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‘You’re uneblievable’ – the latest article in my regular reflection column – has been published in ‘Coaching at Work’.

I’m inspired by Dr Kate Granger, a 32-year-old doctor who’s a terminally ill cancer patient and who’s launched #hellomynameis. Change has been forced upon her, and out of that she has created change that has had significant impact on thousands of medical staff, patients, managers and leaders.

Coaches facilitate change in clients who generally recognise that if anything is to change in their environments, systems and workplaces, they need to change something in themselves.

Those clients who change their behaviour in response only to an external imperative (such as pleasing the boss) rather than an internal motivation to develop and grow are likely to be unsuccessful in sustaining the change. It intrigues me that a senior person may not recognise that career development is about growth, or that they can be complacent about their growth.

Click here to link to the article in ‘Coaching at Work’.

Photo by John W. Iwanski via Compfight

You're unbelievable!

'You're uneblievable' - the latest article in my regular reflection column - has been published in 'Coaching at Work'. I'm inspired by Dr Kate Granger, a 32-year-old doctor who’s a terminally ill cancer patient and who's launched #hellomynameis. Change that lasts is internally motivated rather than externally motivated.

Managing yourself to lead others

The leader who builds on, and develops, their self-awareness in such a way that they can step back emotionally from situations to put their own thinking on hold, and empathise with the players in those situations, will find that they are more connected with their people, and that higher levels of trust, performance, engagement and discretionary effort – rather than obedience or compliance (and the corresponding ‘jobsworth’ mentality) – are the order of the day.

Diversity: making more of difference

In order to work effectively with difference, the first two steps for the leader are, first, to understand and be aware of their own thinking, emotional processes and place in their systems, and, second, to adopt a stance of acceptance, humility and celebration of diversity. If the prevailing culture in their team, division or organisation doesn’t acknowledge or value diversity, then the leader needs to change their relationship to that culture (and the relationships within it) rather than try to change it from the outside.

The real message

My latest article in my reflection column has been published in 'Coaching at Work'. It explores the opportunities and traps inherent in the first coaching session with a new client.

Leadership development

Leadership development means embracing the challenges and being courageous enough to be open to learning, whether that learning is unpalatable or affirming. It means being curious, vulnerable and invested in understanding the systemic factors that shape beliefs, behaviours and relationships. It means learning that can’t simply be learnt from a textbook. It means the leader raising their self-awareness to gain insight into their drivers, strengths, and purpose – and into what inhibits them from achieving the outcomes they really want.

The global village

In contexts ranging from multinational corporations to social networking, leaders and their teams interact, communicate and influence others in multiple different cultural settings simultaneously. Culture encompasses literally anything which characterises a particular group, and the leader’s task is to release his or her workforce’s capability in this complex and dynamic environment.

We're all part of the systems

Although we’re all independent human beings, we’re also interdependent, functioning within several systems simultaneously that provide the framework for our relationships to people and organisations, decisions and achievements, beliefs and attitudes. Awareness of those systems and their impact can release blockages in teams, strategy and the implementation of change.

Gold from Dust

Lindsay's article 'Gold from Dust' appears in Coaching at Work magazine May 2014. The client often gives pointers to their most significant issues in their first coaching session - and the coach may notice them but not attribute due importance to them. The first session is rich and complex. It’s an Aladdin’s cave of gems. To see a copy of the article click here if you're a subscriber to Coaching at Work or e-mail lw@lindsaywittenberg.co.uk to request a copy

Workshop on The Neuroscience of Wellbeing, Stress and Mindfulness

Tickets are sold out for the WittenbergEvans workshop on The Neuroscience of Wellbeing, Stress and Mindfulness in London on Thurs 19th June 2014

Executive coaching for leadership and self-leadership

Amongst all learning interventions, the developmental and transformational style of the best executive coaching can equip the leader to deliver leadership that creates a better organisation – and, some would say, a better world - sustainably, with integrity and with authenticity.

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