by Susan R. Meyer, MCC (IAC)
president@certifiedcoach.org
Taking Time to Play
Despite the seemingly endless rain outside my window, it’s summertime and many coaches and clients are going into vacation mode. I think that’s a great thing. And maybe something we need to do a lot more often. Donna Steinhorn, MCC (IAC) and co-creator of Conversation Among Masters, includes this message in her email tag line: "…we don't stop playing because we get old. We get old because we stop playing." Just in case you don’t think she lives her message, it’s followed by this: “No trees were harmed in the transmission of this email but trillions of electrons were excited to participate.”
Is your work fun? Do you get so carried away by the sheer joy of it that you occasionally catch yourself giggling? Your IAC Board of Governors has been busy playing on our members' behalf. Delivering our preview session for the WBECS was a lot of fun, especially finding quotes for each of the Masteries?. Here are two of my favorites:
Mastery #3 – Engaged listening Being aware of vs. preempting
"Here's why I will be a good person. Because I listen. I cannot speak, so I listen very well. I never interrupt, I never deflect the course of the conversation with a comment of my own. People, if you pay attention, change the direction of one another's conversations constantly. It's like having a passenger in your car who suddenly grabs the steering wheel and turns you down a side street." – Enzo, from The Art of Racing in the Rain
Mastery #9 – Helping the client create and use supportive systems and structures Supportive structures vs. constraining process
"Just remember, there's a right way and a wrong way to do everything and the wrong way is to keep trying to make everybody else do it the right way." – Colonel Potter, from M*A*S*H
The full set of slides from our WBECS presentation is available on the IAC website.
Dr. Doris Helge and I enjoyed an hour with a wonderful group for the IAC’s first webinar, Transform Painful Events into Personal Empowerment. Despite a pretty sharp learning curve with the technology, we had a wonderful time. And laughed a lot. The recording is in the Member’s area.
Kristi Arnst and I both found time to attend Conversations Among Masters (CAM) 12 in San Antonio and laughed our way through three days of incredible learning and great conversations. Not to mention line dancing, flamenco, cowboy hats, walks along the river and time with Vikki Brock, who has done a wonderful job incorporating the history of the IAC into her comprehensive history of coaching.
Laughter is always attractive. Wishing you much joy and laughter this month.
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.
