Intentional Decision Making:
Along my journey that was at times spontaneous and courageous I had the privilege of living and working alongside incredible people who challenged me to be the very best “B” I could be! As I reflect back upon my varied career and life story there has been a common thread, in that I’ve always been motivated by supporting others and striving for excellence (not perfection)!
I was however moving from one opportunity to another without specific intention. No regrets as they led me to the fulfilling life I now enjoy. However, once I employed a coach who helped me understand that just because “I could” didn’t mean “I should” I became a believer in living a more intentional life. It is that thoughtfulness that I now love awakening in my clients. Helping individuals strive not just for that next “shiny” thing, but rather for what will bring them into closer alignment with their values and life purpose is a cornerstone of my coaching practice.
Within organizations it is equally vital to define goals and know exactly what the destination is. If we don’t know where we are headed how will we know if we’ve arrived? And furthermore how will we know which road to take? During strategic planning sessions with organizations and boards I work collaboratively with them to identify the goals, and map out a viable action plan for implementation so the plan isn’t a stand- alone activity that never comes to fruition.
Strengths & Values:
If I learned one thing as a leader it is that we are the same person at home as we are at work. We may treat peers differently than family but at our very essence we bring our core values and strengths to both environments. As an “Achiever” I learned that being task oriented was more beneficial when coupled with “Relationship” moments, and at home the household didn’t fall apart if the bed didn’t get made every morning! Thus whether I am coaching for business or personal goals I have found there is significant wisdom and insight to be gained from exploring client’s strengths and values. Likewise this approach is exceptionally powerful when delved into during staff development activities. Clients report back that it is helping them develop deeper understanding and improved communications with leadership, peers, friends and family.
And just in case you are curious my core values are: Curiosity, Leadership, Open-mindedness, Critical Thinking, Courage, Honesty and Capacity to Love.
The Whole:
I believe and my training has reinforced that each of us is a complete person who is naturally creative, resourceful and whole. Thus my job when coaching is not to “tell” people what to do but rather to creatively adapt my approach to help them awaken and discover facets of themselves and to explore solutions, strategies and potential outcomes together as a team. I have also discovered that many benefits come during the interludes between sessions as clients are working through agreed upon tasks in furtherance of their goals. Sometimes life or distractions get in the way of assignments being completed, and this too provides an avenue for exploration.
When facilitating or consulting I bring this coaching approach to my work with plenty of inquiry and listening so together we can agree upon the most prudent course of action and a plan for achievement.
And just as a person is a “whole” so too is an organization, and I have been known to challenge leaders to be more inclusive in their processes in order to benefit from the collective creativity of the whole rather than the prescribed knowing of a few.
Integrity and Authenticity:
My promise to all clients whether individual or organization is I will always show up as my authentic self and give you permission to do the same. I will not judge you but I will be honest about what I see in our work together. Likewise I will always be honest about my abilities to support you and I would ask you to be honest with me as to whether or not we are a good fit. Hiring a facilitator, coach or consultant is a commitment of time, resources and personal energy and thus a professional relationship that fits for each of us is vital in our quest to achieve your goals.