Tag Archives: coaching

An authentic, experienced and elegant coach

Clients and testimonials, Coaching, , ,

Yesterday I started the process of gathering testimonials as part of preparing invitations to join me as participants in the coaching groups I am preparing for the Autumn. I am learning to love the process of gathering feedback – a way to learn how trusted colleagues and clients see me and to understand what they value in my work.

First back – by return – was a quote from Allison Mitchell. Since we first met, in 2002, Allison and I have been participants together in trainings and have referred clients to each other. Allison is a Key Note Speaker and author of three books including Time Management for Manic Mums and (as co-author) Making It: Women Entrepreneurs Reveal their Secrets of Success.

Her testimonial? This is for the New Coaches Coaching Group:

I’d thoroughly recommend Dorothy as an authentic, experienced and elegant coach. My experience of being part of any initiative she has organised has been highly positive. I’m sure this coaching group will be a great opportunity and catalyst for new coaches.

Allison Mitchell
Coach and author
Making It: Women Entrepreneurs Reveal Their Secrets of Success

Working towards balance and contentment

Clients and testimonials, Coaching, , ,

Recently, I wrote about “Life” and “Executive” coaching on my blog.

I was reminded of this posting following a coaching session I held with someone I used to work with – a former colleague whom I rarely see and treasure nonetheless. This was a kind of whole life “health check”, taking an overview of her current personal and professional life and exploring what is working for her at present and what could be working better. Afterwards she wrote to me:

“I feel very honoured that you gave me your time so that I could start to work towards a better balance and contentment in my life. I feel more strongly now that it is a realistic ambition and one that I deserve”.

No matter what the context for my work as a coach, I always take time with clients to look at the overall picture of their life at the start of coaching. To do this is to take stock – to notice what’s working and to identify areas where progress could make a difference. This seems to be of equal value whether clients are senior executives or individuals seeking to create the life they dream of. Equally, this seems to support clients whether they are starting out as coaching clients, in the midst of coaching or simply (as was true this time) taking a one-off opportunity to take stock.

I take a moment to reflect on the question of “Life” and “Executive” coaching. With more than twenty years’ experience of helping senior leaders to develop the skills and competencies they need I am, first and foremost, an Executive Coach. Nonetheless, my clients are, first and foremost, real people who want to lead lives that are satisfying and rewarding. I am grateful to my friend and former colleague for this reminder.

Coaching: when talking brings perspective

Clients and testimonials, , ,

My work is mainly with leaders in senior positions. Often, in our work together, our focus is on developing the emotional intelligence and leadership capability clients need to engage their full capability and motivation – and that of their staff. Whatever agenda a client brings, though, life often throws up areas of exploration that aren’t in the plan. This was true a few months back for one of my clients, who is General Manager in his company. He told me:

“Having worked with you in 2004 it seemed natural to make contact when I decided to work with a coach again.

“Because of my previous experience I had a belief that there would be a big benefit from working together and even so, my goals were exceeded. As a result of our work together I have become more centred and focused on what I want to achieve. I have more idea about how to forward plan for myself, because now I see what I want to do. I also have a clear framework for self-development and I’ve got several strands of self-development started.

“Around Easter time I had a personal crisis. Being able to talk it through with you meant I got it into perspective. I could have ended up with a marriage breakdown and my family falling apart. But now I have the exact opposite. I have strong family relationships, and the future is bright. I’ve had benefits in my current role, too, even though this has not been our main area of focus.

“Coaching has been a process for evaluating and improving all aspects of my life in a fulfilling way. In this second lot of coaching, I’ve got to the point faster and have more self belief. I have much better recognition of my own strengths. The major thing is, I think differently. I’ve especially learnt the power of talking to someone about any aspect of your life – it brings perspective. Because of this, I have no plan to end our coaching partnership”.

As I share this testimonial with you, I am grateful to my client for his willingness to share. I am also aware of the sense of privilege that comes from working in close partnership in ways which benefit my clients, the organisations they work for and the people with whom they live and work.

I also extend an invitation to you: if this testimonial describes an experience you would like to have, or if you know someone who may be interested to work with me, please contact me directly via dorothy@learningforlifeconsulting.co.uk.

Coaching: the Rolls Royce of personal development experiences

Clients and testimonials, Coaching, , , ,

I have a reciprocal arrangement with a coaching colleague, whereby we interview a percentage of each other’s clients at the close of a coaching relationship. This supports the process of drawing coaching to a close and yields valuable feedback which helps us both to continue to learn and grow.

Recently, I completed my coaching with RN, a senior leader in his organisation with a European remit. I am grateful to him for allowing me to share his testimonial following our work together. He told my colleague:

“My goals for coaching have been 100% met. I have adopted a more conscious approach to work and career decisions and I am more aware of options. Coaching has enabled and accelerated my ability to identify my values, priorities and options in my work life. I am more energized and happier and so more productive – and this has spilled into my private life too. This is more than I expected when we started.

“In the initial opening session we discussed coaching and set the scene and it went well from there. Dorothy had a positive attitude and was a good listener. She was always challenging and asked me questions that opened up new perspectives for me. I found coaching action-orientated – it was not relaxing at all and at the same time it’s a very selfish thing, wonderful to have someone there to talk to where it is all about you. I liked the length of our sessions: they gave time to get to the bottom of things but not be tired. The frequency was adapted to my priorities. Also, when I sent e-mails in between sessions I always got a quick happy, and positive response from Dorothy.

“What would I say to anyone who was thinking of investing in coaching? It is the Rolls-Royce of personal development experiences. I would recommend it absolutely”.

As I review R’s comments I celebrate our work together – including so many details about our coaching partnership and about R’s commitment to coaching which I am in no position to share.

And I also extend an invitation to you: if R’s testimonial describes an experience you would like to have, or if you know someone who may be interested to work with me, please contact me directly via dorothy@learningforlifeconsulting.co.uk.

Client testimonials – a gift to an unknown future

Clients and testimonials, Coaching, , ,

Organisations (more correctly, individuals who work for organisations) commission coaching for a reason. And the reasons for which they commission coaching are many and varied. One manager sees the potential in a young executive and wants to nurture it. Another leader wants to support their highly skilled technician (lawyer, IT specialist, accountant, actuary) in developing the non-technical attributes needed to progress to a leadership role. Another manager wants to keep the person whose job has disappeared and sees coaching as a way of supporting that individual in making a decision – to stay or not to stay?

Sometimes there are hidden reasons for commissioning coaching and these unfold over time. Perhaps the brittle warmth between the manager commissiong coaching and the person for whom coaching is sponsored (barely) conceals the near total breakdown of their relationship. Perhaps the commissioning manager cannot bring him or herself directly to address the glaring mismatch between the person to whom they are offering coaching and the job they are in. Perhaps the best salesman (or woman) on the patch is at risk of alienating their colleagues or of burnout, or…, or…, or…

Sometimes clients come directly, funding coaching from their corporate budgets or setting aside time and money of their own to address an agenda that requires skills or time that are not otherwise available. The early achiever wonders, now that I’ve fulfilled my aspirations, why am I not happy? The midlife career professional wants to find a way of balancing a successful career with home and family and maybe even having some kind of life. The CEO seeks out a place where he (or she) can ask for challenge as well as support.

And always, quite quickly, two people find themselves alone in a room at the beginning of a relationship that will develop in ways that neither can predict and to do work together whose outcomes are as yet unknown. No matter that the agenda is, on the surface, cut, dried and impersonal. The reality is infinitely personal because, when it comes to making changes in our lives, we cannot change the others, we can only change ourselves.

The hidden depths of coaching are such that clients often want to shout their successes from the rooftops and yet, to do so anonymously. For the coaches, too, who watch miracles unfold and know they have played a role in the unfolding, there can be a wish to shout their celebrations from the rooftops even whilst knowing that such shouting needs to take place within the strict confines of a confidentiality agreement.

I ponder this today as I begin to explore with clients who might be willing to share what with readers of this blog so that, over time, I can say to potential clients: “if you want to know what coaching does for my clients, take a look at my blog”. In this way, client testimonials become a gift to an unknown future – to people as yet unknown, whose reasons for seeking the support of a professional coach have not yet been identified.

And if you are interested to read them, watch this space.