Coach Andrea

Coach Andrea’s Intro

My Dad, Harry A. Schoening, Jr., passed away on Tuesday, May 17th. This week’s Coaching Tip is his obituary. I share this with you to honor who he was and to give you a picture of the leadership model that guided my life. May you be touched and inspired by him as I was and continue to be.

Quote of the Week

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

~  Corinthians 13: 4-7, 13

A Tribute to a Life Well Lived

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Coach Andrea’s Intro

As I think about the upcoming Father’s Day celebration, I’m reminded of the ebb and flow of the intelligence of a parent as seen from the child’s perspective.  When the child is young, the parent is really smart,  and then the teen years hit.  As a parent, our opinion isn’t even worth considering.  Lo and behold, when the “child” hits 20 or so, we get smart again.  Children (and adults) find ways to ignore this wisdom.   This week’s article, Voices of Wisdom, connects me to the wisdom of my Dad (and Mom).  When I ask for their opinion and experience, they are a great source of wisdom. And the sharing that occurs at this level only enhances the relationship.

Quote of the Week

“Treasure your relationships, not your possessions.”
~ Anthony J. D’Angelo

Voices of Wisdom

There’s a proverb that says, “Wisdom shouts from the rooftops.” This is absolutely true, but it’s amazing how we continuously find ways to ignore it.  Wisdom is available to us in many forms and from many places.  One of the primary places to find it is in the people around us, whom we trust and respect.  But it is our responsibility to turn our attention to accessing that wisdom from the voices of people we trust and respect.  We are responsible for inviting their honesty, and if we do we’ll be tapping into an unlimited resource to help us on our journey toward self-discovery.  When we as leaders value honest relationships as a way of life, it has a ripple effect on how it affects others (Saccone, p. 40).

From:  Saccone, S. (2009).  Relational intelligence: how leaders can expand their influence through a new way of being smart.  San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Reprinted with permission from the OSU Leadership Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, (614) 292-3114, http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu.

Coaching Call to Action

How will you access the wisdom that sourrounds you?  Will you talk to you mentor, your partner, your employees?  What conversations will you have this week that allow the wisdom to flow?  What will you do to be ready to receive it?

What’s New

Sunday, June 20, 2010
Happy Father’s Day, Dads!

Thursday, June 24th – 9 am to 12:15 PM ET
Pounce on a Project V

Come to the last Pounce on a Project V – 2010 before the summer break.

Join Coach Andrea on Thursday, June 24th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Eastern.

We will join as a group by phone and declare what you want to accomplish: tying up loose ends before you head off on vacation, updating your marketing plan, or writing new pages for your website. During the morning, the group will gather by phone a few times to check progress and get any support needed to finish with a bang. At noon, the group will celebrate their accomplishments.

Who says projects have to be boring and tedious? Bring your lightness and fun and join us for the energization.

To sign up or learn more, call or e-mail Andrea by noon on Wednesday, June 23rd. Feel free to share this with friends and co- workers, the more the merrier. (Cost of the program is only the cost of long distance phone calls.)

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Quote of the Week

“There is nothing better than the encouragement of a good friend.”
Katharine Butler Hathaway

Coach Andrea’s Intro

One of the reasons people who own their own business hire me as a coach is because they haven’t yet found or created the right mix of support that’s necessary for them to thrive. I liked that Gergen and Vanourek delineate the need for this. A great reminder.

Roots and Wings

by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek

As much as we ascribe to the hero’s journey, we are more fragile and vulnerable than we care to admit. We need others to fortify our resolve, provide perspective, and back us with emotional support. The deepest sources of strength among the life entrepreneurs we interviewed were their life partners, families, friends, mentors, and business partners. These close relationships give us roots and wings – roots to ground us and wings to help us fly.

The important people in our lives encourage us to be a person of character and integrity. They hold our feet to the fire when we drift or waver, help us back on our feet when we stumble, and encourage us to leap when we are ready to soar. They provide us with the all-important emotional foundation that we need to step forward in the world with confidence, willing and able to take risks because our root system is strong (Gergen & Vanourek, 2008, p. 112-113).

From: Gergen, C. & Vanourek, G. (2008). Life entrepreneurs: ordinary people creating extraordinary lives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Reprinted with permission from the OSU Leadership Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, (614) 292-3114, http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu.

Coaching Call to Action

What, if any, support structures do you have in your life? What do you tap to give you “roots and wings”? Do you have a strategy for resources (people, places, and things) in your life that can be used for support or help when needed? Are you using them effectively to increase your productivity and profitability? Your ability to systemically identify these assets and use them is an important key to your success.

Community Involvement

January 28, 2010
Pounce on a Project I – 2010

Come join us for the first Pounce on a Project of 2010! What project would you like to get on top of and accomplish this month that would start the year out with a bang? Come to Pounce on a Project I – - 2010. Join Coach Andrea on Thursday, January 28th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Eastern. We will join as a group by phone and declare what you want to accomplish: setting goals for 2010, getting taxes ready for the accountant, cleaning out those boxes of old projects and clients in the corner, getting your website updated or reaching out to prospects. During the morning, the group will gather by phone a few times to check progress and get any support needed to finish with a bang. At noon, the group will celebrate their accomplishments. Who says projects have to be boring and tedious? Bring your lightness and fun and join us for the energization.

To sign up or learn more, call or e-mail Andrea by noon on Wednesday, January 27th. Feel free to share this with friends and co- workers, the more the merrier. (Cost of the program is only the cost of long distance phone calls.)

February 1, 2010
Accomplishing Goals that Truly Matter to NEW – Network of Enterprising Women

Andrea will provide her six-step program for identifying what’s important to you and creating and achieving goals that fit your priorities. Network of Enterprising Women is an organization of women business professionals from the Metrowest area of Massachusetts. NEW was formed to provide business support, education, networking, and marketing opportunities, and to help facilitate both personal and professional growth for its members. Members meet monthly. To learn more go to http://www.new-ma.com/.

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