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May 23rd, 2013
 I have two young children who bring me inexpressible joy.
Like any parent, I could give a long, itemized list of all the “how’s” and “why’s” they make my heart soar. One trait I notice, when observing them and their friends, is their sheer power of imagination.
I’m fascinated at how my son rides his rocking horse and really believes he is galloping atop of Secretariat.
And, when my daughter plays “school,” I’d swear the other kids in the class were really there as she teaches the day’s lesson.
What is even cooler is how adults get drawn into these imaginary worlds. Jake has his uncle give him a leg up onto his trusty steed, while he imitates the sound of the bugle leading the horses onto the track. Meanwhile, Kate gets the grandparents to sit attentively as she teaches.
Childlike imagination is wondrous.
But, what purpose can these flights of fancy have for us adults?
Well, I recently came across a quote by George Bernard Shaw that surmises the power of imagination. Shaw infers, “Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and, at last, you create what you will.”
Imagination is the spark that lights the fires of our dreams. The fuel that powers us to become what we want to become. We imagine all the time, whether we notice it or not.
When we plan a vacation, buy a Powerball ticket, or read a bedtime story, we imagine. We ponder how our lives will change when we act on fulfilling our purpose. As Shaw’s quote points out, however, imagination can’t be idle skylarking. It needs to be pursued. It requires action to move from a daydream to desire and from a desire to reality.
Use your imagination, as well as your dreams, to envision the life you want to create. Then follow through, take ACTION, and materialize your wishes into a tangible and fruitful reality.
Life is a grand experience.
So much to see!
So much to learn!
So much to dream!
Imagine what you can accomplish. After all, the world is your horse race as you gallop toward your every whim…the classroom is where you dare to learn, teach, and inspire your limitless potential.
So, what wondrous ideas will you imagine and act upon today, tomorrow, or two months from now?
Live on Fire!
D. Luke Iorio, CPC, PCC, ELI-MP
President & CEO
Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
Tags: coach training, coaching skills, dream, finding purpose, imagination
Posted in D. Luke Iorio - iPEC CEO
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February 4th, 2013
 Working smarter, not harder.
At this time in the second semester, in the midst of tackling major challenges and goals, it’s not uncommon to hear school leaders rally the team by reminding them to work smarter, not harder to increase effectiveness.
Sometimes we assume that everyone knows what working smarter is and that just might not be the case, especially if the resources at our disposal seem to be strapped.
In the book “Multipliers,” Liz Wiseman suggests that a key factor in increasing effectiveness is through “the ability to extract and multiply the intelligence that already exists in the organization.” She characterizes the best leaders as those who emphatically capitalize upon their own aptitude to instinctively multiply the genius in others around them.
Sound familiar?
Ever wondered why some leaders seem to create greatness all around them and others seem to drain intelligence and capability?
Have you ever been around someone who instantly makes you feel more capable?
Someone who you love to brainstorm with because the ideas just flow? Who energizes you?
People have extraordinary influence over each other – consciously and unconsciously. One of the most influential gifts we have, as educational leaders, is our individual and collective energy. Einstein proved that energy attracts like energy. Perhaps the reason some leaders have an amazingly positive energetic impact on the creativity of others is that they consciously demonstrate the belief that everyone has unlimited potential and the ability to create solutions.
Consciously sowing the seeds of unlimited potential.
How exactly do we sow these seeds? One simple way is by raising our awareness.
When a leader makes a conscious and concerted effort to show that others possess the ability and willingness (genius) to solve their problems, the beginnings of a culture of “multipliers” results and wayward challenges turn into opportunities.
Now that’s working smarter and not harder!
To tap into the genius of others, you need to be curious about their talents. Being conscious (aware) of how you create the space for creative dialogue, asking empowering questions, and listening more and talking less are some of the keys to becoming a multiplier.
So, ask yourself: how would effectiveness increase in your school if people wanted to use more of their discretionary effort, energy, and resourcefulness to actively search for more valuable ways to contribute? How are you empowering genius in others?
Susan Gonzales, MA.Ed, CPC, PCC, ELI-MP
Vice President, Coach Training Programs
Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
Tags: coaching skills, education, encouragement, energy, leadership
Posted in Susan Gonzales - Vice President, Coach Training Programs, C.O.O.
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January 4th, 2013
 I have a (not-too-well-hidden) confession to make: I’m a New York Jets fan.
I don’t reveal this fact to become the butt of any jokes or to gain sympathy. Just the opposite; I proudly chant my team’s identifier…J-E-T-S…Jets, Jets, Jets!
As an avid fan, I do find solace in the fact that I’m not alone. Millions of others wear their loyalty openly, prominently displayed via their Sanchez, Chrebet, and Gastineau jerseys.
Despite a less-than-stellar season, the Jets have the ability, and the wherewithal, to regain traction next year. While they have some important decisions to make in the off season, it’s ultimately about self-leadership, motivation, and living-up to their full potential.
The Importance of Leadership
You probably don’t come here to read about my football fanaticism, so here’s the thing, in a sense, in examining the Jets over the past few seasons that proves to be insightful. A brash and blustery new coach took over in 2009. Rex Ryan burst on the scene in his first press conference, promising a change in culture, a Super Bowl title, and the traditional trip to the White House that follows. Over the next two seasons, he almost delivered.
What happened? We were so close.
Well, it seems – and this may shock you – an entrenched leadership style that conveys the same message over and over again may not effectively inspire team members to elicit their best performance.
Consider the variety of leadership styles and approaches a leader can use.
There are times to be a cheerleader, times to be a coach, times to be a sounding board, times to be a challenger, times to be a collaborator, etc. An effective leader can adjust his style and approach accordingly, while helping others see fresh and new perspectives.
Since every member of the team doesn’t have the same individual motivation, adapting and modifying our message to reach all members of the team, to get everyone’s buy-in, to get out of the way and let others lead, is critically important.
Leaders Leading Leaders
Now that we know Rex Ryan will be returning to the helm as head coach next year, I look forward to seeing a dynamic and unified team of leaders. Yes, that’s plural…leaders — each player motivated to play full out, energized by the sport they love, and committed to helping one another succeed. Now that’s what champions greatness and makes great champions.
As the first playoff weekend approaches, without “Gang Green,” I’m already looking forward to next season and having my kids join me once again in our beloved team cheer: J-E-T-S…Jets, Jets, Jets!!!
Live on Fire!
D. Luke Iorio, CPC, PCC, ELI-MP
President & CEO
Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
Tags: coach, coaching skills, expectations, leadership, motivation
Posted in D. Luke Iorio - iPEC CEO
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December 6th, 2012
Leave it to me, the believer in karma and universal law, to begin Life & Leadership Potentials Training (LPT) with a pint-sized, Darwin-like chip on my shoulder. I knew I was embarking on an evolutionary journey, (the first 30 hours to be exact), yet I secretly mimicked a swinging pendulum spewing last minute “survival-of-the-fittest” hypotheses.
My mind cautioned:
“C’mon, you know you’re not going to be good enough!”
“Give me a break; you’re never going to trust a roomful of strangers, so just stay detached!”
“You can’t coach someone else because you can barely face your own fears!”
Ouch…does anyone have a band aid? This fight or flight reflex evaded my mind, sending out smoke signals and primitively misguided hieroglyphics. What’s this underlying “eat or be eaten” mentality? Is this how I want to “show up” in the world and tell my story? My self-professed mantra, “I know it, I believe it, I receive it” was being overrun by the proverbial food chain.
Then something strange happened.
On day one of training, almost organically, the pendulum ceased. It stood still, centered, and balanced. No harsh or sudden movement, just cosmically calm and resolute. There was no need for judgment, labeling, or archaic presumptions. Call it a revelation (or just superb guidance from trainers, Cheryl Wilson and Karen Sullivan), but I, like many people, have been living in a prehistoric time. And, the wayward predator behind my most unpleasant thoughts – THE INNER CRITIC.
We ALL have one.
It’s that colossal-sized voice pointing out every flaw, every mistake we make. What if there were no mistakes? What if there were only choices? What if nothing was set in stone and you could stop chiseling away at the rock? LPT was my modern-day hero; my inner critic was the kryptonite.
Do you know what it feels like to go from Caveman catastrophe to Superman status (or woman, in this case) in just one weekend?!
Coaching is a powerful tool and just might be the modern-day answer to human evolution. As a result of my training, I now find myself stepping out of the cave and into the world with more confidence. I have the capacity to spark a flame in someone’s subconscious, helping them view challenges as opportunities. On my continual path to becoming a Certified Professional Coach, I will turn that flame ablaze, aptly choosing to “live on fire” (thanks D. Luke Iorio!).
I’ve also traded in my survivalist theories for a more upbeat tune, courtesy of the talented Ms. Alicia Keys. Sorry Darwin, but Alicia may have just cracked the code.
This girl is on fire!
Christie Koenigsmark
Marketing Assistant
Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching
This is the 2nd installment in a special blog series by Christie Koenigsmark, which chronicles her journey to becoming a Certified Professional Coach with iPEC.
Tags: become a coach, change, coaching skills, new perspective, power of choice
Posted in Christie Koenigsmark - Marketing Assistant
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September 13th, 2012
“How might this work?”
Posing such a question is how a coach (or a Coach Centric Leader) tends to approach new ideas, information, and feedback.
When we receive new information, feedback (and even feedback that isn’t exactly what we want — ever gotten that?) or a new idea that directly challenges how we’ve done something, our first thought is to resist – justifying our view or way of doing things. However, since you already know that script by memory and can recite it quite well on cue, I encourage you to instead ask, “How might we do this?”
Seriously, take in that challenging idea or the feedback to do things differently. Clarify it, if need be; make sure you fully understand it and where it’s coming from, and why, so that you can think it through and ask, “IF we were to do this, how might this work?”
Most people are afraid to think through a new idea in this manner because they assume others will perceive them as agreeing to, or accepting, what the other person has said and may then have to move forward on it. This isn’t the case at all. This is just about thinking something through.
Now, you may have just read that and are thinking, “Well of course that makes sense; this is simple, who wouldn’t do that?” Well, the truth is, most people wouldn’t. Most people can build their resistance wall in 0.2 seconds and don’t want to be misconstrued as “agreeing” with the other person.
So then, name your intention. Say “Hey, I’m not sure if I agree with you, but let’s talk this through.”
This is part of fully understanding anything – considering what it would look like, how it would come to fruition, and what might be accomplished. Then, you have more information to help decide if that gets you where you want to go. And, you might find that there’s an even better path than the one you’ve routinely chosen in the past. Better yet, what happens much of the time is that the new idea isn’t quite on target, but it sparks a conversation into which two or more people dive to find a new way that really does work better.
To make a decision, you need to think through the decision; you need to follow through the course of action and events that will reasonably follow that decision.
In considering “how might we,” you give yourself more options, and then the decision you make is one you can completely commit to, engage in, and be resolved to follow through with.
Live on Fire!
D. Luke Iorio, CPC, PCC, ELI-MP
President & CEO
Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
Tags: coaching skills, leadership, new perspective, opportunity, reframing
Posted in D. Luke Iorio - iPEC CEO
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