Did You Know? 
Blue Mesa Group is a proud member of the International Coaching Federation. The ICF is an enormously valuable resource in the world of coaching for coaches and clients alike. A nonprofit organization, the ICF was formed in 1995 in order to build, support, and preserve the integrity of the coaching profession through programs and standards supported by its members.

Setting the Bar High
Possession of ICF credentials is a mark of both dedication and distinction. The ICF sets the bar high and Blue Mesa Group strives always to meet or exceed it, providing exceptional leadership and executive coaching to our clients. We abide by the ICF Code of Ethics, ensuring consistent and transparent behavior in each of the following arenas:

• Professional Conduct At Large
• Conflicts of Interest
• Professional Conduct with Clients
• Confidentiality/Privacy

Our Pledge
Each member of the Blue Mesa Group team has taken the following Pledge of Ethics:

As an ICF Professional Coach, I acknowledge and agree to honor my ethical and legal obligations to my coaching clients and sponsors, colleagues, and to the public at large. I pledge to comply with the ICF Code of Ethics, and to practice these standards with those whom I coach.

If I breach this Pledge of Ethics or any part of the ICF Code of Ethics, I agree that the ICF in its sole discretion may hold me accountable for so doing. I further agree that my accountability to the ICF for any breach may include sanctions, such as loss of my ICF membership and/or my ICF Credentials.

This is not a pledge that we take lightly.

In the next few weeks, Blue Mesa Group will be sharing our insights into the leadership and executive business coaching industry. Don’t hesitate to check back, tell us what you think, or pepper us with questions. We are always eager to gain or share knowledge.

Visit the International Coaching Federation to learn more about their mission and standards.

A commitment is a pledge, a bond between two or more people. When you make a commitment, you aren’t just giving your word; you’re agreeing to take action. Every family, every friendship, every community, and certainly every organization is a network of commitments. This is particularly important for leaders. The more rigorous the commitments, the more effective the organization—in customer satisfaction, safety, employee satisfaction, and profitability.

Trust breaks down when commitments are broken. Imagine going to a fine restaurant with a special guest. How would you feel about the experience if your food was poorly served and tasted like yesterday’s leftovers from a fast food restaurant? What is implied in the term ‘fine dining’ is a commitment that they will provide delicious food that is served attractively. If that commitment broken, you won’t patronize the restaurant again.

When commitments are broken in the workplace, we shy away from the crucial conversation that would bring the broken promise to light. Instead, we silently agree to bypass that person in the future, or create redundant systems, or develop bureaucratic processes. Any of these responses are costly, and create a pernicious environment of mistrust.

So, the next time you make a commitment, consider all of the implications. Promises – regardless of how big or small – are not trivial actions. Our very trustworthiness depends on it.

Every piece of technology available can offer us the use of enlightened tools that save time, expedite actions, and keep us on top of things. At the same time, these tools create neurotic behavior that keeps us in a continuous state of reactivity.

One case in point – just spend an hour at the airport and watch people. Nearly everyone is texting, e-mailing, or doing some other thing on their PDA or mobile device. Although an airport is a natural place to promote a state of continuous activity, it is also a place where one can just sit and be quiet.

A critical leadership skill is to have the capacity to be still, think, and gain access to one’s deeper thoughts, concerns, and questions. Most leaders believe they are too busy to have such ‘luxury’. But the cost is dear, and those who don’t make the time for quiet often find themselves no longer leading, but merely existing.

Next time you pick up your mobile device out of habit, see what happens if you stop, put it down, and be still. You may discover a great idea that changes your whole life.

The power of language – it precedes actions, and if we are not careful, we get what we think about. And most of the things we ‘speak’ are the silent words that happen while we are busy doing other things. We are walking manifestations of our thoughts – whether conscious or unconscious. Consider the links between our language and our life:

Language forms Thoughts.
Thoughts produce Actions.
Actions become Habits.
Habits forge Character

Try sitting still for 5 minutes. And in this time, pay attention to all of the thoughts that come to you. You may notice idle chatter, but you may also hear some surprising things that aren’t always obvious to you. Are your thoughts self-deprecating? Questioning? What emotions show up in your thoughts? Anger? Sadness? Fear? Guilt? What poor habits have you forged because you have a consistent pattern of unproductive mental discourse?

If you haven’t taken inventory of that mind of yours that sometimes acts like a wild horse, see what you learn by checking it out. Our mothers were sometimes right.

“I would have made this letter shorter, but I didn’t have time.” – Mark Twain

One of the biggest complaints we hear from executives is that their direct reports cannot deliver a message in a succinct, concise manner. This creates confusion, which is a perfect foundation for making poor decisions.

There are many ‘why’s’ as to the long-winded approach. A few include:
⁃ Not wanting to deliver bad news (because I will be blamed)
⁃ Unsure of the best answer (so the ordinary answer is coated with meaningless but impressive adjectives)
⁃ Believing the boss needs every detail (uh, you’re being paid to know the details)
⁃ Lacking the business rigor required to make it concise

Regardless of the why, the practice contributes to poor business practices, and it should stop.

Here are a few things to consider about being concise:
1. Prepare for your meeting with your boss by asking yourself some questions:
a. Why are you meeting?
b. What will make it productive and meaningful for both of us?
c. How much detail is too little, just right, and too much? (Remember, your boss probably thinks you are competent so if she needs more detail, she can ask you.)
2. In the beginning, provide the BLUF – Bottom Line Up Front, and then offer significant support information to support your BLUF – only if requested.
3. At the end of the meeting, ask your boss for feedback about the process.

The power of powerful questions.

Have you ever noticed the impact of a great question? Well-placed questions can enlighten, can generate new possibilities, and profoundly change what we do and how and what we think and feel.

What makes for a great question? It starts with the questioner. What is her intention? Is she curious or is she advocating? Is he nosy or does he deeply care for your best interest? Next, a powerful question avoids a simple yes or no answer. It begs for multiple responses, and in the question, we may be inspired to stay in the question for hours or even days.

Have you ever noticed that the most memorable and generative conversations are filled with questions? And the questions create even more questions. Hours can pass and it can feel like a few moments.

Try asking questions rather than providing answers when someone asks you for advice. Here are some examples to help you get started:

What would be an ideal situation for you?
What do you want to be known for?
If your legacy were represented by something in nature, what would it be?
What makes your efforts worthwhile?
What are some of the other possibilities you’d like to see emerge?
What consequences might the change bring about?
What can you do to make things better?
What could happen for you to feel satisfied? Why would you benefit from that?
What prevents you from asking for what you want?
What’s the worst that could happen?
What’s the best that could happen?
How will you know it when you get what you want?

Give it a try and let us know how it goes.

Credentials are important. They represent the standard so we can communicate legitimacy, mastery, and accomplishment. We have made it our business to be our very best. So we want to share our accomplishments we have achieved in recent months.

We are credentialed coaches (Master Certified Coach, Professional Certified Coach, and Associate Certified Coach), have earned our ACTP (Accredited Coach Training Program) credentials from ICF for our Transformational Coaching Program, and have been certified as a Woman –owned business by Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.

In pursuing our credentials, we have examined who we are, who we want to be, and how we want to be with our clients. Our new website represents what we want to tell the world and through our tagline Elevate Your Potential, we are working to model excellence to you, and invite you to give us feedback, so we can continually improve. Thank you for joining us on this life-long journey of learning.