ASK ANDY

I have been blessed with both health and vitality and the fact that my career as a business leader was coming to end I felt that I still could still grow as a human being, wanting to learn and grow but also passionate about being an active contributor to others’ lives through the power of coaching, so I went “back to school” and studied Integral Coaching with Centre For Coaching in Cape Town. I see coaching as a calling that provides both purpose and meaning.

I will bring to the coaching journey a richness and depth born out of my experience of running my own business and leading a regional company in one of the most challenging business environments. This included developing leaders and teams, growing the business while navigating through the storms and victories of life.

I have a deep understanding of the healthcare industry and the challenges facing all facets of the value chain in providing high quality health care to patients and the importance of service excellence and its impact on the team providing this service.

I have walked a long journey with my life partner who has suffered greatly with her health and the challenges this brought to bear – I have an understanding of suffering.

I am a competent coach seasoned by life and an engaged listener who will walk with you on your path and journey of growth and development asking thoughtful questions and with the power of narratives help you shift vertically.

Coaching is supportive bespoke process made up of a number of phases conducted over 6 to 12 sessions, through one-on-one meetings held every 14 to 21 days – these are:

An initial 90-minute meeting to understand what it is that you would like to work on in your life or discover. Should you wish to proceed you will need to sign a coaching agreement with me. As a coach I would then consider all the feedback given in our initial session and come back with a coaching program designed to support you on this journey. This would involve looking at where you are at present in your life by means of identifying a current narrative (theme) and then together exploring how you could shift into a deeper more meaningful narrative that would both excite and motivate you.

A set of activities will also be given, made up of a daily enquiry or even the introduction of an article to read and reflect on, plus a mind body activity - all supported with journaling. These are used to help with your self-awareness, generating insights and to build competence in an area where you want to change. These activities are done by you on your own.
Thereafter we would meet for 6 (possibly 12) x 1 hour follow up sessions whereas a client you would provide feedback from your activities and together we explore in a meaningful and thought-provoking ways, new possibilities and insights that are emerging for you.

As a coach I will keep you accountable to the goals you have set and support you in a motivating way where needed.

As stated at the start it is important to note that this a bespoke process and interaction is suited to your needs.

As your coach I will direct your attention to vertical development rather than just horizontal improvement.

Horizontal improvement has more to do with how you advance your position in particular career or how to become more skilful in a role over time e.g., we work on getting a presentation together faster, with more clear bullet points, but as a person little has really changed other than being more skilful. Sometimes, of course, we need to improve horizontally—but it falls far short of what is necessary to be a competent integrated human.

Vertical development means that we become more present, are less reactive, have more connection to ourselves and others, have a longer time horizon and therefore more patience, and more courage and much, much less attachment to our views, preferences and habits. We can respond with more freedom and creativity e.g., we might struggle to delegate in a particular role which is impacting a team/ company negatively – vertical coaching will go deeper into ‘the why’ we won’t let go of control and empower you to shift and grow.

According to New Ventures West - while outcomes are specific to each client, Integral Coaching® programs will always aim towards 3 broad ends and I quote:

a. Long-term excellence 

This has two dimensions: competence and fulfilment.

Competence is a capacity that endures. It is distinct from a goal, which is something you achieve, like getting a promotion or losing ten pounds.
Competence helps us achieve particular goals but it stays with us afterwards. For example, speaking in a way that moves people to action can contribute to a promotion. It can also open up new possibilities for our friendships, family life, and health.

We are fulfilled when we are held deeply by life, when what once burdened us has lifted. For the individual, the value of fulfilment is self-evident. For organizations, fulfilment is valuable because it promotes long-term commitment and superior outcomes among those working within the organization.

b. Self-correction

When we are self-correcting, we have the capacity to observe discrepancies between what we intend and the actual outcomes, between our espoused values and our actual actions, and then bridge the gap. When clients become self-correcting, they are no longer dependent upon a coach.

c. Self-generation

When self-generating, we have the ability to continuously renew ourselves by drawing upon resources from without and within. When clients are self-generating, the development of competence becomes not a final end state but a continuous process.

Coaching sessions can be conducted online over Zoom or face to face, but always from a private space.

Our coaching relationship will not involve psychological counselling or any kind of therapy - coaching does not treat illness or pathology e.g., if you are suffering from depression, I will recommend that you see a psychotherapist for treatment.