Margarita Vargas’ Post

What might having a coach in your corner help you with? Sharing a 2-part self-reflection question below. I'm often being asked 'what is coaching' and 'why do people need a coach'. And, in true coaching style, to that last question I say 'it depends'. But let's start at the beginning. What is coaching? The International Coach Federation's (ICF) definition is: 'partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. It is client-driven. It focuses on setting goals, creating outcomes and managing personal change.' My favourite definition of it is: 'Coaching is helping someone achieve their goals by themselves, though not on their own.' I love this definition of coaching, because it encapsulates its power: working on YOUR goals, not anyone else's, by leveraging or growing YOUR skills, talents, abilities! Why do people need coaching? Well, they need it for different goals. And there are different types of coaching, too, for example life coaching, health and well-being, career, leadership, etc., depending on the areas where people need help and support. For example, I am certified executive coach and team coach. My area of coaching is personal and professional leadership development, for both individuals and teams. I work with individual contributors, mid-managers, new team managers, seasoned team leaders and executives. As you might guess, their coaching needs and goals are different. Here are some examples of coaching goals that my clients and I worked on in their coaching program: 1. Personal Development & Presence: Enhance influence and confidence. 2. Leadership & Motivation: Inspire and empower teams. 3. Strategic Planning & Communication: Communicate effectively with leaders, boost visibility. 4. Conflict Resolution & Feedback: Handle conflicts gracefully, give/receive feedback. 5. Career Development: Pivot/advance career, build peer relationships. 6. Team Dynamics & Collaboration: Achieve results through teamwork, foster accountability and psychological safety. So, now for the 2-part self-reflection question: 1. If you had a coach in your corner, what struggles might they help you overcome? - What would that look like for you? - What struggle would you address first? 2. How would you turn 'working against the struggle' into 'working towards a goal'? For example, let's say you struggle with having a 'difficult boss'. How would you turn that into a goal you want to work towards? It might sound like 'I want to get better at managing up and improving the relationship with my boss'. And then, if you did improve the relationship with your boss now by, let's say, 30%, how would that translate into tangible results for your career growth? Lead different. Lead with coaching in mind! #allpersonal #leadershipcoaching #teamcoaching #coaching

𝗠𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 💡 For those who have never worked with a coach before, it can be daunting to know where to begin and how to make the most of your investment. Yet if you don’t think critically about how to use your time with a coach, you may not get as much out of the experience as possible. Here are some recommendations for professionals who are working with an executive coach for the first time: ✓ Be clear about your goals: Before you start working with a coach, reflect on what you hope to achieve through coaching. This can help you and your coach establish a clear direction for your coaching sessions to ensure your time together is productive. ✓ Be open and receptive: Coaching is a collaborative process that requires you to be open to feedback, new ideas, and perspectives. Be willing to share your challenges, concerns, and aspirations with your coach. ✓ Take ownership of your learning: While your coach will provide guidance and support, ultimately, you are responsible for your own learning and growth. Be proactive in setting goals, identifying areas for improvement, and taking action to implement the insights and strategies you gain from coaching. ✓ Be consistent and committed: Coaching is most effective when it is a consistent and ongoing process. Make a commitment to attend all scheduled coaching sessions, and be willing to invest the time, effort, and resources needed to achieve your goals. ✓ Evaluate and adjust: Regularly check your progress and the effectiveness of coaching. Be willing to adjust your approach as needed. Provide feedback to your coach on what is working well and what could be improved. Work together to make any necessary adjustments to your coaching plan. Working with an executive coach can be a transformative experience to help you overcome challenges, develop new skills, and achieve your goals. By following these recommendations, you can make the most of your time with a coach and achieve the outcomes you desire. Have you ever worked with an executive coach? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments! 👇 ➖➖➖ For over 25 years, I've empowered leaders at Boeing, American Express, and Exxon/Mobil with The Authenticity CodeTM - a transformative program for elevating leadership and communication skills. Now, I'm speaking and teaching this game-changing approach at UCLA Extension. Want to unlock your authentic leadership potential and boost your influence? ***** 👉 Type "YES" in the COMMENTS below to receive exclusive event details and a FREE preview of "The Authenticity CodeTM." For my LinkedIn community that seizes this opportunity to transform your leadership journey, we'll meet at the event and make a lasting impact! #executivecoaching #personaldevelopment #leadership #management #success #communication

I thought I didn't need executive coaching. I was wrong. My greatest growth and awareness have come through working with coaches. Okay, imagine you're at the pinnacle of your career. You've climbed the corporate ladder, achieved significant milestones, and you're thinking, 'What more is there to learn?' I have this figured out. Look at the success that I've had...am having! This mindset is the type of barrier holding you back from unlocking even greater potential. Your potential could be 2x, 3x, 10x and you are bottling up greater success with your ego holding you back from working with a coach. Admitting the need for executive coaching doesn't signify weakness; it showcases courage and openness to growth that few possess. It's about peeling back the layers of your persona to reveal vulnerabilities and areas for improvement that you might be overlooking. Peeling back just sounds scary...you might defend against this vulnerable place at all cost - and you don't even know you are doing it! The irony? Those who assert they don't need coaching often stand to gain the most from it. Seems obvious...this attitude is everywhere. Coaching isn't just about refining skills; it's about transformative learning and seeing the world through a new lens. It pushes you to question the status quo, challenge your assumptions, challenge your success patterns, and step outside your comfort zone. It's time to shift the narrative. Embrace executive coaching not as a remedy but as a strategic tool for personal and professional development. Have that conversation with your future self! They'll thank you.

This is what brought me to coaching... 🔵 First, I've been coaching for a while now. I am most inspired by my 15 clients at M-KOPA over the past 6 months and the results they have each enjoyed. It was moving to see them be incredibly honest, build effective habits, grow their confidence in Design and Product, and develop more impactful working relationships with their teams and colleagues. 🔵 Second, I just accepted the role of Head of Product for M-KOPA's eMobility company after over 4 years as the Director of Product for M-KOPA's core phone financing and fintech business. The transition gave me pause and I reflected. In those years, I was honored to build an incredible Product and Design team of 20 people across 8 countries that was 50:50 women:men. At every level of my team, with people managers, with Senior PMs, and with new PMs, what I loved most was our 1:1 conversations and supporting each person to grow beyond where they started. 🔵 Third, I spent time working with a coach myself. It was a vital and rewarding way to learn and move forward through a complex transition out of my previous role. As much as I had coached others through transitions, engaging from the other side of the relationship affirmed the impact of this work. 💡 What is my coaching style? Similarly to how I managed a team, in coaching I create the space for my clients to have feelings they may not often have at work: psychological safety, clear focus on what matters most, and momentum to get unstuck. We build new habits and skills that are fully internalized, coming from the client themselves. I do this within two broad themes: 1️⃣ Leadership and Management Coaching. Coaching in this theme is focused on how we work with, influence, and bring out the best in people. Leaders are at every level in a company. 2️⃣ Product Coaching. Here we dig into specific product challenges or specific product questions (with NDAs in place, as needed). In both cases, I approach from a place of curiosity, not telling a client what to do. On occasion, I'm asked for advice and may give it, but it's not where I start. The goal is to fully internalize an empowering skillset, not to become reliant on a coach. I'm excited to be on this journey and I'm learning every day. I make sure my Clients can say the same. ✅ If you're interested in coaching to support your professional development or know someone who would be, you can schedule a free session to get started. Just send me your name and email address here: https://lnkd.in/drz8PJ_M or send me a message on LinkedIn. Have a good one, stay in touch.

Why Do Companies Hire Executive Coaches? Recently I was asked why companies hire me as an executive coach. Surely people at such senior levels had already completed leadership training and had all the skills they need for their roles? It was a good question and today I’d like to share my thoughts and experience regarding executive coaching. Before I go on, I’d like to share some facts about the ROI of executive coaching because that’s what companies are looking for in the long run. The ROI Of Coaching. One study showed a ROI of 788% with 77% of respondents indicating that coaching had a significant impact on at least one of nine business measures. Another study revealed 80% of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence, and over 70% benefit from improved work performance, relationships, and more effective communication skills. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) reports that “leaders who participated in coaching saw 50 to 70 percent increases in work performance, time management and team effectiveness.” It’s clear that companies who invest in coaching see benefits in their bottom line, but how does that happen? How Executive Coaching Boosts ROI. On paper, a manager’s performance is measured against the outcomes they produce, which may include meeting a target date or reducing their budget spending. However, no manager can achieve results without working to their strengths or interacting with others, and this requires a sophisticated level of human skills and self-knowledge. While formal training can provide a firm basis in those areas, coaching helps improve performance by focusing on the individual’s specific needs. A coach will help your managers by: Helping them develop self-awareness. Clarifying personal and professional goals. Offering a fresh, unbiased perspective on themselves, their performance and on business-related matters. Leading them to understand their own behaviour and question their beliefs and assumptions. Helping them discover their strengths and learn to leverage them Offering a safe and confidential space for them to talk and process what has been happening for them. Helping shape, repair or build better relationships with the people they work with and with their own families. Helping managers find a work-life balance that suits their needs Keeping managers focused on their personal growth rather than being distracted by the demands of work and life. Does It Really Make A Difference? My clients tell me that after working with me, they feel more in control, which is a huge outcome in itself. They have increased confidence, accelerated growth, and they understand themselves better. They learn how to reflect, and they see positive behaviour change. Importantly, they tell me that now they don’t just influence people and events: they make things happen. #leadershipstyleCEO #adaptabilityCEO #chameleonCEO #executivecoaching #lifelonglearning #aubusiness #CEOau #leadershipandhonesty

The Ripple Effect of Coaching: Why Great Leaders Start With Themselves In my previous article, I explored how coaching can transform overwhelmed managers and leaders into focused, effective, and balanced individuals. Today, I want to shift the lens: let’s look at the ripple effect that coaching creates—not just within the individual, but across teams, organisations, and beyond. At its core, coaching is not about fixing what’s broken. It’s about unlocking potential. And that starts with one simple truth: to lead others effectively, you must first lead yourself. The Invisible Burden of Leadership Leadership comes with pressure. The need to make decisions, deliver results, and inspire others often leaves leaders carrying an invisible burden—one that they don’t always talk about. • A manager struggles to find time for their family because their team’s performance relies on their constant involvement. • A business owner hesitates to delegate, fearing mistakes will cost more than their time. • A team leader grapples with imposter syndrome, doubting whether they belong in their role at all. Sound familiar? These challenges are universal. But here’s the good news: they’re also solvable. Case in Point: One Leader, One Shift Take Anna, a senior leader at a mid-sized company. When she started coaching, she was overwhelmed by team conflicts and unclear priorities. Her instinct was to “fix everything” herself, which only compounded her stress. Through coaching, Anna shifted her perspective. She learned to: • Set boundaries and focus on what truly mattered. • Empower her team, trusting them to take ownership. • Change her mindset, moving from self-doubt to self-assurance. The result? Not only did Anna find balance, but her team became more cohesive and autonomous. By changing how she led herself, Anna transformed her leadership—and her team’s performance. The Coaching Ripple Effect Great leaders create ripples. When a leader invests in their growth, the impact cascades: 1. Personal Clarity: Coaching helps leaders identify what’s holding them back and take action to overcome it. 2. Team Performance: A clear, empowered leader inspires the same in their team. 3. Organisational Success: Teams with aligned, confident leaders consistently outperform expectations. Why Coaching Matters Now In a world that demands agility and resilience, leaders can’t afford to run on autopilot. Coaching offers a pause—a moment to reflect, recalibrate, and realign with what truly matters. So, where do you start? With yourself. Because the way you lead yourself determines the way you lead others. Let’s Keep the Conversation Going Coaching doesn’t just change leaders; it changes lives. If this resonates, I’d love to hear your thoughts or discuss how coaching could create a ripple effect in your world. Grant Hamel Coach, Trainer, and Consultant Helping leaders, teams, and business owners thrive.

The HOW and WHY of Executive Coaching. Meet Alex, a high-performing executive who had always relied on hard work and determination to climb the corporate ladder. His days were filled with back-to-back meetings, strategic planning, and constant problem-solving. Yet, despite his success, he felt stuck. The challenges were becoming more complex, and the strategies that once propelled him forward were no longer enough. Feeling the weight of stagnation, Alex decided to invest in executive coaching. This wasn't about learning new management tactics—it was about transforming his entire approach to leadership. Through coaching, Alex was introduced to the concept of Vertical Development. Instead of merely adding new skills (horizontal development), he began evolving how he thought. This shift allowed him to handle greater complexity and ambiguity, essential in today's fast-paced business world. The coaching journey enhanced his self-awareness, unveiling blind spots he hadn't noticed before. With the help of triple-loop feedback, he didn't just adjust his actions (What), but also examined his strategies (How), and, most profoundly, questioned his underlying beliefs and assumptions (Why). Engaging in reflective practices, Alex learned to manage stress effectively and foster resilience. This introspection opened doors to post-conventional thinking, enabling him to devise innovative solutions that broke free from traditional molds. As his mindset expanded, so did his creativity, focus, and emotional intelligence (EQ). He began to lead with empathy, understanding his team's needs on a deeper level. His decisions became more strategic, his relationships stronger, and his impact more significant. Alex realized that to truly excel, he needed more than hard work—he needed to transform himself from the inside out. Executive coaching was the catalyst that unlocked his ultimate potential, propelling his leadership to new heights.

For years, industry leaders have urged CEOs to adopt coaching strategies, and recent challenges have amplified these calls. Executives must evolve into better coaches, foster a coaching culture, and transform their company environments to nurture coaching practices. But what defines a good coach? The CEO as Coach Understanding what a good coach is—and isn’t—is crucial. According to Vistage Master Chair Irina Baranov, coaching is distinct from mentoring and managing. Mentors impart knowledge, while managers set goals and expectations. Coaching, however, involves developing people, bringing humanity to the workplace, listening to understand, and driving employees to exceed their potential. Troy Jacobson of The Jacobson Coaching Group emphasizes that becoming a good coach requires an attitude shift, necessitating practice. A good coach listens more and speaks less, a challenging adjustment for many CEOs. Emma Doyle, aka “The Manufacturer’s Coach,” notes that executives who excel at coaching see better results, higher retention, and stronger relationships. They ask more questions, show curiosity, and exercise empathy. Baranov adds that coaching can elevate B-players to A-players, transforming stars into superstars. Despite recognizing the importance of coaching, many CEOs lack the necessary skills. A Stanford University and Miles Group survey found that while 66% of CEOs don’t receive coaching, 100% are open to it. Learning to ask open-ended questions and becoming better listeners are crucial first steps. 5 Areas Where CEOs Can Apply Coaching Strategies Setting, Meeting, and Exceeding Goals: While managing involves setting goals, coaching pushes individuals beyond their limits. Developing a Coaching Culture: Creating a culture where coaching is integral can transform organizational dynamics. Building Strong Relationships: Trust and understanding are the cornerstones of effective coaching relationships. Coaching Communication: Asking better questions and listening deeply can enhance accountability and understanding. Empowering Employees: Investing in coaching empowers employees, ultimately giving CEOs more time to focus on strategic goals. What Happens When a CEO Becomes a Great Coach? Employees feel valued, and understood, and have growth opportunities, leading to improved morale, retention, and company culture. As Baranov highlights, coaching is a journey with no end to how much one can improve and help others. Start where you are and embark on this transformative journey.

FEEDBACK. Where and who do you source feedback from? How do you use the feedback you’ve been given? Do these feedback speak to your personal brand? In a coaching partnership, providing feedback to your coach is important. It helps inform your coach what is useful for you to be equipped with in order to accelerate your growth journey. This can allow your coach to bring along what you need to your sessions and better support you towards your goals. As a life and leadership coach supporting corporate professionals globally working in a complex environment to be effective leaders where they have to manage others to deliver ambitious goals whilst not losing sight of their own professional and personal aspirations, I always ask my clients these questions at the start and end of their sessions: - What would be/was useful for your session today?  - What are your taking away from your session today? Most of my clients come through amazing coaching platforms such as ExecOnline, Torch, CoachHub - The digital coaching platform, EZRA Coaching, Growthspace that send out voluntary anonymous feedback surveys either after each session or periodically through the course of the client’s coaching program. Just as how I know that my personal brand is established - friendly, great communicator and organized yet adaptable - based on the numerous feedback I’ve received from my friends, family and colleagues as well as Airbnb hosts, I was curious to learn what makes me such a great coach for my clients to deserve a consistent average rating of 4.9 out of 5 in the last 6 months. So, I decided to capture all the written feedback I’ve received and bucketted them into themes. It turned out to be an eye-opening and humbling exercise! I discovered that resoundingly across the board, my clients valued these 5 aspects about me as their coach (+1 very kind bonus): - INSIGHTFUL - PRAGMATIC - GREAT IDEAS & TOOLS - SUPPORTIVE - SAFE SPACE - INSPIRING It was useful to know what I bring to the coaching engagement as well as what about my coaching style and approaches have worked well for my clients. To all my clients who have provided these feedback, thank you for your candid and gracious words. These are exactly the attributes I had hope to bring to the table as your coach. Hence, I’m relieved and pleased to see that they came through in our partnership. If you’re looking for a life and leadership coach with these qualities to help you live and lead authentically, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by scheduling a time with me using the link in the first comment below. Alternatively, if your organization is engaged in partnership with any of the amazing coaching platforms I mentioned above, please feel free to look me up there. #coaching #personaldevelopment #selfhelp #bestadvice #inspiration #MondayMotivation

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴?! It might seem counterintuitive—aren’t CEOs supposed to have all the answers? Yet, the reality is that the higher you climb, the more complex the challenges become, and the fewer people there are to offer honest, unfiltered perspectives. Here are just some of the reasons that CEOs increasingly have a coach in their 'personal team': 1️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘅 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 👩⚖️ With authority often comes isolation. Many CEOs describe the experience as "lonely at the top." Coaching creates a safe, confidential space to process decisions, fears, and ambitions without the need for pretense or posturing. 2️⃣ 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗺𝗶𝗱𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆 🔍 CEOs don’t just face difficult decisions—they face decisions where the stakes are monumental, and the answers are ambiguous. Coaching helps distill overwhelming complexity into clear, actionable priorities, drawing on both rational analysis and intuitive insight. 3️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 👀 Even the most self-aware leaders have blind spots. Great coaches hold up a mirror, asking tough questions that uncover biases, limiting beliefs, and unnoticed patterns of behavior that might be holding them back. 4️⃣ 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆  A CEO’s role is both to dream big and to ground those dreams in reality. Coaching helps leaders find the balance between ambition and pragmatism, ensuring their vision inspires without losing touch with what’s achievable. 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗘𝗢𝘀: 🔍 “𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰; 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦." The coaching conversation often focuses on sharpening decision-making—not just the decisions themselves but the frameworks and mental models behind them. 🔍 “𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 ‘𝘯𝘰’ 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 ‘𝘺𝘦𝘴’ 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦.” Time and energy are finite. Coaching often involves helping CEOs define their non-negotiables, enabling them to say no with confidence and intention. 🔍 “𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.” One of the hardest lessons in leadership is learning to let go. Coaching challenges leaders to foster autonomy without abdicating responsibility. Coaching isn’t about fixing leaders—it’s about freeing them. It’s about unlocking potential, tackling complexity, and creating clarity where it’s most needed. What’s the most unexpected insight you’ve gained about leadership? Share your thoughts below.👇 #ExecutiveCoaching #LeadershipInsights #CEOCoaching #CEO #coaching #dailytip @thealexanderpartnership