Beth Ronsick

"Creativity in Service of Others"

2011-10-07T12:19:00.000+08:00

Welcome to my business blog. Here you'll find an overview of the work I do and some juicy ideas to ponder.

Many of the postings are woven together by a simple, core philosophy:

I believe that life gives us countless opportunities to reinvent our realities and ourselves. We are always at choice. And with just enough awareness, courage and self-acceptance, we can steer our lives in a direction that allows us to shine as individuals, while also finding our place in the bigger context of the world around us.

This is the essence of personal creativity, and it's an honor and privilege to use my creativity to help you realize your power and magnificence.

Fall Schedule

2011-10-06T11:11:00.000+08:00

I'll be back on the East Coast this fall, with bandwidth to do a few private sessions for those who'd like to meet face-to-face:

New York City: November 1-9

And of course, regular client work serving Denver and Boulder, as well as international work via Skype video will continue as always.

June 16 Workshop: "Lessons from Goldilocks...Finding Balance in a City of Extremes"

2008-06-01T09:58:00.001+08:00

Workshop:
"Lessons from Goldilocks...Finding Balance in a City of Extremes"
Date:
Monday, June 16, 2008, 7-9 p.m.
Venue:
Sens & Bund, 6F, 19 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, Shanghai T: 6323 9898
Cost:
Free to BritCham members; Non-members RMB 100
To register: Please go to http://www.sha.britcham.org/sh/events/details1.php?id=1067

Overview:
In this mover-and-shaker town, the hats we wear are many and the To Do list is endless. When faced with competing and often conflicting demands, finding balance and getting it "juuuuust right" can feel improbable, if not impossible.

In this 2-hour workshop, I invite you to take a breath, take stock, and view your life from a fresh perspective. We'll revisit the tale of Goldilocks to see what it can teach us about finding the middle path through too much and too little. I'll lead the group through discussion, interactive exercises and a series of tools designed to help you find more immediate satisfaction today.

Please come prepared with pen, paper, and the willingness to engage.

Together, we will:

Explore various myths about balance that keep us from feeling good
Take a realistic snapshot of your current professional and personal life
Redefine what balance is for you
Re-prioritize in an unconventional way
Outline a series of practical actions to move you forward

This event is for you if:

You feel uninspired, on the edge of burnout or sensing that something's gotta give
You are a high achiever, but still feel something is missing
You are on the edge of a big change and you want to step up to it in a proactive, grounded way
You'd like to hear how others beyond your usual circle of coworkers, friends and family approach balance
You know you and your peace of mind are worth a two-hour investment

Venue Sponsor: Chiva-Som

Chiva-Som is Asia's original destination spa, a secluded world of beauty and serenity. Focusing on greater well-being and vitality, Chiva-Som offers extensive fitness, spa and holistic health facilities to help people relax, restore, rejuvenate and redirect. Personalized programmes and treatments are designed for everyone, blending Eastern philosophies with Western diagnostic skills.

So What is Spirituality, Anyway?

2007-06-12T14:33:00.000+08:00

I recently went to a round table discussion of a group of successful, professional women who live and work in Shanghai. The event was set up to be a think tank where each woman had a chance to toss out a question or challenge for the group to chew on.

When it was my turn, I asked, "What role does spirituality play in women's lives in Shanghai? Where do you turn to for support?"

There was a long pause, then a few scraps of response trickled in:

"What do you mean spiritual?"

"Is that like...'New Age'?"

"Isn't that what church is for?"

"Ohhhh, Shanghai isn't ready for that."

I found it fascinating that there was both intrigue and awkwardness around this question. And I thought it might be useful to share a few thoughts about spirituality as it relates to coaching.

Regardless of what specific needs my clients come in the door with, nearly all of them share in common a belief that life is a journey. And they are looking for ways to understand who they are and where they are going while they're on this amazing ride called "Life." Some have a deep faith in a higher power. Some are just starting to explore what they believe and why. Others are absolutely resistant to the "G" word. And yet they are all seeking something. This to me is the heart of spirituality--it is the quest, the acknowledgement of the journey.

Consider the following two quotes:

"There's a part of every living thing that wants to become itself, the tadpole into the frog, the chrysalis into the butterfly, a damaged human being into a whole one. That is spirituality."

--Ellen Bass

"Whatever your age, upbringing or education, what you are made of is mostly unused potential."

--George Leonard

As a coach, my interpretation is that spirituality is the longing in every person to fulfill one's potential, all the while knowing that we are never really done, never fully baked. Rather than being a source of discontent, this is a source of endless joy and wonder, for how lifeless we would be if we were "done."

The decision to work with a coach, therefore, is one in which you take on the extraordinary task of getting to know yourself with greater depth, nuance, clarity and compassion. How can you move toward your potential if you don't know what you're made of?

Coaching has been called a "pattern interruption." When a client comes to a session, they are stopping life as usual to pause and reflect. The habitual "doing" of life eases for just long enough to make space for new solutions and fresh perspectives to land.

Another way of describing this is to say that in the act of being coached, you become more "present" to your own life. You see yourself, your life situation, your thoughts, feelings and actions as if you were a witness to them, rather than enmeshed in them or run by them. The ability to stop and see the mind's habitual programming is one of the first steps toward cultivating presence.

When we are present, our hearts, minds and bodies are engaged solely in the current moment (rather than planning ahead or replaying old dramas). And in a state of presence, something rather magical happens: People seem to know exactly what to do. Their innate reserves of wisdom, creativity and resourcefulness come forward. And the process of evolution toward wholeness resumes naturally.

I have often heard the question, "But how is spirituality different from religion?" In my experience, religion tends to be a more ritualized set of answers and codes to live by, in order to create a feeling of certainty and security. There is nothing inherently wrong with this process, we all need beliefs and structures and a sense of security. Spirituality is simply different. It is the process of sitting with the questions and vulnerabilities and uncertainties that are also part of life. There are some mysteries that simply defy logic or black and white answers. For example, "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?" are two of the juiciest questions any human can take on. Given that one of my roles as a coach is to lob provocative questions your way, how can coaching be anything BUT a spiritual process?

The Art of Life Transitions

2007-05-17T10:37:00.000+08:00

I'm a Life Coach specializing in transitions. That means one of my strengths is supporting clients through periods of change.

Ironic as it sounds, "change" is one of the few "constants" we can rely on. Sometimes we create change (marriage, parenthood, breakups, promotions, changing jobs, relocating, taking time off, rekindling a desire to learn, etc.).

Sometimes it catches us by the toenails of surprise (downsizing, illness, death in the family, and yes…parenthood, breakups and promotions too).

Sometimes we simply get the inkling that “something’s gotta give.” (Often, that inkling speaks to a deeper need for more creativity, freedom, connection or balance.)

Regardless of the trigger, in order for us to successfully navigate through external, situational change, there’s a process of internal, psychological transition that must first be wrestled to the ground and befriended.

Change itself is neither good nor bad, it's neutral. The challenge is in realizing that as complex beings, our bodies, minds and hearts tend to lag a few paces behind. And at times, they are in direct conflict with each other. You may know in your head that a change is "for the best," and even feel a rush of excitement or possibility. And yet, you may simlutaneously feel sadness, uncertainty and fear.

The model included in this posting shows how the various phases of transition can--and do--overlap. You'll also see that the model includes a "Limbo Zone." This is the heart of the transition. You are in the soup. Things seem like they can go either way. And depending on the choices you make and the mindset you bring to them, they can.

I view the Limbo Zone as a time of infinite possibility. This is the zone where personal creativity can be harnessed to develop powerful new ideas and strategies for moving your life forward. (And yes, I believe you are inherently creative.) Our work in this phase helps you leverage your personal values, gifts and strengths while you navigate the emotions and choices that accompany change. The result is often increased self-awareness, a smoother transition into a new way of life, and a feeling of positivity, confidence and purpose.

Shanghai Daily Newspaper Feature

2007-05-16T12:28:00.000+08:00

Shanghai Daily Feature:

'Scientific' Palm Reading

By Kate Chapman

As published May 16, 2007 in the Scope section of Shanghai Daily

This isn't hocus-pocus fortune-telling or palmistry, claims life coach Beth Ronsick. No, it's hand analysis based on a "scientific process." Skeptical journalist Kate Chapman lends both hands, and an ear.

As I am having jet-black water-soluble block printing ink rolled onto my palms and fingers, I begin to wonder if this was a big mistake. I am a journalist after all; we are known for being skeptical and cynical and yet here I am about to have my palms "read."

But this is no ordinary palm reading. Certified hand analyst and life coach Beth Ronsick uses a modern technique developed by Richard Unger, who set up the International Institute of Hand Analysis in California in 1985 after years of research. The technique is called "life purpose analysis," which might sound airy-fairy, but as analyst Ronsick explains, it is based on a "scientific process." She doesn't go into detail.

"It has a scientific process to it because it has patterns that are identifiable, repeatable and teachable," she says.

"How can you deny if you live in nature that there are blueprints for how certain things are supposed to be. It doesn't do an oak tree much good to think it's a daffodil." That's where the life purpose comes in.

Unger undertook many years of research into traditional palmistry and personally read over 50,000 palms. Hand analysis differs from palmistry because it is not a fortune telling exercise. "It helps people to realize their potential," says Ronsick.

She believes everyone has their own unique attributes and her analysis is intended to make people aware of what theirs are."

Part of how I'm wired is to give people information that is immediately useful and helpful. Knowing their life purpose can help people accept themselves," says Ronsick. "If you accept yourself anything is possible."

After this introduction to the system, I am pacified and Ronsick sets to work making prints of my palms. She makes two copies of each palm - so I have a copy to take home, she explains. The prints are made because they are a "snapshot," she says. "Fingerprints don't change as we go through life, but our palm lines do."

Standing in her small, immaculate kitchen with black tiles and countertop and blue cupboards, Ronsick studies my palm prints and makes some notes. I wash the ink off my hands. It comes off surprisingly easily with soap and water.

With a magnifying glass and flashlight Ronsick looks at my hands. She constantly moves between my palm prints and my palms.

We move into the living room to do the analysis. The room is light, comfortable, and stylish with a white sofa, hardwood floors and family pictures and flowers for decoration.

Ronsick looks at the unfamiliar lines or "markers" on my hands. She asks me to sign a liability waiver. This basically says that she is not a certified psychotherapist and that I understand this. Presumably I would not hold her responsible for any poor decisions I might make based on her observations.

She says I can participate in the analysis however I wish, sit quietly or ask questions as I wish. She starts the MP3 recorder and begins to tell me what my palms say. I later get a copy of the recording.

Each finger represents a different life purpose theme such as artist, innovator, or family person, she says. Each fingerprint is ranked based on the complexity of the pattern. So, the more complex a fingerprint the higher the ranking of that finger's life purpose theme. People may have one, or several combined themes.

Ronsick tells me that mine is leadership. My life purpose is to be a passionate leader. This is about having influence, power and authority, says Ronsick. "When you're clear about what you're passionate about, the leadership will follow." She links this to my job and the power of informing people.

The second significant part of the analysis is finding out my life lesson, something I need to work on. This sounds like it's going to be bad. But, Ronsick says, she never tells anyone anything negative because she doesn't believe there is anything bad.

Rather, there are things we need to understand and learn from. Mine is emotional authenticity. "The need to really understand what you're feeling, when you're feeling it, and accept it without judgment," says Ronsick. As opposed to bottling up my feelings and having them explode at totally inappropriate times - good advice, I'd say.

Your life purpose and life lesson are what your fingerprints tell you. Your palms offer insight into your personality. Ronsick explains that I have earth and water hands with a fire heart line which indicates "practical creativity." My big thumbs in comparison to the rest of my hands indicate that I am willful and ambitious.

I'm not sure what to make of all this. Feeling like Ronsick now knows a lot more about me than I do about her, I begin to ask questions. How on earth did she get into hand analysis? The answer is simple; she had it done herself.

In November 2000 just as Ronsick was getting ready to move from New York City to Hong Kong, she and some girlfriends had their hands analyzed. "It was really just on a lark." But, over the years she would refer back to the recording of the analysis and different things would resonate with her.

When Ronsick returned to the United States in 2005, after taking a year off to travel the world and visit family, she began working as a life coach, a job closely related to her previous work in people development and training for a global advertising firm.

She became a certified life coach. While working towards this she noticed that the woman who had first read her palms was now teaching hand analysis and Ronsick decided to go to her weekend workshop to use it as a tool for coaching. She enjoyed the first workshop so much she kept going and was eventually certified. The certification course consisted of assignments, many palm readings and an exam.

Shanghai has always been on her shortlist of places to live; she arrived in August 2006 and hasn't looked back. She runs her own life coaching and hand analysis business and thrives on the one-on-one work. "When a person comes to you and they're ready to make changes, that's a powerful process," she says.

Shanghai has received Ronsick and her teachings with an open mind. "This is a market that is really welcoming and excited about using this (hand analysis) as a tool." Most of her clients are expats, predominately entrepreneurs, artists and executives although she's open to clients of all ages, cultures and occupations.

At 39 Ronsick still has a lot of life ahead of her, for now she is content in Shanghai. "I like being here. I like being part of this community." And, she sees a huge opportunity for her services. "Once you have an idea of your own mission in life, it doesn't matter where you go, you take that with you."

Ronsick's life purpose, according to her own hand analysis, is to be a "big shot mentor and artistic person in the spotlight"; it seems like her fingerprints are spot-on.

--END--

For more on hand analysis, please see the post titled "Life Purpose Hand Analysis" in the "Tools for Awakening" section of this blog.

Tools for Awakening

2007-04-19T22:14:00.000+08:00

When you're ready to up the ante on your path of self-discovery, there are two tools I use that are the equivalent of evolutionary rocket fuel: Life Purpose Hand Analysis. And the Enneagram.

These are two separate tools. But they do have a few things in common: Both Life Purpose Hand Analysis and the Enneagram combine ancient wisdom with contemporary psychology and spiritual contemplation. Each provides a unique map of your gifts and potential, as well as your challenges on the path of transformation. Because each system can stand on its own as a potent growth catalyst, I regularly do independent consultations for those who are interested in seeing themselves more clearly.

When either the Enneagram or Life Purpose Hand Analysis is combined with coaching, the growth process kicks up a notch. Through regular support and continual reinforcement, the information of these systems shifts from being a static, mental download of data to an exciting, dynamic process of personal evolution. You learn to integrate and embody deeper truths about yourself because as your coach, I am serving as your mirror to help you recognize when you are aligned with your highest potential. I also help you spot when and why you are out of alignment, and support you to make adjustments as you go.

In short, the Enneagram and Life Purpose Hand Analysis give you remarkably accurate tools to pinpoint and heighten your self-awareness. Working with a coach increases your ability to become more fully present to your life, and therefore, to sustain your realizations.

To learn more, check out the posts titled "The Enneagram" and "Life Purpose Hand Analysis" in the "Tools for Awakening" section.

Life Purpose Hand Analysis

2007-04-18T10:29:00.003+08:00

Do you know why you're here?

Believe it or not, the answer lies within the code of your fingerprints. And in a one-hour reading, we can crack the code to reveal your Life Purpose and Life Lesson.

Chances are, you're already familiar with palmistry. It's an art that dates back thousands of years. In the last several decades, however, a new system has evolved that blends ancient wisdom, scientific data and the practicality of the human potential movement. "Life Purpose Hand Analysis" is NOT predictive fortune-telling; rather, it is based on a system that has been validated by studying hundreds of thousands of hands, and the results are repeatable and teachable—I have certified with the International Institute of Hand Analysis, which is regarded by many as the most stringent and highly respected course of study available.

WHAT I CAN TELL FROM YOUR HANDS:
Readings combine two primary sources of data: Your fingerprints, and the lines on your hands. From the fingerprints, I determine your Life Purpose (your highest potential or area of self-actualization) as well as your Life Lesson (your area of greatest resistance that must be befriended in order for your Life Purpose to manifest.)

Because your fingerprints are formed in utero and never change, they carry an imprint of what you came here to do and to learn. The lines on your hands reflect your unique pattern of thinking, feeling, and communicating. They can, and do, change. Taken together, the lines of the palm give me a snapshot of where you are in relation to your Purpose and Lesson at any given point in time.

CAN I SEE YOUR FUTURE?
I’m not trained in the same way as a Chinese fortune teller. And I'm not a psychic. I'm a coach with a background in corporate training and people development. That means my interest is in seeing you re-connect with your own resourcefulness and potential. I do not know how long you'll live, how many children you'll have, or whether you'll make your first million by age 30. Don't even go there, because I don't go there.

What I can do is to catapult your awareness of how you use your energy; what gifts you bring to your relationships and the possible pitfalls; and what talents you have that may in fact be your buried treasure. I can give you the knowledge. But the choice—and therefore, the power—remain with you.

CONSULTATIONS & SERVICES AVAILABLE:

(Note: Ink-printing of your hands is required at least 24 hours in advance of your session and takes approximately 20 minutes. For remote clients, an ink-printing kit with instructions will be mailed to you.)

BASIC READING: 275 USD

In this 90-minute session, we spend 60 minutes introducing you to your Life Purpose and Life Lesson, and the remaining time either answering questions or going in-depth into a particular aspect of the hand. The Basic Reading includes a copy of your handprints and an mp3 audio file of the session.

VIP CAREER CONSULTATION: 350 USD

In this 2-hour session, the first hour shares research findings with a focus on understanding your innate talents and how the master strategies of your Life Purpose and Life Lesson play out for you on-the-job. In the second hour, we do fast-track coaching to integrate the information to make it immediately practical and actionable. You'll receive an expanded, 3-pate written profile in addition to a copy of your handprints, as well as an audio recording of the session.

LIFE PURPOSE COACHING PACKAGE: 650 USD

This option helps you take the potency of the information in your hands forward through ongoing coaching support. We launch with a Basic Reading, followed by three, one-hour coaching sessions. Together, we'll translate your Life Purpose into a concrete plan of action and we'll work on dismantling any patterns of sabotage linked to your Life Lesson. This bundled packages saves you 15% over purchasing a reading and coaching time a la carte.

OTHER SERVICES:

-Corporate Teambuilding:

Because fingerprint formations can be mathematically ranked and classified, it is possible to collect a group's data and to calculate a Team Purpose and a Team Lesson. Learning modules and team exercises are custom-created to help the group integrate both Purpose & Lesson data in the context of team performance.

-Two-person readings: For couples or parent-child relationships, we focus on the complementary aspects of each person's Purpose and Lesson, including ways to more fully enjoy each other and support each other's development. We also work to harmonize the differences and ways you potentially trigger each other.

-Speaking engagements: My talks include an educational component, as well as an interactive experience. You'll actually look at your own hands for clues about your Life Purpose and Life Lesson.

Please contact me for details.

The Enneagram

2007-04-17T10:31:00.000+08:00

While there are many paths to transformation, I have personally found few that provide a more accurate map for self-observation and daily practice than the Enneagram.

The Enneagram is an ancient symbol that represents nine different personality types, each of which moves in dynamic, yet predictable patterns that are motivated by a set of basic fears and basic desires.

While each of us may feel we are an amalgamation of various personality types at one time or another, there is one type that is our base camp throughout life. Determining our type, and learning to understand the types of others can greatly enhance our sense of humanity and can change the nature of our relationship to ourselves, to others and to our place in the world.

The modern day Enneagram is the product of contemporary psychology, although it has links to ancient Greece and consolidates thousands of years of spiritual wisdom including early Christianity, Sufism, and the Kabbalah. As a tool for practice, the Enneagram is non-denominational. Its overarching premise is that we are spiritual beings in material form; it attempts to show us our divinity and unity, as well as to enlighten the ways we consistently block our divine nature.

Rather than being a system that puts people into "boxes" of personality type, the Enneagram teaches us that the personality structure itself is a box, and when combined with self-awareness and mindful reflection, it gives us a blueprint for transcending the box of personality. In short, knowing our personality type is just the beginning. The truth of of who we are is one of life's great mysteries, but the better we know ourselves, the more capacity we gain to respond to life from a place of real truth, rather than to react in unconscious, destructive patterns.

To learn more about the Enneagram or to take an online "RHETI" assessment, go to http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/

Results interpretations and one-on-one teachings are available and are customized on an individual basis. Please contact me for details.

I hope to begin teaching the Enneagarm or holding group workshops in the next 12 months.

Consulting

2007-04-15T22:48:00.000+08:00

I am always open to consulting opportunities that allow me to use my rather eclectic combination of skills to get results in a way that is mutually fun and profitable. (Yes, the two can go together...)

Here are a few of the areas in which I consult:

IDEAS SESSIONS:
There is indeed a zone that goes beyond the typical wimpy brainstorming, where there's a lot of talk but not a lot of relevant output. As a facilitator, my desire is to create an environment where ideas not only pop like popcorn, but are also effortlessly streamlined toward a purpose. The intent is to leave you with output that has teeth and wheels. I want you to have fresh, memorable ideas, as well as an action plan for what will happen next as you take those ideas forward.

CORPORATE CULTURE & INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS:
Whether you know it or not, your company has a culture, and the smartest players know better than to leave it to default. As a consultant, I help companies get clear on their values. Once we crystallize the DNA of the company, we have a litmus test against which we measure every piece of internal and external communication produced--whether the message is for clients, staff, potential hires, the media, etc. As a consultant, I engage in both the discovery process and the execution and crafting of messages. Think of it as "internal branding."

(For more, check out the sample case studies in the postings that follow.)

If you are a company embarking on corporate social responsibility initiatives, then having a sincere and authentic blueprint of your company's values and culture is a must in order for your CSR program to have integrity and a long shelf life.

DEVELOPING WORKSHOPS THAT COMBINE HUMAN POTENTIAL & CREATIVITY:
Self-knowledge liberates both personal and applied creativity. Creativity inspires others to learn something about themselves. It's the ultimate cycle of regeneration. And workshops that combine the two are not only fun, but tend to have a lasting, life-changing impact.

For a look at a course taught for the University of Missouri's Journalism School that combined creativity, brand strategy and self-development, follow this link:

http://journalism.missouri.edu/news/2005/05-02-brand-you.html

CORPORATE TRAINING & PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT:
Expertise ranges from executive coaching to delivering training to developing strategies for sustainable employee growth, retention and knowledge sharing. I specialize in working with small, creative companies and/or those in the marketing and communications industry. My work is customized, personal, and in the trenches. Be forewarned: I'm much more interested in biting off an actionable problem and going deep, than in delivering a one-off workshop for the masses that gets zero follow up or traction.

FREELANCE WRITING:
You know what they say, "You can take the copywriter out of the agency...but you can't stop her from writing." What? You mean they don't say that? Hmmm. Well, I do love to write and enjoy crafting communication for publication, be it for websites, marketing, editorial, presentations, etc.

The Role of the Coach & Client

2007-04-15T15:44:00.000+08:00

First and foremost, a coach serves as a facilitator to guide you to your own solutions.

My assumption is that you already have the wisdom, creativity and resources within you to navigate life's questions and challenges. If I can put you in touch with your inner guidance, real and lasting change is possible because it flows organically from your ideas and honors your timing and process.

Radical thought, eh? You are your own guru.

As the client, you are the one who drives the relationship. You bring the topic you want to work on to each session. This simple act reinforces your responsibility for what you create in life and your sense of confidence in getting there. You also tell me how I can best support you. I customize my work and skills to meet your agenda. Not the other way around.

Here are some other roles that come to mind when I think of myself as a coach:

Archaeologist:
At the start of coaching, we do some work to heighten awareness of your values, gifts, dreams and desires. Often in the course of life, these essential parts of ourselves get lost, silenced or forgotten. So sometimes a little digging is needed to unearth your buried treasure. My role here is to ask you provocative questions.

Mirror:
I listen objectively and reflect back patterns I hear in your language, your emotions and your behaviors. Very few of us have someone who will listen to us in a space of unconditional support and acceptance. This combination of listening and reflecting without judgment allows you to cultivate eye-opening measures of self-awareness.

Tuning Fork:
In each and every session, I help you become aware of where you are at choice in your life so that you can align your decisions with your values and goals. This is the key to moving forward with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. I help you stay in tune with what you say matters most to you until this way of thinking and being is ingrained and you can stand on your own, continuing to make powerful choices for yourself.

Cheerleader:
I believe in celebrating what's going right in your life, rather than focusing on what's not. People come to coaching with a desire for some form of change, and my experience is that the more supportive and nurturing the environment is, the faster you'll manifest results. What we focus on expands. Why not focus on what's working?

Internal Branding Case Study: BrandNew

2007-04-14T14:26:00.000+08:00

BrandNew:

An Orientation Kit and Internal Branding Experience created for new employees of Ogilvy & Mather

The Challenge:

To help hundreds of new hires get up to speed and feel connected at a time when the company was expanding so rapidly, the culture, process & sense of human touch were at risk of dilution.

The Solution:

Through “BrandNew” we created an orientation experience that included a kit of materials, live presentations and practical skill trainings for new hires. Behind the scenes, I developed a set of best practices for supervisors and supporting staff to help new hires settle in, as well as an online survey system to track new hire satisfaction. The kit was so successful in New York, I also rolled it out across Ogilvy & Mather's offices in Asia Pacific.

First Photo (clockwise from top):

New hire tool kit of office supplies and goodies
A folder with press sheets to introduce & credential each Ogilvy discipline
A list of basic phone contacts and voicemail startup instruction
Temporary nameplate for office door to signal to co-workers that a newbie has arrived
An employee handbook of culture, history and rules for the road

Second Photo

New hire tool kit interior

Credits:
Graphic design: Claire Theobald. Copy: Beth Ronsick & Jeff Mueller.

Corporate Culture Case Study: Feed Your Head Week

2007-04-13T20:55:00.000+08:00

Feed Your Head Week Homepage

In the Days Before Blogs...Participants Take a Class at
the International Center of Photography and Share Their
Experience in Photos and Quotes

Ad Guys and Gals Jam Together and Live to Tell

Feed Your Head Week:
A Culture & Community Event Created for Ogilvy & Mather New York

The Challenge:
Find a way to demonstrate the agency’s commitment to creativity and ideas by designing a forum for employees to seek inspiration outside the office .

The Solution:
“Feed Your Head Week:” Employees chose one of 48 cultural events like an architectural walking tour, a salsa class, making pottery, Asian cooking lessons, etc. Ogilvy supported the time out of the office for employees to participate and picked up the tab. Thanks to a fun internal publicity campaign, over 600 people participated.

Extending the Goodwill:
Each event team leader was given a camera to take photos. And a post-event online survey was generated to capture each participants comments about their chosen event, as well as their impression of Ogilvy as an ideas culture. After the event, these photos and comments were used to create an online community that kept the inspiration alive.

My Role:
As an internal consultant, it was my task to drive this project from a spark of an idea straight through to execution--from partnering with the creative team to design and write materials to managing the event coordinators and creative production team.

Featured Photos:
Screen grabs from the Feed Your Head Week website.

Credits:
Design: Mark Frisk. Photos: Jeffrey Schifman. Copy: Beth Ronsick.

Coaching Client Testimonials

2007-04-01T16:41:00.000+08:00

“You know how you make resolutions time and again? This year I’ll create my dream job, spend more time with my family, exercise, travel, write that novel…Through careful guidance, Beth got to the core of my being, helping me to discover what I really want to do with my life and what habits made me fail before. The realizations alone are powerful enough to make me focus on my true goals and stress less about everything else, leaving me to enjoy my time, my family, and my purpose.”

—Marieke van Buytene, Writer & Writing Coach, Shanghai

"Beth provides an adult time out so I can reflect on what I am doing and what I want to shift….she taps into my potential not my foibles. It's the best investment I have ever spent on myself."

—Mary Rezek, Organizational Development Consultant, Shanghai

"With Beth's exquisite support, I found my own clarity, focus and way to move forward with ease. Beth combines a caring heart, a quick mind, and a gift with language to create an incredible context for rapid growth. I highly recommend her as an outstanding, effective coach!"

—Kay Richardson, Coach & Performing Artist, San Diego, CA

“Working with Beth helped me produce my own sense of self-establishment. After 3 sessions, I had a better understanding of what was important to me and what I needed to do to get what I wanted—and I was able to do so without fear.”

—Anonymous, Shanghai

“Beth has helped me to focus on the long-term by helping to identify a set of subsequent short-term goals. She has pulled open the doors of my mind to new possibilities, most importantly by breaking down the wall I built between it and my heart. Incredibly, she did a lot of this without me cognitively considering that I was making these huge steps.”

—Jonathon Coulson, Teacher, Teach for America, New York City

“Beth was completely focused on me, taking her cues from me, not from an agenda. Her warmth, receptiveness, and intelligence gave me the confidence to talk about the poetry I was writing and to get me going on my next career as a poet. I highly recommend her as a coach .”

—Carol Conway, Poet and grandmother, New York City

“No words can express my gratitude and how blessed I feel to have experienced life coaching with you."

—Fiona Peng, Designer, Shanghai

"Before I started working with Beth as my coach I was in a quandary. Stuck between what I KNEW I wanted for my career and what I thought I was obligated to be doing. During our sessions Beth used a combination of intuition, business sense and deep listening to help me find the center and balance I needed to move forward in my new direction. She also held me to some hard and fast ‘rules of the road’ to keep me moving forward and was always ready when I needed her. I recommend working with Beth Ronsick whenever you are moving through your life’s transitions – it’s refreshing and fun."

—Peggie Arvidson-Dailey, Owner, Peggies Pets, Alexandria, VA.

"Beth is a masterful coach and her heart is as big as the ocean! Thank you, Beth!"

—Beth Davis, Hand Analyst, Tucson, AZ

Hand Analysis Client Testimonials

2007-03-31T14:34:00.001+08:00

"The knowledge I gained from my readings with Beth was life-changing. She creatively and intuitively shined the light on my true nature and gently helped me envision my limitless potential. Now I have a deeper understanding of what my life’s unique purpose is and how to achieve it. Beth's readings resonated with me 100%. This was an amazing short-cut to my life's road map."

—Kathleen Robertson, California

"Beth was hired to do a diversity and teambuilding workshop for our China team using hand analysis. I was very skeptical. But it was 100% me, whereas other profiles I've taken were so NOT me. The other suprising point was just how accurate the reading was with the other colleagues who participated. Truly remarkable! The 'aha moments' and insights into each other that the team was able to access were palpable. I know it will make a lasting difference in relationships at work. If you are thinking about doing this for your company, go for it...put your doubts aside. It is powerful."

—John Patterson, Singapore

"You really were a turning point for me in getting my priorities straight. We are bombarded with so many different resources and opinions in life (some that feel more legitimate than others) but it's once in a blue moon that one comes along and makes an impact because it's more than a suggestion or even an affirmation, it's self-empowered knowledge. And that's a tool you can use for life."

—Amena Schlaikjer, Shanghai

"Listening to the recording of our reading again, I'm still amazed at how on target it is. I gain more and more insight each time I listen to it. The reading just highlights once again the important factors I need to ensure are present in a future career. The message is so powerful."

—Heather Daigle, Atlanta

"I got real value out of it. It took fragments of things that I understood or thought I knew and organized them in a way that helped me understand myself better. It’s an experience, but it’s also a tool. It’s about realizing a greater potential."

—Rachel Speth, Shanghai

"Beth’s analysis of my hands was not at all what I was expecting, and its impact on me has been profound. Traits in myself I’d once considered flaws were now seen as a natural part of my makeup to be worked with rather than fought against, and talents I’d taken lightly have been given the respect and attention they deserve. As a result, I’m generating more income and realizing a dream I didn’t think I had the ability to achieve. In one hour, her reading unlocked the obstacles I’d been carrying around for years. I don’t think a lifetime of therapy could’ve served me as well. "

—Trevy Thomas, Fredericksburg, Virginia

“ I expected a crystal ball; I was instead given invaluable insight.”

—Jonathon Coulson, New York City

"I left that day feeling hopeful and positive about life and my abilities. It made me believe in myself...that maybe I do have something to offer the world. I would recommend Beth to everyone and I can't wait for her to be back in the NYC area so I can treat myself to another reading and bring some friends who I know would benefit from Beth's wisdom."

—Ivette Czaja, New Jersey

"Beth's hand analysis has been helpful to me in many ways. She saw patterns in my hands that are things I have learned about myself only through deep work. Her affirmation of my strengths has allowed me to speak of those parts of myself with more confidence than before. Beth is intuitively gifted, and blessed with wisdom and profound presence."

—Virginia Knox, Greensboro, North Carolina

"Beth's reading was right on the mark. The description of my needs and motivations were specific and accurate."

—Ken Wolf, Fallston, Maryland

"Beth's hand analysis was like holding up a magic mirror that enabled me to affirm what I knew intuitively, but was never able to access on my own. My life has been so positively transformed by this validation of who I am and what my life’s purpose is.”

—Tricia Beck, Arizona

What is Coaching?

2007-03-05T11:16:00.000+08:00

Coaching is an ongoing collaborative partnership that is custom-designed to support you in achieving the results you most want to attain--be they in your career, your personal life or as it relates to your overall sense of satisfaction.

Coaching has a high rate of success because as the client, you are seen as the source of your solutions. A coach assumes that you already have all the wisdom, creativity and inner resources needed to elicit the most relevant strategies and actions for success.

Therefore, the role of the coach is to serve as an objective ally and facilitator who provides provocative questions, valuable tools, and a healthy measure of structure, accountability and positive reinforcement.

When you hire a coach, you are inviting a catalyst into your life to help you realize more of your innate potential. You are taking ownership and responsibility for your right to live an extraordinary life.

How is Coaching Different from Therapy?

2007-03-04T22:06:00.000+08:00

Therapy and coaching can be wonderful complements to each other. They are, however, different and distinctive resources.

In the most traditional sense, therapy tends to focus on the past, with an emphasis on family dynamics and the conditions and conditioning that made you who you are. Often, the therapeutic process entails the fixing of a problem or the release of trauma or pain.

While coaching honors the forces that shaped you, its focus is on the future and on the choices and actions that represent forward movement toward a specific outcome. The coaching process assumes the client is healthy and whole and emphasizes what is already working in the client's life.

Why Would I Hire a Coach?

2007-03-03T19:46:00.000+08:00

Here are some reasons why you might consider working with a coach:

You are going through a change (or you sense change is imminent) and you want to make the most of it
You need help making important life decisions
You have a timely challenge or opportunity in front of you and you need to "step up"
You are accomplished and successful, but not necessarily satisfied
You feel you lack clear goals or a sense of purpose in your life or career
You sense your work and life are out of balance
You want to clarify and leverage your strengths
You want to access your creativity and inner wisdom more directly and consistently
You want to learn, grow and know yourself better
You want to move forward in life with greater ease, flexibility and speed

"What Should I Look for When Choosing a Coach?"

2007-03-02T22:08:00.000+08:00

Here are three things to keep in mind when looking for a coach:

Experience
What kind of training or credentials does the coach have? What's their professional background? What kind of life experiences have they had? Decide what’s important to you and don’t be afraid to ask questions about it.

Philosophy
Every coach has a different style and approach. It can be useful to start with a very basic question like "How do you define coaching?" What are the roles each of you will play, and what are the expectations? What is the process they use? Do they have a point of view on what brings results and happiness?

Chemistry
Coaching is a relationship, and the best relationships have good chemistry. Trust your gut. How does it feel to be in this person's presence? Are you relaxed? Inspired? Do they get you? Do you trust them?

Many coaches offer a sample session so you can check out how they work and see if it feels like a good fit. You may wish to shop around to see who is out there. It's in everyone's best interest for both the client and the coach to feel great about working together.

What Kind of Training Does a Coach Have?

2007-03-02T21:43:00.000+08:00

The answer to this question varies from coach to coach. If a coach is "certified," it means they have graduated from a formal course of study.

The certification process for a coach usually takes 1-2 years. It includes theoretical coursework; experiential learning with fellow coaches; a requirement to have a coach as well as to have paid coaching clients; and to submit session work for periodic skill evaluations.

There are, of course, coaches who are not certified who are doing great work. Personally, I wanted the skills, support and community that certification provided and am grateful for the opportunity to have learned from some masterful teachers and peers.

The International Coach Federation (ICF) is a global organization that sets the ethics, competencies and standards for the global industry of coaching. They also accredit coach training programs whose curricula match their standards.

The ICF website is a wonderful resource for learning more about coach training and many other aspects of coaching: www.coachfederation.org

How Do We Get Started? What's the Structure of a Coaching Relationship?

2007-03-01T11:23:00.000+08:00

If you are interested in working together, we start with a no-obligation sample session. This gives you a chance to check me out as a coach. It also gives me a chance to make sure I am the right resource for you. I am based in Shanghai, China where I do work in person. I also work with clients around the world via phone and Skype.

If we decide we're a good fit for coaching together, we launch with a Foundation Session. This is a session of 2-3 hours in which we co-design the relationship, set objectives for what you want to accomplish, and do some powerful self-discovery exercises. The work we do in the Foundation Session becomes the backbone for all the sessions that follow. By setting clear expectations and benchmarks up front, we create the means to track your progress in a tangible way throughout the relationship.

I have several coaching packages available, and the monthly fee varies according to the amount of time and support you select. In most relationships, we have three sessions per month of 45-60 minutes in length. This frequency allows you to achieve the momentum needed to move toward your goals.

I typically request a three-month minimum commitment. This allows you to achieve sustainable momentum for moving toward your goals, as well as a chance to move through any blocks or resistance you may encounter. And most importantly, to experience the thrill of your results.

Some clients find that three months is is enough to launch them confidently in a new direction. Others find that three months is just the beginning, and want to reap the powerful benefits that an ongoing collaborative partnership provides.

For more information, you may also wish to read the following posts:

"The Role of the Coach and Client" (filed under "Coaching")
"What Should I Look for When Choosing a Coach?" (filed under "FAQs")

Beth's Bio

2007-02-15T16:18:00.001+08:00

My Values: Authenticity, Trust, Creativity, Beauty, Integrity, Nature.

My Mantra: “Creativity in Service of Others”

My Story:
There are two things I love: Creating. And helping others create.

I’ve been fortunate enough to radically reinvent my career no fewer than five times in order to bring both of these into my work regardless of the company or role.

The current career incarnation is balancing a private practice of coaching clients with just enough training and consulting work to keep a toe in the corporate world.

Previously, I spent seven years in New York writing print and television commercials for both Chiat/Day and Ogilvy on clients like Reebok, IBM, American Express and Unilever. That was followed by an equal number of years doing training, corporate culture and people development work.

My last corporate gig was based in Hong Kong as the regional manager of training and people development for 5,000+ employees across Ogilvy’s Asia/Pacific region. That meant developing regional training strategies, cultivating networks of trainers, authoring knowledge management systems, overhauling global orientation programs, and building initiatives to enhance corporate culture. As a trainer, I trotted from country to country to teach and facilitate brand strategy, creative ideation, and career self-management.

At some point, my own personal journey of discovery and introspection became a rather insistent and unrelenting voice, so I left Hong Kong and pursued a year’s sabbatical. With an around-the-world ticket in hand, I took in massive doses of inspiration, from a drawing course in Tokyo to riding through India astride a Royal Enfield motorbike, to attending the Dalai Lama’s teachings, to working on an organic farm in New Zealand. I spent time in the U.S. with my family. And together, we launched an adoption reunion search through which I successfully reunited with my biological family.

That year of discovery has never really ended, it simply stretched on and on until one day, I was living a whole new life. It’s a thrill to now be in Shanghai, finding my Asian roots as well as my capacity to support this city’s vibrant community of entrepreneurs and artists.

I believe that life gives us countless opportunities to reinvent our realities and ourselves. We are always at choice. And with enough awareness, courage and self-acceptance, we can steer our choices in a direction that allows us to shine as individuals, while also finding and fulfilling our place in the bigger context of the world around us.

I don’t really think of my work as “work,” but when I’m not doing it, I love playing with words and paints and cameras. I know I’ve got a book or two gestating within. I try to keep up with yoga and meditation practices. And I’m a big believer in carving out space and time for good old-fashioned daydreaming and goofing off.

Right. Time to roll the credits: I’ve got a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, USA and a copywriting diploma from the Portfolio Center in Atlanta, Georgia. My coaching certification is through Coach for Life in California, and I hold an Associate Certified Coach designation from the International Coach Federation. I’m Meyers-Briggs accredited, a certified hand analyst, and have completed over 200 hours of training with the Enneagram Institute.

City Weekend Magazine Feature

2006-11-08T17:50:00.000+08:00

City Feature:
How to Reach Your Goal

by Megan Shank
As published November 8, 2006 in City Weekend Magazine, Shanghai Edition

It's your life. Make it an inspired one by living out your dreams and acting in accordance with your principles. CW directs you to the resources you need to make it happen.

It's clear the race is on in Shanghai. We're willing participants, but are we mindful players and directors of our own lives? Fortunately, there are resources to help you ask those tough questions and to support you while you seek the answers.

1. Hire a Life Coach

"The people who I tend to work with are farily aware. They tend to be successful people already," says Beth Ronsick, a Shanghai life coach certified by the International Coach Federation. "They just know there's tremendous value to have someone there to be a sounding board and a partner."

Ronsick also comes from a successful background. A Missouri School of Journalism graduate, she built an enviable career as a copywriter at top New York ad agencies until later shifting to the creative support department. Later, she worked for Asia Pacific where she managed the training and people development departments in 20-plus offices around Asia. This success didn't guarnatee her happiness, however. She took a sabbatical from the corporate world, hired a coach and discovered her life's purpose was to help other people, but not "in the Peace Corps kind of way." Today Ronsick assists others in moving through their lives' various transitions.

"Coaching tends to have a high success rate because you are the only source of your solutions," Ronsick says. "You already contain the wisdom, creativity and resources to come up with your own solutions and strategies for your life. My job as a coach is to bring structure, unconditional support, a healthy measure of accountability and questions."

Ronsick starts by asking the client what they want to accomplish and what they value. Then they get to work.

"It's really work in a way that therapy is not. Therapy seems more indulgent," says Annette Tryde, a commercial director who lives in the Washington, D.C. area and who has worked with Ronsick for more than a year. "With this process, you have homework, and you're getting something you want out of every session, and you're leading the way. I don't feel like a victim. I feel very full of possibility."

Another client of Ronsick's, Mary Rezek, a principal consultant at Saatori in Shanghai, relates: "It's not like ice cream. It's not all the time happy."

Change isn't easy, which is why so many people live on auto-pilot, say both Tryde and Rezek.

"Everyone has routine in their lives, and it serves them," Rezek says. "But it doesn't allow for the emergence of new things."

Fresh possibilities and insights instead emerge through the reflection instigated by the tough questions posed by coaches like Ronsick and Mia van der Heijden--another soon-to-be approved ICF coach planning to set up shop in Shanghai.

"Coaching is a new way of helping people," van der Heijden says. "It is not about giving advice; it is about the way of being there for and with a client through a period of change."

Tryde and Rezek both testify to the positive results they've achieved in their work with Ronsick, buy they're also adamant that their successes largely depend on their own courage and commitment. It's a revolutionary idea, and Ronsick puts it best:

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if people did things that were really in alignment with their values? It would change the face of society."

2. Hit the Books

Maybe you're looking for answers, but you'd prefer to start independently. Here's a brief rundown of some favorite life guides, which can be found at any of the foreign booksellers in our listings.

"The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey lists seven principles that, if adopted, are purported to help a person achieve interdependent effectiveness through a guiding character ethic. 15 million copies, 38 languages.
"Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson uses a parable of four characters to describe change in work and life and how to cope. In China, more than 1.6 million copies have been sold, and more than a dozen spin-offs of the book have been written, including "Chinese Peole Eat Cheese? Who Took My Meat Bun?"
"The Art of War" by Sun Tzu may be a less peaceable lens through which to see the world, but if it's withstood the centuries, there must be some wisdom within. English copies are available in a slim paperback. Countless millions have read this book.
"The Amazing Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale takes a simple enough approach to life. He was a progenitor of the idea that attitude is everything in this life. 20 million copies, 41 languages.
"How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie appeals to people to change their lives by better communicating and by better seeking to please people in the name of duty and as a route to success. 16 million copies.