Words that Work

Posts Tagged ‘business coaching’

Throughout your life, I imagine like so many of us, that you have been invited to attend or have led retreats of some sort. These events are an opportunity away from the daily routine and possible distractions of everyday life at work for learning, sharing and exploring more deeply such topics as leadership, conflict management or social media marketing. Sometimes we attend retreats away from the daily activities of life at home to experience more deeply such practices as yoga.

Yes, retreats offer a place to come together, to retreat from the usual and to move away from daily concerns. Many of us leave these gatherings feeling invigorated, and take with us fresh ideas, a renewed sense of purpose, and often a greater connection with others with whom we work. We get to know others in ways we have not been able to otherwise.

Yet, what happens in your body when you hear, read or say out loud the word “retreat”? Does your upper body tilt or lean back? Do you get ever so slightly tight? Notice your energy when you talk about a retreat. When we retreat we are moving away.

What would it be like if the next time you were offering a special day or weekend away program for your business coaching clients or life coaching clients you announced your event as an advance?

• Leadership Advance
• Yoga Advance
• Spiritual Advance
• Couples Communication Advance

Check out your body when you hear, read or say out loud the word “advance”. Your body automatically moves forward. Test making the shift as frequently as you can. At first you might experience discomfort offering programs as advances (e.g., Special One Day Words that Work Advance). After your first advance notice your energy as you talk about the positive outcomes of the time away. When we advance we are moving toward something.

As you speak and live out loud, make a difference. Create a rich community. Be like the kangaroo or rhinocerous, both can only walk forward. Rather than hold or sponsor a Retreat, hold or sponsor an Advance.

Sometime during the 1990s I began making up words that I sensed belonged in our everyday vocabulary. Of made up words, google is most likely the most noticeably recognized one used as a part of speech.

Today’s world of instant, almost infinite information that Google provides presents a readily available opportunity to search for information. In addition to searching for information, some of us search deeper and deeper for meaning that, at first, may not seem so readily available. We search for how we can be of greater service and make a lasting difference.

In my search, I benefited from colleagues and mentors. Adela Rubio inspired Yessence through her energy conscious business mastery. Suzanne Evans and confirmed the need for Yessence through her shift from marketing to movement message: Decide. Lisa Cherney gave life to Yessence through the benefits of the benefits part of her conscious marketing.

From working with these thought leaders, as I gained greater clarity about my purpose, Yessence emerged as a word that works. What is Yessence?

• Yessence is saying yes to your essence; saying yes to your core; saying yes to your authentic self.
• Yessence is saying yes to your world; saying yes to your past and to your now and to your future.
• Yessence is saying yes to making a difference.

Imagine creating a community around Yessence. Explore adding Yessence to your business coaching, life coaching and group coaching vocabulary. 

Consider the senses of Yessence:

• Sight—See the pink and gold iridescent colors of Yessence
• Sound—Hear the do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do song of Yessence
• Smell—Breathe in the sweet, musky, earthy scent of Yessence
• Taste—Savor the spicy, exotic curry of Yessence
• Touch—Feel the fresh, air dried cotton, the smooth silk of Yessence
• Kinesthetic—Move with the full embodiment of Yessence

What is your first reaction when someone says or does something that hurts? After “Ouch,” that is. The pain could be from the slip of the tongue or the slip of a hammer. Some of us might jump to blaming someone or something else. Maybe we would not for mere carelessness with words or household tools; however, what do we do in the face of life changing events when the pain can be much deeper?

• Failed relationships
• Lost job or client
• Loss of health

At first, and maybe even for a period of time, you blame your pain on someone or something outside yourself. This can certainly seem much easier in the short run. You blame—

• Other person for ignoring you or in some way failing to do what you consider necessary to maintain a relationship
• Employer for not managing its money well enough to keep you on the job
• Client for not following through with an action plan
• Environment for your illness

After some time has passed you seek and get help from a counselor, clergy, coach or other trusted person. Through working with another person your pain dulls and them BAM, your pain comes back sharply. What do you do? You blame the helper.

From engaging with business coaching clients I’ve come to recognize what I call the Pain Blame Cycle:

Often the client’s pain is the result of someone else breaching boundaries or the client not honoring his or her boundaries. Personal rather than societal boundaries are imaginary lines we draw around ourselves to protect us from other people harming us. These boundaries relate to someone or something we perceive or experience invading or violating our physical body, our space, our time, our energy, and our values.

Blame can seem oh so righteous. This is often the case when I first work with a client. We work through the Pain Blame Cycle so that blame no longer gets in the way of Yes.