Developing people to elicit their best performance, skills, and behaviours in the workplace is a skill that every good leader should possess, says Chevonne Hassan, life and leadership coach, speaker and mental health advocate.
Having been in the shared services and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry for about two decades now, it was in this people-focused industry that Chevonne discovered her passion to become a life and leadership coach as she found herself gravitating towards learning and development, training, coaching, performance & talent management, and developing people.
“I’ve been on a lifelong journey of personal growth and believe that what we embody in our own lives shape and mould the person we want to become. I had been told countless times over the years by loved ones and friends to become a life coach because of conversations we had, and I didn’t really think much of it because, honestly, I feared stepping out of my comfort zone.
“I feared what was outside of what I was familiar with and was good at already. I feared failing. One day, I gathered my courage and decided to try – to really give it my best instead of just think and talk about it – and pursue one of my dreams of becoming a Tranformational Coach. So I stopped making excuses, stepped out of my comfort zone, and decided to become a coach in life and leadership – to become a coach in areas I’m passionate about!
Chevonne says that anyone can receive coaching at any stage of their life when they are ready and open to it, and when they are willing and committed to the journey.
She adds that a good coach supports people by creating a safe space, holding space and asking open, reflective questions. Coaching supports people by helping to guide and navigate them through the sometimes tricky process of goal-setting by improving their understanding of both immediate and future wants and needs.
Coaching also helps to unlock people’s potential to maximise their own strengths, skills, and performance by helping them to learn rather than teaching or telling them what to do.
“I am a Transformational Coach because of my passion for helping people develop, grow, and transform in safe spaces. I support people by helping them to believe in themselves first, and to create narratives that encourage them rather than discourage them.
Chevonne started cultivating her coaching philosophy based on the struggles that she faced at different stages in her own life. During those challenging times, which she faced mostly alone, she realised that having the support and wise guidance of a caring and sensitive ear made all the difference. This was when she discovered how to champion others in a way that serves their growth and brings out the best in them.
“I realised that I wanted to be the person that I needed at different stages in my life, and to support others as best I can within my capacity. With this awareness and once I started believing in myself first, then I started sharing it with others.
Her philosophy is carefully thought-out and clearly articulated : To help others invite more of what they would like in their lives, to learn how to ignite their own passion within them, and to inspire others by being who they are. Staying true to her philosophy, she signs off all her social media posts with the words: Invite. Ignite. Inspire.
Chevonne shares how she engages new clients and her on-boarding process. Potential clients either contact her from LinkedIn, Instagram, Clubhouse or through word of mouth. She sets up a discovery call for them to get to know each other and for her to understand what the person is looking for or what the person needs support with. She then shares her coaching style and approach with the potential client. If both are comfortable with each other and can imagine meeting regularly over months, then they talk about taking it to the next step where both agree to a coaching partnership together.
“When I think of finding a suitable coach, I always relate it to the dating analogy. When you meet someone for the first time, you want to discover and learn as much about them as possible – what they are like as a person, what’s their lifestyle, are you comfortable with how they communicate and express themselves, do you feel safe to be yourself with them, what are some challenges they faced in life and how did they overcome them, would you commit to meeting them an hour a week for months.
She stresses the need to look for a coach who is experienced and certified, and to ask them questions about their coaching philosophy, coaching style, and to share some challenges they experienced and how they overcame them.
“Find a coach with aligned values, someone you feel safe and comfortable within sharing your boldest dreams and nagging doubts and fears, someone who is kind and patient and non-judgemental, someone who doesn’t give you advice or answers and helps you to learn instead, someone who is confident and compassionate in nudging you out of your comfort zone, someone who has walked the path you’re struggling with, someone encouraging and motivating,” she adds.
In discussing the pandemic and its impact on people adjusting to the new normal in terms of workplace arrangements Chevonnes believes that many of the shifts in the ways that business is conducted during the pandemic will not change, including a higher percentage of employees choosing to continue working remotely
She says that employers can help employees adapt to the “new way” of working by bringing them back into the workplace slowly while ensuring their safety. Planning and executing workplace safety is crucial as employees staying safe and healthy needs to be a top priority. There’s hybrid workforces, split schedules, fully remote work.
Rethinking and redesigning employee engagement by including more social events in the working hours like coffee breaks and celebrations can help to bring employees together and re-establish the social connection that was missing during the pandemic.
Review employee development by finding ways to engage with both in-person and remote employees through training and development programmes.
“Overall, I would say people must have and set realistic expectations, be patient and considerate, and be kind and compassionate with all interactions and executions with employees,” she says.
Having a few things in the pipeline, she says she will continue to coach in life and leadership, facilitate workshops, do motivational and mental health talks, and continue being an avid mental health advocate.
