Coach Spotlight: Coach Sam

Introducing Coach Sam to this week's BOLDLY Coach Spotlight!
Coach Sam is an International Coach boasting over 15 years of leadership and coaching expertise within corporate landscapes. With all Coach Sam's extensive experience, we look forward to hearing his insights- Welcome Coach Sam!

1) To start off, can you please tell us about the places that have shaped your journey so far. Where have you called home in the past, and where do you find yourself now?

Tough question! I lived in 10 different countries and each one shaped my journey so far. But recently, I've lived in Hong Kong and Spain - the 2 homes where I divide my time. Hong Kong taught me to be entrepreneurial and strategic. It's where I deepened my corporate experience (I worked at Google) and started my coaching career (with Transcend International). Spain on the other hand is a great compliment. It taught me to live at a much slower pace and enjoy the moment - something we can all do in this hectic world! Life won't fall apart after a few minutes of siesta. In fact, it will get better! This is a balance I take into my coaching for sure.  

2) Where is next to visit or live on your bucketlist?

I would like to explore Continental Africa more (I've only been to countries in North Africa). As for a place to live, I heard Türkiye (particularly Istanbul) is great! As a place that is the crossroads of East and West, I see myself enjoying it very much.  

3) Your career journey has been quite the adventure. How did your path unfold to bring you to where you are now?

I had 2 main careers. The first was in International Relations (think diplomacy) and the second is my current career in coaching. I am thankful to both and the first path paved the way for the second. I was working in Government Relations and Public Affairs at Google. There I had my first coach, I got training in coaching skills, and I used these skills in my role, but also as a volunteer offering coaching to Googlers internally. I loved coaching and it changed my life! It was just a matter of time and keeping myself open to possibilities that I found opportunities outside of Google to get my coaching accreditation at a reputable coach training organization (Transcend International) and kickstart my coaching career! 

4) You're certified by the ICF as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), why do you think it is so important professionals and organisations consider certifications when engaging a coach?

Yes! I'm PCC and hopefully a Master Certified Coach (MCC) by the end of this year! Accreditation bodies like the ICF and EMCC ensure that coaches embody the standard, ethics, and best practices of coaching. They grant licenses to coaches to coach with integrity and competence. To put it simply, passengers would feel more confident and at ease if the driver of their bus or train is licensed to do so. Same goes with coaches. Accreditation is essential. 

5) Can you share some insights into the most significant shifts in coaching approaches or methodologies that you've observed in the past five years, and how these changes have impacted workplace culture?

Online coaching and coaching platforms have changed the world of coaching and have had a great positive impact on workplace culture. Over 10 years ago, coaching was reserved for the C-Suite and senior executives. I felt privileged to have had a coach myself and when I initially got trained in coaching skills while at Google I made sure to pay it forward with internal staff. With the emergence of online coaching and digital coaching platforms, coaching is now available digitally, at scale, and globally to everyone - regardless of their level of seniority. And I believe this is just the beginning!

6) You've coached executive clients from 100+ major global companies, What common threads or unique insights have you discovered while coaching executives from such a diverse range of major global companies, and how do these insights shape your approach to coaching?

Great question! A lot of common threads and insights but I'll focus on a big one: the main thing that gets in the way of us living our best lives is "forgetting". In the rush of things, back-to-back meetings, endless tasks, non-stop work etc we forget our priorities. We forget our goals and what's important to us. We forget that we are humans working with other humans - with dreams, vulnerabilities, values, faults and so forth. Coaching is a great way for people to remember all this and act accordingly. A simple method a lot of my coachees do is to write down what they want to develop and make it visible (on a post-it, around their office or home, or on their phone screensaver). Whether it's "delegate more", "be assertive", "breathe", if these were made visible to us all the time it will be easier to remember, and therefore achieve. As for remembering our shared humanity, I found it useful to remind coachees that whoever they are having a difficult situation with (colleagues, managers, investors etc) is also a fellow human. And this simple realization usually shifts their future interactions in a positive manner.

7) What do you believe draws executives from such a wide array of major global companies to seek your coaching services specifically, and what unique value do you think you bring to their professional development journeys?

Coachees seem to be drawn to 2 things when choosing to work with me. The first is my international background (I lived in 10 different countries). Most of my coachees are expats, manage an international team, or live in international cities - or all of the above! I understand how to navigate this beautiful complexity very well. The second this is my background working in tech. Google is a big company but my time there taught me how startups and entrepreneurs think and act. This proactive, innovative, and creative thinking is what I bring into coaching. At the end of the day, we are the creators/entrepreneurs/bosses of our own lives!

8) Is there a particular quote or mantra that resonates deeply with you and significantly influences your coaching approach or philosophy?

This quote by Zen Teacher Haemin Sunim (from his book "The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down"): “When our mind is noisy, the world is as well. And when our mind is peaceful, the world is, too. Knowing [and changing] our minds is just as important as trying to change the world". I added "and changing", to emphasize that after self-knowledge, action is necessary for change. Coaching is about both.

9) In a 30-minute chemistry meeting with you, what can a client expect and how do you ensure that this brief encounter provides valuable insights and establishes a strong foundation for potential coaching collaboration?

Action Action Action. Coaching is about insights, yes. But movement beyond, and towards, insights is a big value add of coaching. We will get to know each other during the chemistry sessions, but we will treat it as an actual coaching session as well. 

10) Lastly what advise would you give to someone wanting to approach their organization about engaging a coach?

In 2024 and it's a well known fact that an executive looking to be successful (and thrive!) not only in their careers, but also their lives in general, needs a coach. Nowadays it is a given for organizations supporting the development of their people. Approaching HR, Learning & Development, or even managers about budget that is, or could be, allocated for coaching is a start! 

Thank you once again, Coach Sam, for gracing us with your presence in this week's BOLDLY Coach Spotlight! To book a complimentary 30-minute chemistry session with Coach Sam or to explore the array of services offered at BOLDLY, please visit www.boldly.app or contact us via email at connect@boldly.app.