Dear Co-Active Coaches,

Welcome! Each month as I sit down to write this message, it feels a bit like inviting you in for a visit. Let me tell you what’s happening here and let me hear about your world.

Here’s what’s happening in CTI-land. This year is shaping up to be a year full of new waves of activity. We continue to grow internationally and recently conducted our first leader auditions in Europe. Growth in the United States, particularly in the corporate sector, is strong and we are getting ready for U.S. leader auditions later this spring. Sabrina Roblin, CTI’s School Director, shares more details in CTI News.

We recently announced the pilot of our Retreat 5 addition to our Co-Active Leadership Program, and we’ll be piloting some other new programs this year. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

Our theme this month is “Synchronicity and Your Coaching Business.” In our call for articles, we asked: What synchronistic events have happened that resulted in a turning point in your business? When have “coincidences” pointed your business in a new direction? Four members of our community—Anne Kerr Romberg, CPCC; Catherine “CeCe” Converse, CPCC; Sheila Kelly; and Gary Hirsch—each share their very individual experiences with synchronicity. Grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy these delightful views into the world of synchronicity.

Also in this issue, join us in celebrating our newest CPCCs. And check out the topics for future issues; think about sharing your insight with your fellow coaches by submitting an article. Let us know what’s happening in your world.

Enjoy!

Warmly,
Kathy Curry, CPCC
Director of Marketing

European and U.S. Leader Auditions
CTI has just finished a wonderful year in which we expanded both our public and private (inside corporations) offerings of Co-Active Coaching workshops in the United States and internationally. Our work has met huge success inside corporations where there is an increasing awareness of the critical importance of Co-Active Coaching skills for effective management and leadership. We now have Microsoft, The Prudential, Marriott, Wells Fargo, EPA, Fairview Health Services and Capgemini as clients, among others.

In response to the growth CTI is experiencing, CTI held its first front-of-room leader auditions in Europe on January 25 and 26. Not only was this the first leader audition in more than three years, it marked a growth point in the company’s history. It was the beginning of a European-based part of the CTI leader body. The auditions were held in London. Among the 25 who auditioned, 14 countries were represented. It was an intense process that called forth the best in everyone who participated. I flew over to be part of the nine-member audition team. It wasn’t easy to choose only 10 from the group, as they were all exceptional. During the process, I was touched by how the auditionees risked failure over and over again to wow us with their leadership skills and with who they were. I was also touched by how they supported and empowered one another, knowing that they were all competing with each other for only 10 available spots.

Our partners from the UK, Norway, Sweden and Spain came to the auditions to support and contribute to the process. It was wonderful to have them there. They have all been putting their heart and a lot of time into growing Co-Active Coaching in Europe, with great results. The European market is growing quickly. It’s their work that helped create the need for European-based leaders.

Thank you to all those who applied and auditioned, to Lori Shook and Jim Patterson for the great job they did organizing and leading the auditions, to the nine member audition team, and our partners and staff. We now have 10 new front of room leaders that I’m very excited about!

With the growth we’re seeing in our business in the public and corporate markets, we have also planned and announced an upcoming U.S. leader audition in California on April 5 and 6, and we urge you to apply, if you are interested.

You must be available both days. To be invited to the audition, you need to submit an application and meet the following qualifications, among others:

• You will have finished leadership by the end of April 4, 2005.
• You will have passed your CPCC exam by April 1, 2005.
• You have a thriving coaching practice (minimum 10 clients).
• You are eligible for an ICF credential, either PCC or MCC.
• You have your primary residence in North America.

Please click here for complete details or email usauditions@thecoaches.com if you are eligible and interested in applying. If you would like to listen to a recorded information call about the April auditions, call 405-244-4000, x-719.

Cheers!
Sabrina Roblin, CPCC
School Director

Co-Active Network
The Co-Active Network continues to grow, with nearly 3,700 members, the Main Community and more than 40 niche and geographic communities. The purpose of the network is to support every member in achieving his/her greatest vision for Co-Active coaching and leadership in the world. Each community has resources, discussions and community events. Check the full calendar on the Co-Active Network. Also, many of the events held on the Main Community have been recorded on audio podium. The list of recorded sessions is available under the “Resources” section of the Main Community. Look for the topic “Audio Podiums from Network Main Event Sessions” for a full list.

Would you like to share your insight with fellow coaches?
We love to learn from our community and sharing your thoughts with your fellow coaches is a great way to let us know what’s happening in your world. The Inquiry focuses on a specific topic each month. Topics for the next few months are:

March—Coaching and Therapy: What’s your view of the differences between coaching and therapy? How do you determine whether a client would be better served by a therapist? How do you know when your coaching is sliding into non-coaching territory?

April—Emotional Intelligence: What is it? How have you seen coaching have an impact on emotional intelligence? How has an understanding of emotional intelligence affected your coaching?

May—Benefits of Certification: Why become certified as a coach? How has becoming certified changed your coaching or your coaching business? What impact does coach certification have on the profession of coaching?

We invite you to submit articles and share your insight in The Inquiry. It is a fantastic way to increase your visibility in the coaching profession. Please send articles to newsletter@thecoaches.com. Read the detailed submission guidelines.

Business Strategies Straight from the Horses Mouth
Ann Kerr Romberg is a CPCC and a specialist in Equine-Assisted Coaching and Education. Her business Carrot Coach helps people achieve their dreams by reaching for the carrots they most want in their lives. She writes, “One warm, sunny October day when I had a few extra minutes at the barn, I went out into the pasture where the six horses I work with were grazing. As I stood in the middle of the pasture, I posed the question—to myself and so to the horses—‘What is next for my business, for this business with horses?’” To find out what happened next, read the article.

The Accidental Coach: A Synchronistic Business, A Fulfilling Life
“Coaching found me. I am a coach largely because of an invitation to join a coaching business. At the time, I had not even heard of coaching outside the sports arena. Who could predict it would connect so completely to my passion and my purpose?” Sheila Kelly, has a BA in psychology and a PhD in life. She lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, where she maintains her coaching practice. Read the article to hear Sheila’s insightful take on how synchronicity works in her life and in her business.

A Journey of Awareness
Catherine “CeCe” Converse, CPCC, specializes in soul purpose and intuition coaching. In her musings about the journey into her coaching practice, she says, “Ever experience what we call serendipity, or synchronicity? It looks something like this: You are thinking about your best friend from college and she/he calls; you meet someone new and connect so deeply it changes your life forever. Recently, a good friend registered for a workshop, unsure from where she was going to get the money to pay the balance. A few days later, her sister called and offered the $500 she had won on a layover at the airport in Las Vegas. Serendipity? Synchronicity? Whatever we call these events, they change our lives forever.” For further information, read the article.

From Consultant to Coach: An Unlikely Journey
Gary Hirsch is president of the Enlightened Business Institute, a management consultant, trainer and professional business coach. Here’s the unlikely story of how that came to be: “In 2002, I ‘discovered’ the Enlightened Business Institute (EBI), the company I now lead. Being the pragmatist that I am, it was an unlikely discovery, though an even more unlikely chain of events occurred prior to it. They began like this: In 2001, a Buddhist monk visited Olympia where I live. With a spiritual path far from my radar screen, I attended the teaching to please my wife. He spoke of anger, ignorance and desire as the three poisons, the three feelings that, unless we are vigilant, can be counted on to ‘poison’ every good thing we encounter in this life. I was hooked.” Read the article to see how it ends!

Please join the CTI team in congratulating all of the Certified Professional Co-Active Coaches that have finished the rigorous certification program and passed their exams!

January
Alison Ball, Chris Brookfield, Derry Deringer, Catherine Fellenz, Dean Goldsmith, Paula Goudsmit, Cheryl Jensen, Philippa Kennealy, Roberta Mann, Beth McKinnon, Lisa Murphy, Elyse Napolitano, Stacy Parson, Andrea Perrett, Gwynneth Rees-Kenny, Marilyn Ryemon, Julie Saltonstall, Kathryn Swanson, Jillian Veldeman, Michael Warden and Marc West.