Real Talk
One recurring theme throughout my time on the ICF Iowa board has been the desire to foster a stronger sense of community and connection among our coaches statewide. As coaches, we understand the value of community and excel at supporting others, yet we often struggle to create that same space for ourselves.
When the board met last fall for our bi-annual planning retreat, this topic came up again. We tossed around different ideas, and then a new one surfaced. We noodled on it. And everyone loved it. It became the "Real Talk" Series we are offering once a month.
The heart behind this discussion series is to connect the coaches in our chapter on things that are relevant and matter to them. It's a discussion, and no one is coming in as an expert, but simply posing questions to facilitate discussion on a particular topic. In these first few months, we've seen an encouraging response! 1) Members are attending!👏 2) Members we haven't seen in a while are joining in these discussions. 3) We're creating an opportunity for members to facilitate discussion with peers.
Upcoming Real Talk sessions include "
Difficult Conversations" led by Bruce Kawahara in February and "
Back End Systems" with Mary Jane Cobb in March. I encourage you to attend if you haven't already. These sessions are held on various days and times each month (chosen by the facilitator) and are not recorded, allowing for open and honest conversation.
If you have a topic that you'd love to see in the Real Talk series or would be interested in facilitating, please let us know! We have openings available throughout the year.
I truly believe that when coaches come together as a community, we can learn so much from each other's experiences, expertise, and even our failures.
I hope to see you soon,
Erin Lego
2025 President - ICF Iowa Charter Chapter