The Client
Name: Hannah
Type of Coaching: Self development (six month programme)
The Challenge:
Formerly a designer, Hannah was headhunted into a buying role for a boutique retailer. The new role came with new challenges and a lot of responsibility.
Despite knowing that Hannah didn’t yet have buying experience and was on a steep learning curve, she wasn’t offered the support she felt she needed and was left to fend for herself.
Hannah had always been an extremely capable person so when the company extended her probation period it came as a shock. It was an emotionally draining time and Hannah was questioning herself and worrying about losing her job. She also began to withdraw in her personal life and take the worry home.
Her confidence hit rock bottom, she felt like she was floundering and the lack of support was causing a strain on a professional relationship with a colleague. She really wanted to stay in the role because she was passionate about the product and it gave her licence to use her creativity, which is one of the reasons why she had been recruited. Having heard good things about coaching, Hannah reached out to Denise…
The Coaching:
- Coaching provided Hannah with a safe, non-judgmental space and a confidential sounding board where she could be open and honest about having a difficult time.
- Scenario work and personality profiling helped Hannah understand the drivers of people with very different viewpoints from her own. She was able to develop strategies to help her manage those relationships and communicate in a different way with them.
- Learning to understand what triggered Hannah’s inner “chimp” helped her to learn more about herself and how best to keep it at bay.
The Outcome
- Hannah has been able to establish a network of people in the company she trusts. She now feels more supported and is able to share and develop ideas with others.
- She has learned more about herself but also about what motivates and drives others. Understanding different perspectives enabled her to develop an amicable relationship with a difficult colleague and strengthen her relationship with her boss.
- She feels much more confident, determined and able to do her job better. She has also been able to prove her worth and the value she brings to the organisation.
The Feedback
“Everything is a million times better now. It’s going really well. Denise really helped me mentally come out of the rut. It was a really natural fit, she is very easy to talk to. It was just like talking to a friend.
“At the start when I was in a really raw state she said “you have a friend in me” and it was such a lovely moment because I felt so lost at that point. Knowing I had Denise was really comforting.
“The coaching expands your mind and opens you up to new ways of thinking. I really looked forward to the sessions. It felt very therapeutic and afterwards, I’d feel on a real high and like “I’ve got this” again.”
Hannah
