Author: markoach

My natural tendency is to listen badly.  If there is a conflict, I am thinking of the next irrefutable point that I can make without really grasping what the other is saying.  Sometimes someone is telling me something that does not particularly interest me, so I check out.  One of the most significant gifts you … Continue reading Active Listening / Escucha activa

There is nothing like going to a cabin in the woods, a getaway, to reflect and pray.  I’ve also gone to the mountains and sat by a stream soaking in the beauty of creation.  It’s a voluntary retreat, a strategic retreat, to connect with the Lord and sense His presence and His direction. Jonah experienced … Continue reading Forced Retreat / Retiro Forzado

There was an article written at the beginning of the Covid pandemic called Leading Beyond the Blizzard: Why every Organization is now a Startup, by Andy Crouch, Kurt Keilhacker and Dave Blanchard.  The premise is that the Covid crisis is more than a blizzard, it is a mini-ice age, demanding that organizations and churches rethink … Continue reading New Paradigms / Nuevos paradigmas

Your first reaction to the title of this blog may be that there is a misspelled a word, it should be “New Year’s Resolution”.  That’s when we resolve to do something in the coming year.  Synonyms for “resolution” include determination, tenacity and firmness.  There is the implication that I am going to do something different … Continue reading My New Year’s Revolution

Bridges Sometimes a theme comes up in a coaching conversation that does not neatly fit a coaching model.  Yesterday I had a conversation with a young father who was present at the Waukesha Christmas parade tragedy with his wife and small children.  Several were killed and many more injured when an SUV intentionally plowed into … Continue reading Bridges

We have a pet rabbit, Dusty.   He stays under our kitchen counter, a breakfast/lunch counter, where my wife and I often eat.  He has a box there with hay in it, but meal time is snack time for him.  He sits up and looks up to where a treat is likely to come from.  He’s … Continue reading Rabbit Wisdom / sabiduria del conejo

My friend Doug called about a year ago to discuss plans for retirement with his wife, Barb.  They had been faithful missionaries in Brazil and were making preparations to return to the states, as we had done two years earlier.  Preparations and plans continued until a couple of weeks before their scheduled flight, when Doug … Continue reading The Best Laid Plans / Los mejores planes

Last Sunday my friend Andrew was preparing to deliver a message on dealing with anger.  I was chatting with him beforehand, and joked that I don’t have a problem with anger.  He said, “Don’t worry, part of the message deals with denial.”  Seriously, the first thought that comes to my mind when someone speaks of … Continue reading Journaling and Dealing with Anger / Escribiendo en un diario y manejando la ira

A few years ago, the Green Bay Packers had played badly several weeks in a row, and the fans and media were upset.  When the media asked quarterback Aaron Rodgers what was wrong, he famously replied, “Relax!”.  He clarified that from his perspective the team was fine and that everything was under control.  He was … Continue reading Relax! / ¡Relájate!

Life coaching is all about asking questions.  It’s a conversation that moves a person forward.  The most important question empowers a person to fully live out God’s purpose for them.  Does it come from a client?  Good life coaching would say yes.  It can come from a coach asking leading questions.   This can be appropriate … Continue reading The Most Important Question / La Pregunta más Importante