We are all individuals. These case studies are indicative of the kinds of issues that may arise. In all cases, the response is client tailored.

Profile

Career challenges are many and varied. In this example, the client is feeling very stuck and unable to move forward. This is overwhelmingly  frustrating for them because they have high expectations and not being able to reach them is causing stress.

Despite having work based coaching and personally funded counselling, the client has been unable to  resolve the tension between themselves, their peers and their bosses, before seeing me.

My initial response

This client was a strong character and so it was important to gather an understanding of their frustrations and to describe the key ‘Stressors’ in their life. Clients often find this challenging and so it was achieved through the Stress Test (see side bar).

From this process it became possible to understand the short term responses that the client was adopting. They were working harder and longer hours; were being demanding on their staff and colleagues; and complained that they were spending a lot of time explaining themselves to others. This was the wisdom that brought understanding to the clients situation.

Once we had practiced calming exercises, the client was able to explain and highlight more succinctly and with more responsibility (which is healthily different to blame) what was happening for them. This led in to a focus on their clear goals and priorities, which further calmed them.

Follow up

In order to shape those goals more holistically, we then undertook an Emotional Needs Audit (see side bar). This further helped to uncover, not just what the client needed to address to be emotionally and mentally healthy, but it also uncovered the clients gifts, strengths and talents, all collective termed their ‘Resources’. We all need good methods to be healthy.

This strengths based approach enabled us to co-operate and realise that the client had not be taking into account the response of his colleagues to his stress. They realised that they had failed to mutually co-operate with them and had failed to communicate their purpose and objectives in a way that made good sense to their work colleagues. This caused conflict.

We then described the better and more useful ways to approach their life, especial work. Together we rehearsed and practiced better responses, which I was then able to support them in delivering or implementing the new ways.

Outcome

Once we stepped back and surveyed the results it became apparent that not only had the client become more calm and suitably focused, but that their colleagues were now responding to them in a more mutually supportive and beneficial way.

This was a contributing factor to them being chosen to move on to an accelerated leadership program.

Note: This case study demonstrates RIGAARIS (see side bar) in action.