Some Reviews of Peggy's Work

Without fail, my sessions with Peggy challenged me to look at my personal and business development goals in a new light while simultaneously supporting me to evolve at my own pace. Peggy's sharp intelligence, honesty, and her abundant warmth make her a highly effective coach for any one looking to make concrete changes to their personal or professional life. -- Emma Cruise Rogers, Founder The Arion Center (Maryland) Working with Peggy I've discovered my deepest held values and life purpose. I've also learned to identify when I'm getting in my own way. Peggy has a peculiar knack for insight and clarity -- she cuts to the chase every time without wasting time or mincing words. The beauty of it is that it's always uplifting, encouraging and inspiring; I never feel pressured or dismissed. Peggy's gentle guidance is more than a breath of fresh air -- it's pure oxygen. -- Clemma Dawson Equine Gestalt Coach (Vermont) Peggy - Having you as my coach was a wonderful experience...In both my business and my personal life, you helped keep me on track in a kind and gentle way that was very comforting to me. You are a great listener but also have the ability to motivate thoughts to action. You have a strong talent for perceiving what is going on "behind" the words and bringing that forward to be examined. I am sincerely grateful for the time spent with you as my coach and look forward to working with you in the future. -- Annette Price, Boss Mare On the Wings of a Horse (Colorado)
An early experience in business taught me that a good idea is not the sole foundation for success. I learned through coaching that the implementation of a good idea must be preceded by clarity of intent, purpose and preparedness. Peggy helped me discover my true interest, level of confidence, willingness to persevere, preparedness and my long term goals. With answers to these questions I was able to confidently move forward to the next task of creating and implementing a business venture. -- Cliff Pollack, Biocommunications Specialist and Instructional Designer (Missouri)
Peggy offers the "push" needed for me to stay on track in building my business, offering me ideas that I may not have considered and encouraging me to try things that may be out of my comfort zone. I highly recommend Peggy! -- Lisa Martin, Owner Trotting Forward (North Carolina)
Through working with Peggy I found out how valuable a life coach can be. I learn something every call, as Peggy pushes me to be my best. She supports me and helps me in every way that she can. I value her expert advice and appreciate her keeping me on track. Peggy takes every call and every new step as seriously as I do and sincerely wants me to succeed. I love Peggy not only because she is such an asset to my business, but because she treats me like family and she truly cares! -- Sara Hereim, Owner Horses N Courage (Montana)
I always felt supported by Peggy...her gentle and caring approach was perfect for me. She always seemed to ask exactly the right questions to facilitate my ability to understand myself and find my own gifts. Her coaching enabled me to create my vision and move forward with my goals. I don't know how I would have done it without her! -- Jo Brilhart, RN, PsyD, LPC CEO, Equine Discoveries (Colorado)
Peggy showed compassion as she pushed me just past my comfort level enabling me to really understand how I wanted to show up in the world as a coach. She has a knack for asking just the right questions to provoke a deep inward search to come up with the answer that enabled me to break free of whatever was holding me back from success. I value Peggy's thoughts. I would highly recommend Birch Corner Associates for any business or personal coaching needs. -- Angie Payne, Equine Gestalt Coach Equine Enrichment (Calgary)
Last year at this time, it felt like we were driving on a snowy road with worn tires; lots of spinning and wasted time. You helped me, and us, mount new tires on this well- traveled vehicle. With your guidance we wrote up performance plans, clarified deliverables, defined organizational values, re-aligned roles, and came to a better understanding of each other's strengths and needs. This organization's profound change over the last twelve months is attributable to your guidance. You didn't offer pat advice, or create some illusion of how things should work. Right from the beginning, you invested yourself and took the time to learn the culture of the organization. You challenged my thinking, tested my assumptions, asked me to think deeply, and along the way, buoyed my desire for and understanding of what it means to be an effective manager and leader. What an incredible gift you gave me and all of us. You are no mere tire mechanic, Bob. You are the GPS that takes people where they want to go. I am grateful both personally and professionally, and on behalf of the entire organization, thank you. -- Roger Larochelle, Executive Director Squam Lakes Conservation Society (New Hampshire) Bob MacArthur has the unique ability to listen compassionately while simultaneously challenging me to go beyond my assumptions. An unwavering acceptance of people for who they are lies at the heart of Bob's gentle yet effective manner in probing the difficult issues that arise as I navigate my strengths and direction. There is no discernible judgment, yet there are helpful insights and suggestions. Coaching is for Bob a distillation of the many interests and talents that he has acquired and cultivated in his distinguished career. -- Lisa Dulsky Watkins, MD, Director Multipayer Primary Care Network Milbank Memorial Fund (New York) Bob, your role in helping the school move forward with our strategic planning was critical... Early on we said we wanted to be mindful of not only the immediate educational horizon, but that which was just beyond our sightline. Your perspective and your voice helped us accomplish that, and we would not be where we are today without your gentle persistence. I know how difficult it is to step into a community like Proctor and function as an agent of evolution, but I thought you were terrific at walking a nuanced line. My gratitude, the gratitude of the board, and the gratitude of the faculty runs deep. -- Mike Henriques, Head of School Proctor Academy (New Hampshire)
I am a member of the Board of Directors for my trade association and Bob was hired to facilitate the development of a Strategic Plan. Bob worked with our group for about a year to produce the document we work from to this day. I found Bob gentle in his approach and yet irresistible to follow. The work we produced was clear and serves to keep us on track, clear up digressions and helped greatly in making decisions that affect our industry. I highly recommend Bob for all such work of this type. -- Tom Leahy, Owner Leahy & Associates, Inc. (Colorado) Board Member, Association for Challenge Course Technology (Colorado) For a year I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Bob to co-facilitate the strategic planning process for Proctor Academy. It was an honor working with a professional who was mission driven, process oriented, strong collaborator, great listener, mediated difficult conversations, task oriented; and so talented on the best practices and approach in developing a well organized thorough strategic plan. In Bob's role, he acted as a facilitator for over 75 people with diverse skills, opinions and personalities. He always managed to make everyone feel comfortable to provide a voice but making sure we did not stray from the topic/mission. In addition, Bob was instrumental in synthesizing a magnitude of information and transforming it into a ... document the school could share with its constituents. It was a pleasure working with Bob who is so knowledgeable about strategic planning and is a special person to be around. I would recommend him to any organization big or small. -- Liz Blodgett-Smith, Owner and Principal BlodgettSmith Group (Massachusetts) Bob MacArthur is an extraordinary coach. His ability to help me sift through a myriad of topics to focus on core and sustainable personal and professional objectives has been tremendously valuable. He is an inspired and engaging personality who can cut to the heart of matters of material, spiritual and emotional significance. He is direct and compassionate and had little tolerance for excuses and denial. Exactly what anyone who is serious about personal development needs. -- Dev Pathik, Founding Partner The Sports Facilities Companies (Florida)
Some Reviews of Bob's Work
I first approached Bob because I was feeling overwhelmed by my responsibilities as a faculty member and chair of a newly independent academic department. I was losing focus on my priorities and finding it difficult to manage my time effectively... At the outset of our coaching relationship Bob was very clear that we define expectations, ground rules, goals and indicators of success...I also took a self-management profile to identify strengths, weaknesses and preferences in my leadership style...Bob and I talked on the phone at least once a week and he was available 24/7 for brainstorming last minute questions before a meeting with other faculty or the dean... At the end of the academic year, I had successfully negotiated several challenges including the hiring of a new faculty member, gaining approval for our new curriculum from the Academic Priorities Committee, managing staff and students, and keeping my research program on task. In addition, the department, dean, and college president supported and approved my promotion to full professor... I can't imagine coping with all of those challenges without Bob's help. In short, Bob was an exceptional coach, mentor and friend. -- Jill Bubier, Marjorie Fisher Professor of Environmental Studies Mt. Holyoke College (Massachusetts) Bob MacArthur provided me with a safe environment for examining my work habits, learning style and personal motivations... With an artful blend of challenge and support, Bob allowed me to clearly focus on first identifying and then shifting behaviors that support the changes I wanted to make. While my work is never done, his probing questions and reframing have greatly assisted me in sorting through many of my unconscious habits that limit my effectiveness as a professional. Bob has helped me dedicate the time I need to think and act more effectively. -- Bill Proudman, Co-founder White Men As Full Diversity Partners (Oregon)
As President of our Board of Trustees, I give Bob MacArthur my highest recommendation. Bob skillfully guided our very diverse Board through an excellent five-year strategic planning process. He began with confidential interviews, which started an effective relationship building process with each Board member. He educated our somewhat inexperienced Board members in best practices and Non Profit board operations and professionally kept us on track and thinking collaboratively in establishing our goals and objectives throughout the process. Bob set procedural and other expectations early and clearly, which helped us work together very successfully. He skillfully helped us solve conflicts and he produced timely, inclusive, and accurate notes and reports for us throughout. Our Board now operates more professionally, efficiently, and effectively as an outcome of this collective thinking. Bob was so helpful, that we have retained him as a consultant to both our Board of Trustees and our new Director. In this capacity Bob has guided committee chairs in developing action plans to meet our goals and objectives and he has contributed effectively in keeping our Board processes in line with best practices. In addition, he has helped me as Board President in prioritizing agenda items and in successfully navigating a variety of challenges. He has also assisted our new Director in setting her priorities and in navigating the significant hurdles involved in program turnaround. Finally, Bob has become a valued confidant for key members of our Board. -- Lisa Aulet, Ed.D., Board President Sandwich Children's Center (New Hampshire)
A belated but heartfelt thank you for the terrific work you did for the New Hampshire chapter of The Nature Conservancy facilitating, supporting and advising us in the creation of our multi-year strategic plan... Your steady and reliable presence, accurate and nuanced grasp of the important opportunities and challenges, and deft shifting from brainstorming to disciplined reality check were keys to our successful completion of the plan. I am also thankful for your good counsel on meeting the management challenges in the many moments you shifted from consultant to coach. Please don't hesitate to invite prospective clients to seek my recommendation. I'll happily provide it as I already have both within the Conservancy and to other nonprofits undertaking similar efforts. -- Daryl Burtnett, State Director The Nature Conservancy (New Hampshire)