Michael Rolph

Get *really* curious about the intersection of your passion, expertise and value you bring to a particular client-community. Passion is about what moves you the most about the coaching relationship. For me it's social impact, cross-cultural understanding and leadership growth. What feels good? Expertise is straight-forward - what industries and roles have you worked in. Lived career experience is often what separates strategic direction from life advice. And value? Remove your ego from the coaching relationship and listen actively to the client - the value you can bring to their career journey will emerge through their storytelling. Go forth and do great work friends :)

In this case, I'm curious about how these team members have been labeled "reluctant" to participate. 🤔 I begin a session I'm facilitating grounded in curiosity about everyone that is gathered. I assume positive intent from the group, knowing differences in style and power-dynamics exist but trusting this moment can be new, fresh and collaborative. Silence may not be reluctance, but simply caution or patience. To encourage a balance of voices I often begin with personal storytelling that expresses my vulnerability. I'll share power, and lean away from bold confidence and leadership jargon. An inclusive vibe builds trust, and opens space for all.💜

Personal wellness practices are a vital part of my leadership development work with organizations. What I find with my clients is supported by research - and our shared experience: It's easy to start a healthy self-care routine like meditation or exercise, but hard to make it a habit. James Clear and his "Atomic Habits" are a great resource for my clients looking to integrate career growth and engaging leadership qualities with well-being practices. And while it may sound silly, don't forget to breathe :) Deep breathing settles the mind and promotes focus, ease and peace of mind. Be well, and do inspired work everyone.

Leaders that find the greatest success align actions and messages, building trust and fostering positive relationships. In addition, they excel in - Hone their Vision, Goals, and Values - Anticipating Stakeholder Impacts - Identifying opportunities to create maximum value - Evaluating growth and performance At the end of the day, stakeholder analysis provides a comprehensive framework for understanding, prioritizing, and engaging with the various parties that have a vested interest in the success of the organization. By incorporating these insights into their strategic thinking process, an executive can make more informed decisions that lead to mutually beneficial outcomes, driving the organization towards measurable success.

I've found *being vulnerable* is a wonderful way to build trust with coaching clients - especially for clients that are cautious about coaching. I share tiny little stories about things I'm uncertain about, keeping it SUPER simple. Be Relatable, and consider how culture, privilege, gender and other differences in lived-experience may be impacting the growth of trust. I really love the work of coaching and leadership development, and my vibe comes through. Sometimes the energy is bigger than I expected, but it's always genuine and authentic. 💜 + 🧠

So much yes! Hooray for coaches and leaders modeling the behaviors that are being developed, especially sharing failures and setbacks and showing vulnerability. Understanding if we hold unearned privilege in the world of work - or if we are one of the only in the room - are especially important here in the coaching relationship.