:
www.certifiedcoach.org/index.php/my_iac_community/overview_of_benefits/calls_for_iac_members/.
In November, we'll add some morning calls as well. Drop in, drop out as you
wish! I hope to hear you on the calls.

With
warm wishes for your success,
Susan R. Meyer

 
Susan R. Meyer, MCC (IAC) is President of Susan R. Meyer, Coaching
and Consulting and of Life-Work Coach. She provides personal and executive
coaching and facilitates seminars on topics including life planning,
emotional intelligence, leadership development, communication, and
coaching skills for managers. www.susanrmeyer.com.