Julie Wales – Executive Coach
Executive Coaching
Specific Coaching Experience
I think I have spent most of my life 'coaching' in one way or another.Often – it's been because I've been asked after one of our workshops if I could offer more individual support around specific professional challenges.
Sometimes - it's been without even realising that my listening and questioning skills have made a difference to someone, until they've told me years later.
Usually - I've been paid well for the former. Never - for the latter.
Always - whether paid or not, the experience has been fulfilling. Although, before I disappear entirely off the 'Cheesometer' scale, it is not my intention to be offering free coaching support on these pages. Clearly, that would be foolish!
In any case, many of us know that part of the coaching deal is the value we put on coaching sessions. Investing in time to help us find to the best in ourselves - how much is that worth to any of us in the scheme of things?
My Approach
I was going to describe myself as a Changeling, as a means of explaining my approach.As Wikipedia suggests that a Changeling is the offspring of a fairy, troll, elf or other legendary creature (secretly left in the place of a human child) I think I should quit while I'm ahead and qualify what on earth I am getting at.
I was going to present myself thus, because I thought it might paint me as some kind of change expert. Not entirely true, but I am optimistic about the potential for accepting and dealing with change that we all have. I believe we are all born with it. Of course we are, because we have an inbuilt quest to survive - and most of us want to do far more than that.
Why am I a sort of change expert? There have been times in my life, when a change may have been screamingly necessary, but where I have felt and remained totally stuck. Other times, where changes were imposed on me, or else where I made the decision to change. In hindsight - and with the knowledge I now have (and wish I'd had then), I can see what I could have done differently during those times... Like many of us, I'm now a change expert.
As an experienced partner at Impact Factory, my professional life is all about helping people through change. Helping people make their unique, small and easiest changes, which in turn can have a massive impact upon their personal and professional effectiveness.
Being our best means having the personal or professional resources to face those changes and situations as well as we can. I agree with my colleague Liz that 'More than just surviving' also means being as flexible and canny as we can be in dealing with whatever life throws at us.
Executive Coaching?
How any of us get around difficult issues, or through difficult times, is often down to the resources and support around us, as well as the resources we can find within ourselves - which is where 'executive coaching' comes in.I should say that I think 'executive coaching' is very different to coaching per se! How? Because I think those who seek executive coaching are often highly accomplished, intelligent people who are actively seeking solutions to the situations they find themselves in.
That's not to say highly accomplished and intelligent people don't seek out 'life coaches' or coaches – or even take the odd coach, but 'executive coaching' feels different. 'Executive coaching', for me is about helping people through those situations where they might feel stuck for whatever reason; helping them to find ways to approach those things they want or need to do; supporting colleagues to find their own logical, practical and emotionally 'do-able' professional solutions. For me, 'executive coaching' is often short-term, or at least erratic in its frequency. It often starts with deliberate and focused goals and as such, may only be necessary or useful at particular times or for specific purposes in someone's career.
My Experience
I think because my professional experience ranges from formal and informal coaching and mentoring, to training, and facilitating, across to teaching and directing - I am very aware of the distinctions between those roles. I'm also attentive to where the lines may be most usefully blurred.If practical solutions are sought, then practical choices will be offered. Especially when working with people on the more technical side of one-to-one coaching scenarios, then clearly my expertise is being paid for.
For example, whether working with senior executives on their speeches or their next keynote presentations, or postgraduates on their vital covering letters and CVs, of course the aim is to find ways to finesse their words and ideas - in ways which are authentic to their values and style.
Speaking of which, as someone who started this piece comparing herself to a troll, amongst other things - those who prefer a more light-hearted and informal approach to 'executive coaching' will feel most relaxed in our coaching partnership.
Executive Coaching
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