As a life coach my experiences over the years with my clients comes with many learnings. As each life is unique and so are their circumstances. To get any further into coaching it’s important to understand where they are and for them to acknowledge it
Creating a safe space is a prerequisite.
There is a simple yet empowering and activity that can be used… Its called ‘What makes my heart sing? It is a powerful exploration into what brings them joy and fulfilment, it helps create safe and supportive and active listening space by building trust It’s quite simple to facilitate Begin with introduction to explain the activity. Ask them to reflect on life moments, they felt in a flow state or felt truly alive_and iovful.
Then as a life coach you help facilitate how these experiences are interconnected to their values and discuss how they can begin to incorporate more of this into their lives And finally also help them create an action plan towards the same.
The paper is where it is On it the pen moves Driven by the hand The fingers of writer Holding the pen Waltzing on paper Shaping thoughts In a flow all its own. And the soul & spirit Of the writer imprints For eternity…
A writers soul emerges through the words written . A painters soul emanates from between the colours in the canvas The potters soul is afire in the fingers shaping the clay. The singers soul breathes in the sounds created by the voice. The dancers soul flows through in every movement in the moments.
The Soul is a restless wanderer It breathes free not in captivity, But in every movement of creation. It cannot be fathomed or even sensed Other than in the light of passion in the being. For then the soul shines in its own light For it has found its purpose of being.
How can any company worth its salt, create a culture of trust & transperency?
In finding the sweet spot Between Talent & HR Organization & Leadership.
It is important to note that in any top official company meetings, discussions on Finance, Strategy, HR must happen in cohort…
For they interconnect deeply as there is no one function, without the other’s inputs. Likewise impacts too needs to be every one’s responsibility. Profits or losses need shared accountability and responsibility across the organisations. An effective and efficient solution to problems to scaling any startup is not only about defining departmental charts & hierarchies and setting up processes early, but managing internal communication barriers.
Not an easy task at all for even with the best of leadership or protocols there is always a room for improvement due to human slack at work or professional differences.
Human potential cannot be contained in water tight compartments. In today’s world with accurate data analysis being the reliable source of truth, more than ever communication must flow seamlessly between departments and between leaders.
Strategy can go for a toss, if information is withheld between departments. And often the actions taken, find no solution because there never was clarity in the first place.
Questions comes to HR for hiring the right person with the right attitude and skills for the job. And then ensuring employees are supported consistently with necessary information. Any lack of productivity, be flagged early on, prevent slacking and waste of investor’s money.
Today nothing that happens in offices behind closed doors remains in closed doors. Like a forest fire it grows leaps and bounds adding different versions of the truths as fuel to the fire.
Meetings of top leaderships with management need to be honest and transparent early on. And likewise the leaders need for transperent connects with their teams is equally important. This mitigates errors of judgement from the start up stage. Every policy or process change needs to be documented and its impacts on strategy needs to be well thought of and discussed.
Companies that take a transparent collaborative approach at decision making stand a greater chance at success. Simply because every decision is an informed one… So the margin of error is reduced significantly.
A lot of startups present a contorted version of the growth early on, showing spikes necessary for funding… The game somewhere is to create a truth from the illusions for prospective investors and venture capitalists later on.
However they are so caught in the chase that without proper resources, as the company grows the integration of data of the various departments and it’s data synthesis becomes challenging in time.
When funding is raised, question is about hiring upwards, expanding or creating systems for data analysis for sustainable growth.
Systems create the necessary transperncy whereas strategic growth is about building trust in and outside the company. And HR & Finance play a responsibility and accountability, a significant role towards a culture of trust & transperncy.
Much of my article here is based on my observations as a Management Consultant over the years. Although every company is not the same, much of the situations faced by growing companies are similar…
What do you think?
How important is trust for creating transparency?
And how important is transparency in communication important to build trust?
More importantly what are the other ways of building trust and transparency?
Sometimes life makes you teach yourself many things…
Giving the benefit of doubt
There are many crossroads in life be it in a career with any organisation or in partnerships, or even personally between people or teams, where point of views are different and clash of perspectives on decisions are bound to occur.
Can you agree to disagree?
For most, it is challenging as its not always easy to come to terms with what affects you or makes you emotional. Yet learning ways to give the benefit of doubt, calls for development of strategic skills.
It is important to process any conflict of interest, you may have with others , first with your own self.
Check if you can find the root of your disagreement with a particular decision.
What is it that you are not aligned with?
Why are you feeling this way?
Empathic Perspectives
Then begin to imagine if you are able to bring empathy by setting aside your feelings on what you are yet unable to accept and think from the other persons perspective, does the view alter then? Does it change your thoughts a bit?
If you can alternatively, also think if you choose to agree, in the larger interest, does it benefit or can it make your team bond together.
Let’s also not discount the possibility of you having less information about the reasons for any decision taken.
Ultimately, whatever way you chose to think or act is your choice to take. But sometimes when it may seem impossible to make sense of things do remember, there is always more than what meets the eye!
Just when we are teaching the world Empathy for human life. One human to another human. We are moving rapidly to a world Of AI. Letting it almost lead our lives… We are drawn hook line and sinker We are getting enslaved by its use…. We are teaching Al many things. From Art to Design our human needs are soon getting fulfilled by Al. It is alarming to note at times. We are teaching it every moment Training it to clone our voices and create our own Avatars. And we are in awe and appreciation of the dehumunization across most aspects of life.
May be we need to also teach it humanity. And not to mention Empathy Kindness Respect Compassion and most of all the values of Love!
Else very soon earth might not be inhabitable thanks to a new generation that grows with intelligence without heart.
You can never give from an empty cup. So keep refreshing knowledge and understanding Make sure to breathe easy so that you are not getting engulfed in trying to find solutions for another. Exercise equanimity and trust yourself to deliver. Most importantly take care of yourself. Enjoy the work you do! And give your very best. It will certainly bring results.
How to keep refilling your cup…to stay updated.
Many ways.
. Be open to possibilities and perspectives
. Stay humble and sense your foot on the ground… Remember anyone can be a teacher.
. Choose to balance work and play. Respect your time and use it wisely.
. Stay curious. Keep your inner child alive
. Pause to rest and recover when you feel overwhelmed.
My friend Destiny highlighted a comment of mine on her comment on my yesterdays post Sensing
It felt as if we exchanged a moment of poignant connection that jumped time. For in that one moment words touched heartsfields. where feelings are relatable. In empathy or synchrony…
It is certainly not something new, for it is something we all undergo as writers and readers. A connection, through mere words but that which feels you know… the spirit, and soul of the hand that pens the verses or the heart that emotes in the reading.
As a Life Coach one has the opportunity to positively impact and influence another life and its ripples can be felt miles around. It is huge responsibility.
Thriving as a Life Coach
Every life is unique and a life coach needs to keep ideating and integrating approaches and interventions that make way to transformative changes. It can challenge the very best.
To thrive as a life coach and be effective it is necessary…
Approachability : To be approachable and open to feedback, which helps to foster trust and respect within the clients
Patience : To empathize with others and understand their perspectives before offering solutions
Resilience : To adapt & to bounce back, no matter the challenges.To be able to bend and not break under pressure.
This calls for a great amount of emotional intelligence, consistency, creative thinking & resilience. A resilience that comes from experience and one that is honed in flexibility & adaptability.
What matters most is how a life coach can instill confidence and trust in another to make a meaningful difference.
Anger is like a storm rising up from the bottom of your consciousness. When you feel it coming, turn your focus to your breath. Thich Nhat Hanh
Healing through breathing…
Here is one of the many techniques that can be practiced in awareness.
Box breathing
A Breathing technique to destress an agitated and tense mind to calm state and improve the mood.
A good practice for all and especially for those with depression, anxiety disorder and PTSD managing pains and insomnia.
The technique is simple and very effective.
1. Sit upright & Start with exhaling air out of your mouth slowly counting 1to 4.
2. Hold for four counts
3. Inhale deeply filling air section by section till it reaches the lungs & abdomen for four counts through your nose.
4.Again hold for four counts
5. Exhale for four counts from the abdomen and lungs slowly.
As a beginner choose a quiet place to begin this mindful practice. You can start by repeating for four times in one setting. Initially it is advisable to gradually take it up. In case you feel a little dizzy go back to your regular breathing and build it again.
The slow breathing and holding is the most important aspect which activates the para sympathetic system and thus helps reduce stress.
You can practice box breathing couple of sets in a day as needed to calm down.
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