Category Archives: International Coach Federation

EGO, EGO[er], EGO[est]

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This past weekend I read a truly forward thinking article on managing your Ego at work.  I would like to share it with you.  It was written by Ms. Christine Latimer*.  Miss Latimer urged that the following ego traits should be left at home:

“The need to be right; A sense of entitlement, or specialness;

Gossip; ‘Yes person’ mentality, not being one’s true self; and

Complaining.”

As a Coach, I believe if any of these traits were left at home, your listening skills would improve; you would practice paying attention to what someone else is saying and, you would allow yourself to be open to other options of thought.

So what really is EGO.  It was an amazing eye-opener to discover Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus** provide over 75 synonyms of the word EGO.  Here are a few to consider this week. EGO is… courage…worth…conscience…thought…pride…essense…self-esteem…attitude…soul…bent…true being…frame of mind…core…innermost being…tendency…stuff…outlook…disposition…sub-conscious.

During the course of this week, consider if your EGO is directing your actions as you Choose Who You Want to Be Known As.  Enjoy your week!

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent

* Research Summaries for Business Leaders, August 3, 2012, published by LMK Partners. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
**ego.(n.d.) Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition. Retrieved August 5, 2012, from Thesaurus.com website: http://thesaurus.com/browse/ego. 

Change At Last…

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I always find it refreshing to meet people who are truly happy who they are.  It’s contagious.  It feels good.  You want to stay in that moment.  How are you defined by your good mood at the office, outside of the office, at home or at weekend events?  How often are you defined by your current role in life first, and then by your mood?  How important is it for you to be remembered as being engaging, or someone who left a good impression because of your good mood?

Here’s a sample talk I developed of how you can explain yourself. You may find that by working through this talk, your mood level will rise and your confidence will show through to other people.

Say what you do:  [Your current role];

Say what they get:  [What value is received, whether to a potential employer, a customer, a client, a team member, a colleague, another volunteer, family member, or student]; and

Say what you give:  [what the take away is for the other person].

This is my talk:

Say what you do:  I coach leaders…

Say what they get:  for their self-driven outcomes…

Say what you give: and I provide empathy, trust and honesty.

As you begin the month of August this week, Choose Who You Want to be Known As when you are in a situation to change your mood to increase your good feeling and confidence.  Have a great week!

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent

Author:  Ethics to You Too! ™  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/171791 07/30/2012

We don’t Know why…

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We don’t know why it happened in Aurora, Colorado.  Our condolences and kind thoughts go out to the families.  As published at CBS Morning Saturday, “As much as we know…there is so much we don’t understand.”

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent

What’s your Sunrise?

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Quite a few times this Summer, good Samaritans came to the rescue of people needing help, either in the lakes or rivers flowing through Chicagoland.  A random act of kindness truly is special.

A local weatherman reminded us that when hot air blows against our skin, our body temperature actually rises.  So how do we act when we become overheated?  What can we do for ourselves and someone else during the heat wave?

Again, it’s an issue of Awareness.  Awareness allows us to understand how we act and what we notice about ourselves in relation to others.  Why do we need “more space” because we feel overheated?  How many of us carry a spare water bottle as we walk to the bus stop or commuter train to get to work.  How do we handle the extra perspiration on our forehead, or elsewhere, as we walk in this heat?

Whether it’s dealing with the heat wave, or any business issue we have no control over – it’s always about YOU in the situation.  We all have a new Sunrise every day so Choose How You Want to be Known As.  Enjoy your week!

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent

Author: Ethics To You Too!™  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/171791

A Phone Call…

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How many times have you made a phone call and discovered how you act in a given situation.  Pleasant and good news calls breeze by.  It’s the phone call that leaves you unsettled, releasing any number of emotions you hadn’t planned on.

Managing yourself is a learning process, whether during your childhood, while in school or in formal training at your place of employment.  The theory behind managing yourself can be described as mindfulness.

—– I am mindful when I listen to what is being said and reply about the issue and not the speaker personally.

—- I am mindful when I treat the other person with respect.

—- I am mindful when I pay attention to the emotions the other person is displaying and acknowledge to that person, what you heard.

……….Listen……….Mindful……….In Control

……….Listen……….Mindful……….How can I help YOU?

……….Listen……….Mindful……….Be Who You Want to be Known As!

Have a good and mindful 2nd week of July.

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent

Author:  Ethics to You Too!™ http://www.smashwords/books/view/171791      07/09/12

February 5-11, 2012 International Coaching Week

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On a rainy Saturday morning last Fall, I drove off to check out a number of apartments for lease. Within 20 minutes of driving, the sun came out and it felt a bit warmer outside. 10 minutes later, it was pouring rain everywhere. This weather pattern continued for a few hours until I began to head back to my friend’s home.

As I was driving, I noticed two young boys holding signs that were almost as tall as they were.  Since the boys stood on the opposite side of the street, I drove around the block and approached their signs. They read the school was having a fundraising car wash. The boys motioned where I had to find the car wash and I was surprised to see some 40 young boys and girls, most of whom were shorter than my car. They were organized into four washing groups. Parents were standing on the sidelines watching “the wash”.

When I was told to stop my car, it started to drizzle rain again. About 10 young kids surrounded my car; they were oblivious to the drizzling, armed with rags and buckets of soapy water, ready to give my car a good wash. After the tallest kid washed the roof of my car, four hoses washed down all the soap. Smiles surrounded my car from every direction. What fun these kids were having. It was the best car wash I ever had.

I gave a donation and eased my way out of the parking lot. I thought, “Who would have imagined a car wash taking place during today’s weather?” Yet, what an event it was…team work, responsibility, determination, organization, leadership, collaboration. It felt good to witness these values in action on a day that many people did not want to venture outside

Being aware of your surroundings and being aware of how you use social media is pretty commonplace today. Yet, it is not commonplace to understand how Awareness affects ourselves by allowing us see opportunities we didn’t see before. The capacity for Awareness is a Coaching principle. Perhaps this weekend you will have an experience to understand yourself differently by being more Aware of Who You Want To Be Known As.   Enjoy.

Jo Ann M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent 02/10/12

International Coaching Week February 5-12, 2012

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This week is International Coaching Week 2012.   Professional Coaches who are members of the International Coach Federation around the world join together to inform their communities about the benefits of coaching and the value it brings to people.

My gift to you today is a Coaching Tool, which is an interpretation of the Johari Window (JW).   The JW is used all over the world in everyday life, in many professions, industries, as well as government agencies. Decades ago, it was created and developed by Business Psychologists Ingham and Luft [see note below.]

Many of us have heard the phrase, ““feeling the pain” of not having something, or pushing ourselves through “the pain” in a sports activity.   Take a look at the Coaching Tool; it is called the Pain/Gain Window.  When you read through the tool’s window text, keep in mind how you would answer the questions.  Since most of us have something in our lives that we want, and don’t quite immediately know how to get it, this tool may assist you in your focus of the issues.

Try it out.  I presented it to someone a few months ago.  The professional, was thrilled to learn of a tool that organized thoughts and emotions together.

Have a great week and Enjoy!    Jo Ann M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent  as well as International Coach Federation (ICF) member.

Notes: (1) Discussions about the Johari Window and its applications can be found by visiting http://www.mindtools.com, http://www.businessballs.com and http://www.en.wikipedia.org.