I became a coach the day I realised the most often overlooked truth about the business world: work doesn't have to suck. Until that moment of clarity, I had taken it for granted that work was what you did to buy stuff you didn't need to impress people you didn't like. I assumed that bitterness, resentment and slow emotional death were the natural side-effects of having a "successful" career in business.
And then I woke up.
I recognised that every moment of every day was actually mine to do with as I would - that every thought, every word and every action was entirely up to me. Rather than list excuses for my (usually negative) emotional state, I began to revel in the fact that I could choose my response to any situation - and change the results.
Yeah, I know. Most normal people reach this level of maturity around age 6. But I was in business. And I wasn't alone.
When I realised who was actually in charge, I wondered who would want to be unhappy at work? Who would consciously choose to make their professional lives (and by inevitable extension, their personal lives) miserable?
Unfortunately, millions of people choose to make their lives far more difficult than they need to be - for themselves and for the people around them.
Today, I help people communicate more clearly, perform more effectively and make the most of the opportunities in their work. I formed Total Awareness Coaching in 2004 to provide coaching and training services for businesses and not-for-profit organisations. I trained as a coach with the Coaching Academy, and received Master Coach Certification through the Behavioural Coaching Institute. Additionally, I have achieved Master Practitioner status in Neuro-Linguistic Programming through Optimum Performance Achievement, Ltd - which provides the UK's highest standard of NLP training and certification.
Drawing upon 15 years of experience in public relations, corporate communications and business management, I help my clients harness their personal and professional resources for peak performance. I began his career with Ketchum in Washington D.C., and I joined the company's office in Munich in 1995. At Ketchum's European Headquarters in London, I was a Director of the Corporate Practice Group. I later led a sponsorship consultancy, helping clients make the most of their engagement with arts and educational institutions.
Using a combination of NLP and coaching techniques, I specialise in addressing communications challenges - helping people connect more effectively with colleagues, staff, the media - and, most importantly, themselves.
In addition to my work as a coach, trainer and facilitator, I am an experienced actor and director of Shakespeare's plays. I hold an MA from the University of Essex in Shakespearean Theatre, and I am currently at work on a book exploring the life-lessons on show in Shakespeare's plays.
Please visit my coaching website for more information:
http://www.totalawarenesscoaching.com
