Making sense of work
Ep. #48 A Journey of Starting as a Coach with Carole Lewis
Have you ever found yourself curious about why people do what they do and how they tackle life’s obstacles? Do you wonder how you could really help them, see them change for the better, and have a positive impact?
Well, that’s what Carole Lewis is all about. She’s an Executive Communications Coach and a trainer at Bailey Balfour. In this story, she talks about why coaching matters to her, starting from scratch, moving to a new country, and learning all sorts of coaching methods to get better at what she does.
Carole’s story begins with taking a big leap. She moved to a different country, leaving behind everything familiar, all because she wanted to grow and explore new opportunities. It wasn’t easy, but she faced the challenges head-on, using each one as a chance to learn and improve.
It was during this time that Carole discovered her passion for coaching. She realized she had a knack for understanding people and helping them make positive changes in their lives. So, she dove into learning everything she could about coaching, trying out different methods, and figuring out what worked best.
For Carole, coaching isn’t just about helping people succeed in their careers. It’s about helping them become the best versions of themselves. She believes everyone has the potential to do great things, and coaching is a way to unlock that potential.
As an Executive Communications Coach, Carole helps people improve how they communicate and connect with others. Whether it’s giving presentations, leading meetings, or just having conversations, she teaches people how to be more confident and effective communicators.
At Bailey Balfour, Carole goes even further. She trains others to become coaches themselves, passing on her knowledge and experience so they can help even more people.
In the end, Carole’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and making a difference. She’s proof that with hard work and dedication, you can turn your dreams into reality and help others along the way.
Meet Carole Lewis
Carole is an internationally certified professional coach with over twenty-five years of experience in coaching, facilitation, and consulting. She specializes in supporting senior leaders and C-Suite executives in developing executive presence and highly effective interpersonal and communication skills.
She helps leaders communicate with clarity, confidence, and conviction so that they can build strong teams and thriving organizations that drive business results. Her coaching work has included working with multi-national corporations and coaching over 40 different globally based nationalities.
This has given her a keen understanding of what is required to successfully connect to, communicate with, and inspire people in multi-national organizations with diverse teams. Having lived in Hong Kong since 1997, Carole’s skills, passion, and energy for developing leaders, as well as her in-depth knowledge and experience of the local Hong Kong culture have made her a sought-after coach and facilitator.
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Listen to Making Sense of Work by Jean Balfour
“How’s work going for you lately?” It’s a question many of us ask each other, but the answer isn’t always straightforward. Work can be tough, even for those of us who are ambitious and driven.
Let’s take a closer look at the different aspects of our working lives. First off, there’s the big question of finding our purpose. It’s something we all grapple with at some point – what are we really meant to be doing with our lives? Finding work that aligns with our passions and values can be a real challenge.
Then there’s the whole issue of navigating the ins and outs of our organizations. Understanding the company culture, figuring out who holds the power, and knowing how to navigate office politics can feel like trying to crack a code sometimes.
And let’s not forget about the Great Resignation – a phenomenon that’s been making headlines lately. People all over the world are quitting their jobs in record numbers, seeking better pay, more flexibility, or simply a change of scenery. It’s a trend that’s shaking up the job market and forcing employers to rethink how they attract and retain talent.
So, how do we make sense of all this? How do we find fulfillment in our work, despite its challenges? Well, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are some things we can do to make our working lives more satisfying.
For starters, it’s important to take the time to reflect on what truly matters to us. What are our values, our passions, our strengths? Finding work that aligns with these things can make all the difference in how we feel about our jobs.
It’s also crucial to cultivate a sense of purpose in our work. Even if our job doesn’t seem inherently meaningful, we can still find ways to connect it to something bigger than ourselves – whether that’s serving our community, making a difference in people’s lives, or contributing to a cause we believe in.
When it comes to navigating our organizations, communication is key. Building strong relationships with colleagues, seeking out mentors and allies, and advocating for ourselves can help us navigate the sometimes murky waters of office dynamics.
And as for the Great Resignation, it’s a reminder that we all have agency in our careers. If our current job isn’t fulfilling us, we have the power to seek out something better – whether that’s within our current organization or elsewhere.
In the end, work will always come with its challenges. But by staying true to ourselves, finding purpose in what we do, and being proactive in managing our careers, we can find greater satisfaction and fulfillment in our working lives.
Meet The Host of Making Sense of Work
Born in New Zealand, Jean Balfour is an accredited coach with 20 over years of experience in coaching individuals and organisations globally and across a range of sectors, including financial services, engineering, health, IT and professional services. She believes business success is driven by effective leaders who are self-aware and committed to their own growth and behaviour change.
She first founded Bailey Balfour in London, UK, in 2001 to support individuals and organisations in building meaningful relationships and to develop strong and compassionate leaders. Jean believes that coaching changes both work and personal lives. Clients often talk about how listening more both in their professional and personal life was transformative to their relationships and the quality of their work.
Jean has an MSc in Organisation Consulting from Ashridge Business School, a Post Grad Diploma in Human Resource Development, and is an Ashridge Accredited Executive Coach. She is accredited and experienced in the application of a wide range of psychometric tools, including Hogan and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® step 1 & 2. Jean is a member of the ICF and is MCC accredited.
Making Sense of Work
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