At 55 years old, my client has just celebrated six months in a wonderful new career. He had previously held a long-standing management position within a multi-national corporate where he’d worked for 30 years. Now he holds a senior position in a Social Enterprise.
A few months ago, he’d been talking to a friend about his recent career change. His friend had become disillusioned after more than 30 years in his profession, but had no idea about what he might do instead. In a bid to reassure him that a new and fulfilling career is possible for a mid-life professional, my client told him about his journey of career coaching with me.
He looked back at the point when he had first contacted me for some advice about his CV. That was the start of an incredible journey of self discovery and exploring possibilities. Four years on he is happier than he could have ever imagined.
As he recalled the steps he went through during his coaching, he looked back over the notes he’d taken for the first time since landing his new career. At the beginning of our coaching process nearly four years before, we had talked about what his ideal career might look like; what positive affect this would have on his life and how, ideally his financial circumstances would remain intact and healthy.
He created a powerful intention to achieve all these things. It was only as he looked back at his notes that he realised he had achieved his intention far more easily and effortlessly than he could ever have believed. Infact, what he ended up achieving was far beyond his wildest expectations!
The Challenge
My client first contacted me four years ago because he wanted to update his CV, so that he could apply for another role within the same company. He had been at the same company for 26 years, mostly in a management capacity. At this point I thought it was a straightforward process of updating his information, which we completed within a few sessions. About six months later he returned, explaining that the reason he had been looking to move on was in fact because the relationship between him and his boss and deteriorated.
In the last couple of weeks his situation had got so bad that he’d been signed off sick with stress. He realised he needed to talk through his situation with someone who wouldn’t judge him, and who would help him find a resolution. Until now, he’d had an unblemished record, and he felt his new boss was treating him unfairly. He was angry and resentful. He’d lost all self belief and had become depressed. Being at home with nothing to do was alien to him, and just turning 50 only served to pile on his increasing feelings of helplessness and failure.
His wife and children were understanding, and yet he felt pressured to “get back to normal”. The Process Over the course of regular weekly sessions I helped my client tackle his feelings of self doubt by focusing on the previous 30 years of well rewarded work. As he considered his extensive list of previous achievements, he was able to recognise his skills and qualities once again. I guided him through a process that helped him realise what was important to him in his life and career, and what he still wanted to achieve.
After a few months he was able to return to work feeling better equipped to deal with the challenging relationship with his manager. I had helped him restore his self belief and self worth. He was much more confident now that he had the backing of of an independent professional who was supporting him and allowing him to achieve a healthy perspective. While the relationship with his boss continued to have its ups and downs, I kept my client’s focus on the positives in his life and career. I helped him begin to imagine a brighter future and we discussed embarking on a whole new career. With my help he set a powerful intention.
He wanted to find a new career, preferably outside the company, that would put his skills to good use; that would offer him a great deal of personal satisfaction, and would provide him with an income that would maintain his current lifestyle. I asked him to think about the activities he enjoyed outside of his business life. I also suggested he take financial advice about his pension so that he knew exactly what his options were.
Together, we began to explore how his skills might be used in a new career. Over the next year or so he thoroughly researched a number of ideas. My client took his time. Understandably, he needed to make sure he was emotionally strong and absolutely certain that any career choice he made would be the right one.
The situation with his boss was finally resolved, and I encouraged him to take advantage of other opportunities that he was now able to take at work. He took some interim roles before landing the perfect outplacement project. It gave him the confidence he needed to assure himself that his skills were transferrable and that he could be successful with a new challenge outside the company. The project had a 12 month lifespan, so his original intention to leave the company was brought sharply into focus. Networking was something he was good at and the project exposed him to many contacts outside the business. I encouraged him to make the most of this and he forged some excellent new relationships.
The Result
With approximately 4 months remaining on the project, my client got talking to one of his new contacts. Within a few weeks the Director of a Social Enterprise asked him if he would consider joining them in a senior capacity. They were so sure they wanted him on board that they were prepared to wait the four months for his contract to end! As he had planned with me a few years before, my client left his corporate job.
His financials had lined up perfectly to support him into the future, and he is now enjoying a level of job satisfaction that he could only have previously dreamed of. His ability to support his family never suffered during this time. Indeed, he found himself better able to cope with teenage angst at home because of the work he was doing with me. He even helped his wife reconsider her own future at work.
She has now happily retired and enjoying tending to an ever expanding allotment. He still has regular coaching with me as he says “it’s an investment for my wellbeing and future”.
If any element of my client’s story resonates with you and you would like to find out more about how I might be able to help you, then please email me to arrange a complementary, no obligation, 20 minute consultation. Email: info@swancoaching.co.uk