Why I became a coach

I found my school report yesterday from when I was 11 years old, it read “Olivia likes to challenge herself and she enjoys helping the people around her.” Fast forward to a few years when I moved to Bristol and I offered to train my friends to get them race-fit for the Bristol Half Marathon, there I was, barking orders at them around the Downs in my early twenties. At a house party, you’d find me sat on the sofa deep in conversation with someone else about their life story. Perhaps it’s no surprise that I’ve moved into a role where I can help people, five years ago I was working in a successful content strategist role in central government, so the question is, how did I get to the point today where I’m running a coaching business?

Questioning the question

Working in the tech industry for a number of years, particularly in large digital transformation projects, I started to see the same problems crop up time and time again. And I got news for you, it wasn’t just about the old legacy technology. It was the people who used the technology and the struggle to make change happen. I started to question whether I was actually helping to solve the problem by doing the work, or if I should be supporting my clients to do the work. I genuinely feel the latter leads to better sustainable change.

This year I’ve spent alot of time reflecting on my experiences as a woman working in the technology sector and becoming a mother last year has only amplified big questions I’d previously swept under the rug. This year I’ve started to objectively question past experiences and realised terms in which I operate, listening to my gut instinct and more importantly, asking the question. Questioning everything.

Coaching allows me to help others to ask the question in order to uncover huge blindspots.

Bear with me while I crystalise what I love about coaching:

Coaching builds self-awareness so you can find your own path through the chaos and unpredictability of life. Through the revelations of coaching conversations, we can eliminate blind spots so you can showing up for others around you in a way that is authentic and true.

What makes it even better is the way that coaching doesn’t give you the answers. You have to find the answers because this is your future, no-one else’s.

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The coaching course changed my life

I signed up for a coaching course way back in 2020, so I was lucky enough to attend some classroom sessions right before COVID-19 had locked us all away to the confines of our home.

Part of the course involved being coached, so I sat there fumbling my way through a coaching conversation, on the receiving end of big questions, I realised how blooming difficult it was to be coached.

As I nearly started to sweat, I was asked about my options, and I started to nervously externalise thoughts I’d had. Parting with my thoughts in a way that was so personal and exposing gave me the opportunity to, in turn, rationalise and soundboard these ideas.

My coach was nodding, and I started to nod. Before I knew it, I was jotting down ideas, feeling light and ready to make something happen. I feel like the ability to coach is a super-skill that can be used virtually anywhere. It’s amazing how many people don’t listen and yet so many people just want to be heard.

Coaching to make positive change

After having a baby in 2022, I was able to zoom out and get a little perspective on my career and my broader sense of purpose (nothing like a life milestone that is having a baby to get you to ask big questions!). I realised I had 3 main needs in my professional career: connection, community and knowing I’m making a positive change in someone else’s life. Through coaching I can tick all three of these boxes.

The reality is that there are far too many barriers in the workplace for women, I’ve seen them and experienced them. I believe that if there are more women, of all colours, in leadership positions then employees of all levels can feel represented and seen. It also means that organisations can crack into the veneer of unconscious biases and everyday prejudices that still affect and hold talented women back everyday.

I’m here to support:

• female leaders
• ambitious team players
• individuals feeling stuck or overwhelmed
• women returning to the workplace after having a baby

If you are reading this and you’ve recognised you’re feeling stuck and need a fresh perspective, then perhaps we can work together, book in a call with me today. And also if you’re thinking you’d like to become a coach, get in contact as it’s lovely to form connections with new and existing coaches.

Coffee with Olivia

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