About three years ago I went through some personal frustrations and a bit of a rough time.  I realized part of the frustration involved my career.  I expressed this to a family member who had known Kay as a speaker in her own career.  Out of the blue, she suggested that working with Kay might be valuable in dealing with those frustrations.  I decided to give Kay and her coaching programs a try.

Kay has helped me to get to know myself better – the result of now being able to see myself from the outside in.  The experience has been about creating new strategies that work for ME.  The key was developing those strategies, with Kay’s guidance, for myself.  It was different than, say, reading a book or asking someone else for advice.  This experience has actually taught me how to build my own wings and then put them on to fly.

Along the way, working with Kay helped me identify what wasn’t my path, and I found some surprises there.  One unexpected experience, once I did name my path, was tackling the very personal decision of whether to step up into a greater leadership role.  It helped that Kay showed me that a lot of other women have this same struggle.  I felt much less alone.  Once I decided to step up, I could see what additional work I needed to do.

At this point, I have had three separate rounds of coaching with Kay with breaks between them.  I have reached out to Kay whenever I have found a new realm where I could use some support, and each time has had a different focus.  We have achieved what we set out to do in every series.  We have even changed the path midstream during a series when it became apparent that what I actually needed was different from the focus I had named.

There are many results that I have experienced:

• I have learned how to advocate for my own needs and the needs of my colleagues to reach the outcomes I desire for my team.
  
  
• My communication style has evolved as I have changed, and I find that people are reacting to me differently.  Interestingly, Kay waited three years to comment on two personal mannerisms that a friend had mentioned 10 years ago.  We were both fascinated that they recently changed without any effort on my part.  They changed not from me focusing on them, but because of my growing confidence and growing into myself.
  
  
• Through working with Kay, I came to the realization that I am happy in the exact place where I am and I have the tools to help make change where needed.  Previously in my career I changed roles, organizations – even cities – when frustrations seemed unsolvable.  But once I developed effective approaches that felt authentic to me, it became clear that what I was already doing was a great fit.  No need to try to be someone else or go anywhere else!

Before I began working with Kay, I thought I needed to know the exact outcome I wanted to have before beginning coaching.  However, the process itself often brings the needed outcomes to the surface.  If you are considering this process, I strongly suggest you will learn so much about yourself by taking it on.

Anna Haas

Email:  anna.e.haas@gmail.com
Phone:  (937) 234-7690
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