2010 Annual Coaches Retreat

The 2010 Coaches’ Professional Development Weekend was a huge success, thanks to all those who helped plan and facilitate, as well our wonderful attendees. From the lovely connections made between new friends and old, the “dangerous” trainings, the wild dance party, to the delicious food and nurturing provided by the staff at Blue Springs Manor, the weekend together supported us in filling ourselves up so that we may continue to provide our awesome service as OtO coaches. We hope to see those we missed this year at next year’s CPDW!

- Coco Rosenblatt-Farrell

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

One to One Client Reflects

One to One, Women Coaching Women, is a service that is so valuable I’d like to tell every woman, young and old of its worth.

No matter your age, the obstacles you face, or the goals you have, a certified, licensed coach can help you work through to a much higher level of success.

When I first became aware of One to One, I immediately began making contacts for someone from their organization to come to our small town to hold a workshop. I could think of many women who would benefit from this service.

A date was set and preparations were made for the workshop. Before the workshop date arrived I landed in the local ER and the next day moved to the Asheville Heart Tower. From a knee injury, blood clots had moved to my heart and lungs.

A few weeks after I got home I began Physical Therapy. My body was beginning to move around easier but I felt like my mind was flat-lined. How would I ever get back up and work, how would I continue anything? I knew I would never be able to fill my days with the negativity of television. It looked like a long road of recovery ahead.

I had the manuscript of my first novel in my computer but did not know how to go about self-publishing. This was my opportunity to begin working on it, but it seemed too big a task to think about.

Then I remembered One to One, and the workshop that had been cancelled, so I called Susie Strauss and asked to be considered for coaching sessions. She set up a conference call with the perfect coach for me.

I knew from the start that Susan (my coach) would provide just the motivational push I needed. In our sessions each week, Susan would keep me focused on necessary steps to move me forward in three major areas; my novel, health, and returning to social life.

With Susan cheering me on, and my good friend, Ronda, helping me with all the technical steps to self-publish, I now have my first novel published.

I am so very grateful for the services of One to One. I knew I needed what they offered and I could never have afforded that kind of mental and emotional support any other way.

Thank you, Susan, Susie, and all of One to One, Women Coaching Women.

Alice Blanton

Author: Tell Me No Lies

Little Bit Publishing

November 2009

Journey of a Dreamer

by Stephanie Lyas
Past OTO Client

Since I was a child, The Wizard of Oz has been one of my favorite movies. The story of the girl from humble beginnings trying to “find her way” is much like my own. Like Dorothy, I was desperately searching for things outside myself that I thought would make my life complete- only to discover that I possessed those things all along. All I needed to be happy and successful were already inside of me. It wasn’t until I experienced life coaching that that truth was revealed to me in a profound way. And I can earnestly say that my life has changed for the better. Great things are happening all the time! Probably the accomplishment of which I’m proudest is the recent publication of my book, Dwelling Places: a Poetic Journey through the Heart.

I compare my journey toward completing the book to Dorothy’s quest to reach The Emerald City. Though she faced great obstacles along the way, she got there. Perhaps the most important part is that she didn’t do it alone. She had help from her loyal friends, The Scarecrow, The Tin Man and The Lion. Although encumbered by their own personal weaknesses, their common focus was to help Dorothy reach her goal. And in the end, they discovered incredible things about themselves, too.

That, in essence, is what coaching has done for me. There are few words that can describe the “ripple effect” of blessings that have come from my coaching experience. My greatest joy, however, is sharing my testimony with others with the hope of encouraging them to overcome obstacles and do extraordinary things.


Looking back on my journey, it is difficult to pick which of the three companions best
describes my coach, because like any good companion, she possesses the attributes of all
three- wisdom, courage and heart. To witness those forces at work in my own life is another blessing for which I will always be thankful.


Whether or not Dorothy would have made it to Oz without her friends remains to be seen. But one thing is certain- the trip would have been much harder, and not nearly as exciting! True friends are invaluable. Coaches who really care are priceless. Like Dorothy, I have discovered on this amazing journey that “the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.”


© Stephanie Lyas. 2009

POWERFUL Questions

The Coaching Corner

By

Mary Mantei

One of the tools life coaches seek to use effectively is powerful questioning. A powerful question invites an individual to move to a deeper level of discovery or learning. A well-placed question can create greater possibility or perhaps a clearer vision for whoever we are in conversation with. A truly powerful question will not elicit a yes or no answer; rather it is open-ended to encourage reflection and creativity.

A hope I have for clients is that during and after the coaching relationship, they will learn to ask themselves powerful questions. I want them to be able to “self-coach” to extend the value of the coaching experience. As we step into 2010, into the next decade, we will have many opportunities to consider, many problems to solve or manage, and many decisions to make, which may have a simple or profound affect on our lives and the lives of others. Following are a few powerful questions which might assist you in exploring your options in a thoughtful, appreciative manner this coming Year.

If I say yes to this, what am I saying no to?

Examples of when you might want to ask yourself this question are;

Spending a large sum of money on an item or an experience

Saying yes to a request to voluntarily commit your time

Staying in a relationship which is not serving you well

What does _________________________ cost me? (Fill in the blank)

Examples:

What does my constant lateness cost me?

What does denial of my health issues cost me?

What does my desire to be honest with those I love cost me?

What options can I create?

When faced with a problem or dilemma, we often act on the first answer we land on. This question encourages us to spend time generating beyond the first solution or option and give ourselves potentially a better option or a backup plan. We feel less resigned with more options to select from and Plan B’s to turn to.

I encourage you to ask yourself one of these questions when the time is right and see where your mind and imagination take you. Eugene Ionesco, Romanian-born playright, was onto something when he said, “It’s not the answer that enlightens, but the question”.