Getting Involved

As an introvert by nature, it is often easy for me to blend into the background and be a listener and learner when I attend events.  This time I wanted that to be different.  I truly wanted to make a name for myself in this community and to do that I knew that I had to be more “out there”, not just a participant.  It was time for me to get uncomfortable again and volunteer to take an active role in one of these organizations I had been attending.

My first commitment was to Raleigh WBON as Programs Chair; my next was with Chix in Business as Programs Coordinator, then Program Chair, then Vice President then President; My latest has been with the ICF Raleigh Chapter first as Vice President, then President and now Past President.

What did these experiences do for me?

Well, my initial intention with getting involved was to get better connected to the small business community and other coaches here.   I was curious about what my colleagues were doing, how they were doing it, and how I could help them (as a colleague, not as a coach).

Believe it or not, my goal was not to get business – rather it was to get known!  

Therefore, I chose to dive in and help, almost immediately after joining, in whatever way I could.  The roles I chose were within my strengths and also slightly (and not so slightly) out of my comfort zone.

Being on committees and boards allowed me to truly connect with the other committee/board members – so much so that I developed some long lasting friendships and alliances.

Interestingly, though I rarely “promoted coaching” (except for the usual 30 second introduction at monthly member meetings), over my years of service, I have attracted many new clients through these groups!

How might you get more involved in your community groups?

What will you need to believe about that to make it happen?

To learn more about what kind of involvement is right for you, check out The Coaches Lab


UncategorizedJuly 28th, 2015Reply