The New Leaf™
The Official Newsletter of Authentic Promotion™
Volume 5, No. 32, August 12, 2003
U.S. Library of Congress ISSN: 1530-311X
Molly Gordon, Master Certified Coach
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and colleagues who can use practical guidance and inspiration for
growing their businesses and feeding their souls. You can get on or
off the subscriber list at http://www.mollygordon.com.
In This Issue
Fast Focus: Beyond Expertise
Simple Gifts: Practicing Discernment
Perspective on Coaching: Certified or Credentialed?
Open for Business: Getting Your Bearings in the Midst of Change
Networking: Link Exchange for New Leaf Readers
The Bedside Table
Quick Links: Resources
Small Print: Copyright | Getting On and Off the List
Privacy Statement | Contact Info
Fast Focus
Beyond Expertise
Given the pace of change and the diversity of developmental tasks
that face adults in contemporary western society, sooner or later
you will find yourself challenged to operate at or beyond the edge
of expertise. In spite of your best efforts to stay on top of your
personal and professional growth, you'll realize that being an
expert, at least in some situations, is neither possible nor
relevant.
When life invites you to step beyond the edge of expertise it is
time to go into the heart of your questions or problems without
rushing for answers. Reaching for yet another workshop, book, tool,
or concept to rescue you from the vertigo of "not knowing," is
unlikely to give you a satisfactory handhold. In fact, there may be
no such thing, for the key at the edge of expertise is in letting
go, not holding on.
"Not knowing" is an advanced life skill, and mastering it is a
paradoxical process. How can one learn not to know? Fortunately, old
friends of learning will guide you even in this uncharted place.
Wonder. Humility. Patience. Practice. These are the companions that
will steady you as you tumble into the land beyond expertise.
===>Now and Zen Chiming Clocks
I love my chime from Now and Zen so much that I leapt at the
opportunity to become an affiliate. Imagine -- alarm clocks that are
not alarming! These beautifully crafted desk and travel clocks ask
for your attention with a single, clear chime rather than assaulting
it with beeps, buzzes, or bells I use mine for meditation, naps, and
time keeping in workshops. Learn more at
http://www.now-zen.com/cgi-bin/aff?nzap316
Simple Gifts
Practicing Discernment
New Leaf readers are a discerning bunch. Almost 1,000 of you have
requested my discernment guide since I began offering it a year ago.
The guide outlines a practice that can cultivate discernment so you
know when to act and when to wait. A valuable practice for moving
beyond expertise. Email mailto:discernment@mollygordon.com for your
complimentary copy. Pass it on.
Perspective on Coaching
Certified or Credentialed?
A reader recently wrote asking about the difference between coaches
who are certified by a coach training program and those who are
credentialed by the International Coach Federation (ICF). Here's the
difference.
Generally speaking, training programs issue a coaching certificate
to people who satisfactorily complete a course of training. In
addition, some schools have trademarked designations that their
graduates are entitled to use. So, for example, New Ventures West
graduates call themselves Certified Integral Coaches. Graduates of
the Newfield Network are Certified Ontological Coaches. And
graduates of the Academy for Coach Training are Certified
Professional Coaches.
These designations signify that a person has invested in
coach-specific training and that they have met the standards of that
particular training school However, none of these designations is a
credential from the International Coach Federation (ICF). Just as
the legal profession requires an attorney to pass the Bar exam in
additional to graduating from law school, so the coaching profession
asks its members to meet certain standards in addition to training
before they are awarded an ICF credential.
The distinction between certification and credentialing can be
confusing because the word "certified" appears in each of the ICF's
three coaching credentials. To help you recognize ICF certified
coaches, here is an abbreviated summary of the credentials along
with the minimum requirements.
Associate Certified Coach (ACC): 60 hours of coach specific training
and 250 hours of client coaching experience;
Professional Certified Coach (PCC): 125 hours of coach specific
training and 750 hours of client coaching experience;
Master Certified Coach (MCC): 200 hours of coach-specific training
and 2,500 hours of client coaching experience.
If you want more information about the International Coach
Federation, credentialing, or a list of accredited training
programs, you'll find it all at http://www.coachfederation.org .
Do you have questions about professional coaching/ Send them to
coaching@mollygordon.com . I will answer as many as possible in
future issues of The New Leaf.
The above perspectives on coaching are my own and should not be
taken for the official position of any coach training program or
organization. MLG
Open for Business
Getting Your Bearings in the Midst of Change
My husband is a connoisseur of the change of seasons. Each year in
mid to late July, he spots the first tinge of red on the vine maple
lining the roadside, saying "autumn is starting." In the Pacific
Northwest, our first taste of the full blown sweetness of a summer
day is almost always mingled with the scent of autumn.
This mingling of seasons mirrors the mingling of challenges and
opportunities in life and work. Rarely do we get to complete
something to our satisfaction before we are swept up by new
challenges and opportunities. Whether change comes from within or
without, change happens, and then it happens again. Yet while change
is constant, out of change emerge patterns that provide a measure of
guidance, an foretaste of what's to come. Thus, while summer may be
all too brief, its passing is also evidence that it will come again.
We do well to be aware of both change and pattern as we grow our
businesses and strive to weave our work, our livelihoods, and our
purpose into a coherent and meaningful whole. I know whereof I
speak. There's hardly an aspect of my business that is not in flux,
from how I measure the effectiveness of this newsletter to how I
teach Authentic Promotion (see below). As a result, I've been
reflecting at length about what sustains and informs us in the midst
of constant change.
What stands out in my current dance of change is the importance of
appropriate orienting structures. Just as the axle of a spinning
gyroscope tends to keep pointing in the same direction no matter how
it is tumbled about, orienting structures can orient us even in the
midst of change. Such structures can include coaching, faith, deeply
held values, communities of practice, clear and appropriate
performance agreements, and regular practices that sustain momentum
and provide stability.
In general, appropriate orienting structures will have most of the
following characteristics.
1. They align with ultimate values, values we hold for their own
sake, such as being at peace with oneself.
2. They challenge relative values, values that are a means to an
end. For example, I value keeping agreements as a means to
efficiency and effectiveness and a basis for reliability and trust.
Some times, it is precisely by revising an agreement that trust or
effectiveness is built.
3. They lend confidence, support, encouragement without denying,
minimizing, or attempting to remove the challenge that catalyzes
growth and without replacing or over-ruling your own judgment.
4. They exist outside of your situation or story to offer
alternative perspectives.
5. They take into account multiple levels and aspects of experience
and do not reduce complex situations to one-dimensional scenarios.
Thus, a coach working with a client who is experiencing a crisis
will explore the cultural and social context in which the problem
has arisen, the belief systems and world views that are at work,
objective measurements of the situation, and the client's physical,
mental, and spiritual well being.
6. They have a measure of consistency and flexibility, and means are
subordinated to the end. Contracts, agreements, and plans specify
action that can be measured for the sake of meaningful outcomes, but
progress will be measured not only be strict adherence to the forms
but also by actual progress toward the desired outcome.
What are the structures that keep you oriented in a changing world?
Authentic Promotion Gets a Makeover
For two years I have taught the principles and practices that I used
to build my business in the 12-week teleclass, Authentic Promotion.
I had planned to teach the same course this fall, but within a day
or two of announcing the fall course schedule, I realized it was
time for a change. Here's why.
First, participants have been asking for time to go into more depth
and practice with the essential distinctions of the course. Until
recently, I could not see how to do that without making the course
even longer, which would make it harder for people to fit into their
schedules and their budgets.
Second, participants have been asking for coaches who can do follow
up work with them after the course is over and coaches have been
asking me to develop a licensing program so they can deliver and/or
support the course.
Third, I'm working to get this course onto audio tape, CDs, and in
Real Audio so that it can reach more people in a format that is
convenient, flexible, and long lasting. Preparing and testing
scripts takes time, though, and as long as I keep teaching without a
break, it won't get done. In addition, there was something about the
12-week format that did not quite adapt to audio.
Finally, I need a change. I'm at my best when I am creating new
things, delivering new material, engaging in new conversations.
After teaching six 12-week series, I'm losing my edge. It's time to
find an approach that will bring out my best so that participants
continue to get the full value of this material.
As a result, I've canceled the fall classes and am working to revise
the curriculum into a series of shorter classes that provide more
in-depth practice with each element of the program. These shorter
programs can become mini-modules that qualified coaches can license
individually or in combination as best fits their practices. (I
intend to be very picky about licensing this material, folks, so do
not expect every coach on the block to be authorized to lead these
courses or provide follow-up coaching.)
As I rethink the curriculum I will also be looking for the best ways
to deliver the material as an audio program. And, finally, this
whole process has already rekindled my interest and commitment.
When will the revised courses roll out? Right now I'm thinking mid
to late October. As always, New Leaf readers will have the first
opportunity to register. If you have questions or would like to
receive personal notification when the program goes live, send an
email to notices@authenticpromotion.com.
===>Make Sales Without Selling
Kendall SummerHawk's three-tape series, "What to Say if You Hate to
Sell," shows exactly how to have a respectful, authentic, thoughtful
conversation with prospects, a conversation that results in people
asking if they can hire you (how would you like that!?). http://www.cartville.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=38272
Networking
Link Exchange for New Leaf Readers
Many search engines use link popularity as part of their ranking
system. As a subscriber to The New Leaf, you are eligible for my
readers' link exchange program. I'm having my webmaster create a
reader's links page similar to the one I already have for graduates
of Authentic Promotion at
http://www.authenticpromotion.com/links.html .
To get your link, simply create a link for my site using the
information below. When that link is live, send me the URL (so
Debbie can verify it) along with corresponding information for your
site. Debbie will let you know when it is "live" so you can check it
for accuracy.
Here's my link:
Grow Your Business, Feed Your Soul
Is your livelihood and satisfaction limited by your inability to
self-promote with ease and grace? Let Master Certified Coach Molly
Gordon show you how to market your work through committed, authentic
presence. Free e-zine, resources, and links www.mollygordon.com.
Here's what we need from you:
1) Your URL.
2) The title of your Web site.
3) A short description of what your site offers (1-2 phrases; 50
words maximum).
4) Optional: a small graphic no more than 30 KB in size and no
larger than 75 x 75 pixels. (You must request and use my graphic if
you choose this option. See below.)
5) The URL for the link you made to my site.
Send the above to links@mollygordon.com. If you would like a
graphic or photo to go with the link you make to my site, let us
know when you send your info.
The Bedside Table
Here are four very different approaches to change, each valuable in
its way. Take some time to surf through the reviews of each one
before choosing the one that's right for you.
In Over Our Heads: The Mental Demands of Modern Life, Robert Kegan
Kegan posits that modern life has a curriculum that makes
significant but unacknowledged demands on how we learn. I see this
book as a cogent explanation of coaching's emergence as a response
to the gap between how life challenges us to learn and how we know
to learn. In this sense, the book is a compelling argument for the
value of coaching in contemporary life and work. Challenging, rich
reading for coaches, trainers, therapists, teachers.
US: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0674445880/mollygordonperso
UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0674445880/mollygordoncerti
Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change
in Your Work and in Your Life, Spencer Johnson
Ever feel that life's changes are just too unfair? Here's a powerful
little book that will shift you from pout to productivity.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0399144463/mollygordonperso
The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle.
Seemed like everywhere I turned for several weeks, someone was
talking about Eckhart Tolle including my Pilates instructor and my
business manager. So I got not one, but three versions of his
powerful work calling us all into the mystery of presence, the power
of now. This volume is the most complete.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1577311523/mollygordonperso
Simplicity and Success, Creating the Life You Long For, Bruce Elkin
Bruce Elkin is a coach who studied for many years with Robert Fritz,
whose distinctions about creativity and creating have made frequent
appearances in this newsletter. Bruce's book applies Fritz's
principles to creating a life that is both simple and successful. In
the process, he demystifies Fritz's work, giving practical examples
and clarifying the principles.
Bruce's book is not yet available at Amazon.com, however you can
learn more about it and buy it directly from him at http://www.bruceelkin.com/simplicity-book.html
Searching for a book or CD or other product on Amazon?
When you use these links to Amazon search engines you
support The New Leaf. Please visit and bookmark them today.
US: http://www.mollygordon.com/searchbook.html
UK: http://www.mollygordon.com/eurobook.html
===>Electronic Marketing Butt Camp (audio tapes)
Tom Antion is a professional speaker with a background is stand up
comedy, so when he set out to create a "boot camp" for successful
Internet marketing, he named it "butt camp." He says it's a guide to
making money while you sit on your butt. Actually, success online,
as in any medium, requires work. The good news is that Tom can save
you months of time and energy and thousands of dollars of
development costs. He delivers up-to-date content in a direct,
irreverent style with just enough detail to get started but not so
much that you get overwhelmed. http://www.antion.com/t.cgi/192738/buttcamp.htm
Quick Links
Resources
Thank you for supporting The New Leaf by purchasing the products and services recommended below. I personally test every product I recommend, and every merchant will refund your investment if you are not satisfied. If they don’t make it right, I will.
===>Client Compass Software
Create and maintain client files that integrate intakes, session
notes, billing—all the administrative functions that support you to
create prosperity by showing up and serving your clients. "In
addition, there are a Practice Building component for identifying
"Ideal Clients," strategies for growing a coaching or therapy
business, and prospect tracking. You have 60 days to try it and
request a refund, so your risk is nil. http://www.cartville.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=32114
Small Print
Copyright | Getting On and Off the List
Unless otherwise attributed, all material is written and
edited by Molly Gordon, MCC.
Copyright (c) Shaboom Inc. (r) 2003. All rights reserved.
www.mollygordon.com
"Shaboom, Inc." and "Authentic Promotion" are registered trade or
service marks of Shaboom, Inc. All other trademarks are property
of their respective owners.
You may reprint material from "The New Leaf(tm)" in other
electronic or print publications provided the above
copyright notice and a link to http://www.mollygordon.com
is included in the credits. Please send me a copy of the
publication.
You can get off this list by going to http://www.mollygordon.com
or by sending an email to unsub@mollygordon.com.
When you forward this material, please send the entire
newsletter. Thanks!
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Shaboom, Inc.
Life could be a dream…
PO Box 195
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P 360-697-7022
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===>Delivery Problems?
If you sometimes miss an issue of The New Leaf, it could be
because your Internet Service Provider (ISP) uses filtering systems
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block messages (like this newsletter) that you want to receive.
One way to make delivery more likely is to make sure that your
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