Search Results

ICF Accredited Coacharya ACTP program for aspiring coaches – a new batch starts at Chennai Feb 15-17th, 2019 Classroom sessions, 3 days each in Feb & May, 2019 For: Aspiring Coaches, Corporate Leaders, HR/L&D Professionals, Change Agents, Consultants, Trainers, Freelancers, Counsellors and Healers. Remember, if you are not a trained, certified, credentialed and experienced coach, you may not be coaching the right way. Coach the #iCFway . Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential (ICF definition). We will mentor you to coach the #iCFway.

The Stanford commencement speech by Steve Jobs was not just inspiring, but a moving one…from one of the icons of the century One certainty of life is death, for sure. We tend to live as though we are immortal? At the same time is it necessary to live with the end in mind or one’s own eulogy?! How about life , at its best, is that goal? The Science may support. As the article points out, ‘thinking about death can lead to decreased militaristic attitudes, better health decisions, increased altruism, and reduced divorce rates’. Is it a good idea to visualize death, rather than life, in all its majesty… #BeRegal? At one point this thought fascinated me and have discussed as part of my coaching and mentoring, even promoted the concept. It fascinated me to write my own eulogy… Not anymore. For as part of the coaching journey, I discovered a more fascinating model! A variant of Wheel of Life or Circle of Life. We have incorporated other elements and made it Regal@60 .  The coaching tool is aligned with other approaches such as healing, mentoring, counseling, et al. and that makes it unique. ‘Age is just a number’ We specifically choose 60 yrs as a milestone, as the beginning of the Vanaprastha stage. It can be at the peak of one’s life, on all parameters, including career, relationship, health, wealth, and other areas those are relevant to the individual. While 60th birthday is just another number, it is celebrated as a milestone in India (shashtipoorthi) An  Ashrama  in Hinduism is one of four age-based life stages discussed in Indian texts of the ancient and medieval eras. The four ashramas are:  Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha & Sanyasa. It is still not a bad idea to write our own eulogies, but an alternative is to make a detailed Regal@60. The end of life can be after that, or before too 🙂 At 60, we would be more in a position to move from I/me/mine to We/ours, and still better to the larger society (#I2We2He). In the true spirit of the ‘World is a Family’ (vasudevom kutumbakom) or ‘All are Brahman’ (Sage Vasishta to Sri Rama). Would you prefer to write your eulogy or prepare your Regal@60?  If you choose to live “regal” at 60 & beyond, check out the tool and schedule a couple of coaching conversations around it. The results have been nothing less than magic for our clients. Check out more at  http://circle-of-life.gr8.com Whatever, Choose Bliss. Happy Living…

‘The rapid growth of the coaching and consulting industry is staggering. According to a research study by  IBISWorld , at the end of 2014, it was said that coaching is a  $1 billion  industry that the ICF  expects  to grow by 20% in 2017′. (Pls note it is coaching, consulting and all that broadly fits into two diverse areas – for coaching and consulting are totally different, like two parallel lines. In between lies, training, guiding, mentor by subject matter expert, therapy, counseling, healing, life-‘coaching’, et al.). Everyone and their dog is flocking to the cash-pumping industry to take their stake in today’s gold rush – My coach-trainee (a doctor) was saying, ‘your dog also will become a good coach‘! My dog is with me, when I am home. My dog is a huge inspiration for me in my this innings… Patient, unconditional loving being a few competencies she exhibits… We have been working with leaders & coaches, including uncredentialed/aspiring too. To co-create (not ‘help’) a future based on their life-purpose. You can unshackle, without helping – that is coaching If money is the #1 motivator to become a coach, you are better off staying elsewhere. In the long run, profit motive can not drive coaching. That can not be a #LifePurpose, at a holistic level. Money is important, but not everything, for a real coach. Women seemingly make better coaches. Maybe it is their emotional intelligence? A coach, male or female, got to tap into both the Yin & Yang, IQ & EQ to create a transformational experience for the client. In the same way, age is a mere number. You can be a millennial at heart too. #IQ2EQ2SQ Believe it or not, it takes some time to create a successful business, which is sustainable. #Legacy Writing down your goals definitely helps A full-time coach may be better of if trained certified ICF credentialed, ACC, if not PCC experienced working continuously to learn, mentored, supervised committed, full-time to coaching? Coaching is about facilitating the client/coachee to live life goal, even a short-term, a transactional goal should be in some way aligned with the larger purpose. Else the coachee needs a trainer, an expert, a boss, or a consultant. Being a coach is a full-time job (more than a job!) – not in coach roles or costumes, or at times! We train, facilitate, mentor aspiring coaches to their ACC & PCC. PCC- leg training at Chennai on 14th October, 2017. PS: Forbes article:  10 Beliefs Holding Successful Female Coaches Back (And Being Surpassed By Millennials)

Inviting all ACC (ICF) coaches to join us for your PCC journey… thru Coacharya Advanced Program, an ICF accredited ACTP Program  to PCC. The current batch at Chennai completed first two months (six modules) in Nov & Dec, 2016. Sessions in Jan & Feb will be relevant to those who aspire to move from ACC to PCC, both in terms of content & depth. Classroom  sessions at Crowne Plaza, TTK Road, Alwarpet, Chennai – two days a month, over weekend January 2017 – 7th, 8th (Saturday & Sunday) February 2017 – 11th, 12th (Saturday & Sunday) Virtual Sessions are held on other Saturdays (8 sessions) Even if you have gone through your ACC-related journey with any other ICF-approved program, you are welcome to join us for your PCC-related sessions. (Conditions apply) Facilitated and mentored by two PCCs, Subash CV and Priya Ramesh. Subsequently mentored by Cindy, MCC. For more details, pls write to either facilitators, subash@regalunlimited.com  or  priyaramesh89@gmail.com While the destination of this journey may be Coach certification and ICF Credentials, our focus is as much on the  journey . This journey has been transformational for most of us. Registrations are open. Limited seats available. Details: www.regalunlimited.com/icf-approved-coach-training-certification-chennai/ Brochure: https://regalunlimited.com/wp-content/doc/ICFBrochure.pdf Corporate Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxUIHZHUimQ — Regal Unlimited – ROI of Enchantment

Back from a very refreshing trip to Dubai. Was a delegate at #ICFME2014, Dubai. Met up with my mentor-coach, Janet Harvey. Got to re-connect with Coach-Guru, Dr. Marshall Goldsmith. Caught up with many old friends, made a few new friends. The trip was totally hassle-free. Travel, stay, conference, et al. Feeling grateful! Walked around Jabel Ali resort, with peacocks! Went around the city, with friends’ Lexus, Audi, Volvo, etc. (love those machines, on Dubai roads!) More importantly, got some time to reflect! Janet asked the delegates at #icfme2014, how many of us were into anything that would help us develop #mindfulness. Pico Iyer: The art of stillness. ‘The place that travel writer Pico Iyer would most like to go? Nowhere. In a counterintuitive and lyrical meditation, Iyer takes a look at the incredible insight that comes with taking time for stillness.‘   It is about to shift from Human Doing to Human #Being!

Yesterday’s leadership skills will not work in today’s fast moving and evolving world. Only creative leaders who are visionary and empathetic will succeed. Here are five things you can do to succeed as a creative leader. Instead of commanding , coach your team and organization toward success. Don’t manage people: facilitate them. Often, the know-how, experience and solutions are there, help people to discover them Cultivate respect by giving it, instead of demanding it Know how to manage both success and failure, not just success (it is ok to be vulnerable) Be gracious. Be humble about your successes, and whenever possible give someone else the opportunity to shine.  (Courtesy ET 22 Aug 14) Managers – manage, delegate, command, instruct, mentor, consultancy…  Leaders – just Coach! Managing/parenting millennial – coaching is the only way! Pls don’t try old-fashioned techniques ! Most important… it is a beautiful experience, to coach!

I have observed (even before reading this article) how the entrepreneur is able to deliver customer service, compared to an organization-man! Whether it is property-search to banking to investments to videography, across the board, the SEP (self-employed professional) or an entrepreneur is far more customer-oriented, efficient, less bureaucratic and definitely empathetic. Orgn-man perhaps suffers the maximum in comparison, on the last element, #empathy.  An organization is an  entity , such as an  institution  or an  association , that has a collective goal and is linked to an external environment. The word is derived from the Greek word  organon , itself derived from the better-known word  ergon  which means “organ“. (Wiki) In this article, the author almost writes the obituary of an organization-man! Is it the classic collective irresponsibility or degradation of basic values (esp., when we ‘organize ourselves), not sure?No wonder, ‘we like start-ups, disrupters and rebels. Creativity is honored more than the administrative execution. ‘  Can we afford to embrace this trend? We desperately need the good, old Orgn-man. Else, as David Brooks rightly points out, ‘When the boring tasks of governance are not performed, infrastructures don’t get built. Then, when epidemics strike, people die.’ The choice is ours! Of course, once we understand/accept the problem/opportunity, we can think of multiple solutions, which are readily available to us… We need entrepreneurs/SEP, surely. We need orgn-man too! The choice is ours! Of course, once we understand/accept the problem/opportunity, we can think of multiple solutions, which are readily available to us… One of them, encourage orgn-man to be #intrapreneur.  Must read for all of us, who are/were/will be part of an organization.

India is celebrating… long weekends! Twice in this month! Long week-end, and a looooong post ☺ August 15th to 18th – Independence Day to Janmashtami (Sri Krishna’s birthday). Gods are smiling on us again. Yet another long weekend, though not ‘as long’. Aug 29th to 31st. Stating the obvious, most of these public holidays are ‘holy-days’, being related to festivals. I rate even Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanthi as holy-days. For our freedom fighters were not looking at liberation from the British alone, but also within. And Gandhiji was at the forefront with his emphasis on Truth & Righteousness. These holy-days give us an opportunity to look within, connect with our Higher Consciousness (Hi C) – we may call the HiC through various names – God, Krishna, Jesus, Allah, Ganesha, Sai, Durga, Master, Guru, et al. Master says, ‘ The easiest means to achieve love for God is to worship God as having a form ’. He also quickly reminds, Worship of God is of three important types: Satvic, Rajasic and Tamasic . Loosely translated, Divine, Humane and Devil level. I was surprised to see classification of worship as S/R/T, I must confess! I thought worship was always naturally at Satvic. But not so ☺ • Level 3/Devil/Tamasic Level: In the Tamasic form of worship, the individual prays to God but continues violence, anger and pomp, causing pain. Any worship that is done for the sake of name, fame, with pomp and ego is called the Tamasic worship. • Level 2/Human/Rajasic Level: Rajasic worship is done for the sake for fulfilling selfish interests and to attain great heights in one’s life. Devotion with the feeling that one alone should be safe, happy and should be blessed involves utter selfishness. Such a devotee does not even aspire or think about the well being of the family or the society. • Level 1/Divine/Godly/Satvic Level: A Satvic devotee performs all daily tasks to please God, with total surrender and offers all tasks performed during the day as loving service to God. I am not considering animals/birds or Nature here. I find them closer to Level-1! So, every time I do an act of worship or Sadhana, I have a choice to opt for the level – 1, or 2 or 3. If it is ritualistic, a level we often get used to, it is not at level-1. I am also aware, as human being, I am blessed with the discrimination to make the right choice. A post on worship is incomplete without the quote, ‘Work is Worship. Duty is God’. One of my favorite and a constant reminder to aim for excellence (level-1) in any work I do. When I able to tune in to that awareness, innovation, quality, customer enchantment are integral, continuous. For my goal is not level-2, which is very good. For example, I am currently reaching out to friends to inform them (promote) my upcoming training program. I am sending personalized messages, with minor modification to a template. But when I tune-in, I am able to keep fine-tuning and do the repetitive, boring activity with awareness… almost meditative! This is applicable to everyone, irrespective of the nature of wok, is it not? Whether we are a corporate executive, entrepreneur, self-employed, retired, student, homemaker or a worker. – A worker/manager/entrepreneur has a choice to make it to the best possible level (six sigma quality), innovative, to ensure customer (external & internal) enchantment. – A student has a choice to do his duty – to study, play, et al at level-1. Lot easier, I guess? – A retired senior-citizen has (less years and) more time to contemplate on HiC. So perhaps easier to tune-into level-1 always, to stay at that level of consciousness. But this also comes from practice and how we managed our childhood and youth, or the earlier three Purusharthas! – A homemaker can convert her/his cooking to cleaning to Satvic worship.  Of course, level-1 naturally takes care of sustainability, CSR and environment, is it not? For, Nature is manifestation of Divine. So, every act we do, we have a choice – to make it worship, at level 1/2/3! When we are more often at Satvic level, #Abundance is a natural outcome. So, even abundance is a choice we make… What are your thoughts? How are you spending your holy-days? At what level you do your ‘work’ – Tamasic, Rajasic or Satvic? A level-1 musical offering to Divine!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihic3AqopZk&list=PL4607F8ECA2080701#t=95

This topic has been trending in the media & social media.Nooyi’s candor is very inspiring, as she does not sugar coat the difficulty to ‘balance’ work/life or manage multiple roles. I was touched by her ability to display vulnerability. That ability perhaps makes her a leader with difference. As I read through the report, one thought stuck to me. What would have been different if she had hired a Coach? Wonder if she has a Coach!She has Coaching as one of her popular 5Cs, being her roadmap to success: Competency, Courage & Confidence, Consistency, Compass & Coaching. (MIT Sloan) A Coach would have been a good sounding board for her, at different stages in life. A good Coach would have helped her to handle her 3R’s (Regret, Resentment & Reject), in a holistic way. PS: Friends in corporate world, it is never too late to hire a coach – an experienced, certified/credentialed one, only. For more on Career coaching for women, check out:

@ Chennai! My new Karmabhoomi! New?! Or is it back, ‘home’? Where it all started, professionally, on 1/1/91. At #21, Patullos Road! ‘Took the road less travelled’! Drove down, enjoyed driving through torrential rains. Heavy traffic on the NH (courtesy, ‘CV’s!) do not allow to speed up. I empathise with CVs (commercial vehicles, that is) on highways, having worked with the industry for 15 yrsJ A little lane-discipline, from us all, will surely help. The tollbooths should add this to their KRA? Upkeep of the stretch and better driving experience for the commuters?! Why not, if customer experience is the ultimate goal, instead of just collecting toll for the infrastructure. Every tollbooth announces, ‘lane #1 for cars’. But filled with trucks & buses. Have you noticed, we are evolving to a new traffic rule– slow moving traffic on the last lane ?!! May be we should formalize! Height of lane-indiscipline! There were just too many butterflies on the road. Are the flowers on the road-dividers attracting them? If yes, do we need flowers? People pluck flowers too! Risk for butterflies, animals & people?! I observed hardly any bird, even on the horizon. Where have all birds gone? Coffee at Krishnagiri and Sambar Vada at ‘Dimple Group’s Anandabhavan’ were just super!

When a patient goes to a doctor/dentist/ortho, a hair-dresser, a spa, a guru or even a movie/play, he should have made preliminary checks before making a decision & plan. The target customer for executive coaching, middle/senior level managers, would consider themselves smarter than ‘aam aadmi’. Similarly HR/L & D also will make enquiries to check out on the credential of the coach/firm, accredited or not. Where is the scope for a coach ‘to play any game’ ?! And where is need when the whole premise is to make a genuine difference? I would personally credit the client (individual & corporate) with lot more credibility, capability and judgement, rather than being naive & irresponsible !!

Millennial as a group is still being looked at as mere talent, human resources, and workers! As such the way we look at their skills, aspirations, preferences. Another element that is being ignored is what many see as a different level of awareness, consciousness. Something people belonging to other groups are unable to fathom. It is not the good, old generation gap! When that perspective is also considered, the approach will be holistic and meaningful for the millennial. http://www.inc.com/john-b oitnott/dear-ceo-this-is-why-millennials-don-t-want-to-work-for-you.html?cid=em01020week34a#/