MWF February-March 2013 1

Ramp-Up to a Great New Year

February-March 2013A Network of Women Professionals

March MWF Meeting n When: 6:30 p.m., Monday, 2013 March 18. n What: “How knowing your personality preferencesimproves communication.” Joanne Weston is a certified coach and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) practitioner. She willfacilitate an interactive workshop to demonstrate how MBTI helps us to a) identify our natural communication style and b)improve how we interact with others. The result is improved relationships in both professional and personal lives. n Where:Carol Davies’ office, 9th Floor, Döhle Haus Manila, 30-38 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati. Coming from the Makati businessdistrict, drive along Gil Puyat (Buendia), cross Ayala Ave. and then cross over the railway track/South Super Highway. Thebuilding is about four blocks up, right after Security Bank and before you reach Bautista St. It’s a new tall red building, (hardto miss) on the left hand side. Turn left into the parking area located on the ground floor of the building to either park or getdropped off. n Bring: Something to share for the potluck dinner. n April Meeting: Monday, 2013 April 15.

By Melissa Alipalo

More than 50women attended theJanuarymeeting ofManilaWomen’s

Forum at Kitty Arambulo’s home tohear executive and career coach ShanaMontesol Johnson’s mini-workshopon making—and keeping—new year’sresolutions.

Shana led the women through a 3-step process she uses with her“What’s Next?” coaching clients oftaking stock, getting clear, and acting.

Step 1: Taking Stock of 2012This reflective exercise is divided

into two parts. In the first part—“Loved it!”— the participants wereasked to quickly write down what firstcomes to mind in response to thequestions: “What were the bestmoments of 2012? When did I feel Iwas at my best? What made me happyand fulfilled? What am I grateful for inthe past year? What experiences,projects, commitments, trips, relation-ships, and/or activities were enjoyable,

energizing, life-giving?”Each woman then shared her

response with a partner before movingon to the second part of taking stock,“Loathed it!” when the women wereasked to write down responses to thenext set of questions: “What were the

worst moments or seasons of 2012?When were you the least happy?What experiences, projects, commit-ments, trips, relationships, and/oractivities drained your energy,triggered your stress response, and/or

Photo: Jemma MacFadyen, Shana Montesol Johnson, Julia Cummins

(Continued on page 2)

Left to right: Jemma MacFadyen, Shana Montesol Johnson, Julia Cummins

Manila Women’sForum

2 MWF February-March 2013

(Ramp-Up . . . from page 1)drove you crazy?”

The “Loved it/Loathed it” stock-taking exercise was perhaps capturedbest in one forum member’s reflectionwith the group. “The things you lovecan also be the things you loathe,” shesaid. “For example, I have loved beinghome with my two beautiful, adoptedchildren, and I have loved going backto work. But juggling the two has beenreally stressful.”

Step 2: Getting Clear on 2013 Dreamsand Schemes

With the past year in quick review,Shana next asked women to look aheadby finishing the sentence “I want …”—but finish it as many times as youcan. “Don’t edit,” Shana said. “Don’tsay, ‘That will never happen.’ Justwrite whatever comes to mind, in astream-of-consciousness way.”

Forum members proved they arecreatures of desire. In 2013, they want

boyfriends, and new jobs, and moretime, and more control. But wanting itisn’t enough to have it. In her finalexercise of the workshop, Shana toldher audience that actions are, ofcourse, more effective than words.

Step 3: ActThis final step came in two parts.

Firstly, based on what they know of2012 and want from 2013, Shana askedthe participants to list actions theycould take to bring them closer to whatthey want in 2013.

In the second part of the exercise,Shana asked the women to commit totaking one action in the next week. Ifthey had a hard time identifying anysingle action, she recommended theybreak down their actions into smallertasks that would take no more than 30minutes—and then choose an actionfrom that list.

Several women shared how theywould take action to get what theywant from 2013. One forum membersaid she would claim more personaltime and exercise by treating herself toa well-earned Saturday morning time-out and finally visit that yoga studioshe’s been meaning to go to. She’salso going to talk to her boss aboutthe new office policy that allows forflexible hours in an attempt to intro-duce more flexibility and variety intoher 9-to-5 schedule. A member wantinga new job said she would reorganizeher résumé in the next week. Tocontrol her temper, one member said,“I am going to count to 10 before Irespond to someone who has annoyedme.”

Shana encouraged women to follow-up with their partners during the week.“Research has shown,” she said, “thatpeople who wrote down their goals,shared this information with a friend,and sent weekly updates to that friendwere on average 33% more successfulin accomplishing their stated goalsthat those who merely formulatedgoals.”

If you missed this fun and meaning-ful evening, and would like a copy ofthe PDF worksheet to work throughthis exercise on your own, you maycontact Shana at shana@developmentcrossroads.com or +63921 333 4938. You can also followShana on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/#!/developmentcrossroads) and Twitter(http://twitter.com/#!/devxroads), orsubscribe to her e-newsletter atwww.developmentcrossroads.com.

CoachingCoaching

When referring to getting coachedby a professional coach, coaching is ateaching, training or developmentprocess in which an individual getssupport while learn-ing to achieve aspecific personal or professional resultor goal. The individual receivingcoaching may be referred to as theclient or coachee, or she may be in anintern or apprenticeship relationshipwith the person coaching them.Occasionally, the term coaching may beapplied to an informal relationshipbetween one individual who hasgreater experience and expertise thananother and offers advice and guid-ance as the other goes through alearning process.

Career coachingSimilar in nature to career counseling

and traditional counseling, careercoaching focuses on work and career,or issues around careers. It is not to beconfused with life coaching, whichconcentrates on personal development.A common term for a career coach iscareer guide, although career guidestypically use techniques drawn notonly from coaching but also frommentoring, advising, and consulting.For instance, skills coaching andholistic counseling are increasingly ofequal importance to careers guidancein the UK.

Executive coachingDesigned to help facilitate pro-

fessional and personal development tothe point of individual growth andimproved performance. Coaches needto have a strong understanding ofindividual differences in a work placeas well as the ability to adapt their

coaching style or strategies, and it issuggested that those coaches who areunable to acknowledge these differ-ences will do more harm than good.

Executive coaches work their clientstowards specific professional goals.These include career transition,interpersonal and professionalcommunication, organizationaleffectiveness, performance manage-ment, managing career and personalchanges, developing executivepresence, enhancing strategic think-ing, dealing effectively with conflict,and building an effective team withinan organization.

Expat and global executive coachingDeals specifically with the unique

set of challenges created from cross-ing cultures following an internationalor domestic relocation. This niche ofcoaching tends to center aroundadapting to a new culture, identityissues created within relo-catingfamilies, difficulties attaining profes-sional goals amidst a changingpolitical and social structure, and othersocial and personal hurdles unique toeach individual. This method ofcoaching is either individual, or group-based and helps the client gainfulfillment, success and a sense ofidentity in the areas that are coached.

Coaching ethics and standardsOne of the challenges in the field of

coaching is upholding levels ofprofessionalism, standards, and ethics.Many coaching bodies and organiza-tions have codes of ethics and memberstandards and criteria according towhich they hold their membersaccountable in order to protectcoaching clients’ interests.

MWF February-March 2013 3

The February 18thManila Women’sForum introducedattendees to the rawfood movement with apresentation byAngela Lichauco of

Rawlicious Green Smoothies at thehome of Natasha Van Der Brink inDasmariñas Village. Accordingly, thecontributions to the pot-luck dinnercertainly kept to a vegetarian themewith green salads, colorful entrees and

other vegetable dishes as guestssocialized and connected through thevery relevant topic of healthful eating.

Realizing the market to promote agreen and natural lifestyle, Angela andher partner started Rawlicious with theconcept that food is an important partof one's life and small but meaningfulchanges can be beneficial. Food notonly should help us live longer butalso it can heal us physically, emotion-ally and spiritually. “Taking control ofyour overall health comes with a better

relationship with food,” Angelaexplained. “Conscious eating affectsour entire well-being.”

Angela endorses a plant-based,organic diet as one way to achieve thatmind-body-spirit balance. ThroughRawlicious, Angela distributessmoothies to clients all around MetroManila as well as at the Legaspi ParkSunday Market in Makati. For Angela,the debate between cooked versus raw,plant versus meat, and calorie-

Healthy EatingDecisions for the Body,Mind, and Spirit

By Irene Donohue

Introducing Raw and Organic Foods

(Continued on page 4)

Left to right: Shamsi Qurashi, Alexandra York, Charie Zamora, Angela Lichauco (speaker), Shweta Mangal, Sylvia Lichauco

4 MWF February-March 2013

MWF Newsletterc/o Lisa Lumbao26-B Casa Real TownhouseReal Street, Urdaneta VillageMakati City 1225

(Healthy . . . from page 3)

Manila Women’s Forum

Manila Women’s Forum (MWF) is a

cross-cultural network for women. Itprovides opportunities to build friend-

ships, talk to women of various cultures,

and share information about resources.

Our meetings are intended to provide

intellectual stimulation and lead to

personal and professional development.All women are welcome to join.

The current officers are: Lisa Lumbao,

Chair; Julia Holz, Treasurer and Member-

ship; Beaulah P. Taguiwalo, Newsletter;

Lisa Stuart, Message Board Moderator;

Evelyn Mendiola, Membership; ShariVirjee Tañada, Message Board; Caroline

Wright, Message Board; Camille

Dalmacio, Message Board.

Cost of membership is P300 per year.

Members receive a copy of the currentmailing list in addition to the newsletter,

which is also sent to non-members. A

contribution of P50 is collected from non-

members at each monthly meeting. For

more information about MWF, please

contact Lisa Lumbao at Tel. 813-0168, orat lumbao@mozcom.com.

counting versus non-counting all endwith seeking the nutritional benefit offoods. “You can take 100 calories in asugary soft drink or 100 calories in anapple - which 100 calories is more

nutrient-rich?” Angela posed. The rawapple is a “living food” and has fiber,essential vitamins and enzymes whichboost the energy in our bodies. “Thispositive energy source in living foodsallows our cells to renew themselves

and grow,” she continued.Without this renewal and highenergy, Angela believes, ourbodies can deteriorate and webecome sick more easily.

In addition to the positiveenergy generated through ahealthy plant-based, raw diet,Angela spoke of the benefits ofcaring for our spiritual healthincluding meditation andthankful prayer. As importantsteps toward developingconscious eating practices,gratitude and thankfulness offera connection to food and makeone fully aware of what is beingeaten. Understanding our foodand from where it comes,influences our entire sense ofwell-being. For this reason,Rawlicious choses ingredientsfrom organic farms that use nofertilizers and pesticides on theircrops. The promotion of organicfarming and production is animportant goal for Rawlicious.

Angela believes just smallsteps to making changes towarda green, plant-based and organicdiet will benefit us. She says noone diet is right for everyonesince we all have differentchemical and biological make-ups. The important part isrealizing the need to move to

Oranges and other fruits. Source: Der NeueBrockhaus (1937), vol. 1. This image is inthe public domain because its copyrighthas expired. From Wikipedia Commons.

more healthy, conscious eating habitsand building a better relationship withfood. According to Angela, keyquestions to ask while eating: “Is ittruly nourishing? Will it heal me? Isthis going to balance me?” For theRawlicious team, their answer – andmotto – is “Nourish Yourself Deeply.”

Visit www.rawliciousplanet.com formore information. Scheduled deliveriesare made twice weekly throughout thecity. For delivery of green smoothiesright to you, email rawliciousplanet@yahoo.com or 09178301RAW.