In 2010 I began my coaching journey, shifting from being a business leader to someone who supported other leaders. The early years were intensely focussed on personal development and learning, with one key moment being when, in 2011, and with the masterful aid of my mentor Suki Laniado Smith, I landed on my Intent, captured in the simple phase:
Making Potential Possible
Soon after that, in early 2012, I even had a commission done around this phrase by Hugh McLeod of Gaping Void, which s framed and sits behind me in my study, a constant reminder to me when I see myself on Zoom of who I am and why I do what I do.
The learning journey has always involved a voracious curiosity, including learning from many others in various fields. In 2013, shortly after it was published, I came across Adam Grant’s first book, “Give and Take”, which helped me both recognise where and when I am practising “radical abundance”, as well as to then focus on being more and more abundant and more and more radical with that over time. It is with joy and excitement, then, that I read that his latest book is called “Hidden Potential“, one I shall buy for myself and absorb.
I also love the thought in the image, that “when multiple people believe in you, it’s probably time to believe them”. I work with a consciously limited number of clients at a time, which then affords me much time to learn laterally, as well as to offer my time abundantly to others, so further living my Intent, particularly as, through perhaps a combination of innate ability and developed skills, I appear to have the ability to see the potential in others.
Once we see the potential in another, there is real power in simply reflecting that back to them, showing them that you believe in them so that they can then choose to believe in themself.
Time after time, people have come to me to ask to work with me as a client, driven by the strong sense that they have potential in themselves to realise and that they are ready to do so.
As I write those words I am almost overwhelmed with gratitude that so many people have chosen to work with me on this, as every time I get this I get, as Suki would put it, “goosebumps” that show me that I an aligned with and living my Intent.
My thanks also go out to Suki and all the others who saw my potential and believed in me, holding that belief until I was ready to believe in myself.