Approved for Continuing Education Credits from the International Coaching Federation



To form a real team at the top takes more time and effort than simply assembling a talented set of leaders and calling them the "senior team." In fact, the common assumption that a group of executives will naturally work together as a team is a false one. That is why high performing teams take the steps to create a conscious and intentional culture in which the work will occur.

In this session, Jane Patterson, Managing Partner of Cornerstone Team Development, will conduct live coaching of the Board of Directors of the Pittsburgh Coaches Association. She will help the Board find alignment on both the culture it wants to create and the "ground rules" for how members will interact with one another.

Goals for this session:

• Experience what it's like to have a leadership team (the Board of the Pittsburgh Coaches Association) develop team agreements of its desired culture and behavioral norms
• Learn a coaching technique to use to achieve leadership alignment
• Witness the value and impact of team coaching

Ever wonder why some people struggle to make a living, while other people build $1M+ businesses?

Learn from some entrepreneurs in the service industry who have been there and did that.

Current panelists include: Joe Blattner, founder of Blattner Brunner, Anita Brattina, CEO, AllFacilities Energy Group, Darrin Grove, CEO of TrueFit Solutions, and Jeffrey Ford, Partner at Grossman, Yanak & Ford, LLP.

We're happy to announce that PCA has been developing new ways to connect with coaching clients, fellow coaches, and anyone interested in learning more about the coaching profession. We invite you to become a fan on Facebook and follow us @PittsburghCoach on Twitter for coaching tips and insights, meeting announcements, and other updates.

Please also check out our PCA blog www.pittsburghcoaches.org/blog. Our coaches are sharing their expertise on a variety of topics to help you and your business thrive throughout the year.

by Chris Posti

I am a lover of great quotations, and lately, I have been pondering the quote "Character is Destiny." (Sometimes it's also quoted as "Character is Fate.")

What has been making me ponder that quote is some of the professional athletes who have been in the headlines recently - namely Ben Roethlisburger, Santonio Holmes, Tiger Woods, and Phil Mickelson.

If you don't follow sports at all, let me just sum it up by saying Bad Guy, Bad Guy, Bad Guy, Good Guy. Seeing Phil Mickelson (Good Guy) win the Masters with an almost perverse intensity, while still being courteous, polite and humble, made me reflect on the importance of character. Because it does control our fate.

In my nearly 20 years of consulting, coaching and outplacement, I have had the opportunity to get to know many people at a depth that even their spouses probably don't know. And it has always been apparent to me that if a person had good character, no matter what we were working through, that that person would come out fine on the other end, even if the outcome was different from what had been anticipated or stated as the desired outcome.

However, if the person had significant character flaws (such as breaking promises, abusing power, withholding information for selfish reasons, being insensitive, being unfaithful, not honoring one's commitments, routinely losing one's temper), the outcome was less than it could be.

That's because the person's character has already predetermined their fate.

What's the lesson? Well, ask yourself: what do you think your destiny is? Is your life what you want it to be? Or, as Dr. Phil often says, "How's that working for you?"

If you don't like the answers you came up with, what are you willing to change? You have two choices: decide to be happy with your destiny - or change your character.

To change your character, analyze how your past behavior has led to your current state of affairs and your likely future. Decide for yourself that you want to change. Discover methods that will help you change. Methods could include any of these, for example: write in a daily journal, get therapy, pray, repeat positive affirmations, ask role models for support, focus on helping other people, read relevant books.

When you begin to see some benefits happening, you will be motivated to make even more change. And the cycle continues until you have remolded your character to achieve the desired results.

Is this easy? It's not, but if you recognize the need and are willing to do the work, you will reap the benefits. Sadly, however, most people fail to recognize the need or are unwilling to change. That's why employers often believe this quote: "It's easier to change people than it is to change people."

We invite experienced coaches, as well as those new to the profession, to join the Pittsburgh Coaches Association (PCA).

Not a coach? Now you can join PCA as an Associate!