ICF Converge 2025 Takeaways
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and I just returned from the annual conference. It was held in San Diego, and I’m still buzzing with excitement.
The best part was talking with others, many of whom I’ve mainly interacted with virtually. I also enjoyed the exhibitor area and several of the talks.
Below are a few of my highlights.
1) A big shoutout to the SF Bay Area Chapter! It was wonderful to have a WhatsApp group, share learnings, and receive goody bags at our networking event. Thank you for the water bottle, notebook, etc.
2) Lyssa deHart - I love thinking about metaphors, and it was a pleasure to meet Lyssa in person. I try to join her monthly Q&A whenever I can.
3) Gorick Ng - I love his interviewing cards. One side has the question, and the other side contains a framework for answering. If you or anyone you know is looking for a job, I highly recommend them. I also recommend his book, The Unspoken Rules (see my book summary).
4) Introspective Daily Strength cards - Round cards with a question on one side and a quote on the other. The card I drew for today says, “What deserves my thoughtful consideration and planning?” with one of my favorite quotes on the back, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
And a few reflections from the sessions and conversations:
What do the images we have of ourselves say about the stories we tell ourselves?
What do the words others use mean to them? Are our interpretations accurate?
How does neurodiversity show up in others? Don’t assume or try to fix, ask.
Create restorative spaces. How can we help ourselves and others to pause, reflect, and nourish?
Did you know that Christina Maslach’s critique stopped the Stanford Prison Experiment, and she then ended up marrying the investigator? I enjoyed her Wikipedia article. She is known for her work on burnout, see the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).
I recommend Lisa Feldman Barrett's book How Emotions Are Made (see my summary). I love this book. It caused a huge paradigm shift in my thinking.
Practice playfulness, self-compassion, and levity.
I’m inspired by the event and have been thinking more about images, metaphors, stories, and how emotions are made.
Is there anything from the lists above that you can think about or try in the next week or two?
