When i first experienced the power of coaching...

I recall vividly how my Executive Coach made be feel very comfortable and as his equal. I could experience his presence and curiosity and it was quite powerful.

The year was early winter 2005 and I had just been promoted to a Partner (executive level) from having been a Senior Manager for a few years.  My Firm had offered the service of an Executive Coach for me as part of my onboarding into the new role, thanks to my Business Unit Leader, Doug Wilkinson. I had no idea of what to expect and was not even sure if I really needed coaching. After all, I have been recently promoted and hence I should be very good at what I do and doubted as to why I need a coach.

It was a winter morning in December and it was snowing. We met for breakfast at a restaurant in the 36th floor of one of the towers downtown Toronto.  After a brief introduction and pleasantries we got into the session. The first question my coach asked me was “Baskaran with your new role, what are you going to say No to”. Wow! I did not expect this question. I was expecting questions around what I was going to do, my plans to deliver on the new role etc. Believe it or not; that was the only question my coach Ross asked me.  After that he started eating the breakfast that had arrived.  I was speaking the entire time answering the question and unpacking what was in my mind. In the process of answering the question, I expanded my thinking to answer several other questions which allowed me to gain newer insights. Saying “No” is a hard thing for me. In my prior role as a Senior Manager I realized I have always said Yes to whatever others wanted of me.  However, as a Partner and Practice Leader, I cannot do the same thing I did as a Senior Manager. I need to say No to several things, not only to create time for other activities but also to be able to do other new things I need to do such as business development, new Services development, recruiting, publishing thought ware on Points of View etc. all of which needed me to “shed” the Senior Manager mindset and emerge as a leader with a different perspective and outcome orientation. Just that one question triggered all these thoughts in me and I blurted out all that I need NOT do as a new Partner, but can delegate to my team or no do it at all.  The simple question from my coach was so powerful in pulling a whole bunch of ideas and insights from me.  As you can imagine, while my Coach Ross had completed his breakfast, I still had my plate full and was starving since I was thinking out loud and talking throughout in the process of answering that one question and gaining insights in the process.

This first experience of coaching was very powerful for me. I really witnessed the power of questions and how it made me think for myself. None of the solutions I had developed as a result were from my Coach. Nor was my Coach an expert in the nature or area of work I was doing but he was able to make me realize that “giving up” doing some things can be very liberating and give me a bundle of new energy, new time and perspective to help me thrive at the next level. It also made me realize the famous saying “what brought you here cannot take you further”.  I also recalled what Intel’s CEO Andy Grove once said “Remember too that your time is your one finite resource, and when you say “yes” to one thing you are inevitably saying “no” to another”.

I am still deeply thankful to my executive coach, Ross Roxburgh, who guided me in becoming the best version of myself during the initial phases of my leadership journey.

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