Wisdom Circles for Coaching the ICF Core Competencies: The Power of Powerful Questioning

These facilitated discussions will serve all coaches who want to deepen your coaching competencies and ability to assist your clients to move more powerfully in the world. Each Wisdom Circle will feature a short coaching demonstration on one of the eleven ICF Core Competencies that shows the difference between a new and experienced coach, followed by deep conversation focused on a related group of competencies.

New and experienced coaches will find this series of wisdom circles a fantastic opportunity for learning. We are looking forward to the wisdom and depth of coaching competence that will be co-created from these sessions.

Note: These Wisdom Circle conversations may be eligible for ICF CCEU re-certification credits. Application is in process and approval pending.

About the Facilitators

Donna Billings is a professional certified coach, an educator, a professional lecturer on leadership training, a consultant on organizational development and human resource management. She works with key leaders, professionals in transition, and individuals who have been successful in their life's work and now want satisfaction in their lives. Donna helps them define and identify meaningful work, craft strategic career development plans, and hone and develop their leadership and management competencies.

Certifications include CPPC through the Coach Training Institute; PCC through the International Coaches Federation; Behavioral Coach through Marshall Goldsmith; authorized facilitator for Team Coaching International; and, master certification trainer for the Center for Leadership Studies. She serves on the ICF Research and Education Committee and currently is designing and developing an ICF affiliated professional coach certification program for Duquesne University.

Susan English is a certified life coach through Coaches Training Institute and a Benedictine Sister of Pittsburgh. She brings to her coaching, wisdom from parenting 6 children (3 by birth and 3 by special needs adoption), experience as a teacher in public schools, prison schools, and higher education and her advocacy work for social justice. Susan holds a doctorate in education and wrote her dissertation on school reform from the perspective of classroom teachers.

One of Susan's specialties is coaching in higher education: working with students finishing dissertations and professors who need support with writing, promotion and tenure. She is the developer for the "Motivador Project" where she teaches Latino immigrants basic coaching skills so that they can reach out to help newer immigrants with acculturation. Susan often works with clients who are currently in therapy and collaborates with their care team. She is the 2009 President Elect for the Pittsburgh Coaches Association, serves on the Leadership Council for the Benedictines, and is assisting with the coach certification program for Duquesne University.

Donna can be reached at: (724) 935-1397, donna@reachthetop.net or www.reachthetop.net.

Susan can be reached at: (412) 931-0769 or smenglishedd@yahoo.com.

In addition to coaching and speaking, members of the Pittsburgh Coaches Association conduct workshops and seminars and for several years have also conducted teleclasses on a regular basis. These teleclasses are now held monthly, and are an opportunity for Pittsburgh coaches to share some of their coaching knowledge and experience with participants, as well as their passion for helping others to move forward and reach new levels.

Teleclass topics range from sales and marketing to creating space, leadership, and finding your dreams, and can help people to make important changes and take steps to reach their potential.

This month we are featuring Barbara Schwarck's teleclass, "How to Get Along With Difficult People (Including Yourself)." Everyone encounters difficult people, but not everyone understands how to deal with them. Whether at work or at home, you've likely had the experience of someone who seemed intent upon making you miserable. The benefits to an organization of dealing effectively with difficult people range from greater employee retention to greater productivity. Moreover, effective employee interactions result in reduced lawsuits. Find out just how easy it can be to get along with difficult people. What better skill can you have in an increasingly fast-paced, stressful world? This workshop will give you nine tips on how to deal with difficult people (including you).

Barbara Schwarck has a rare set of skills, enabling her to deliver powerful coaching, trainings and keynotes to a wide variety of people interested in clarifying, identifying and achieving goals. As a business professional and entrepreneur herself, Barbara has the insight to achieve quick and lasting success for your associates, with a focus on bottom-line results.

Since success involves the entire person, you can expect Barbara's coaching to include many perspectives. In addition to being a certified coach, she is certified in NET®. NET or Neuro Emotional Technique is a powerful technology that assists people in aligning body and mind with their goals and aspirations. By removing both conscious and not-so-conscious emotional barriers to breakthrough performance, NET leaves people empowered, in action, and producing unprecedented results.

Diverse experiences make Barbara the ideal resource for diverse people seeking change and growth. Born in Germany, Barbara has lived in Europe, Israel, Central America, and the US. She has both a personal and professional understanding of the issues surrounding turn-around performance, leadership development, transition, new assignment, international business, and life as an expatriate.

You can be confident that Barbara is not only experienced but also very well trained. She is a coach certified by the Coaches Training Institute, and the first of only three coaches in western Pennsylvania to have PCC credentials from the International Coach Federation (ICF). She is an active ICF member, a founding member of the International Association of Coaches, and past president of the Pittsburgh Coaches Association. In addition to her master's degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, Barbara holds a master's degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. Currently, she serves on the board of the Executive Women's Council of Pittsburgh.

Her experience in teaching makes Barbara the perfect trainer or keynote speaker. She has instructed at the University of Pittsburgh and Carlow University. She is a published author and frequent lecturer at conferences and seminars. Barbara has also appeared on national and local television and radio stations, and is currently working on a book to assist people with launching a new business.

Barbara's clients appreciate her tough, results-oriented approach blended with empathy, humor and creativity. In addition to coaching hundreds of individuals from all walks of life, an impressive list signifies Barbara's status as a preferred provider for employee development. Such clients include Bayer, Bombardier, Koppers, Reed Smith, Citizens National Bank, Carnegie Mellon University, Office Depot, Equitable Resources, the United States Postal Service and the YWCA.

Barbara can be reached at: (412) 242-3971, barbara@clearintentions.net or www.clearintentions.net.

Join us for a great learning experience with Pittsburgh coaches. Teleclasses take place throughout the day and are free to anyone who registers. Click here to register for one or all of the teleclasses. Registration takes just a few seconds and is FREE. A conference call number will be immediately sent to you via e-mail.

Rosemarie Perla, founder of Perla Group-Coaching and Consulting, is a Pittsburgh-based licensed psychologist, executive coach and consultant who brings 30 years of experience to her clients. She has successfully coached many business owners, executives, professionals and major league athletes to achieve significant life and career transformations.

She has been praised in the pages of Sports Illustrated for her ability to garner trust and to inspire belief and hope in everyone's capacity to change and grow.

The outcome of Rosemarie's consulting is that clients become transformed - from worriers to poised decision makers; from managers of "to-do" lists to strategic leaders; and from order-givers to human resource cultivators. Her great gifts are the ability to "read" clients and ascertain their authenticity, and then hold them accountable for what they say they want out of their lives and careers.

In addition to executive coaching, Rosemarie leads corporate retreats and training for clients as varied as advertising agencies, law firms and healthcare facilities. These sessions focus on creative life design and planning, life skills development and adjusting attitudes to result in productive work behavior for the 21st century. She also assists professionals in balancing work and other parts of their lives - and conducts stimulating workshops in leadership training, stress management and communication skills.

The mission of her firm Perla Group-Coaching and Consulting is to create positive change in individuals interested in becoming their best selves in order to transform their lives, work places, communities and the world.

The Perla Group-Coaching and Consulting, recently added an associate executive coach, Craig Lyon. As part of a program named: Reviving the Rainmaker^TM, Craig and Rosemarie offer a series of best self surveys to clients based on the PRINT^TM; which identifies personality characteristics of people, giving tremendous insights into their motivations and behaviors. These quantitative assessments form the basis of an executive coaching program with a focus on management excellence, 360 feedback and team development. These programs are designed to help leaders step into their full potential resulting in more productive, sustainable behavior and potentially, healthier work places and work forces.

Rosemarie is proud to be a member of the Pittsburgh Coaches Association since it's founding in the late 90's; "This group has worked hard to bring professional coaching services to the Pittsburgh community. I marvel at both the depth and varied specializations of the coaching membership and am excited to see this group grow in membership."

Rosemarie can be reached at rp@rosemarieperla.com or www.rosemarieperla.com.

The A, B, C, Ds of a Healthy Financial Plan

By Kathy Jo Pollack

Curious about what you need for a healthy financial plan? Read on and you will find out.

First, have:

• A plan that includes the following four areas:
• B udget
• C redit
• D ebt
• S avings

• Total of your credit payments exceed 20%
• Struggling from paycheck to paycheck
• Running out of money before pay day
• Making only minimum payments on credit card balances
• Skipping one payment to make another
• Putting off doctor or dentist bills
• Using a credit card to pay for things you used to pay for with cash
• Arguing over money and bills
• Afraid to total your debt

• Stop using credit cards.
• Pay cash.
• Pay down balances and always pay more than the minimum on credit card balances.
• While making payments on all bills, apply extra money to the highest interest account.
• Work with your creditors to negotiate rates and arrangements.
• Consider debt consolidation or a lower rate balance transfer.
• If you are still having problems meeting your debt obligations, you may want to talk with a professional.

• Pay yourself first.
• Use direct deposit or payroll withholding so you don't see it.
• Save any additional income such as bonuses, overtime, tax refunds or extra paychecks.
• Set financial goals and keep them visible. Do you want to take a vacation, buy a house, or payoff a debt? This will motivate you to save.
• Save your loose change.

• Stick to your budget and continue to save.
• Pay bills on time.
• Pay balances in full on credit cards, and only charge what you can afford to pay off each month.
• Keep your debt-to-income ratio under 20% (excluding housing costs).
• Track spending when money seems tight.
• Be a smart shopper. Comparison shop for everything, not just food and clothes, but also credit, insurance, banking, phone, and Internet services, to name a few. Terms and fees vary greatly and change frequently.
• Check, review, and correct your credit reports every year.

• A Healthy Plan includes:
• B udgeting - what is coming in and going out
• C redit - use and reports
• D ebt - keep a close watch and avoid overload
• S avings - both emergency and retirement

Congratulations to Donna Billings, recently named PCA Coach of the Year for 2008. Donna is a veteran PCA coach, Immediate Past President of the PCA, and is International Coach Federation (ICF) Chapter Leader. She was also additionally named to the ICF Research and Education Committee, and continues to serve on the PCA Board of Directors for 2009.

Donna was also recently named Developer and Program Director of the new Professional Coaching Certification Program at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. The program, which will commence in spring of 2009, is designed in partnership with ICF and is for managers and professionals, internal trainers, organizational development professionals and certified coaches earning continuing education credits. The new coaching program is part of Duquesne's School of Leadership and Professional Advancement, and will be the only ICF accredited coach certification program in Pennsylvania. Congratulations Donna!

For more information on the Professional Coaching Certification Program at Duquesne University call Donna Billings at 724.935.1397, email billingsd@duq.edu or visit www.duq.edu/leadership/professionaldev/Prof_Coaching_Cert.shtml.

We invite experienced coaches, as well as those new to the profession, to join the Pittsburgh Coaches Association (PCA). This is an exciting time to be a member! We are a 501(c)6 professional organization, and an International Coach Federation (ICF) chapter.

Additional benefits for member coaches include networking opportunities with other professional coaches, a profile on PCA's 'Find a Coach' website directory, discounts for monthly luncheon meetings featuring interesting and relevant speakers, a forum to offer teleclasses on coaching-related topics of your choice, and special events to raise the profile of coaching within the community. There are many more benefits; please don't hesitate to become a part of one of Pittsburgh's best professional associations.

You can now register to become a member online at www.pittsburghcoaches.org. Join today.

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