Maura Shenker Coach & Consultant

Or as we like to say in Philly, I'm wit you... Recently I was asked about my coaching philosophy. What would I say if I had to describe what I offer as a coach in a single sentence? I started with big words and lofty, ambitious ideals. Then my inner voice reminded me that simpler is better, and if I really understood what I wanted, I should be able to explain it to a first grader. After much judicious editing, I arrived at this statement: "I'm with you as you recognize where you are and clarify where you want to be." To me, being with you means that I'm there to actively listen to what you say and ask those powerful questions to support your self-discovery around what you're not be saying. We'll co-create a safe space for you to explore and a relationship built on trust. Together, we'll focus on what you want your future to look like, to feel like, and what you need to get yourself there. You'll do the work, you'll reap the rewards, an

I've been thinking a lot about how social media amplifies my voice, allowing me to share my thoughts with more people (by blogging, for instance). How is my voice heard and how do others interpret what I'm saying? I feel a little bit like JoJo from " Horton Hears a Who"  (not the littlest Who - Cindy Lou, but the one at the end who lets out a big  YOPP!  from the top of the Eiffelberg Tower). Sometimes it seems like one more voice in the clamor - but joining our voices together is what can potentially save us from being boiled in beezul-nut oil. (Women's March - I'm looking at you!) I'm currently at a conference in San Francisco. I'm here to speak to the association hosting the conference about partnering with them to improve the educational programs they offer to their members. To help me learn more about their members and the industry, I've been attending different events at the conference and yesterday I had the opportunity to watch the keyno

I spent the last three days learning in community about Gestalt as a coaching modality. It was an intense experience that managed to be both rewarding and exhausting at the same time. As part of Saint Joseph's University's Coaching Leader Program , I have the incredible opportunity to learn from a variety of experts who act as sherpas on my journey to coaching Shangri-La. I am eternally grateful to Debra Brosan and Mark Magerman of GestaltWorks  for sharing the experience of gestalt with me. I find the best learning experiments leave me with deeper questions rather than facile solutions. I woke up at 3am this morning with monkey mind; unable to sleep, replaying events, conversations, and thoughts from this past weekend, looking to make meaning. I don't have anymore answers now than I did six hours ago, but I do have a more profound appreciation for my coffee this morning.

I bet you've heard that old saying that 'when a student is ready, the teacher will appear' - and I think the same can be said for creating community and finding your tribe. In my previous post, I knew I found my ICF folks because of a simple shared preference for the luxury of the handwritten (and love of sensual stationery) over the impersonal efficiency of technology. But if shared pleasure can create community, so too can shared pain point out your peeps. I had that experience at a conference I attended in Austin a couple of months ago. I love my work at the University, but since I don't support students directly, I am a bit out-of-step with the organizational ethos. My area may seem a bit like mission drift, although I find the work meaningful and feel valued. But I didn't realize how isolated I felt until I found myself surrounded by people who do exactly what I do at other Universities - and who felt the same exact pain I felt! It was liberating to hear my

I attended my first ICF Philadelphia Chapter meeting last month. The group was small, welcoming, and warm; and although they obviously knew each other reasonably well, I was immediately included. I don't take that experience for granted...I am always profoundly grateful when I'm made to feel comfortable in a group of strangers. We met in a coffee shop very early in the morning, clustered together in the back, drinking tea and coffee and lots of water. Sometimes its the smallest markers that let you know you've found your people. With this group, everyone had a journal with them. Beautiful paper, some leather bound, all well-worn, marked-up. And lovely pens chosen with care. In my day job, folks show up to meetings with laptops and put their cell phones on the table. And I'm an outlier writing in my notebook, sometimes even in script, just for the loopy pleasure of seeing curvalicious letters on the page. But this group did things by hand - just like me. The more time

Last week, I stumbled upon a very interesting article by Paul Petrone "21 Questions that Will Help You Determine Your Strengths, Goals, and What You Should Learn Next"    perfect timing! I love the start of a new year, it smells fresh, like multiple possibilities (or clean laundry). Although Petrone focuses only on work goals, what I liked most about this post was the section about Vision and the four questions about going big and thinking about your legacy. Specifically: " If you could change the world (and you can), what needs would you meet or what problem would you solve?" For me, this question helps crystalize my core values - my fundamental beliefs - about what's important and creates meaning outside of myself. This question isn't about what I need to do for myself, but rather what I need to do to be of service to others. AND it assumes that I have the ability to create a positive impact on the world. This question is powerful because it's ro