President’s
Message- Doug Gfeller
 Are You Going to Change the Way You Do Business in 2008?
Our theme for this year is “Creating Alliances” and the January meeting got us off to a great start! We want to make sure that every ICF-OC meeting you attend is full of new opportunities to either create an alliance with another coach or for you to walk away with new ideas for creating an alliance.
Alliances are opportunities to make 2 + 2 = 5. We are not talking about one shot deals but real opportunities for ongoing relationships with someone else whose talents complement your own. What is it that you really excel in? Is it finding new business, coaching clients on personal issues, creating teams, or removing mental roadblocks to creativity? What is it that you really do not like to do in your practice or do not do well? Can you find someone who is your opposite and create that long term relationship that will take your business to the next level? This is what alliances are all about and this is what we want you to get out of our Chapter meetings this year.
If you were not at the January meeting, call someone who was and find out how we converted ordinary networking to dynamic alliance building opportunities. I started getting feedback the very next day from coaches who either connected with someone new or who got inspired at the meeting to go out and find a new alliance. Don’t miss this opportunity…
more from Doug
Business And Coaching Excellence Program
5:00 - 6:00pm
| The Couple’s Dialogue: Mirroring, Validation, Empathy:
An Exercise in Communication not Confrontation |
The "Couple’s Dialogue” is the name of a three-part exercise that serves a number of vital functions in the creation of a conscious relationship. We will learn the technique from some of our own ICF members and have fun role playing as “pretend” couples. Or bring your mate if you dare!
Headliner Event
6:30 - 8:30pm
| "Feel Like a Dinosaur in the World of Facebook, LinkedIn, etc? Learn How to Utilize Social Networks to Market and Build Your Business!" |
If you think social media is only for teens and tweens, think again. More than half of the visitors to social networking Web sites such as Facebook, Flickr and Live Journal are 35 and older, according to a recent industry report issued by Internet information provider comScore Inc. The social media landscape includes blogs, multimedia sites, social media news releases, news sharing and social networking sites. If you've ever read one of The Orange County Register’s blogs, joined an online Yahoo! discussion group or connected with a colleague through LinkedIn, you're a part of the social mediasphere.
Social media offers innovative ways to conduct commerce, communicate with customers, and manage public relations and marketing activities. During this interactive discussion, you’ll learn how to navigate the social media landscape and discover which elements are most applicable to your business or career.
Areas of discussion will include: Social networking sites (LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo and a few others); Blogs, Podcasting and RSS; Youtube and Video; Social media news releases; Social bookmarking
Attendees will learn:Tips for getting started on LinkedIn, Facebook and more… How to build a personal and company brands through social networking sites, blogging and podcasting.
Event Registration Here
 INSIGHTFUL RESOURCES
A new perspective on cool tools to boost your coaching business
by Candice Brokenshire
www.theredbarncooperative.com
INSIGHT ON: The Virtual Alliance
Post Doug Gfeller’s rallying presentation at the Chapter meeting, you may already be taking action and creating new alliances. This month we thought we would look into the ones we can create online, aka The Virtual Alliance.
This week had me investigating scrapbooking blogs. Stay with me here.. In looking for a new point of connection with groups of women, my partner and I pondered activities where women would naturally congregate and ‘BAM!’ (very Emeril Lagasse of us) we had the idea. Wouldn’t it be fun to introduce the talented women who spend hours committing memories to paper to the world of envisioning the future too!
In order to connect with these avid scrapbookers, of which it is estimated there are 25,000,000 in the US (who knew!!), we started looking at the blogs they write…
 Assessment 101
by Glenn Stevenson
Happy New Year! This month, we feature the Enneagram as an assessment that coaches use to understand their clients better and to help their clients understand themselves. This is the fourth in the Insights series on assessments. For an index of assessments already reviewed and a list of assessments yet to be described, see the end of this article.
Assessment: The Enneagram
Description: The Enneagram divides people into personality types that are numbered 1 to 9 and are characterized with different labels by different authors.
One author gives the following descriptors to the numbers: 1-Perfectionist, 2-Giver, 3-Performer, 4-Romantic, 5-Observer, 6-Trooper, 7-Epicure, 8-Boss, 9-Mediator.
The use of numbers to describe each personality type emphasizes that each type is a combination of factors and no one word can capture the full flavor of each of the nine types. Enneagram theories give guidance on how each type can move toward greater integration or disintegrate under stress.
More info on the Enneagram…
 Coach Spotlight
Anita Goldin, SPHR
Professional Coach & Training Consultant
Business: 949-387-3436
Cellular: 310-902-0479
www.TheCoachingCompass.com
What was your profession before becoming a life coach?
Before becoming a coach I had 2 very different career experiences. My bachelor’s degree is in Animal Science and when I graduated from the University of Massachusetts, I worked with a variety of animals ranging from skunks and alligators to boa constrictors and great horned owls. I functioned as an animal education specialist (educating children/ not the animals) in the public schools as well as private nature centers. I loved what I did, but eventually I became restless and sought a new type career path. I had always had an interest in travel and recreation. This led me down the path of hotel & resort management. I began in hotel operations but eventually landed in Human Resources. Working for the Hilton first and then Hyatt, I grew my general HR skills and found myself particularly attracted to training and coaching employees and managers. I guess this would be where my first coaching seeds began to germinate.
Do you have a specialty area?
When I first started coaching I thought I would specialize in working with women who wanted to jumpstart their lives and move past their fears to achieve their definition of success and happiness. Somewhere along the way, my path and direction changed and I became focused on leadership coaching, training and teambuilding. I guess you could say I found my sweet spot. Working with businesses has allowed me to be me and draw on my HR background as well as my creative nature. If I were to offer any personal advice to new coaches seeking a niche, I would tell them to not look for the niche, but let the niche find you. It will naturally come to as you grow in your practice.
How has your life changed since you started coaching?
Coaching and having my own business have changed my life in so many ways. I think the most significant change has been having flexibility and freedom in creating and controlling my schedule. This past year I have been able to enjoy a much more balanced lifestyle. I now have time for my family, friends, plenty of fun, personal growth and engaging work.
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