Walking My Talk

This has been a very snowy winter all around the country, and particularly for us here in North Carolina, where a typical winter's snowfall is about 2 inches or less. We had a couple of days with impassible streets and many more with not much to speak of on the roads, but schools still cancelled or opening late. My son Harrison enjoyed sledding in our backyard and having our dog, Jake, pretend he was Balto, the sled dog. The snow was beautiful to look at and fun to play in, but after a few days even Harrison was getting tired of it. Twice, I drove him to school on seemingly clear roads only to find that schools were opening late - no doubt due to icier roads somewhere else in the county. I fell into a loop of complaining and grumbling - about the wimpy Southern drivers and the overly-cautious school officials, all of whom were throwing a monkey wrench into my plans for the day. It took me more than a week, but I finally heard myself - going on and on about something that wasn't the end of the world and that I couldn't control anyhow. I was definitely not walking my talk. Whether each and every closing or delay was warranted was beside the point. I wasn't behaving in a very constructive way. Once I realized what I was doing, it didn't take long before I had found ways to stop being a victim to the circumstances and was back to enjoying life as it was. Knowing an empowering way to live and actually doing it don't always go hand in hand 100% of the time, but having some tools and belief systems that work for you can make the time it takes you to self-correct a little shorter. It's only early March and we may not be out of the woods yet as far as snowy weather goes, but if we do get any more, at least I'll have a better attitude about it. I've also learned another valuable lesson - to check in on the school schedule before heading out the door, no matter how bright the sun or how the clear the roads around my neighborhood.

Laura G. Luykx, One to One Coach

Writing a Case for Peer Supervision

Scary, risking, being vulnerable
Building self-responsibility muscle
Release to nail the anxiety.... AND THEN
Supported by a strong safety net
Learning again about my humanity
Fueling to go back into session
Where client (and I ) SOAR
Also, deepening support with fellow coaches
Manifesting an act toward wholeness

By Caryn Corenblum

Welcome to the 2010 OtO Board!

Each year at this time, there is a lot of excitement for the OtO board as new members are welcomed and transitioned to the board and its functions. So meet the 2010 OtO board members - Anna Dailey, Elizabeth Fowler, Zoe Hamstead, Susan Hayward, Penny Hazen, Tricia Schulte, Susie Strauss, Marti Woodward and Lyn Young.

Anna is our ‘silent’ board member. She is an attorney in West Virginia and acts as an outside observer to the activities of the board and One to One as a whole.

Elizabeth, a board member since 2008, has brought her commitment to professionalism to the board. She is the chairperson of the Professionalism Committee and organized the Peer Supervision groups, assisted in the restructuring of the OtO mentoring and the review of OtO client and coach paperwork.

Zoe, a former client, has just joined the board this February. She hails from North Carolina and is presently residing in Chicago with her husband Sean. She will be formerly introduced in the March newsletter.

Susan, a former board member for 3 years, has just rejoined the board. She is the board liaison with the Coaches Professional Development Committee and is a very active member of the Fundraising Committee and Professionalism Committee. She led the effort to create and execute the Life by Design workshops.

Penny, a board member since 2008, has taken on the co-chair of the Marketing Committee. She was one of a couple of individuals who develop the Life by Design Workshop.

Tricia joined the board in 2009 and is the co-chairperson of the Fundraising Committee and Marketing Committee. She brings her previous experience with non-profits and fund development to OtO and the board.

Susie, co-founder and director of OtO, has held the vision of OtO from the beginning and co-chairs the Fundraising Committee and actively participates in several other committees.

Marti, a OtO board member since the board was formed in 2005, is the chairperson of the Training Committee and is an active participant on the Professionalism Committee. She is also the individual who spearheaded the creation and development of the OtO Coaching Model.

Lynn has joined the board as of February 2010. She lives in Colorado Springs, CO with her husband. She has had coach training and community organizing experience. She will be formally introduced in the March newsletter.

The board meets every month on a 1 ½ hour conference call to discuss administrative, financial, training, marketing, professionalism and fundraising matters. And we meet for 1 ½ days for a board retreat right after the Coaches Professional Development Weekend. Please meet and greet our new and present board members at the CPDW!!!

- Susie