September 2023 Newsletter
ICF North Texas | Published on 9/4/2023
Important Dates
Sept 8 Celebrate Coaching 2023 Event 8:30 AM - Noon CT
Sept 14 Southeast Region Webinar 12:00 - 1:30 PM CT
Oct 12 Southeast Region Webinar 12:00 - 1:30 PM CT
Oct 13 Chapter Meeting & Program 11:15 AM - 1:15 PM CT
Dec 6 Holiday Party - Save the Date
New Members and New Credentials
Welcome to Our New Members
Caroline Herschbach
Ling Hua
Martha Walsh
Jackie Wadleigh
Monthly Events
This Friday is Celebrate Coaching 2023!
If you still need to register, please do it now—you will not want to miss this flagship event packed with learning, networking and fun!
Once you have registered, please look for a reminder email that will also include our digital event program and any final details you may need.
Networking and breakfast will begin at 8:30 AM and the program will start promptly at 9:00 AM. If you are participating on Zoom, please confirm that you have the Zoom link or look for a reminder email. Zoom will also open at 8:30 AM for virtual networking and a live video from the event.
We look forward to seeing everyone this Friday, September 8!
Celebrate Coaching 2023
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Las Colinas Country Club
4400 North O'Connor Rd, Irving, TX 75062
Or Virtually Via Zoom
Read all the details and register Here:
Celebrate Coaching 2023
September 14 Southeast Region Webinar
What if Questions Were the Answer? Exploring the Principles and Practices of Appreciative Inquiry for Our Work as Coaches
Dr. Lindsey Godwin
12:00 – 1:30 PM CT
Webinar Cost: ICF Global Members – $10 / Non-ICF Global Members – $20
A professor, practitioner, and possibilitizer, Dr. Lindsey Godwin has a passion for helping individuals and organizations leverage their potential through strength-based change. She has a master’s degree in conflict resolution and a PhD in Organizational Behavior. She currently holds the Robert P. Stiller Endowed Chair of Management in the Stiller School of Business at Champlain College (Vermont, USA), where she serves as the Academic Director of the David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry (AI). Lindsey has worked with organizations across the globe and her work has been published in a variety of journals and books and presented at conferences around the world. You can learn more about Lindsey’s work at www.lindseygodwin.com.
One of our most powerful tools we have as coaches are the questions we ask. In this interactive webinar, we are invited to re-examine the power of questions in our professional practice. Unpacking the principles and science behind Appreciative Inquiry, Dr. Godwin will explore how questions shape our reality; our ideas about possibilities for the future; and how we see our clients, our colleagues, and our very selves. If what we ask determines what we find, learning to ask appreciative questions can help us create the futures we most want for ourselves and others.
CCEUs for this Webinar: 1 Core Competency and 0.5 Resource Development Credits
Read the entire webinar description and register here:
September 14 Southeast Region Webinar
Chapter News
New Pricing Structure for Chapter Meetings
ICF-North Texas continues to provide a wonderful experience at our chapter gatherings, and we take pride in the excellent value we offer to professional coaches and our entire community. We are grateful for our partnerships with Las Colinas Country Club and our ability to offer hybrid meetings. While costs keep rising, we are working to minimize the impact on you by making only a small change.
Beginning with our October 2023 meeting, those who register early will continue paying the same price. Those who register within 7 days of an in-person ICF-North Texas event will pay an extra $10.
Cost for In-Person Attendees: Members – $40 / Non-Members – $50
If within 7 days of the program, an additional $10 will be added.
Cost for Virtual Attendees: Members – $30 / Non-Members – $40
This change may also inspire you to register early for in person events to allow for better planning.
Thank you.
Laurie Goetz Appointed IF-North Texas Interim DEIB Director
The ICF-North Texas Board of Directors is excited to announce that Laurie Goetz, ACC, was appointed to the newly created position of Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB). Laurie will serve as Interim Director, with her term of office through 2024. Laurie is a long-time chapter member and previously served on the Board as Membership Director (2019-2021).
As Interim Director, Laurie will bring her considerable strategic planning and organization experience to help sustain and expand the depth and breadth of DEIB at North Texas Chapter. She offered to serve as Director since current Committee lead Tim Kincaid will leave the Board in 2024. The usual term of Board member service is two years; Laurie’s term runs through 2024. During that time, we will define the DEIB Director’s role and “build the bench” for future Directors.
The DEIB Committee formed last year at the Board’s request to explore the ways in which the chapter can be even more welcoming and inclusive. The Committee’s work closely aligns with the DEIB initiatives by ICF Global DEI. In June, the ICF-North Texas Board voted to create a new Director of DEIB position, to increase the chapter’s focus on belonging. The DEIB Committee is currently led by Tim Kincaid, Past President. Committee Members include Reeshemah Davis, Mayme Doumbia, Nick Dillon, Elisabetta Vitolini-Mroski, Natalia Robalik, and Laurie Goetz.
Since its formation, the DEIB Committee implemented the first-ever Chapter demographic survey and worked with the Programs Committee to include DEIB topics. The August membership meeting was a well-attended interactive 90-minute Cultural Competency Training, led by Laurie and Mayme.
LEAD NOW! Certification for ICF Coaches
At our January Annual 2023 Membership Meeting, members provided feedback expressing interest in learning more about assessments. As a result, we are excited to announce Stewart Leadership is offering ICF-North Texas members and friends an opportunity for a LEAD NOW! Certification.
The LEAD NOW! Certification Program spans two, half-days. All sessions are Virtual.
The program is designed to prepare leaders to fully utilize the LEAD NOW! Self-Assessment, 360 Assessment, and the entire LEAD NOW! suite of supporting materials including award-winning books, coaching cards, and action planning resources.
Looking for a way to support your internal leaders or your external clients with self-awareness and actionable feedback tools? The LEAD NOW! Certification Program is for you.
If you sign up for the program, ICF-North Texas receives a commission that is reinvested into the Chapter.
Click here to learn more about the LEAD NOW! Certification.
New Chapter Speakers Bureau
Would you like to overcome your fear of speaking? Are you looking for ways to increase your network and your business? Would you like to increase your visibility with various audiences through speaking engagements?
If any of these excite you, stay tuned for the announcement of our new Speakers Bureau at Celebrate Coaching event on September 8.
Save the Date! . . . All Texas Retreat and Conference Set for March 21-24, 2024
Aligning to Your True North: Passion – Purpose - Possibilities
The All Texas Retreat and Conference—an annual event hosted each March by the Texas Coaches Coalition (TCC)—is designed to spark collaboration between coaches with a variety of experience and specialties. The conference is a must-attend event for all coaches who are interested in growing, learning, and connecting with other passionate and like-minded professional coaches across the state of Texas. Last year, nearly 90 attended from the four ICF chapters in Texas, and beyond.
The annual conference offers unparalleled learning opportunities through high-impact keynote presentations and interactive workshops, with the opportunity to earn numerous CCEUs across the three-day event. In addition to the learning opportunities, attendees can network and exchange ideas through a variety of special interest Affinity Groups, as well as take advantage of the built-in “retreat” time to relax and recharge.
The 2024 conference venue will again be the beautiful T Bar M Retreat Center near New Braunfels. Early-bird registration opens October 1.
Call for Workshop Proposals!
TCC seeks workshop proposals for the conference. There are three presentation categories that presenters can choose from: Breakout Sessions, MCC Demo and Discussion, and Morning Activities. Check the website for complete descriptions and details https://www.texascoachescoalition.org/2024-conference-agenda. Proposal application deadline is September 29, 2023.
For more information about the Retreat and Conference, and to sign up to receive All Texas Retreat and Conference updates, visit https://www.texascoachescoalition.org/.
Member Snapshot - Lola Aje, PCC
This month we feature Lola Aje, PCC in our Member Snapshot! These features are a great way for ICF-North Texas members and associates to ‘meet’ each other beyond our meetings and events. If you do not already know Lola, we are pleased to introduce you to yet another example of our high caliber coaches in our chapter.
Tell us about your coaching work. Lola shared, “You will find me working at University of North Texas as a Career Coach in the College of Business, as well as through my own coaching business called Growth Focused Coaching, LLC. Through these opportunities, I offer Career, Corporate/Executive, Internal/Organizational, Leadership Development, and Personal/Life coaching for a variety of clients."
How did you prepare to be a coach? I value education tremendously and so far, I have:
1. Earned my ICF Professional Coaching Credential (PCC).
2. Am working on my Master Coaching Credential (MCC).
3. Received my certification as an EQ-i 2.0 Assessment Consultant
4. Received my certification as a Highlands Ability Battery Consultant
5. Earned a Master’s of Education in Higher Education Administration & Student services
6. Am earning a Master’s of Science in Mental Health Counseling (in Progress)
How did your career in professional coaching unfold? Lola explained that she began her career in accounting, where she built a solid foundation and honed her skills while she gained her certified accountant status. Over time, though, Lola found herself increasingly interested in broader organizational functions such as administration, human resources, and instructional design. “I discovered my profound inclination to working collaboratively in a way that would foster an individual’s development,” said Lola. “I was compelled to reorient my career to be more focused on people.” In 2012, she took the leap into training at the College of Executive Coaching. Since then, Lola has been dedicated to continual self-improvement. She has also discovered how valuable her knowledge and experiences from earlier in her career are and how they enhance the quality of guidance Lola can provide to her clients.
Your coaching Philosophy? Lola shared, “I have come to believe that challenges are not roadblocks but rather opportunities for enrichment.” Lola went on to explain that when adversity comes her way, she tries to use it as a catalyst for growth. “Collaborating closely with my clients, I can readily assist them in however they wish to advance, even in the face of challenging circumstances,” she said. “My mission is to help others channel their energy constructively, propelling them forward despite any complexities, and to see that their potential for progress has no limits.”
And Lola knows what it is like to encounter challenges. She and her three children moved to the United States in 2019 from Nigeria. “This transformation in our lives became the best example of challenges I have endured. I had just separated from my husband. I was alone with my children. Yet I took this opportunity to stand on my own and get more educated so that my children and I could move forward with our lives. Of course, when the pandemic happened, it made it difficult to start in a new place. We learned to pour out our hearts to each other.” When she thinks about what helped her get through this most, Lola explained that connecting to God and praying, and joining her worship group at her church help to keep her on a positive path. Surrounding herself with coaches was very helpful, too.
Do you have a favorite client story? “I've had the privilege of working with a number of exceptional clients through my coaching journey, with each story holding its own brilliance. One that stands out in my memory is the client I got to witness transform a perceived 'disadvantage' into a strategic advantage. This is why I love coaching!” Lola exclaimed. “The ability to identify opportunities amidst challenges and consciously redirect your focus is extremely valuable. This capacity to learn resilience and lean into growth is a testament to the power of coaching and an enduring source of inspiration.”
Advice for other coaches? "You hear this a lot because it is true: get involved! I believe in community and ICF-North Texas is the right community for me to support other coaches and develop as a coach." In addition to the monthly events, you can find Lola participating often in these ways:
• Member of the Membership Committee
• Volunteer Coach for North Texas Food Bank
• Volunteer Coach for United Way Dallas
• Volunteer Coach for Texas Conference for Women
• PCC LINC to support other coaches and grow as a coach within my community
When her family enjoyed a vacation in Galveston, Lola enjoyed time at the Pier. This photo brings her fond memories.
At Lola’s son’s graduation, their eyes were looking right into the brightness of her son’s future in amazement!
Get Involved
Join the Communications Team: We are looking for our next team member to help us boost our communication and social presence with the newsletter. If you enjoy gathering information, and some writing and editing, and the chance to work with other communicators who manage content across our various platforms, this role will enhance your experience immensely! You will get to know more coaches and gain exposure to the breadth and depth of all that is offered through one of the strongest chapters in on the planet. Please contact Lizette Warner (communications@icf-nt.com) to learn more.
Upcoming Pro Bono Opportunities:
- The Alliance team has been working hard to seek out opportunities for our members to work with diverse populations. As a result, we are in discussion with the Greater North Texas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to provide pro bono coaching for some of their members who are creating startups and possible coaching the Board for the Chamber.
- Pro Bono coaching current enrolled Dallas ISD unsheltered young adults ages 8-21, who are attending an entrepreneurial program through a local university.
- University of Dallas-Doctoral (DBA) Program, coaching doctoral students (3 sessions). NOTE: Coaches must hold a PhD, EdD or DBA to participate.
Join a LINC
Learn
Interact
Network
Connect
Members are welcome to join these new LINC groups:
- Business Building LINC
- Digital Marketing LINC
- ACC Credential Support LINC
- PCC Credential Support LINC
- MCC Credential Support LINC
- Internal Coaches LINC
- Ready to Retire - Now, Later, or Never? - New Group
Coming Soon:
- Virtual Book Discussion LINC, re-forming soon
- Team Coaching LINC, forming now
- Experienced Coach Mastermind type LINC, possible new LINC. Email Cheryl if interested.
If you are interested in learning more about the currently active LINC groups, contact Cheryl Close for more information.
Important All Call for Pro Bono Opportunity: The Alliance team is calling for any members who are interested in pro bono individual and/or group coaching for Sr. Leaders, Principals and Assist. Principals (education experience not necessary because we coach around their leadership tenets). If you are interested and have not already signed up for any pro bono coaching, please start with this application. If you have already signed up for pro bono work or if you have questions, email Dara Rossi at alliances@icf-nt.com.
If you are interested in these, or any of our other pro bono opportunities, please complete this Google form now.
Global News
Professional Coaching Impact: Curious to see the vision of how professional coaching will continue to impact more people, more deeply ahead? Check out this Shaping the Future of Coachng video.
Anke Paulick
Coaching Germany
Future of AI in Coaching: What one thing would you tell coaches about the future of coaching and emerging technologies? “The future is here. It will not go away. I would invite coaches to embrace these emerging technologies and come explore all they have to offer. To build this trust between coaches and technology, it will be important to form coalitions between those creating technologies and coaches. I would urge coaches not to go at it alone but to reach out and see how others are integrating technology into their practices. Without connecting with other coaches, this integration process can be scary and lonely. I would also encourage coaches to try things out. And if there’s one thing I would want to address with coaches, it is the narrative of AI replacing coaches. I’m pretty sure this will not happen. It will be coaches using AI, not AI replacing coaches. This is why I would encourage coaches to think about how to partner with AI, how to use it for their practice, and how to use technology in a good and ethical way.”
15 Professional Coaching Trends: You may have seen it, but now that we are well into 2023, this Forbes article has some important insights to review.
We Value Our Volunteers
Our award-winning chapter is successful and works so well because of our volunteers. Volunteering increases the value of ICF membership in so many ways. Sharing your time and talents as a volunteer helps us expand the impact of professional coaching throughout North Texas and beyond.
Volunteers benefit, too. Volunteering can help you build your network and grow your coaching practice. Serving on a committee is a great way (for new members, especially) to get involved and meet other professional coaches who are potential collaboration partners, allies, source of referrals, and friendship.
Our Mission
Our mission is to grow and develop a competent coaching community that drives results for coaches and those they serve. We do this by providing strong credentialed coaches, educational programs, and rich resources for internal and external coaches, and organizations and individuals seeking coaches.
Our Vision
ICF-NT will be known as the leading resource for the coaching community and the organizations and individuals it serves by providing:
- A collaborative network of credentialed coaches
- Continuing education
- Impactful contributions to the coaching profession