Hi Lynn, Fabulous question. Thanks for so openly sharing your experience (which I can relate to!) and starting this conversation. Here are some ideas for consideration:

1) I try to work in 45-minute blocks. During the 10-15 minute break, I get up and go do something completely different: put in a load of laundry, pet the cats, go for a quick walk around the block, have a snack (not in front of the computer!), play some energizing music and dance, etc... anything to shift my focus.

2) I light a candle, have flowers and plants, and other nurturing objects around my workspace.

3) I make a list of only what needs to happen today; I get overwhelmed if my list is too long/too future.

4) I turned off the e-mail notification thingee on my computer, so I don't see the envelope pop up. It helps keep me focused on whatever non-e-mail task I'm doing.

5) I have some Ben & Jerry's - the more stuff in it, the better. Then I go to the Y and work it off!

6) I take a Power Chick Power Nap :-)

7) Remind myself that everything is happening perfectly, it will all get done, I have a choice about how I approach my tasks (calmly or frantically)

8) Remember to breathe; I forget sometimes!

9) Call a friend and say "Tell me something good about me" :-) and get some positive reinforcement/energy from someone else!

Can't wait to read what others have experienced!

Peace, Beth

Hi Rachel, I'm really looking forward to this! You have such a gracious and grounded presence, I know this is going to be a memorable and powerful experience. Thank you for sharing the horses - and hot cider - with us! Peace, Beth

My Twitter handle is @coachbethb

I tweet thoughts on intention, self-talk, empowering language, inspiration, motivation. Quotes, retweets, original thoughts and sharing resources.

Glad to know of more Power Chicks to follow! :-)

Pamela, as of June 28, you only need to have 25 fans to secure a unique URL for your Facebook page. Here's the info: http://www.facebook.com/help.php?page=900

~Beth

Thanks for helping us all connect with each other in FB Land, Lynn!

My biz fan page is http://www.facebook.com/intentionaltalk

It would be an honor to have some Power Chicks join in the fun of sharing resources to create more intentional, joyful lives. Please consider joining as a fan, and thanks for being a Power Chick! :-)

Reading these responses, I love the idea of quarterly luncheons with a speaker and then having smaller gatherings more frequently, perhaps rotating in location.

I think it sounds fabulous, Lynn. Way to be responsive AND a visionary at the same time! The value-added suggestions are wonderful.

I agree with Mara as well; perhaps there will be "affinity" groups that form out it, people who want to get together in smaller settings based on particular interests within Power Chicks. Or, there's simply a mixture of standing monthly and every-other-month small discussion/networking gatherings.

Happy to help however I can!

Have a great meeting, everyone - I have a teleclass every Tues at noon so I'm unable to attend again until Nov. Happy Masterminding!

This looks fabulous, Leif - wish I could attend. I have a standing teleclass on Tuesdays from 12-1:30 through the end of October. I hope you do it again in the future! Congrats on the great response and move to a bigger venue. Have fun and host this again, please! ~Beth

Hi Krisane, Would love to follow/be followed: http://www.twitter.com/coachbethb

Thanks! ~Beth

Thanks for this concise blueprint for success, Tammy. I especially appreciate point 2; technical skills are important, and to get to the level of magnificence you describe, emotional intelligence is non-negotiable.

The best book I've read on the subject is "Primal Leadership" by Daniel Goleman, Richard E. Boyatzis and Annie McKee. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to understand the role and power of strong interpersonal skills in the workplace.

Of course, working with a skilled executive coach such as yourself is also a great step in that direction :-).

~Beth

Hi Sue, Thanks for this great reminder about what networking really is all about. I love the gumball analogy! Your point about not selling is particularly important. Just as we wouldn't ask someone to marry us on a first date, it's part of the process to get to know one another first.

Your article brings to mind Dale Carnegie's Golden Rules under "Become a Friendlier Person" (all of which apply to networking): 1. Don’t criticize, condemn or complain. 2. Give honest, sincere appreciation. 3. Arouse in the other person an eager want. 4. Become genuinely interested in other people. 5. Smile. 6. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. 7. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves. 8. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests. 9. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

Thanks, Sue, for sharing your wisdom! ~Beth

Hi Kate, Powerful and informative article... thank you!! Pricing is such a touchy subject, and there's so much baggage around it. You helped remind me (as coach) that what I offer is more than "just a phone call." It's the training, certification, business expenses, ongoing development, expertise and experience I bring that makes that 30-minute call possible, and that I'm worth receiving compensation that I feel GREAT about, no regrets.

It also brings to mind the first time I realized that holding a client "whole, capable and resourceful" included my beliefs about their ability to pay. If I assume anything, it's that they are willing and able to make an investment in themselves that we both feel great about; to think less would be projecting scarcity onto me and the client.

~Beth

Hi Nancy, You have gotten me thinking about my bio in a completely new way - so much so, that's what I woke up thinking about this morning! Based on the inspiration in your article, revising my bio is tops on my "ta-da" list for today!

Readers may be interested in a complementary posting that provides another look at bios, specifically online profiles, by Judy Dunn: http://www.themarketingspotblog.com/2009/08/social-media-profile.html

Between the fabulous formula and examples you provide here, and Judy's guiding questions, Biznik members have some great tools to creating winning bios. Thank you!

~Beth