Have you ever wondered what exactly professional coaching is? And how a professional coach might differ from a therapist or mentor? Have you ever considered working with a professional coach to help you develop skills to level up your career?
We often feel like we have to figure things out on our own, rather than asking others for help. In reality, a lot of us do need a hand and that’s OK! When you let others in, and allow yourself to be coached, you can unblock obstacles and achieve results much faster.
We coach and learn from another all through time, all through our lives, through our communications and interactions. Coaching is our path to creation, innovation, technology and our own further evolution of self improvement and advancement.
In this webinar (in partnership with Women in Big Data), our panel of coaches share their experience being coached and coaching others to help you understand the role professional coaching can play in your life.
Here’s what you can expect to learn from this webinar:
Watch below to learn more!
Regina Carson: (00:00:00) – Hi, welcome. This is Regina Carson. I am the Women in Big Data local chapter director for the San Francisco Silicon Valley Bay Area. And we’re very thrilled to have a webinar today with Go Coach. Go Coach is going to step through basically what is coaching and they generously offered to provide some free coaching to the people that have signed up for the webinar and some other great stuff. They have been featured in the likes of Forbes and Business Insider and so forth. So we’re really thrilled to have the opportunity to have this discussion today.
Regina Carson: (00:00:45) – I just wanted to just take one second to introduce Women in Big Data. So let me know when you can see my laptop here. This is a presentation. OK. Can you guys see my laptop?
Regina Carson: (00:01:06) – Yep.
Abbi Flynn: (00:01:06) – We can see it.
Regina Carson:(00:01:07) – Great. So I just wanted to talk a little bit about Big Data quickly. We are a community of women that are loosely organized around interest in data science. We have over 15000 members in five continents. And this number is from 2019. So I’m sure we’ve grown even more so in the past several months. And we do this through networking and training. And it’s a combination of virtual experiences, which we’ll be doing for sure. All of our events for Q2 virtually. And then eventually we’ll kick in with the in-person events as well.
Regina Carson: (00:01:59) – Once the community settles down a bit around the C19 business that we’re in the middle of. So just ask that you feel free to join a local chapter. Check us out at womeninbigdata.org. You can join our LinkedIn group, which is Women in Big Data Forum. You can follow us on Twitter at Data Women or on Instagram at Women in Big Data Global. And we do have a video, but we do plan to update that. So that’s kind of it from my perspective.
Regina Carson: (00:02:38) – Basically, what I’d like to do now is go ahead and pass the baton over to Go Coach to basically go ahead and Sorry, I’m having some kind of error here to go ahead and kick off the discussion today. Thank you.
Abbi Flynn: (00:03:03) – Thank you, Regina. And thanks, everyone, for joining us today. We’re so excited to partner with Women in Big Data and have this conversation about the importance of coaching and really how it can benefit you. So I’m Abbi. I am the coach, community manager and marketing manager at Go Coach. So before we get started, I just wanted to do a quick tech check just to make sure that we can optimize your experience on Zoom. So if you go to the top right of your Zoom window and you hit gallery view, you’ll be able to see all of the panelists at once.
Abbi Flynn: (00:03:37) – And then if you go to the bottom of your Zoom window, you’ll also see a chat button. So if you click that and then you click the dropdown that says all panelists and attendees, you can write messages in the chat or in the chat during the webinar with any questions, comments or words of encouragement. So we’d love to hear from you. And so I’m going to be moderating the chat. So if you have any any questions, I’ll be sure to respond to you as quickly as possible.
Abbi Flynn: (00:04:03) – And also pose the questions to our moderator, who is Kristi, our CEO and founder at Go Coach. So Kristy, I’m going to pass things over to you.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:04:13) – Thank you, Abby. And again, thank you, Regina, for working with us to put this virtual event together. So as Abby mentioned, I’m CEO and founder of Go Coach. I’m actually a former CHRO that really wants to be able to give back and provide upscaling to all employees. And so after my last corporate job and especially seeing so many people leave, companies did a lot of professional development. And at the same time for us throwing out people.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:05:04) – We’re working with many companies and we also have a B2C side also. We’re working with a lot of consumers to be able to advance and hone their skills and development.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:05:13) – In light of everything that’s going on with COVID-… 19 pandemic.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:05:16) – So, we’re also offering free coaching to displaced workers. A lot of people have lost their jobs and will continue to lose their jobs, and so we are going to continue to give back to the community out there by helping people get ready for what’s next in their career with that job help and aid. In addition, more than ever, do we need more leaders out there continuing to be able to help with the pandemic?
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:05:40) – We are continuing to help so many other people, not only with everything that’s going on with COVID-19, but just to be able to advance themselves and advance their people to really lead through a lot of change and a lot of ambiguity. So, we’re also offering an eight-part training session that’s free, that’s going to cover topics from remote management, to change management, to interviewing remotely, fierce conversations, and more.
Kristy McCann Flynn: 1 (00:06:04) – So, definitely check out our blog at gocoachgo.com and you’ll be able to see the virtual training that we’re offering to all managers and leaders that are out there, and it’s all for free.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:06:16) – So, I want to just say hello here and welcome Priya and Christina, who are two of our amazing coaches at Go Coach.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:06:27) – They have both come to me in very different ways since we first created Go Coach, and they have their passion of wanting to give back and help others. And so, what we’re going to do with this time is just really go over, you know, essentially what is coaching and why is it important? And, you know, Priya and Christina are going to help me lead this conversation so that we can educate you on the power of coaching and what it means to upskill yourself.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:06:53) – So, Priya, do you want to give a little intro of yourself? Yeah, sure.
Priya Gopal (00:06:57) – Thanks, Christine. Hi, everybody. I’m Priya Gopal. I’m part of the Go Coach team, and I also have my own company do a lot of coaching and consulting. So, my main focus is leadership, communication, and innovation. I work to develop high-performing collaborative teams and leaders. And I’m especially excited about this because I’m passionate about developing women leaders and creating diverse and inclusive cultures. And I run a leadership program called Power of Presence Influence. So, great to be here and great to talk about the benefits of coaching.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:07:30) – Great. Thank you, Priya. And, Christina, please introduce yourself.
Christina: (00:07:34) – Yes, thank you so much, Kristy.
Christina: (00:07:36) – Hi, everybody.
Christina: (00:07:37) – I’m Christina. I’ve spent about 10 years in talent acquisition, so I always say I’ve been on the other side of the interview table. I also run my own coaching practice as well, where I help career changers find out their next step and help them get career ready. So, I’m super excited to be here today, share a little bit of my experience and my knowledge, and just really help to inspire others.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:08:01) – Great. Thank you. All right. Well, to kick off this, I’m going to ask a question that is often misconstrued or confused all the time. What is coaching, and how does that differ from being a mentor or a therapist or anything else?
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:08:15) – Like, what is the definition of a coach?
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:08:18) – Priya?
Priya Gopal (00:08:19) – Yeah, sure. So, I’ll share a little bit about, you know, professional coaching, the way we look at it. And to me, it’s a collaborative relationship. It’s where the coach can really help their clients achieve their goals, whether it’s advancing their careers, improving their productivity, work-life balance, business performance, you know, whatever their goal is. It’s very client focused. It’s driven by the clients. And essentially, there is a trust that’s created between the coach and the client.
Priya Gopal (00:08:47) – And the coach is really your advocate who can help you navigate these challenges and maximize your potential. So, at the end of the day, you know, professional coaching is about advancing the client’s agenda, and it’s very results oriented. So, yeah, that’s sort of a take on, a quick take on coaching.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:09:06) – Thanks, Priya. And Christina, anything to add to that?
Christina: (00:09:12) – Yeah, I think Priya did a good job of summing it up. I do get this question a lot from people as far as what is the difference from a professional coach and what is the difference from a mentor. And I think one of the biggest things that is important to point out is that a coach is there to hold you accountable. And they are there to help you follow a plan to achieve your goals. So, you know, they’re sort of giving you like step-by-step guidance and they’re giving you that extra push in addition to mentorship.
Christina: (00:09:38) – So, I think the accountability part is really big when thinking about working with a professional coach.
Kristy McCann Flynn:(00:09:45) – Yeah, you know and I think it’s also important to add you know, I mean that you know a lot of coaches, you know have certifications You know, I mean to really help unlock the growth mindset that a lot of people, you know struggle with because they don’t know where to start and you know when you are in a growth mindset There is so much potential for you to be able to learn and grow especially if you have somebody that’s there for you That is helping unlock that potential and unblock you for you know, having a fixed mindset prior So thank you.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:10:15) – I appreciate that and then bring your Ms. Tina What do you see as the biggest benefits of coaching? Like why should somebody get coaching?
Priya Gopal (00:10:26) – Yeah, I can go. So really I think coaching it really benefits everybody no matter your level you could be starting off in your career Or you could be an accomplished leader.
Priya Gopal (00:10:37) – I think there is benefits because to me coaching is really about drawing out your potential It’s really about maximizing what you have about creating a very clear path to advancement So it doesn’t matter what your role is, you know, it’s funny I I look at the back of my own career and now I wish I had a coach like gosh 15 years ago when I started So it’s you know, there’s that misconception that you need a coach only when you’re underperforming But to me, I feel like coaching really accelerates careers You know, it’s it’s a difference of day and night sort of difference if you want to develop your leadership skills or really Exponentially maximize your potential.
Priya Gopal (00:11:18) – I think that’s when a coach can come in and really help you. So there are tremendous benefits to coaching, you know, whether it’s confidence development Clarifying your goals like it’s a job and work-life balance. A coach can really help you kind of get there Yeah.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:11:35) – Now, thank you Priya.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:11:36) – I think the other way to look at it too is that it’s personalized learning It’s really meeting people where they’re at Within their career or just in life in general There’s so much information out there and I think we all realize that right now How much information is out there and it’s really hard to digest all that information And so when you have somebody that you’re working with in a safe and supportive environment Whose main focus and only focus is to be able to help you They’re gonna meet you where you’re at and they’re gonna give you that development and learning Christina anything to add as to like, you know, the the you know Benefits of coaching and all the different things that people can be coached on yeah,
Christina: (00:12:24) I think a benefit is that there is never a bad time to be coached You know a lot of people wait until they quote unquote need a coach But you can be coached at any different stage in your career And I think that that’s something to keep in mind and that’s a huge benefit of it.
Christina: (00:12:39) – You know, whether you are Working on your self-awareness or you are trying to you know boost your cognition At work or you know, you need help staying motivated or you need help with your social skills or you know leading a team There’s all sorts of different ways that you can work on that throughout your career without necessarily waiting for you know a big presentation that you have to give or waiting for a meeting that you have There’s sort of ways that you can incorporate it in your career throughout just to grow as a professional
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:13:13 )Yeah, I couldn’t agree more and then you know When you think about this and this is the the women in big data group And and I’m so happy to see all of us women here leading this group But you know engineering is typically dominated by men and so, you know, how do you navigate?
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:13:30) – You know working in a field like engineering and then you know, what coaching would you advise especially to the women out there? You know who are still a minority in this field that we’re hoping to change very quickly.
Priya Gopal (00:13:44) – Yeah, Kristy. That’s a great question It’s um, I work with a lot of women in the tech field in FinTech specifically here in New York City It’s a huge community and I get that question all the time and it’s a real challenge What I recommend and just you know device plans working with clients is really looking at a situation with a lot of empathy I mean at the end of the day, it’s not about us versus then women versus men But it’s about making allies and really collaborating So I think if you approach it with that mindset first off I think it really helps set a tone for any of those interactions that having said that I think those challenges are real And a lot of that stems from unconscious biases, right?
Priya Gopal (00:14:24) – I mean people may not even know that they have a certain prejudice or they have a certain belief or a mindset So I think you know for a lot of women who are trying to navigate that It’s really important to kind of put a stop to that when you recognize that bias, you know It’s important to kind of say, you know, I get it but again look at it with a lot of empathy So one of the things I hear constantly just to give you an example you know, there’s a client who talked to me and said well, you know, I really want to move into a more technical role, but I’m getting a lot of resistance my manager because somehow They don’t believe that I can do a more technical job Which is so crazy because you know, this client is very passionate very interested in doing that The other thing I hear a lot is you know in meetings and I’m sure many of us have been that situation Where you’re you make a point you have an idea and then there’s no reaction and then your male counterparts You know, so the same thing in a different way probably and all of a sudden say wow, that’s a great idea So what I often recommend is, you know, like having a way to really communicate that and say hey John Thanks.
Priya Gopal (00:15:29) – That’s a fantastic idea. Thanks for refacing how I just said it like call them out on it and that’s okay I think that’s where I think being assertive and confidence in your belief is super important So again, I think the point I’m trying to make here is look at it with empathy But at the same time be firm and be able to handle that because it is a real situation and see all together Try and put a stop at it and a stop to it and then try to look at it in a different way We can certainly change that but we need we need allies.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:15:57) – Yeah, I couldn’t agree with the allies situation More, I think that you know when you look at coaching, you know They are now because they don’t have that unconscious bias, you know I mean that is have the bias of being able to help you And that’s their focus and so that is something that I think anyone should be looking at taking advantage of You know irregardless of what your profession is The other big question that we get a lot and I’m sure pre and Christina can answer this Let’s talk about like the ethics like, you know I mean in the confidentiality component of coaching because I don’t think that people quite understand that either so First you know, we hear ethics and confidentiality of coaching, you know, I mean But what does that really means the profession and how we’re helping others?
Christina: (00:16:41) – Yeah, I think it has to do a lot with trusting your coach you know, I think a big part of hiring a professional coach and needing a professional coach is you are looking for that guidance and we want to work with somebody that you can trust and I think that also goes into having a certification as a coach and being able to You know hold yourself accountable as a coach to be that the person for you know the individual that you’re working with and You have to build that level of trust to break down those walls and to break down the barriers to push that person to be Their best self and to hit their goals. So that’s definitely a really important aspect in professional coaching
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:17:19) – Thank you. Priya anything to add?
Priya Gopal (00:17:26) – Yeah, definitely. I’d say you know definitely building on what Christina said, but it’s important to Really be principled about certain things, right?
Priya Gopal(00:17:35) – I mean the IC at the International Coaches Federation has a lot of great guidelines for coaches and I think following that because it is it is a Profession that’s rooted in a lot of art and science and so confidentiality becomes super critical because I think to build that trust you need to be able to trust your coach and knowing that those Conversations are confidential that they’re private that you know, you are able to speak honestly in full transparency with the coach It’s super important So I think laying down those ethical guidelines for us as coaches But also from a client standpoint being able to communicate that and setting those expectations become super critical .
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:18:14) And I think the other thing to look at is that you know people who go into coaching Really have the sole mission of you know How they’re able to help others like that it’s their way of being able to give back And it’s their way of being able to you know, continue to upscale and educate people So I think that you know the best part, you know about coaching You know when it comes to the confidentiality and when it comes to the ethical standards is that you’re already Working with somebody that has pretty much, you know set this as as their life You to be able to help the others and so I think that this comes with a lot of kudos and accolades for you know that type of individual because you know Coaching, you know is not easy Just like a lot of jobs aren’t easy when people are connecting with people and they want to be able to help them That there’s a lot of things that go in and building that relationship and you know when you hurt your coach hurts and you know That’s how you know that the coach helps you get through, you know for whatever next step And so, you know trust is important and you know on the topic of trust You know, we’re in a virtual world right now But you know that there is a virtual coaching and there is in-person coaching and so pretty interesting And what are your thoughts on you know, is there anyone that’s better or you know preference like, you know, what are your thoughts on that?
Christina: (00:19:34) – Sure, I’m happy to give my opinion on virtual coaching I’m a huge fan of I think one of the benefits about coaching is that it can be done virtual especially with all of the technology nowadays I also think from the person who’s getting coached their point of view a lot of companies are moving in the direction Of being remote and remote work And using all sorts of technology to make that happen.
Christina:(00:20:06) – So, I think that’s something that a coach can work with people on. So, you know, for example, if somebody is trying to, if they’re interviewing at a company and the interview is virtual, working with a coach to be comfortable with that because it can be kind of awkward to pop open your laptop and just sort of talk into the air when nobody else is in the room. So, I think that’s a huge benefit and a lot of companies are moving in that direction. So, it’s something that is positive.
Priya Gopal (00:20:35) – Yeah. Yeah.
Priya Gopal (00:20:38) – So, definitely I think, you know, in these times especially, I mean, think about the situation we’re in, you know, being able to be comfortable with virtual coaching is super important. And I think also distances, you know, sometimes you just have a connection with the coach. So, if you’re working with someone across countries, and I had a client I worked with in China before, and honestly, it’s not practical to sit down face to face. But, you know, having said that, I also think there’s a lot of value in person coaching.
Priya Gopal(00:21:06) – There are some clients who just open up better when they’re in person. Sometimes for a coach, it’s sort of you sense the energy in a room, you see how the mood shifts. And a lot of what we do in coaching is also that active listening component. So, that matters as well.
Priya Gopal (00:21:22) – But, I’d say at the end of the day, it’s the client’s style, what their preference and what they are comfortable with, as long as you can still establish that relationship of trust and be able to, you know, have a really good coaching engagement, which is powerful and gets to the client goals, you know, that flexibility, whether it’s virtual or in person, it doesn’t really matter.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:21:44) – Yeah, I agree. And I think the other big thing too is that, you know, when we talk about virtual, like, you know, I mean, like, we have been a global, you know, economy and world, you know, forever. But, it’s, you know, how we connect with people.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:21:57) – And I know one of the biggest things that, you know, we’re constantly seeing, you know, with D&I and other, you know, cultural communications and understandings, you know, is that when you’re working with a coach that, you know, is helping you with, you know, cultural connections in D&I, it’s also, it’s really great to be able to connect with somebody that, you know, isn’t right around the corner from you, but that has a different perspective, that that has, you know, more than just a toolkit of coaching, but they actually have those experiences to be able to share and what it means, you know, as we continue to hone our own cultural competencies and what that means, you know, globally.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:22:33) – So, I think that there’s a lot of things that benefit from, you know, just working with somebody and knowing someone that that can help you in that area. So, then that goes to the question, like, especially if we’re doing this remotely, like, how do you know if a coach is the right fit? Like, you know what I mean? Because I know at GoCoach, like, we make sure that every coachee gets to interview their coaches, but, you know, Christina and Priya, what are your thoughts on that? How do you know a coach is the right fit for you?
Christina: (00:23:03) – Sure. So, I think there’s a few different ways that you can tell if a coach is the right fit for you. So, I, my recommendation would be to think about people that you’ve worked with in the past that have had an influence on you.
Christina: (00:23:15) – So, it can be a teacher, a boss, a mentor, a therapist even, you know, any coach-like figures that you’ve worked with who have encouraged you, maybe they’ve inspired you, maybe they’ve pushed you to get to the next level, reach a goal, and think about what qualities they’ve had in common and why you enjoyed working with, you know, that person. So, there are two types of coaches, in my opinion. So, you know, one can be described as the encouraging type and the positive type and the one who’s really there to sort of cushion you.
Christina: (00:23:49) – And then there’s also that other piece where it’s more tough love and they’re sort of going to give you a little kick, give you a little push. And, you know, both qualities are great to have. It’s just more so thinking about who do you relate to more and who are you going to get the most out of. So, that would be my take on it.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:24:06) – Priya, anything to add?
Priya Gopal (00:24:08) Yeah, definitely. No, I totally agree with what Christina said. I mean, that connection is super important. I think what I always recommend clients, potential clients, is be very clear about what you want. In other words, you know, your style, how’s your learning preference, whether it’s, again, you want that tough love or it’s more about like, I need someone who’s a little bit more encouraging, softer. Sometimes, you know, even the experience matters.
Priya Gopal(00:24:33) – There are some clients who actually have a preference for a certain kind of skill they want to develop. So, for example, communication. Then you want someone with that experience who’s probably been able to do that for clients. So, it’s really important to be clear and always, you know, ask a lot of questions about from coaches. I always tell people that is you really need to be able to feel comfortable and be able to actually create that relationship with them. So, ask a lot of questions, you know, make sure that you have everything covered.
Priya Gopal (00:25:01) – And I know most coaches, especially I know our Go Coach coaches are always open to answering questions. If you don’t know something, we’re always going to get back. So, ask questions.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:25:11) – Thank you Priya. I think the other way to be able to find that right coach, I remember the first time that I was coached. I didn’t like my coach to be quite honest because I didn’t pick them. It was part of our executive management training at the one company and this one coach came in and pretty much coached all of us. There was a style and an issue that just wasn’t jiving with me. I remember going to my CEO at the time. I was just like, I don’t know if that was the right coach. the right coach.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:25:41) – It’s like, while this individual is working well for you, they’re not really working well for me. To be quite honest, I’m kind of bothered that one person is coaching all 12 of us. I tell you that story because it’s really important. When you look at coaching, it’s really about what it means for you. The good news was that I was allowed to go out and interview coaches that helped me. I did find a coach. It sparked a connection that I didn’t even know was there as far as the values that the coach embodied were the same values that I had.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:26:20) – Having that shared connection, I think immediately gave me the ability and the agility to want to learn. We all say that we want to learn, but we have to be connected to something to be able to open up that door of learning. I definitely know that the individual that helped me, it was an immediate connection. We did have a lot of tough love sessions, that’s Christina’s point. It was tough love as far as helping me evolve as a leader and as a person. Listening skills are very important.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:26:56) – When you find that connection to be there, definitely take advantage of it.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:27:02) – We’re talking about technology.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:27:04) – We’re talking about coaching. Coaching has been around since the beginning of time, whether we realize it or not. How do you see coaching further evolving within the workplace and particularly where we are right now?
Priya Gopal (00:27:19) – I think Kristy mentioned technology. That’s a big part. Now when you look at the startups today, they’re just teams that are distributed. They’re teams across geographies, countries, continents even. I think that’s the way the workplace is evolving. A lot of people want that flexibility. When you think about it and think of how do we get teams to work together collaboratively, I see team coaching as a big piece of this trend in the future.
Priya Gopal(00:27:46) – There are individual needs, personalized needs, but being able to help teams manage that, whether it’s brainstorming virtually, whether it’s being aligned to the company’s mission. There’s something about being able to work towards a common goal. I see that as a big trend. Also the fact that now coaching, I know with the Go Coach platform, we’re really trying to democratize coaching. I think that level of access, not just to top executives, but to pretty much everybody who wants it, I think that’s the other future for coaching.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:28:20) – Cristina, anything to add there?
Christina:(00:28:24) – I think Priya makes a good point. We covered this earlier too. But coaching can be for everybody. It has been around for a while, but I think growing the opportunities are endless. Since we are moving to having remote teams and people in different areas, being able to learn and coach people on how to communicate with others and just being able to handle those kinds of situations. I think there’s a lot of opportunity for growth and I think that’s something that we’re going to see a lot of in the future.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:28:57) – I think the other thing just to add, as far as seeing coaching evolving, it was just for executives and we’re definitely doing this at Go Coach, we’re making it accessible for all. People need to realize the flip side of coaching is that all these coaches have started businesses on their own and to be able to start your own business of coaching to help others. It’s very difficult and it’s not easy.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:29:26) – You can have a ton of clients and then all of a sudden you don’t because you’re so invested in coaching and helping others that it’s really hard to do all the sales side and the marketing side. The way that I really see coaching coming together is as a community, that we’re constantly coaching each other and we’re constantly serving others and we’re starting to break down those walls of individuals and really just bringing people together as an army of educators to really be able to help people.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:29:58) – I really see that as the biggest thing and that’s the most important thing that we’ve been trying to do at Go Coach is to break down those barriers and open up the doors for all those that want to help others.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:30:11) – All right. Any last thoughts on, you know, just with the evolution of coaching? Because I think that, you know, there still is a stigma out there where people just really saw it as like, you know, an executive thing. And, you know, why could this work for like a mid-level manager or, you know, somebody who’s just starting their job and they’re new?
Priya Gopal (00:30:33) – Yeah, no, that’s, I love that you brought up this point about stigma. I think you’re right. There is that stigma around, oh, we only need a coach when we’re underperforming or it’s a cry for help. And that’s really not the case anymore. And hopefully, you know, to the work we’re doing, we’re able to break down those barriers. But I think, you know, what happens, especially when you’re early on your career, you get to that mid-level. A lot of people hit that point where they’re like, they’re not sure about where to or how to move forward.
Priya Gopal (00:31:02) – And I think that’s a great time for them to be asking for that help for a coach to come in and to provide that guidance. I mean, very often when I talk to a lot of mid-level professionals, it’s like, well, I’m kind of stuck and I don’t know what to do. I’ve accomplished this and I could continue this job, but I don’t, it doesn’t excite me anymore. And those kinds of questions to be able to really think through, okay, what are my goals? Like, does that fit into my values? You know, how does that really help me? I mean, those are all precious questions.
Priya Gopal (00:31:29) – So it just, you know, to be able to do that, to be able to co-create your goals with a coach and action on them, I think is a tremendous way to use a coach.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:31:40) – Yeah, I’d agree. And then the other thing is, is that like, you know, just like going, drawing on experiences, like, you know, we’ve all been new to a job and we’ve all been new to work. And one of the biggest issues, you know, we’ve been seen in this country is, you know, a war on talent and at the same time, a skill shortage. And this skill shortage is happening immediately. We know when students, you know, leave college and they’re going out to the workforce for the first time. And that’s hard to navigate.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:32:10) – I don’t think I knew what I was doing for at least five years. I, you know, after I graduated school and you know, with, with some of the companies that we’re working with, we’re, we’re actually starting, you know, that the minute that they enter a company, not only as a new hire, but you know, as an entry level employee, because it is tough to navigate, you know, one extreme to the next.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:32:33) – And so I think that the way that we just have to look at this is, is that, you know, if it’s, if you want to continue to develop and hone your skills and you want to continue to grow, you know what I mean, you should be able to start as early as possible.
Priya Gopal (00:32:45) – Yeah. And Kristy, sorry, I was just going to add one thing is, you know, especially like, I think when you get to that level where you know, you’ve been doing your, your, you know, in your function, like performing really well, and then you get to the point where you’re now a manager, you’re interacting with different functions and suddenly you’re like, wait a second, I knew how to talk to my team, but I didn’t know how to communicate to all these people in marketing or any other function.
Priya Gopal (00:33:07) – So I think that level of, you know, cross-functional communication or that collaboration really becomes important and, you know, coach can help you get there.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:33:16) – Yeah, no, I couldn’t agree more. Christina, anything to add there?
Christina: (00:33:20) – Yeah, I think that those are two really great points for individuals who are starting out in a job, they sort of have to go from, you know, their, what their current routine was to learning how to just be in the professional world, like learning how to work, learning how to interact with other people at different levels.
Christina: (00:33:38) – You know, sometimes titles can intimidate people and just having that guidance from a coach to be able to give them the confidence to learn how to speak to those kind of, you know, high level professionals is super important.
Christina: (00:33:51) – And then to the point that Priya made, I’ve worked with several people who sort of are mid-level in their career and maybe they’re stepping into a management role and sort of like this imposter syndrome kicks in where they say, oh my gosh, how did I get here? You know, am I on the right path or am I qualified to talk to, you know, all of these high level executives in a meeting and, you know, I’m sitting in a boardroom and they see all these people around me who have way higher titles than I do, or, you know, they’re more accomplished than I am.
Christina: (00:34:23) – So just being able to give people the courage and help them work through their own battles in the professional world. It’s super important to look at it from, you know, all of those different perspectives and not just from one area.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:34:40) – Thank you. So I’m going to open up the last question and then hopefully we can get some questions from the attendees out there.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:34:48) – But we’ve all been coaching for a while. What has been your most rewarding experience that you’ve had and why?
Priya Gopal (00:34:56) – Yeah, oh my God, I so many I feel so grateful and blessed to be able to do what I’m doing. I, you know, when you see clients struggling with their goals or that sense of feeling stuck and you’re able to help them and then you see that moment with a light just goes off in their eyes and they’re like, Oh, wow, I didn’t know I could do this or all the possibilities that open up. I mean, it’s magical. I love seeing that. I think that’s the rewarding part for me as a coach, and I’m sure a lot of coaches agree with that.
Priya Gopal (00:35:25) – But it just that power of transformation is fantastic to see when someone started out thinking there’s no option. So yeah, I don’t know how you do it till they get to the point like wait, I did this. Wow, it’s it’s fantastic to watch. So every day and every moment, even the little things that just feels very rewarding when you see that with the clients achieving success.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:35:45) – Yeah, yeah. Christina, what are your thoughts?
Christina: (00:35:49) – Yeah, I think that pretty makes a great point. It’s the light bulb moment, the sort of like aha moment. Specifically, I worked with a client who had the same background as me. So I started my career in education. And I decided that I wanted to make a change to HR. And I worked in human resources. And then I decided I wanted to take everything that I learned and help others, you know, achieve the same success. And I worked with a client who the same thing she was teaching for, I think it was about five or six years, and she wanted to make the change.
Christina: (00:36:21) – And sometimes people feel lost, they feel like they’re stuck. And, you know, they don’t know how to go about it. So being able to give them that pride line and that roadmap, and then sort of seeing them realize that they can do it. And you know, you’re sort of their cheerleader and pushing them and helping them get to those goals.
Christina: (00:36:39) – It’s it’s really, really rewarding.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:36:44) – Thank you. And sorry, if you do hear a little bit of background noise, I’m right near Pennsylvania Hospital, where there’s a lot of helicopters going back and forth with everything going on.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:36:54) – So I apologize.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:36:54) – But I do want to chime in that I think the other thing that is, you know, rewarding is that, you know, when we look back at our life, you know, I mean, I think we all know we had this one teacher that was our favorite.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:37:06) – And we had this, you know, one coach, like, you know, I mean, for, you know, basketball, baseball, soccer, you know, basketball, baseball, soccer, that, you know, that you really learned a lot from it, and they really made you help you be a better person, too.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:37:18) – And, you know, it continues to be, you know, that next like, you know, you know, beacon in your life as to be able to connect with somebody that’s here with you on your journey now.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:37:28) – Because we’ve all had people, you know, on our journey with us from, you know, the beginning, and why can’t we continue on in that path of, you know, where somebody is really coaching and guiding you and helping you. And so I just look at all the rewards that I have personally reaped, you know, from, you know, all the people that have helped and guided me. And I think that that’s the most rewarding thing is, you know, when you’re able to give it back, too.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:37:54) – But that’s pretty much, you know, the 101 on what coaching is. I hope that we were able to answer a lot of your questions out there. But I would love to know if anybody in the audience has any questions or if they want to ask anything for me, Priya, or Christina, because we’re definitely here to help you. Well, I guess why don’t we do a quick check in. I see a bunch of you out there. How is everybody doing? I know it’s been tough and we can use the next 20 minutes just to make sure that we’re all at being humans together.
Kristy McCann Flynn: (00:38:28) – But how is everybody doing out there? And you could just put in the chat box, OK, doing well. But I just want to make sure that everybody is OK. Yeah, it’s difficult out there. Well, either way, if you want to learn more information about us or any of our coaches, definitely feel free to reach out. And we’ll be sending a summary of what this is out to you and a recording and a blog post. And so thank you.
