We get it – we’ve been there too - on the receiving end of coaching that just wasn't working for us. We hear you when you say your coaching might have been:
Too fluffy: too soft-spoken, too ephemeral, too lovey-dovey, too i-could-do-whatever-i-wanted-with-the-coach
Too impractical: too intellectual, too framework-focused, too unrealistic for the corporate world we live in
Too tactical: too narrow, too technical, too light, not deep enough, not transformational enough
Too tired: too repetitive, too slow, too serious, not fun enough
And then, we’ve been lucky enough to also experience some great coaching which inspired us on our own journeys as coaches. Now we work with executive teams and individual leaders teaching them skills to have better relationships with themselves (and their own bodies), with each other, and with their broader organizations. What makes our coaching different?
We work with you at your learning edge – that creative and potent space between too much and not enough.
On the one hand, we continuously push your boundaries. We ask the uncomfortable questions, we speak the difficult truths, we’re irreverent, and we don’t let you off the hook easily. We recognize that the toughest challenges often require a radically new approach to be solved, so we repeatedly ask you to experiment with approaches you’re not used to, with “muscles” that you have not activated in a while. We bring types of work that go beyond the strictly rational – engaging your whole body, soul and mind in the process.
On the other hand, we know no one can be bullied into growth. Big part of our work is creating safe spaces where the difficult topics can be addressed – and where more unconventional ways of addressing them can be experimented with.
All along, we are firmly grounded in your reality. We have lived through and thrived for many years in competitive professional settings. We speak numbers, P&Ls, and strategy. We understand where you’re coming from and know that whatever we do together needs to have a tangible impact in a corporate environment.
Consequently, all of the practices we bring have been tested in high stress environments – most with a scientific rigor (at least to the extent that a human psyche can be explained scientifically). We offer frameworks but are not married to any of them – we know the best framework is the one that works for you. Finally, our focus – just like yours – is on the results. As much as we hope you enjoy the time you spend with us, a great workshop or a fantastic coaching session are worth only as much as they bring you closer to your objectives.
Our goal is to build your capacity to address your own challenges.
Our focus is on you, not on the challenge you're facing; we believe you already have what it takes to address it. We help you access resources you may not have worked with lately (or ever) and help create you space for the solutions to arrive. All the while, our goal is to teach you how to address your own challenges in the future and build your capacity to successfully address increasingly bigger ones without our help.
For that to happen, we know you need to embody the change; aha moments are great but they are not enough. So we don’t stop at helping you understand what drives your behavior but guide you through the adventure of changing it. We keep you accountable and at the same time invite your patience, kindness and genuine curiosity about yourself into the process. It’s the journey, not a magical leap into the future, that allows you to become the leader, the team or the organization that you want to be.
Or just read what some of our clients have to say about the way we coach:
“Jolanta is always ready to say the “un-sayable” and push my thinking into places it wouldn’t naturally go to, but in the process of discovery she made the uncomfortable more familiar and less daunting. Professional, diligent, and always meets her commitments…..as for her methods be prepared to sometimes expect the unexpected!”
Sarah, CHRO, $1B turnover PE portfolio company
"I thought I needed a coach to help me work through problems — but what I really needed was someone who could challenge me, help me face the tough stuff, and support my growth. That’s what I got with Jolanta. She didn’t hand me solutions; she helped me see things more clearly and grow my ability to navigate complexity. It wasn’t always comfortable, but it was worthwhile, rewarding, and even fun. Thanks, Jolanta."
Colin, mining executive, fortune 500 companies
"I had always been skeptical about the effectiveness of executive coaches, having had previous experiences where coaches simply echoed my words without adding any value. However, working with Jolanta over the years has changed my perspective. Initially, we engaged in team coaching with my peers, and later, Jolanta became my personal coach and also worked with my team.
As a workaholic with a strong bias for action, I often pushed myself even harder when things got demanding. Jolanta helped me understand the importance of sustainable high performance, teaching me to listen to my body and nervous system, and to be more aware of my emotional state. She's helped me be more present and focused, both at work and in my personal life. The team coaching has also been highly effective, fostering a supportive, challenging and collaborative team culture. They truly operate as a team now.
I highly recommend Jolanta, especially for workaholics and skeptics like myself."
Matt, VP Talent, fortune 500 tech company