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| |  | Michael Fox CPCC,
founder of m·agine!,
is a professional
coach and trainer,
author and creative artist, whose work has been featured throughout
the world.
Michael is a
Certified Practitioner
of the
Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator.®
Do you know someone
who might benefit
from our weekly email?
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Awful Annie's restaurant is tucked inside one of the historic buildings in Auburn--an old Gold Rush town in California's Sierras and our home for twenty years. Annie's is one of those special "third places"--apart from home and office--where we often sought refuge over a sumptuous breakfast or lunch. Over the years we came to know and love many of the people at Awful Annie's: Jennifer and Amy, Liz and owner Jai, and others. Oh, how I miss their house sandwich, their scrambles, their soups and salads, their house-made bleu cheese dressing, and their signature bread pudding!
One day years ago I sat on the deck at Annie's, eating breakfast and enjoying a beautiful autumn morning. All too soon the tranquility was broken when two women sat down at an adjacent table and struck up a conversation. Within minutes it became evident to all who were listening--well, that would be me--that one of the women was "The Saleswoman" and the other was "The Mark."
It was actually quite entertaining for a time.
Ms. Saleswoman employed her most aggrandizing voice, and rained down an unholy mix of condescension and compliment on Ms. Mark. It was thick. To hear Ms. Saleswoman explain, Ms. Mark had magnificent hair, a magnificent blouse, a magnificent business, a magnificent family. Why, Ms. Mark herself was, in fact, magnificent! Ms. Saleswoman was quite the charmer in a rather tortuous fashion.
I was nearly finished with my meal when the server, a well-intentioned young lady, brought the two women their breakfast. Suddenly, upon receiving her muffin, Ms. Saleswoman morphed into Ms. Cruela Deville, and turned her attention from Ms. Mark to the server. With a voice that, in retrospect, screeched like Regan in The Exorcist, she complained, "I asked that my muffin be sliced horizontally, not vertically, and then be toasted crisp. Take this muffin back and do as I asked!"
A muffin, mind you.
I was incredulous, and had to restrain myself from jumping to the defense of the disconcerted young server. I left a few minutes later and reflected on what I had witnessed. I hoped that Ms. Mark, in a brief moment of clarity, might see the unvarnished character of Ms. Saleswoman and run from her solicitations. And it reminded me of a lesson I had learned years before at the feet of a wise mentor:
The true gauge of a person's character
is how she treats
the one who can do nothing for her.
So, what's the name of the clerk at the grocery store and the teller at the bank who typically takes care of you on each visit? What do you know about them?
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Michael Fox
m·agine!
530/613.2774
407 Myrtle Drive
Farmerville, LA, USA 71241 |
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In addition to personal and professional coaching,
m·agine! specializes in spiritual transformation coaching,
employing its proprietary models
--Values, Vision, Voice and Heart, Soul, Mind & Strength--
as well as
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® curriculum
published by CPP, the People Development People.
Michael's books include
Complete in Christ,
Complete in Christ Spiritual Transformation Workbook,
and Biblio·files.
Coaching fees are based upon a sliding scale. Contact us for details.
For additional information, visit our website at maginethepossibilities.net.
Limited scholarships are available for spiritual transformation coaching.
On the flip side, if you are able, please inquire about opportunities
to fund scholarships for those who cannot afford coaching fees.
View our archives!
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