Extraordinary well-being = extraordinary success. Not my words but those of Tim Gallwey, author of The Inner Game of Tennis and ‘a pre-eminent thinker in performance improvement and organisational change.’

I was viewing a short video which offered to explain the differences between life coaching and executive coaching. I’m currently studying the latter for a Masters in Coaching. Bottom line, the only difference is who foots the bill. In executive coaching it is the organisation the executive works for whilst it is normally the individual that pays for their own life coaching. 

According to Gallwey all coaching should focus on well-being. Extraordinary success will subsequently follow.

This really made me think. And the more I thought about it the more I embraced his view of coaching. It was with this in mind that I attended a day of showcase presentations.

Helen and I have been privileged to be coaches on a Midwifery Leadership Development Group (MDLG) programme. The programme was established in 2016 to meet the growing need to develop a midwifery specific leadership programme. It was and still is joint funded by Welsh government and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). It is run by them in collaboration with maternity services and Universities in Wales. 

Each delegate is appointed a coach for the duration. They undertake a project with other delegates, having pitched an idea in a Dragon’s Den format. They then form teams to work on the winning projects.

Coaching forms the basis of the programme and whilst the project is important and can lead to all Wales implementation, it is the emphasis on delegates developing themselves, their skills and confidence that is what makes this leadership programme unique. So much so that it has been included as a
case study in the World Health Organisation’s Roadmap for strengthening nursing and midwifery across the European region. 

Helen in her role as Country Director for RCM Wales was instrumental in the setting up of the programme. I’ve been one of the coaches for the past three years.

The objective of the showcase day is for each of the delegates to present on their leadership journey. What they have learnt, the challenges, the insights. And, most importantly for Helen and me, the impact of coaching.

As well as their own personal presentation each project group produce a poster which were  displayed and described on the day. Each poster captured the process and outcome of the inspirational projects.

It was an uplifting day. Yes, there were some tears. Transformation can evoke powerful emotions. But there was plenty of laughter too. 

It gave me the opportunity to further consider the ‘extraordinary well-being = extraordinary success’ concept. The programme had produced exceptional leaders. Not by telling them what to do but by providing an environment for learning and transformation. A huge part of this transformation is an improvement in well-being. They were all more confident in their ability to lead. More comfortable. Less critical of themselves.

A recurring reference across the presentations was ‘imposter syndrome’. Many had experienced it coming into the programme. For a number it was the motivation to join.

It was predominantly referred to as a feeling that had diminished during the course of the programme, particularly as a consequence of exploring it in the coaching sessions. Diminished, but for some, not banished completely. There seemed to be a reconciliation that it never would go away with a suggestion that this a good thing. It kept them on their toes. 

I have to disagree. Imposter syndrome is often described as a cognitive distortion. A feeling that you are where you are under false pretences. A feeling that you are going to be exposed as a fraud. Usually in the absence of any evidence. 

All the leaders on the programme were highly educated professionals that had worked hard to get where they were. This was demonstrated throughout the programme. There was no reason for them to continue to live with the discomfort of ‘imposter syndrome.’ 

Way back in my career I was a sufferer. I carried round a feeling that I wasn’t good enough. That one day somebody cleverer than me was going to either whisper in my ear ‘you shouldn’t be here’ or scream from the rooftops ‘this woman is an imposter.’ I remember having an ache in my upper back/left shoulder where I held this fear. It was not pleasant. It stole the pleasure I had in doing the job. The job I had fought so hard for. Importantly it had no purpose. It did not serve me, my colleagues, or my manager.

Later in my career it disappeared. I gained a confidence that I was the best person for the job. I still had moments where I had difficulty in seeing how I was going to navigate and deliver a project, but it was all part of the learning. I had times when I had to force myself to speak out at a meeting for fear of making myself look foolish or attract criticism, even ridicule. But in my core, I had a confidence that allowed me to do my job well and to enjoy it. And I knew who was in my tribe. Colleagues that I could rely on for support, encouragement, and an alternative perspective. 

Coaching can challenge cognitive distortions. If something is not serving you it needs to be gone. It should not be in your vocabulary. 

An inspirational event can lead to extraordinary thinking. A week on it feels as if I’ve only just started consolidating my showcase experience. 

It has been such a privilege to be part of the MLDG programme. I’m grateful for the contribution it has made to my development as a coach. I remain in awe of the power of coaching.