What is your success word? How is it propelling, guiding you; for greatest impact, transformation; harnessing the power of intention? When you choose and focus on a success word, the power of intent kicks in and begins to create that reality*. We coaches use this neuroscience based “begin with the end in mind” (Stephen Covey) when we ask at the beginning of a session “what will make this session successful for you (+ your team, organization, stakeholders)?” Our brain begins to move in that direction.

We’ve shared our challenges, highlights, words for the year, with some celebrating (dancing included!) as we brought the past and present together with a clap (Japanese tradition) in a small group of Culturally Intelligent Mentor Coaching + Certificate alumni and potential participants as we wrap up the year, the past several years. One alumni shared they had their first 6 figure income year as they applied the deep learning from our program. We missed you! Hope you will join us next year.

I invite you to consider your word for the year. Wisdom, growth, momentum, breakthrough redesign, sing, grace and compassion, love, including for self, were success words voiced. Ease, embrace have been some of my success words.

In 2018 I embraced the opportunity of going to Ethiopia with Ethical Coach for the Leadership Coaching Summit, following with coaching leaders and teams there, and globally. I highly value discovering and embracing new cultures, learning and experiences which have included going to Asia Pacific for three months with Bali for six weeks, creating new programs, writing a book, welcoming new family members. I also love embracing leadership and team coaching clients as well as mentor coaching and coaching supervision clients. Embrace is one of my four cornerstone values which guide my decision making and characterize my approach to life and work. What are yours?

Embracing clients is not only really fun for me, it also provides a safe learning and development environment for them which is crucial for success. One leadership coaching client said he went from being like a duck with frantic movement under the water to being like a skater smoothly gliding across the ice.

One of our Culturally Intelligent Mentor Coaching + Certificate participants from China said that at the beginning of the program she felt like a turtle kind of slow and worried. Our mentor coaching program was transformative for her on the inside, not just the competencies. She reported that with my patience and love that she became confident and courageous again.

I love to be part of of that type of transformation by embracing my clients. Besides identifying a success word, to further harness your brain and intent, I invite you to also consider what do you want to let go of?

Clearing out is a continuous process: old content that really is no longer serving my website as well as clearing out what is no longer needed in my home, leading to business expansion with ease!* and plans to update my home. I find the clearing out a little more challenging for me (and not as much fun!) to embrace than the welcoming in. How about you?

What also do we need to clear out or update like our perspectives, our bias and self limiting beliefs? This includes me! A fun and recent update for me was from telling myself I wasn’t good at Pictionary to believing I could do it. It helped that during the game a friend exclaimed, “It’s not D for difficult, it’s D for doable, Marilyn, you can do it!” And I did, with ease and delight! Another shift for me in my twenty two year coaching and speaking career has been from “I am not good at marketing” to “I was not originally trained it, and have discovered some fun ways to connect with people and determine if their need and what I offer matches so they can achieve their goals and vision with greater ease.”

Clearing out file cabinets this year resulted in my rediscovering my graduate school professor’s and early work (from decades ago) letters of recommendation from decades ago, affirming what I am still recognized for, “direct and open in a supportive and caring manner. She conveys a sense of inner strength” “especially skilled at establishing positive relationships”.

I also embrace my clients’ strengths and natural giftedness and invite them to embrace theirs as well.

I would love to hear from you what your success word is, even in the midst of challenges, that moves you forward.

I have space to partner with a few more of you, which I would love to do, as your executive or team coach, mentor coach or coaching supervisor, embracing you and your strengths as you embrace your opportunities and propel your success through your success word.

Let me know how I can support you, your team and your organization to a place of greater ease, as you set and implement your success word for this year! You are invited to apply for a strategy session. What’s the sign you’re looking for? Our clients say “it is meant to be.”

Marilyn O’Hearne, MSW, MCC, LLC

CQ Master Certified Coach, International Coach Federation