Creating Possibilities and Pathways: Coaching Leaders Through Change
In these times of change, complexity and chaos, leaders seek to navigate through new territory on the job, and to deepen their own resilience and wisdom. A coach can partner with leaders to become adept at moving through change, enabling them to orient with an inner compass. In this article, I will share my experience of doing this important work. The value of seeming setbacks as one source of our personal power Throughout my years as a management consultant, leadership trainer and coach, I have discovered a spirit within others to thrive. I also see how people get tangled in every conceivable real-world “trap” that appears to drag them away from this pursuit. My own path has included partial vision loss, an unexpected life challenge that has created the tension of loss and the desire for growth. As a trainer and coach, this loss has spurred me to cultivate simultaneously concrete practices that provide a deeper sense of “seeing,” of listening for possibilities, passion, and a sense of purpose that emerges from within one’s soul. In my work with leaders, I know how to foster what I myself have worked to awaken - the sense of spirit, of dignity, of thriving that fuels my work and relationships. My purpose is to support deep inner change, healing and growth, touching people to move towards wholeness as they live fully. The value of self-generated leadership skills Most often, clients come to me at a mid-point in their career, either because they are experiencing what Frederick Hudson refers to as the “doldrums”, or they have lost their way. They want to revitalize their sense of purpose, energy and aliveness in their work life. In some cases, they are bumping into the headaches of being sandwiched between managerial challenges and not getting what they need from their bosses to be effective. Or they want to move from feeling reactive or overwhelmed to being proactive as they manage their career. In some cases they are seeking greater fulfillment, or an alignment of their values, or they simply want to bring more of themselves to their work. Sometimes they want to navigate through complex organizational dynamics to create meaningful change and results. Although these leaders are very smart, they are not able to move into a creative stance to shape the next chapter of their career life. A key goal of my coaching work now is to create the possibility for the client of becoming resourceful and self-generating.
