JULY 2023 Also Featuring RACHEL PALING OF EFFICIENT LANGUAGE COACHING LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE WORLD’S TOP FOOTBALL MANAGERS ALSO FEATURING COACHING AT THE TOP: THE SECRET WEAPON OF SUCCESSFUL CEOS
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STAY CONNECTED! Follow us on: CEO TODAY Copyright 2023 Circulation details can be found at www.ceotodaymagazine.com The views expressed in the articles within CEO Today are the contributors’ own, nothing within the announcements or articles should be construed as a profit forecast. All rights reserved. Material contained within this publication is not to be reproduced in whole or part without the prior permission of CEO Today. Disclaimer: Images used in this edition have been done so under the creative commons licenses. For details, see links below. creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode Editor’s Note. JULY 2023
Welcome to the latest edition of CEO Today Magazine! Welcome to the July edition of CEO Today, your guide through the dynamic landscape of modern leadership and entrepreneurship. We’ve prepared a fascinating spread of articles, interviews, and special features that we hope will enlighten, inspire, and encourage you as you navigate the leadership pathway. Our cover story this month delves into the realm of executive coaching. We’ve brought together a suite of thought-provoking pieces on various coaching modalities - leadership coaching, language coaching, and holistic coaching. These articles aim to highlight the transformative power of coaching and the myriad ways it can reshape executive performance and drive organizational growth. There’s an adage that says, “Football is not just a game, but a way of life.” But can it also be a metaphor for business leadership? We believe so. This month, we’ve curated some fascinating leadership lessons from the world’s best football managers, including titans like Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola. We explore how the strategies they employ on the football pitch can translate into the boardroom, offering a fresh perspective on leadership. In our Business Strategy section, we delve into the intriguing world of subscription models. As more businesses pivot to this model, we examine its merits, its potential pitfalls, and how it might be the key to unlocking new levels of growth for your enterprise. Finally, we tackle an increasingly crucial issue in the corporate world: greenwashing. In an age where environmental sustainability is not just desirable but essential, it’s vital to differentiate between companies that genuinely commit to green initiatives and those that merely claim to. Our in-depth feature investigates the phenomenon of greenwashing, its implications, and how to spot it. As always, our goal at CEO Today is to provide you with the insights, ideas, and inspiration you need to lead effectively and responsibly in today’s complex business environment. We hope that this edition’s thoughtfully curated content resonates with you and aids you on your leadership journey. Thank you for your continued readership and being part of our CEO Today community. Mark Palmer Editor Best wishes, GREEN OF GREED BIG RED James G. Wetrich Leonardo Royal London City Hotel RECURRING REVENUE
CONTENTS. JULY 2023 18. BIG RED James G. Wetrich 22. EFFICIENT LANGUAGE COACHING Rachel Paling 26. BREAKING BARRIERS & BOOSTING CONFIDENCE Einav Avni 30. TAILORED FOR SUCCESS Graziela Cajado-Ogland 38. GREEN OF GREED Behind Corporate Greenwashing 46. MASTERMINDS OF THE PITCH Leadership Lessons From The World’s Top Football Managers 56. NAVIGATING THE TIDES OF WORKPLACE STRESS 60. RECURRING REVENUE Why Businesses Should Consider the Subscription Model 66. CONTINUOUS PLANNING 72. LEONARDO ROYAL LONDON CITY HOTEL
72. 46. 26. 18.
10 The Stories Everyone’s been Talking about NEWS. JULY 2023
In the world of technology, titans and adversaries Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are no strangers to competition. Whether it’s accumulating wealth or gaining the most followers, their battle of prowess is relentless. Their rivalry took an unusual twist last week when the pair agreed to a physical showdown. Musk, the owner of Twitter, instigated the encounter by proposing a “cage match” with Zuckerberg, who accepted willingly. This unexpected development came after Zuckerberg, the owner of Meta, suggested launching a new social media platform to compete with Twitter. The potential face-off, set to occur in a mixed martial arts octagon cage in Las Vegas, will involve two of the world’s wealthiest men. The bout could be organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a renowned American mixed martial arts promotion company. Dana White, the president of UFC, mentioned the event’s potential to become the most profitable ever. “This could set a historical record as the most significant fight... It would shatter all existing payper-view records,” he stated. He suggested a $100 pay-per-view fee for the Musk-Zuckerberg match. As for who might come out on top, it’s still up in the air. Zuckerberg, a trained martial artist who recently secured a gold medal in his inaugural jiujitsu tournament, stands as a strong contender. Meanwhile, Musk brought some levity to the situation by tweeting about his strategic approach. He quipped: “I have this unique move named ‘The Walrus’, where I simply lie on my adversary and do nothing.” Photo: Wikicommons - Duncan.Hull
We have a strong institutional client base and I’m looking forward to supporting Lisa in her new role”. Lisa Francis, Managing Director, Institutional Coverage, said: “I am very excited to be appointed to lead the newly created Institutional Coverage team. I was attracted to Lloyds Bank by its clear focus on helping clients to fulfil their ambitions, as well as its strong inclusion and diversity values and its clear, unifying purpose to help Britain prosper. We have an amazing opportunity to grow our institutional franchise. Not just by attracting more financial institutions to bank with us, but also to encourage existing clients to broaden the range of products and services they access from us. I look forward to leading the team as we deliver for our clients in the months and years ahead.” THE MONTHLY ROUND-UP LLOYDS BANK APPOINTS NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL COVERAGE Lloyds Bank Corporate & Institutional Banking has appointed Lisa Francis as Managing Director, Institutional Coverage. Lisa will be based in London and report into John Winter, CEO, Corporate & Institutional Banking. This is a newly created role, following the decision to create an expanded institutional coverage team, to drive further growth in this area and to bring the full breadth of Lloyds Banking Group’s capabilities to support our institutional clients. In this role, Lisa will work closely with the product and markets teams to increase the institutional client base and to deepen clients use of the wide range of products and services available across the wider Lloyds Banking Group, including our overseas offices. Lisa’s career spans more than 30 years in leading financial institutions. Lisa joined Lloyds Bank earlier in the year to lead a project on strategic delivery for Corporate & Institutional Banking. Prior to joining Lloyds, Lisa’s most recent role was at Barclays Private Bank, where she spent five years as CEO of UK and Crown Dependencies. Prior to this, Lisa held a number of leadership positions in FX sales and trading at Barclays and Natwest, having begun her career at Natwest in 1990. During her career, Lisa has strong experience in growing profitable franchises, including the underlying client base served, as well as extensive experience of identifying strategic opportunities to improve performance and deliver market leading products and services to clients. John Winter, CEO, Corporate & Institutional Banking, said: “Lisa brings to us a deep understanding of institutional, corporate and private banking, which will be invaluable as we look to accelerate growth in our institutional coverage franchise. Clients increasingly require more than traditional banking solutions, whether that is access to sustainability-linked finance and advisory services as they transition to net zero or to a more holistic range of financial services and products.
Leading pharma market access firm to double workforce and revenue amid expansion into the United Kingdom AXIS Consulting has announced a major expansion into the UK market, with its first office to open in Edinburgh, Scotland UNITED KINGDOM: AXIS Consulting has, today, announced the doubling of its workforce and revenue across the next three years, amid an expansion into the United Kingdom’s pharmaceutical market access landscape. The new office, which is situated in Edinburgh, is AXIS’ first UK-based headquarters. Founder and CEO, Brenda Dooley, is affirming the company’s commitment to the market by relocating to the UK next month. AXIS Consulting will continue to work with Irish enterprises, providing access to effective healthcare interventions, with national level reimbursement processes. Alongside this, there will be a core focus on the expansion and development of the newly-entered UK market. AXIS Consulting is a leading provider of strategic market access and health technology assessments (HTAs) for pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms. The firm is experiencing a period of rapid growth and is currently expanding its talented workforce, actively recruiting for five positions across the company, including a commercial lead for the UK, a commercial lead in Ireland, a Value and Analytics lead, a HTA strategy lead, and an administrative associate. The newly announced expansion plan will also see AXIS take its 10 staff to 25-30, over the next three years, with revenue expected to double in this timeframe. AXIS Consulting’s expansion into the UK market represents a major milestone for the company. According to a recent Statista Report, the UK’s pharmaceutical market is among the global top 10 national markets, holding some 2.6 percent of the global pharmaceutical sector. Scotland, where AXIS will have its UK headquarters, has an active and dynamic pharmaceutical market access landscape. Data from the Fraser of Allander Institute shows the value of the pharmaceutical sector in Scotland rose from £690 million in 2019, to £1.65 billion in 2022, reaching its peak during the height of the pandemic. Speaking on the expansion into the UK market, CEO and Founder of AXIS Brenda Dooley, said: “I am delighted to announce AXIS Consulting’s expansion into the United Kingdom’s pharmaceutical market access ecosystem. This is represented beautifully by our new headquarters in Edinburgh, and indeed my own commitment to the region in my decision to relocate with my family next month. This is the first UK base of operations for AXIS and from there we will continue to offer our clients access to a wide range of services to help navigate complex healthcare systems. This period of growth and development has been long in the making and over the years we have forged a deep connection with the Scottish region. Over time we amassed a deep understanding of the unique challenges within this particular pharmaceutical landscape, and indeed the wider UK landscape, and built upon our expertise. AXIS was founded with the individual at its core and our aim is to to be the partner of choice for a select and aligned customer base, delivering expertly customised UK reimbursement submissions.” The worst jobs for taking time off sick revealed - and it’s bad news for healthcare workers • New research has revealed which jobs see the biggest loss of earnings when workers have to call in sick - with healthcare practitioners ranked first • Healthcare practitioners reported 177,650 injury cases last year, resulting in over $927 million in forfeited wages, based on their average salary • The average healthcare worker had to take 12 days off work due to their injuries, which equates to $4,354 deducted from their yearly pay THE MONTHLY ROUND-UP
EXECUTIVE COACHING
BIG RED ON MANAGEMENT STYLES AFTER THE PANDEMIC: "This is a fascinating question as I am seeing two opposing approaches, some leaders who are defaulting to what they know and how they used to manage and others who are working hard to be more agile and nimble and apply lessons learned from the pandemic."
In your previous interview, you spoke of the management and leadership playbooks being turned upside by the pandemic – now that things have settled down somewhat, do you feel that management styles are still in flux? If so, how does this manifest? This is a fascinating question as I am seeing two opposing approaches, some leaders who are defaulting to what they know and how they used to manage and others who are working hard to be more agile and nimble and apply lessons learned from the pandemic. Also, what advice do you give to management teams who now manage remotely? They have to work even harder to create non-transactional, nonbusiness-focused interactions among the team member and, most importantly, to create breaks in the day and hard separations from work and not let work and non-work become one. As you may have seen, our US Surgeon General recently released a report on loneliness and isolation…this 100% WFH may not be the best for many of us…we have to work even harder to create community and a sense of belonging to ensure our teams do not get isolated. Director - Professional Coaches Global Board CEO Today recently had the great pleasure of, once more, speaking with James G. Wetrich, or “Big Red,” to those that know him well. Jim is a certified executive coach, a member of the ICF professional coaches’ board, and a WSJ Best Selling author. The last time we spoke with Jim about his coaching practice, this time around, we explore what’s changed since the end of the pandemic in terms of management and coaching and how Jim likes to work with his clients in the spirit of creativity, and how he fosters commitment.
Holding up a mirror to influential people and asking tough questions is an intrinsic part of executive coaching. For example, how far do you go into non-businessrelated matters such as appearance, weight, or lifestyle choices, and how do you approach such sensitive issues? Has this ever backfired? Well, this is most challenging today as most sessions are virtual and we often only see the proverbial tip of the iceberg on the screen. I prefer simply to focus on what little I can see and hear. I also ask the clients now to track a number of their personal parameters via a simple tool known as the body budget that was introduced to me in a recent course on neuroscience and coaching. The body budget I use asks clients to track mood, energy, focus, motivation, stress/ anxiety, diet, digestion, exercise, and sleep. That said, when you get to know a client, you can often see if they are stressed or more relaxed in how they sound and how they appear. I do very much focus on that. You have previously spoken of the triple threat of arrogance, narcissism, and naivete regarding CEO behavior. When faced with such a challenging set of characteristics, what practical methods do you use to break this down and get behind the mask, as it were? I use assessment-based coaching, and this is an area where a 360-degree assessment can be very helpful to the client and to me as the coach. These areas also pop up during the sessions and I am very attentive to language and situations the client discusses that provide me the opportunity to dive into these areas. Selfconfidence is terrific until it goes too far and becomes more like arrogance. Great leaders and managers focus outward on their team and reward and give credit to their teams and not to themselves. As a former associate justice of the US Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Conner is credited with saying, “We don’t accomplish anything in the world alone… and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one’s life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something.” How do you measure your client’s commitment to the coaching process? Do you have specific tests you employ? I insist that my clients complete a prep form and email it to me a day before the session. My billing practice rewards those who are fully committed as they get the greatest value out of coaching. In addition, coaching is generally a long-term commitment, and I typically ask for an initial engagement of a long duration. As an executive coach, you may encounter ethical dilemmas or challenging situations. How do you handle the complexities of ethical considerations in your coaching practice? I send the latest version of the International Coaching Federation Code of Ethics to all my prospective clients (I am currently an elected member
of the professional coaches’ board of the ICF). And I have an agreement that my clients must complete that discusses in detail their responsibilities and commitments and the ethical requirements of the engagement. The time to invest in this ethical orientation work is upfront and in detail to minimize any potential problems down the road. Confidentiality is a critical aspect of executive coaching. How do you navigate the complexities of maintaining client confidentiality while ensuring organizational alignment and progress? Again, this is a consideration very critical to define and spell out at the initiation of the coaching session with the sponsoring organization and the specific individual being coached. Coaching should be goal-oriented, and the sponsoring organization can clearly play a role in helping to identify areas where they would like to see change or growth, or development in the individual and, in doing so, can be a help in the feedback process to assess the progress against those goals. Undesirable behaviors are often deep-rooted. Which questioning techniques do you employ to get underneath the drivers of sub-optimal behavior? Changes in managerial and leadership approaches and styles are areas of deep expertise for me. If the challenge is truly deeply behavioral, I will refer the client to a licensed therapist. I also discuss this upfront at the beginning of the engagement with my clients as therapy is neither a specialty of mine nor do I hold a license in this area. Can you share a simplified self-evaluation technique that the executives who read this interview can employ to help discover an undesirable behavior? With the notion of change management in business (versus therapy), I think it is most useful to set small improvement goals. This is again where we can apply neuroscience to coaching. I recommend my clients use the notion behind the ‘progress loop’ by focusing on small wins. What events or actions often prove to be the catalyst for a coaching intervention? Can you share real-world examples? While this varies widely across the globe, most coaching in the US and the coaching that I am involved with is not corrective action where there is a need for an intervention. Rather, it is about partnering with clients in a deeply inspiring and creative process and setting goals to focus on maximizing their potential and growth. “Remote management requires creating non-business interactions and maintaining work-life separation.”
CEO Today recently caught up with Rachel Paling, a nonpractising qualified lawyer and highly experienced language coach from Efficient Language Coaching (ELC). Rachel shares her insights into the importance of being multilingual in business and how her methods adopt a brain-friendly approach to learning languages.
Can you explain what business neurolanguage coaching is and why it’s important in today’s international business dynamic? Over the last 20 years, it has become really clear that languages in business are essential. Businesses have increasingly broken out beyond borders into the globalised market, and even the smallest of provincial companies now understand the importance of speaking languages. However, language excellence signifies embracing cultural differences, diversity and inclusion par excellence and a deeper, more meaningful degree of communication and comprehension among employees, management and clients/customers. Neurolanguage Coaching® for business is a “brain-friendly” approach to language learning. In practical terms, we incorporate elements from professional coaching. For example, the goal and action setting, the focus on motivation, commitment and empowerment, the ethics, confidentiality and standards. Our communication is based on coaching conversations, models and techniques. In this way, we can transform how educators communicate and transfer their knowledge in a business learning environment. In addition, we implement neuroscientific principles, plus emotional intelligence and neuropsychology, into the learning process. We infuse the learning with metacognition by adapting the process to reflect the research, so everything we do has a scientific reason and justification to it. Also, the coach opportunely shares information about how the brain learns, reacts and functions with the learners and brings constant awareness of the power of words and patterns of communication. In today’s international business dynamic, it is essential for management to work side by side with a professional coach as someone we can trust, who will accompany a development process aspiring for the best language and communication results for each individual, tailoring and personalising the learning to achieve results faster and more effectively. What would you say is the value of business neurolanguage coaching for a CEO? CEOs do not just want lip service saying, “I am a language coach”. They want concrete results and the reassurance that the neurolanguage coach has professional training and embodies this in a new method and approach. The Neurolanguage Coaching® process is fully focused on getting learners to learn faster, with a totally personalised roadmap that incorporates metacognition as to how he or she learns the language better. CEOs today are potentially on a world stage, and as such, their communication style and eloquence are key. Global communication platforms enable CEOs to be heard across the world. The more they can communicate in a way that will be heard by many, the more their business will be recognised as a global player, not only externally but also internally, with multilingual and multicultural workforces leading the way. In addition, this way of learning also presents questions about ROI, not only for the learning investment but also for the impact that “finer-tuned language” may have on business results. There may be more acquisition of clients and business, and there may be more efficiency in workflows or better performance from cross-cultural teams. The value is, in fact, “achieving visible/ tangible results”. Rachel Paling Efficient Language Coaching Founder and Director
“Multilingual proficiency is a key message to employees who want to know that their management really does ‘walk the talk’.” How can business neurolanguage coaching improve a CEO’s communication skills? In many ways, by assisting awareness of language and communication, a CEO may utilise language as a vehicle to achieve new business and new deals or to, clinch negotiations or leave impacting messages. How we communicate has an immediate and long-lasting effect on our counterparts, and by being able to express “self” in another language that is essential for that business is key to expansion and development worldwide. Neurolanguage coaching focuses on how language learners can really develop the necessary skills they require, and it tailors the learning /improvement/enhancement of language to each and every individual, to their position in business, to their required “functional language skills”. It brings up dialogues about how the brain learns and how we can optimise and maximise learning. It involves professional coaching conversations to understand how to learn or to navigate the “emotional blocks” or how to troubleshoot issues, plus coaching conversations to discuss grammar or language questions. It is a very holistic, personalised approach which aims to bring more effective and efficient and potentially faster learning to the client. Can you discuss the role of language in business? How does effective language coaching influence a business’s success? In light of all the possible AI tools that may be used for language facilitation, clever company leaders are aware that the human touch sways deals and proper appropriate language communicated at the right time will make or break the business. How does a neurolanguage coach help a CEO to articulate their vision more effectively? A neurolanguage coach would initially meet with the client to discuss the client’s needs and goals, and then together, both coach and coachee would work out the path to follow and the learning strategies ideal for that particular situation and client. I used to work with a board member who was chairing meetings in English and often steering the passing of resolutions. His aim was to do that in a flowing natural, focused way and we worked on building up his “alternatives” and then rehearsing/simulating meetings. What common language or communication issues have you seen among CEOs, and how can coaching help to address them? One common situation is delivering presentations and the desire to be impacting, combat nerves and bring out the style and key message with language and effective paralinguistics. But the most common is how to handle awkward or difficult questions after presentations and here I would suggest that it would require brainstorming language tactics to deal or deflect. In the age of global connectivity and diverse workforces, how crucial is the aspect of multilingual proficiency for a CEO? Can language coaching help? CEOs across the world are the “role
There may even be an element of language plus cultural influence, which is also an essential part of communication which can be explored to enhance a greater understanding of certain business situations. Can you discuss some specific techniques or strategies unique to Efficient Language Coaching that you use to improve a CEO’s leadership skills? Well, one technique is bringing the neuroscientific evidence of how the brain works and how the brain likes to learn, creating an inner awareness and sensitivity that we normally do not know about when learning something. Understanding how the brain works, and how the limbic system triggers can actually give enormous insight into how we learn and respect that “no two brains are the same”. (David Rock, Quiet Leadership). The entire conversation between the coach and coachee follows a pattern that moves the language coach away from the directive and instructional mode and into an interactive and brain-friendly mode. This, in effect, assists the coachee in taking ownership of the whole learning process and focusing and attention are greatly increased. One of the focus points is to get the client into “mastery”, so building strategies to achieve that will also be key, and we offer a real structure to the sessions, having created the personalised roadmap for each client right from the start. As a professional coach, I would also enhance the learning with coaching models or techniques that may fit the language skill needed. For example, CEOS that go through a 360-degree feedback process may need more focus on descriptive language and there are certain tools we could use to deep dive into these. Finally, I would say the real bonus to working with a neurolanguage coach is the coach’s ability to have a solid structure and roadmap but at the same time fully comprehends how to “dance” with each and every client – that is, heightened adaptability and flexibility and at the same time profound knowledge about professional coaching and the “neuro” integrated together with their language expertise. model” for their company. They represent the business, the product/service and the workforce. As hierarchical structures are increasingly breaking down and CEOs are really stepping into the “walk the talk” key person for the company, that means their communication in other languages will also be recognised and scrutinised. Multilingual proficiency is a key message to employees who want to know that their management really does “walk the talk”. How do you tailor your language coaching approach to suit different CEOs and their individual business contexts? The first step is to really evaluate that client’s starting point well so that a goal and action plan can be created with a crescendo of learning/enhancing language over a period of time. This will bring certainty and clarity to the process as well as keep the learner focused and calm. Once the plan is clear, then the question will be how to create a learning process that focuses not only on explicit learning but also on implicit learning or, rather the subconscious input of language, almost like replicating an immersion learning situation but from home. In many cases, it is also about working with a neurolanguage coach that not only has language expertise but also has a business background or a specialised area. For example, I am a qualified UK non-practising lawyer and I have worked with many lawyers relating to legal English and necessary skills for their legal practice, such as negotiating, contract drafting, court procedures etc. I have also worked with CEOs who also wanted to hone leadership communication, such as delegation, reporting or appraisals. “Businesses have increasingly broken out beyond borders into the globalised market, and even the smallest of provincial companies now understand the importance of speaking languages.”
& BOOSTING BREAKING
Einav, as a Confidence & Empowerment Coach, can you give us a brief overview of your coaching journey and what led you to start Untangled Coaching? Before starting my coaching journey, I worked in IT as a User Experience Designer. I loved that job, and as a freelancer, I got to meet so many different people, working on so many cool projects. Ten years in though, I had an inclination that coaching might be the thing for me, and so I jumped ship and went on to do my training course. In my training, I came across the concept of the Mind-Body Connection, and I just knew I had to do that with my clients. However, it very quickly became apparent that I wasn’t ready to work with people suffering from chronic pain. I shifted my attention to working with people on understanding the negative selftalk and limiting beliefs that were holding them back. The name ‘Untangled Coaching’ came from my first few sessions, where I kept hearing myself tell my clients we would be untangling their old way of being and tailoring new and empowered ones instead! “MY GUIDING PRINCIPLE IS THAT EVERYTHING WE WANT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR.” Einav Avni Coach & Mentor Untangled Coaching In our exclusive interview with Einav Avni, Confidence & Empowerment Coach and founder of Untangled Coaching, she shares her journey from IT to coaching, the importance of overcoming fear, and how confidence and empowerment are crucial in the professional world. Discover how her coaching methodology helps individuals unlock their true potential.
What is the primary philosophy or guiding principle that underpins your coaching practice at Untangled Coaching? My guiding principle is that everything we want is on the other side of fear. When we understand that fear is the way our negative voice keeps us safe, we also learn that we have a choice - listen to the fear and desert our efforts or listen to our higher knowing and do it anyway! Our negative voice tells us lies that latch on to our deepest fears to keep us inside of our comfort zone. This voice needs us to do today exactly what we did yesterday (we survived, didn’t we?), and so as soon as we want to branch out, the lies begin. The trick is to anticipate in advance that fear will come - not because you are bound to fail, but because you haven’t done that before… In your opinion, why are confidence and empowerment so crucial in today’s professional environment? Too often, I come across teams that are only functioning at the surface level, but when you start looking at the individuals, you see insecurities, fears, imposter syndromes and doubts that could very easily be mitigated and turned into strengths. Still, for some reason, Management won’t invest in their teams’ confidence and empowerment. Confidence and Empowerment are crucial because we are all unique and we each have gifts, talents and unparalleled views to draw from in the workplace. When we don’t feel safe to be ourselves and see ourselves as worthy, we end up diluting our messages and our strength and don’t give others a chance to see what we bring to the table and why we’re important to be kept and nurtured. It becomes a vicious circle that elicits stress and unhappiness, not to mention dysfunctional teams and poor performances. What are the common barriers you see in individuals who struggle with self-confidence and empowerment, and how does your coaching help overcome these? The common barriers are the need to conform and be like everyone else. People are too worried about fitting in than being the true stars that they are. In my coaching, I help people see that when they shy away from their true gifts, they rob themselves and the company of the real talents they bring with them. I help them find ways to speak up and own their true selves. I work with them to see that they are better than what they allow themselves to believe and how to start shining where they once shied away. How do you measure progress or success in your coaching sessions? A lot of the work is measured by reports of change in how my clients were before vs. how they are now. People notice their attitude changes and that they truly feel more empowered, and when they do, their teams and companies notice them more. In what ways does your coaching methodology extend beyond the coaching sessions to help individuals maintain their confidence and empowerment in everyday life? My clients have access to me in between coaching sessions because I believe that sometimes real growth moments happen outside of the sessions, and when my clients need my support - I am there for them. My clients always tell me they have my voice in their heads even when we finish working together because I help
them look at life in a completely new way through the work we do. How do you envision the future of Untangled Coaching? What are your plans for growth and development? Just over a year ago, I decided to go back to my old passion of the Mind-Body Connection and became certified in the energy healing modalities of the Emotion and Body Codes. Nowadays, alongside my coaching work, I work a lot with people suffering from chronic pain, illnesses, or unexplained medical conditions to heal or reduce their symptoms. I combine in this work the core belief I spoke about earlier, that fear is one of the biggest elements that keep us stuck, and also work on the basis that every physical ailment has an emotional basis. - this fits into the empowerment work I’ve always done with people. For our readers who may not be familiar with the concept of these energy healing modalities, please explain what energy healing is and how it works. The Emotion and Body Code energy healing modalities, work on the premise that we are all energy. As such, when we go through emotional events or trauma that we don’t process, the energy of these becomes trapped in our energy field, causing us to feel pain and discomfort. The idea is that as we release the trapped emotions and imbalances, we slowly restore the body’s innate ability to heal itself, something it struggles with when we are full of blockages. These blockages cause all sorts of trouble - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and when we clear them, fascinating results are noticed. How does energy healing complement and enhance your coaching practice at Untangled Coaching? I now offer two types of work: the coaching I mentioned earlier, and the healing, in which I combine both coaching and healing. It means that not only do I help people release their blockages, but I also help them find where in their lives they haven’t been operating out of alignment and harmony and bring more of what truly calls them into being. There is no end to what people can do when they finally believe they are limitless, and limitless can only come when fear is no longer viewed as a valid reason to ‘not doing’. Einav has also published four ebooks titled: Finding your authentic voice at the workplace You are limitless: play to your strengths Communication styles that work Believe it! You are good enough To learn more about Einav visit: www.untangledcoaching.com www.linktr.ee/einavni
Graziela, do you believe that everyone needs a coach? I believe coaching is only valuable for individuals who are sincerely committed to personal and professional growth and are willing to embrace change. Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt, and other prominent executives have openly expressed their belief that everyone needs a coach. Much like athletes who engage coaches to enhance their performance and maximise their chances of success, Executive & Leadership coaches can play a critical role in accelerating professional achievements. Consider this: Would you be interested in partnering with someone who can skilfully identify your blind spots, offer motivation to push your limits, and encourage you to explore new approaches? What if this person could guide you through deep introspection, assisting you in aligning your life with your core values while holding www.cajado-ogland.net +447786938195 graziela@cajado-ogland.net linkedin.com/in/gracoaching In this interview we’re excited to present an exclusive and engaging conversation with Graziela Cajado-Ogland, a renowned executive coach who is empowering C-suite leaders to build coaching skills and promote coaching cultures within their organisations. In our comprehensive interview, Graziela delves into a wide array of topics, from her belief in the value of coaching for those committed to personal and professional growth, to her unique approach to group coaching.
“I believe coaching is only valuable for individuals who are sincerely committed to personal and professional growth and are willing to embrace change.” In addition to 1-2-1 coaching, you also offer group coaching. Can you talk about your group coaching/facilitation experience and how the group dynamic of Gra’s Circles enhances the coaching experience compared to traditional one-on-one executive coaching? The dynamics within a group are truly unique. When we actively listen to the challenges others are facing, we realise that we are not alone in our struggles. For example, in the same discussion, one participant might be facing the difficult decision of letting go of a valuable team member, another is navigating a controlling boss, and another is enduring the challenges of a divorce. Some might be managing health concerns; others are grappling with financial insecurity. The group discussions shed light on the diverse range of difficulties we all face, and this realisation helps us move away from helplessness or victimhood and into collaboration and action. The coach reminds the group that we all have the resources to navigate our challenges successfully and that we can leverage the group’s collective experiences. Through open dialogue, empathy and support, we explore alternative perspectives, expand options, and move towards collaborative problem-solving. you accountable to your goals and aspirations? Not everyone fully understands the potential benefits of coaching. According to the ICF (International Coaching Federation), “Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential.” In our busy lives, we rarely carve out time to reflect on our values, to check if we are playing to our strengths, and to explore new avenues for greater impact and fulfilment. A certified professional coach’s undivided attention who can facilitate that process can make all the difference. Can you also discuss the significance of creating a supportive and inclusive space for coaching in Gra’s Circles? When I was trained as a group facilitator through HBS, one of the first things we learned was that the agreement of basic norms/contracting of behaviours early on is critical to the group’s success. The group must agree on certain rules upfront: confidentiality is key to creating a safe space, respect for each other, ensuring equal participation, learning to listen without judgement and not offering advice unless requested. In addition to endorsing the agreement, the coach can play a vital role in role-modelling vulnerability. When someone is vulnerable, the group usually follows, and that’s when the discussions become meaningful and deep. Without vulnerability, the sessions can become superficial and lose their purpose. The sharing of challenges enhances connection and strengthens our relationships, and when that happens, the group can evolve into a beautiful support system. We find ourselves helping each other in various ways: opening up new job opportunities, making important introductions, celebrating promotions, and seeking and providing reassurance. During Covid, we also reminded each other to prioritise our self-care and selfcompassion. It can be a truly heart-
“Coaching allows individuals to understand how their unique styles and behaviors impact those around them.” effective problem-solving is that they rarely set up space to reflect and see the bigger picture. Once the issue is clear, I empower the client to problem-solve. When clients truly engage in exploring alternatives, they are not only more likely to find a solution that is better suited to their needs but are also much more likely to implement them. How do you adapt your coaching methods to suit the unique needs and goals of each individual executive? Coaching is a very personalised experience, and I spend 1-2 sessions to really understand who my client really is and what really matters to them at this stage in their lives. I use a questionnaire and recognised assessment tools to build greater selfawareness and uncover blind spots. I use a fantastic 360 Leadership evaluation tool (Leadership Circle Profile) to assess leadership effectiveness if that’s important. These critical initial findings are truly unique to the client and will become the foundation that will enable them to set clear goals and a realistic development plan fully tailored to their needs and wants. In addition, I share tools and resources curated to their needs to encourage further reflection after our sessions and deepen their learning on topics that come up during coaching. Over the years, I have built a large database of articles, ted talks, and books, and I have created my own coaching tools. For example, I recently worked with a client who was certain he had to let go of a team member but was struggling with how best to have that conversation. We discussed different approaches, I reminded him of his values of courage and of his qualities of empathy and kindness, and I shared articles about leading with humanity and compassion. He took his time to reflect and build his own approach and managed to execute it with kindness, flexibility, and support. Another client had been avoiding a difficult conversation at work for fear that it would create friction or negatively impact their warming experience to take part in coaching groups. Can you share with us some of the core principles or philosophies that guide your coaching practice? I follow the ICF principle that clients are creative, resourceful, and whole, and it is not my role to give advice. We all have the temptation to give advice, but (sadly) our own experiences are never as relevant as we think they are. The greater their self-awareness, the most powerful coaching becomes. So first, I ensure that clients are clear on their core values, key strengths, self-sabotage tendencies and what’s on their way to achieving their aspirations (the discovery phase). Then we set short-term and long-term goals together. Once goals are set, and clients have good levels of self-awareness, we have a great foundation to work from and a great framework for decision making. Then my job is to be their thinking partner: that includes helping them see the bigger picture, motivating them to move towards their objectives and empowering them to face and deal with the challenges that arise. When they face obstacles, I work hard to create a safe and non-judgemental space to guide them to see the real issue behind a problem and to consider different alternatives. Very often, what prevents clients from
relationship. I shared a 4-step framework for preparing for difficult conversations, she used it, and it was very effective! Can you give us an example of a significant breakthrough or transformation that an executive achieved through your coaching? I find that some of the most gratifying outcomes happen when clients become aware of blind spots and limiting beliefs they did not realise were holding them back. These “lightbulb moments” are magical and open space for personal change and significant positive transformation. I’ve helped many clients progress in their careers and find more fulfilling work, but my goal is really to help them see their full potential and live lives with more purpose and in line with their core values. The longest study on happiness done by Harvard shows that what really matters is the quality of our close relationships, much more than power, fame or success. Coaching allows individuals to understand how their unique styles and behaviours impact those around them, and by making a few simple changes, these dynamics can have great long-term positive impacts on their relationships and well-being. Some examples are: The CEO of an asset management company had not realised that his perfectionist tendencies were getting in the way of his relationships at home and at work. As a result, he was not capable of enjoying the small things in his life and was looking for more joy. Coaching helped shed light on this blind spot, and slowly letting go of getting things his way (prioritising being happy rather than being right) led to quick and effective positive change in his relationships and his happiness level. A very bright lawyer was getting in her own way by not believing in her capabilities and constantly worrying that she would not be recognised or get the promotion she deserved. She realised she was being hijacked by her hyper-vigilant tendencies and wasting energy on issues outside her control. By focusing on playing to her strengths and spending her energy on what she could control, she was able to perform at her best. As a result, she was not only recognised, promoted, and given a significant salary raise, but also she reached C-level at her firm. Another senior client had taken a redundancy package after 20 years+ at a large organisation. He had worked on highly complex projects and had a very strategic mind, but came to coaching lacking confidence and belief that he would be able to find another role and was convinced that his skills were not transferable to another industry. After recognising this impostor syndrome, he moved towards action and networking and eventually got a job at a start-up and was promoted to Operations Director in less than a year. Why should organisations invest in Coaching and what are you doing to increase awareness of coaching’s benefits to society? The case for more Coaching in organisations is very strong: not only is it a fast-growing industry, but it offers a high return on investment, boosts productivity and improves employee retention. The Coaching industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.6% - and reach revenues of $27.5 billion by 2026, and Harvard Business Review studies concluded that coaching boosts productivity by 44%1. The ICF Global Coaching Client Study found that nearly 90% of organisations surveyed made back their initial investment. The receivers of the coaching also benefit: 99% of individuals and companies who hire a coach are “satisfied or very satisfied,” and 96% say they would repeat the process.2 A 2021 study concluded that Coaching produced a 529% ROI ($5 for every $1 spent on coaching) as well as significant intangible benefits to the business. When the financial benefits of employee retention were included, the ROI was 788%.3” 40% of organizations that use coaching or mentoring report that their organization has realized better retention of desired talent, compared to 24% of those that do not use mentoring or coaching4. Retention has a very high cost to organisations (the average cost of turnover per employee earning £25,000+/ year is £30,614)5 and this has been accentuated with the Great Resignation. Organisations are losing out on money and valuable members of staff, and coaching can help alleviate that. Some of the initiatives I am working on alongside my ICF Coaching colleagues include: 1) Raising awareness of the benefits of coaching to organisations and to
only to senior leaders: while one third of all Fortune 500 companies utilise executive coaching as standard leadership development for their elite executives and emerging talents6, this approach is not widespread across all organisational levels. The importance of offering coaching beyond the senior leadership is becoming increasingly evident, particularly as organisations face challenges in recruiting and retaining Gen Z professionals. Research indicates that Gen Zs individuals are motivated by more than just financial rewards; they prioritise lifestyle, purposeful work, and learning opportunities. To attract and retain these professionals, organisations must adapt to these changing preferences. Establishing a coaching culture is key to facilitating cross-generational learning, enabling younger generations to bring their unique skills and strengths such as social media expertise, digital skills, and purposeful goals, into the workplace. This inclusive approach ensures that younger employees can feel valued and can make a meaningful impact despite their limited professional experience. society: I serve on the Board of the UK ICF Chapter, and one of our key strategic priorities is to advocate for the value of coaching to society. UK ICF has organised conferences, events and webinars to promote the value of coaching and to encourage organisations to build a coaching culture. 2) Encouraging more leaders to adopt a Coaching approach: This past May, during International Coaching week, I co-hosted a session called “Leader as Coach.” We discussed the benefits of training leaders with coaching skills. I introduced the concept of Leader as Learner (offers guidance and support) rather than Knower (commands and control). We shared evidence that today’s leaders can no longer rely solely on their knowledge pedestal, as knowledge is readily available everywhere. True leadership strengths lie in leveraging the collective abilities and expertise of their team. A recent example that illustrates this is a client who was dealing with a very demotivated and disengaged team. The leader was spending extra time on tasks that the team was expected to handle, as whatever they produced was not good enough. However, once the leader embraced the coaching approach –taking a step back from excessive control, understanding and leveraging the strengths of employees and their collective wisdom, and involving them in finding solutions - the positive impact on relationships, morale, engagement, and productivity became evident. The Coaching approach allows employees to feel heard, have their strengths utilised and ultimately have more influence and impact. 3) Encouraging organisations to offer coaching across all levels, not Sources 1 Forbes: Every Leader can benefit from coaching, Here’s why. Benjamin Laker 2ICF Global Coaching Study 3 MetrixGlobal LLC, p14 IPEC Coaching Report 4 Leveraging Coaching and Mentoring to Create More Effective Leaders, Cameron Yarbrough 5 Research by Oxford Economics and Unum 6 The Hay Group (2011) Monty Wyatt, Business Coaching Statistics “Coaching enhances employee motivation and productivity and improves engagement and retention.” “Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt, and other prominent executives have openly expressed their belief that everyone needs a coach.”
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