How I Add Value

I began my coaching exploits in my previous role as senior web manager, where I was responsible for the professional development of three vastly differing individuals. In pursuing the Organizational Leadership Coaching Certificate from Northwestern, taking on several clients with different careers and life experiences allowed me to hone my style and technique further.

I provide a safe and fertile ground with tools that foster growth and development. Much like the earth adapts and changes to continue supporting its organisms through changing circumstances, the tools and space I use shift and emerge with my coachee's diverse and complex needs.

Working with me, clients can expect to gain a deeper understanding of their motivators, inner dialogue, and mental models that drive their behavior. They will also develop goals and action plans that meaningfully impact their lives in their chosen ways.

My style borrows from positive psychology (strengths-based) in that I use a strengths-based approach toward developing realistic goals, selecting feasible solutions, reviewing progress, and celebrating successes.

I start engagements by learning about my client's high-level goals, building relationships, and establishing partnerships with them. I use "humble inquiry" to build trust and co-create a space of exploration with my client. (Learn more about how I do this here). We then move on to assessing strengths and opportunities. Depending on if there is a need, I may conduct 360 interviews or recommend a specific assessment. I then guide my clients to analyze their attributes and behaviors that hinder performance through discovery and self-reflection. During this process, I will listen for the internal dialogue and the 'scripts' that reveal mental models. I see the subtle nuances in my clients' expressions and body language, and I hear what was behind what was said or what was not said at all. I ask powerful questions to aid in self-reflection and discovery. If we hit roadblocks or mental models interfering with making progress, I resort to behavioral and cognitive methods to understand the problem, build self-awareness and enable a behavior change. You can learn more about mental models and how I coach my clients to identify and reframe them here.

Based on objective assessments, discovery, and exploration, I provide feedback when appropriate and emphasize key themes and critical trends. My clients and I eventually move on to identifying performance and developmental goals and co-creating a development plan, designing for action and accountability. Depending on the length of the engagement, we follow up on progress and course-correct where necessary. I provide behavioral and skills-based coaching and learning opportunities as required. I conclude my engagements by transitioning full ownership of the plan to the client and reflecting on wins and accomplishments.

I open each session by asking the clients what they would like to focus on and how that would be valuable to them. I end each session by asking what value clients took from it. Doing so helps clients make the most of their time with me, and it helps me keep them accountable for their goals.

I use the following principles to guide my practice: