What is Self-Leadership Coaching?
Self-Leadership Coaching is a powerfully transformative approach to leadership development that goes deeper and creates more lasting change than other coaching methods. It is inspired by the paradigm and method of Internal Family Systems (IFS).
Self-Leadership Coaching is leadership development from the inside out. We are working with your internal system of parts to strengthen your Self-Leadership.
Understanding the human mind as a system
Self-Leadership Coaching is based on the following assumptions and observations:
- The human mind is a system of multiple parts or subpersonalities that each have different roles, resources and ways of experiencing the world. All of your parts are naturally valuable and have good intentions.
- You also have a Core Self that is characterized by qualities such as calm presence, confidence, nonjudgmental curiosity and compassion. The Self can and should be the leader of your internal system of parts.
- Like most people, you have probably had some difficult life experiences when growing up. As a result, some of your parts may have lost trust in the leadership of the Self and become overly protective of your vulnerability. They may use controlling, defensive, avoidant or impulsive behaviors that helped you cope in the past, but no longer serve you in the present.
- Parts react to parts. If the leadership of the Self is weak, conflicts between parts may get entrenched with both sides becoming increasingly extreme and reactive. And this is what limits your ability to lead yourself and others well.
Self-Leadership = your Self is leading your system
The main objective of Self-Leadership Coaching is to strengthen your Self-Leadership. When your internal system is led by your Core Self rather than by your protective parts, you will be able to:
- Respond to challenges and provocations in a mature and balanced way.
- Foster authentic connection and psychological safety in your relationships.
- Focus on what is truly important without getting side-tracked.
- Fully access your creativity and wisdom.
- Speak with clarity, confidence and courage.
- Stay calm, curious and compassionate, even under pressure.
Common themes in Self-Leadership Coaching
Any difficulty or concern in your professional or private life can serve as a starting point for some transformative inner work with the parts of you that get activated around that issue. Common themes in Self-Leadership Coaching are:
- Leadership challenges
- Interpersonal conflicts
- Communication or collaboration issues
- Difficult decisions
- Difficulties with self-management or self-care
- Feeling stuck or not on the right path
- Stress or lack of balance
- Emotional reactions or impulses that seem inappropriate
- Specific worries, insecurities or frustrations
Learn to do your inner work
My job as your Self-Leadership Coach is to guide you while you are working with your internal system. I will show you how to:
- Access the leadership qualities of your Core Self.
- Become aware of your protective parts, connect with them and gain their trust.
- Help and heal any vulnerable or wounded parts that your protective parts are concerned about.
- Liberate parts from extreme roles, beliefs and emotions, so they can return to their natural, more relaxed state.
- Encourage better collaboration between your parts.
- Establish the Core Self as the leader and final arbiter in your internal system.
The stronger your Self-Leadership becomes, the better you will be able to do this kind of inner work on your own, without my help.
Get a taste of Self-Leadership Coaching
If this sounds interesting, I invite you to experience Self-Leadership Coaching. Just contact me to schedule a free trial session. I look forward to meeting you on Zoom.