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Welcome to my first blog in a series of…well, many! I’m glad you’ve taken a few minutes to have a read. I hope you find benefit in them.
Throughout this series I’ll write primarily about topics concerning human transition, as that is my specialty, but I’ll also touch on such related topics as motivation, planning, leadership (of self and of others) and attitude. I’ll also link to blogs and articles written by others that I think you’ll find interesting or helpful when I come across them.
In this opening blog, I want to take the opportunity to share a bit about myself and my experiences, and how I came to be a transition coach. This insight will give you some perspective that may be helpful when you’re reading my later blogs, and might also help you to decide if you want to work with me in a coaching-client co-creative relationship.
For the last 30 or so years, until quite recently, I’ve held several corporate roles at a handful of Canadian companies. These roles were in retail, distribution and finance, and ranged from software development and project management to marketing and through to business architecture (building businesses by designing their operating models), facilitation and, yes, change management.
In parallel with this work, though, I’ve also been active in the arts world – photography; playing in, composing and arranging for bands; acting, directing and writing for the theatre; and doing voice work.
As disparate as all this might seem, there are in fact a couple of common threads that tie this left- and right-brain work together.
The first is my attraction to endeavours or roles that have elements of both art and science, in relatively equal measure. (I’ve long said I missed my calling as an architect!) By this I mean the pursuit is governed by a method or a process, a ‘right way’ to do the thing, a methodology that has been tested and documented by those who have gone before. But also that the pursuit is practiced in a creative or artistic manner such that there is freedom and flexibility in the personal, unique and creative application of that methodology.
An example of this would be acting. Clearly this is a creative, artistic pursuit. But there are ‘rules’, methods and practical approaches that help make the art of acting successful. (“An actor needs to be believable. And heard from the back row”.)
A painter needs to know how paint types react with one another and how colours mix and how surface materials respond. A musician might be well-served in having their compositions informed by music theory (including its mathematical underpinnings), tradition and even music history. A classical dancer must learn the repertoire of steps, leaps and other moves so that they can draw from that palette to create their own unique performances. And so on.
The second is the inherent presence of a coaching / developing / leading opportunity. I’ve naturally been drawn to roles with an element of coaching built in. Whether coaching a sports team, directing a play or leading a high-functioning team at the office, coaching and supporting the development of others has always been a key element in my work.
Coaching is for me the exciting and special opportunity to support the development of others in a creative fashion while drawing on proven techniques and methods. My experience in organizational change management (or, as I prefer to call it, human transition management) has led me to cater my coaching services to those going through a personal transition.
Let’s see, what else… I’m a college instructor. I’ve recently overcome stage III colon cancer. I ran my first half-marathon in May 2019. I’m the proud and blessed dad to three amazing sons.
All that to say there’s probably not much you could throw at me that I won’t be able to support you through!
I welcome your questions and comments. You can connect with me on my Contact page.
Until next time…
David