Navgati

27/02/2025

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/continuing-naturally-therapeutic-navgati-lljxc/

Take a look here https://www.navgati.

21/02/2025

If you're looking for a learning opportunity to mark this years International Women's Day; here's a splendid 2-hour workshop that we're offering to organizations. Do ping [email protected] if you'd like to hear more.

21/02/2025

https://www.navgati.in/the-quiet-coach-11/

A weekly blog focusing on coaching skills and various aspects of ICF coach training along with tips and techniques to keep our collective learning as coaches ongoing

14/02/2025

Are all questions powerful questions?

Consider this case – Hasina started the coaching conversation by saying “I’ve moved into a new role where I’m working directly with the head of the unit. I’m feeling overwhelmed because he’s constantly telling me what I should be doing differently. I find myself withdrawing and nodding my head in agreement even though I really don’t agree. I want to be able to present my thinking in a clear and assertive manner”

Take a minute to review the questions below and mark against each whether it is a good coaching question to ask in this context or not.

• Tell me more about your relationship with this person
• How do you feel when he’s constantly correcting you?
• How do you define “clear and assertive”?
• What are the issues he finds fault with?
• Do you see a pattern in the kinds of issues he finds fault with? If yes, what is it?
• What could be his reasoning for telling you to do things differently?
• Walk me through a typical interaction with him.
• What are the consequences for you in reacting the way you are today?
• Why don’t you stand up for yourself more now?
• How do you see him being with other people?
• What techniques have you seen other people use to manage his behaviour?
• What could you do differently to be more assertive?
• What’s going on within you at the moment when you withdraw?
• How do you see this playing out if you don’t make a change?
• How much of your strengths and resources are you using in these conversations?
• If you were as potent in these conversations as you know you are capable of being, what would that look like?
• What are you believing to be true here – about yourself, your manager and the situation?
• What do you imagine would happen if you were clear and assertive?
Please be prepared for some disappointment because I’m not going to tell you which of these are good questions and not 😃. Here are 5 questions to ask yourself to decide whether the question is a good question or not.

1. Who is the question for?
If you’re re-reading this muttering to yourself “aren’t all questions for the client?”, it’s interesting to note how often in a coaching conversation we ask questions for our own sake. For us to get a clear view of the situation, for us to understand the dynamics involved.

The underlying premise is “If I understand this clearly, I will be able to guide the client to the right solution” – which hopefully we all agree is not a coaching approach.

Look at the difference between “What are the issues he finds fault with?” and “Do you see a pattern in the kinds of issues he finds fault with?”

The first is asking the client to share what she is already aware of; the second is inviting her to look more closely at the situation.

If you find that your questions are eliciting quick answers from the client, it’s possible that you are collecting information for your sake. Questions that invite the client to think typically involve some slowing down and reflection on the client’s part.

2. Are the questions focused on the person or the problem?
We’re all consummate problem solvers and it’s easy to get into asking questions that are focused on solving the problem at hand i.e. improving the specific situation that the client is facing. That is indeed the desired end goal and why clients come to us; however when we assume we can achieve that by only focusing on the situation….that’s when we can get stuck.

Look at the difference between “What techniques have you seen other people use to manage his behaviour?” versus “What’s going on within you at the moment when you withdraw?” The first is focused purely on tactics and strategies the client could use; the second is inviting a deeper exploration for her underlying reasons. Both are valid – however an over-reliance on the first could result in a surface level solution.

I find it helps to remind myself that the client has been thinking deeply about the question she has brought into coaching and therefore it is hubris on my part to think that I will be able to find a solution that she has not already considered and brushed aside. New options will emerge only when new aspects of the person are uncovered.

3. Is there an appropriate balance between introspection and action?
It would be very tempting for a coach to ask Hasina, right after she shares her goal, “so what do you think you could do about this?”

If you’ve been at the receiving end of a question timed like this, you’ll know just how frustrating it is….the assumption in asking a question like this is that the client has done no thinking about the situation and by the coach just asking the question, an answer will miraculously reveal itself.

Options emerge only as a result of a deep exploration of the reality; external reality and internal reality.

4. Is the question inviting the client to connect more deeply and authentically with themselves?
A question like “How do you define “clear and assertive”?” is very tempting to ask. If you’re feeling stuck and unsure about where to go, then asking a client for a definition of a phrase they used is an easy option.

However, like in school, definitions tend to keep us at a cognitive, head level space. I can talk till the cows come home about what assertiveness means without ever really engaging with what that meaning holds for me.

Ask questions that get clients to connect with themselves – in this case for example “how do you feel when you have been clear and assertive on other situations” or “What’s going on within you at the moment when you withdraw?” It is in this connection that clients can find answers for themselves.

5. Do the questions invite the client to look outside their existing frame of reference?
The underpinning idea for this is that when a client is not finding an answer in their current way of viewing themselves/the world, it is useless to search in the same place. What is useful is to help clients define the issue in a different way, articulate a goal differently for themselves and to take into account information they may be discounting.

Powerful questions are those that provoke the client to think, feel or react differently about the issue at hand with the information they already have.

Questions like these “How much of your strengths and resources are you using in these conversations?” “If you were as potent in these conversations as you know you are capable of being, what would that look like?” “What are you believing to be true here – about yourself, your manager and the situation?”
So those are the five questions – I’d love to hear if this was useful for you; if you have questions. Please write back!

For more information about our ICF accredited coach training programs, please click here – https://www.navgati.in/icf-accredited-coach-training/.
Check out https://www.navgati.in/executive-coaching/ for more information about the leadership coaching we offer.

14/02/2025

Giving feedback to anyone in a position of power (whether a manager, a stakeholder, a friend who you look up to or your cat) is fraught with psychological stress. But if we don't...the situation doesn't improve, business outcomes are affected and we're left with a sense of unease and helplessness.

Come join us for our second Fraternitea of the year (20th Feb at 3, virtual) anchored by the most articulate Vandana Balakrishna on how to give upward feedback.

And if you're interested in our Fraterniteas (always complimentary, virtual and on a topic of interest to us and hopefully by extension you), block off the Third Thursday of every month at Three (TTT - so clever no?). See you!

You could go to www.navgati.in/fraternitea to read more.

Or click on this link to accept and add the event to your calendar - https://calendar.app.google/y6uFJ8PKNygPjgBb7

05/02/2025

How do we work with beliefs that are limiting us as coaches?

We often start Navgati workshops by inviting participants to become aware of their Critical Turtle – this little invisible creature that sits on your left shoulder (or right) and keeps up a constant commentary all day long.

A commentary filled with judgements about yourself; the other people around you; the process you are a part of. The main characteristic of the CT’s chatter (mine is called Benjy and he wears large, round glasses) are that

a. It’s so much a part of our heads that we sometimes don’t even notice it’s there
b. We often accept it as true, unquestioningly
For all of us who have been drawn to this profession because of the desire to help others, these critical voices are particularly strong when we feel we’re not being of service to our clients.

When a coach doesn’t stop to question the validity of these comments, depending on what the voices are saying, it could result in them

– not being fully present with the client
– overdoing their part of the conversation
– feeling exhausted and drained after
– holding back from appropriately challenging the client
– seeing themselves as not competent etc
So how do we work with these beliefs that are limiting us as coaches?

Check out this article - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whats-your-critical-turtle-saying-when-youre-coaching-navgati-wb2dc

29/01/2025

This was the first post on The Quiet Coach.
TQC or The Quiet Coach i.e., all of us who are interested in reflection and learning and growth as coaches. We publish posts on matters of interest for beginner and practicing coaches. The intent is to keep our collective learning as coaches alive; in a form that’s short and easy to consume at your own pace.

How do you explain what you do as a coach?

I’m talking about the very first time you have to explain what coaching is – whether it’s at a party and someone says, “so what do you do?” or whether it’s to a stakeholder who wants an intervention for leaders in their organization or whether it’s the prospective client themselves.

The objective is that you present yourself in a way that is authentic, makes it clear what you have to offer the world and promotes an accurate picture of coaching. This is not a post about how to impress prospective clients; I see that as a natural outcome of clarity and credibility in your introduction.

Most of you, if you’ve done any amount of coaching so far, probably have a rough script for what you say when explaining what coaching is. Maybe just pause here for a moment, grab a sheet of paper and write down the key points you normally say before you continue reading (I warned you, there would be nudges).

In true coaching fashion, here are a set of questions for you to reflect on as you review your introduction.

What is the emphasis in your introduction on a problem centered explanation versus a growth centered one?

That’s the difference between saying “As a coach, my job is to help people solve their problems” vs “my job is to help people be the very best they can be”. There isn’t anything intrinsically wrong with the first one, but it could seem uninviting to people who don’t see themselves as having problems or who feel it’s not ok to get support to solve problems. I’ve found it’s more inclusive and more appealing to describe coaching as a process that helps people access their full potential.

What is the balance in your introduction between the outcomes of coaching and what the effort is?

So typical marketing advice would be to focus more on what the client will gain from coaching (i.e. the outcomes). For example, you’d probably prefer a doctor who talks about the pain relief you will experience rather than the details of the surgery.

However, coaching is a relatively new field (and coaches don’t always command the reverence that doctors do).

Introductions that focus very heavily on the outcomes (you will feel a greater sense of control; you will make decisions with more self-awareness) – could leave people with the sense that this is somewhat of a magical process.

Hence do make sure you explain the process as well (eg I will ask you questions that you may not have asked yourself; I will not judge you or your ideas in any way whatsoever; I will listen without trying to tell you what you should do)

How simple is your explanation?

“The essence of coaching is raising awareness and responsibility to unlock potential and maximize performance”. Perfectly accurate but it isn’t exactly the way people speak. Using language that the client understands is especially important given the kind of equation we’re trying to establish with them.

Think of the last conversation you had with a financial planner– many of them use language that lay people don’t understand either because they don’t have the time/mindset to simplify or because they want to create the sense of expertise (that they speak a language you don’t; understand concepts that you don’t).

In coaching we’re working very hard to create a psychologically equal relationship so avoid using jargon or complexity that takes away from that.

Metaphors work really well to explain what coaching is. As part of our ICF accredited program, I ask beginner coaches to come up with their own metaphor for the coaching process and I’m always amazed at how compelling and interesting those are.

How inviting are you making coaching sound?
I find a lot of coaches going to great pains to establish what coaching is not. Justifiably so because coaching is a relatively new field and every coach has experienced the pain of a client being disappointed that you are not providing answers.

However when all the coach says is “I will not give you solutions; I will not share my perspective; I will not evaluate your ideas” and nothing more, then the client is quite justified in wondering what a coach does do.

Pay attention to whether your explanation reflects the value of the service you provide.

What are you saying about your style of coaching?
It helps prospective clients to understand your personal philosophy as a coach, in simple language. For example, a strengths-based coach might say “I believe that when people operate from their strengths, they experience satisfaction and success” A highly empathetic coach might say“I believe when people feel safe, they can face hard facts about themselves and my job is to create that safety”.

For example, my coaching is very informed by my training as a therapist so I would say something like “I believe that all of us made a set of decisions in early childhood to help us cope and survive; not all those decisions are still relevant to us today. My role would be to help you evaluate which of those you would like to hold on to and which you would like to let go of”.

People need to not just understand what coaching is; they also need to get who you are as a coach. I agree that what you are saying may sound generic in your first few hours of coaching, but you will start to develop your own unique view of coaching – make sure your introduction reflects that.

How comfortable are you talking about your expertise as a coach?
I’ve seen many extremely competent coaches really struggle with this. We tend to apply either/or thinking – “either I can be self-effacing about my coaching work or I can be like that boor on LinkedIn who keeps boasting about the work he/she has done”.

The objective is to find the “and” – can you find a way to talk about your competence as a coach in an authentic way, without boasting or embellishment?

Stories really help here as they do everywhere else. Telling a client “I have over 100 hours of coaching with clients in the retail sector” is not as compelling as telling the story of a leader you worked with who was struggling to develop her next line of leadership (without betraying client confidentiality in any way).

This is not boasting – it is helping your prospective client get a sense of the kind of coach you are so that they can decide if you are right for them or not.

How much do you involve the other person in your explanation?
This would be asking questions about their current understanding of coaching and their need; listening carefully and empathizing. It role models what you will be doing as a coach and also helps you understand if there are any dynamics you should be watchful of (e.g. a stakeholder wanting to use coaching to give feedback that he/she is not prepared to give directly).

Lastly, how much does your introduction reflect your own style?
Coaching is a partnership between coach and client. The coach helps the client to achieve their personal best and to produce the results they want in their personal and professional lives. Coaching ensures the client can give their best, learn and develop in the way they wish.

This is accurate but doesn’t in any way reflect the personality of the coach. If you have a sense of humor, use it. If you are naturally empathetic, make sure that reflects. If you’re passionate about people making the most of themselves, let that shine through.

I remember many years ago, my partner and I waiting to make our introduction as coaches to a group of coaching clients and their stakeholders. There was another senior coach from another organization who stood up before us and said “50% of you in this room are going to be redundant in the next five years if you don’t do something; my job is to help you stay relevant”.

Totally not our style. Being ourselves definitely meant that some leaders chose to work with that other coach and not with us; however, we were happy because it’s better to find issues with alignment earlier on in the process.

Here’s what you can do to strengthen your explanation of what coaching is
Take some time to reflect on what coaching means to you – which clients have you enjoyed working with, where did you feel a sense of satisfaction that you gave your best; what
what did you bring to the table in those situations?

Make your pitch; say it out aloud. Ask people close to you, especially any particularly honest friends, what impact it has on them. Keep practising and honing it as you go.

For more information about our ICF accredited coach training programs, please click here – https://www.navgati.in/icf-accredited-coach-training/
Check out https://www.navgati.in/executive-coaching/ for more information about the leadership coaching we offer.

17/01/2025

It takes a village to raise a child....and an organisation to help a first time manager succeed. As Ram Charan wrote in his book The Leadership Pipeline, the transition from individual contributor to manager is probably the most difficult of the six passages all leaders must cross.

We ran a survey on what it takes to help people successfully navigate the transition from individual contributor - here's what we found. https://www.navgati.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Helping-first-time-managers-succeed-1.pdf.

One of the key ingredients is supporting first time managers with the skills they need to lead people and that's where we come in. The fifth batch of our Leading Edge program for first-time managers starts on Feb 20th. The design draws from our 25 years of experience with leadership development.

Through this extended journey, we create a safe, experiential space for participants to learn both the mindsets and the practical skills they need to become confident managers. They recognize that they are not alone in their challenges and build a strong network of supportive fellow managers across the industry.

The journey has three elements

Training: Six half-day virtual workshops between September and November so it’s easy for busy managers to attend. We start on Feb 20th

Coaching: 3 one-on-one sessions with coaches from the industry (all people who’ve been through our coach training program)

Practise: Each module is followed with a set of nudges so learners put into practise their insights from training/coaching

If you’d like to attend this or nominate someone in your organisation to do so, please write back to [email protected] for details.

10/01/2025

Here's wishing you the happiest new year possible! Most of us at Navgati like to start the year with committing to learning and if your heart inclines towards that too, here are three journeys you can embark on with us.

Do something for your own joy today and write to [email protected] for more information on all three.

Becoming an certified ACC coach: Leaders Develop Leaders

What is it? - A course intended to take you from knowing very little about how to coach to becoming a confident, competent coach ready to apply for the ACC credential
Who is it for? - HR professionals; business leaders; independent coaches/facilitators
When? - Feb-May, 60 hours; spread over 8 days; all virtual

Building your capability as a practising coach – Coaches Continuitea
What is it? - A course to help in your continued learning as a coach (to ready yourself for the ACC certification; to build confidence to apply for certification or just to become a more effective coach). You could also use these hours when applying to renew your credential.
Who is it for? - People who have already completed an ICF accredited training program
When? - Jan-Mar, 10 hours; spread over 4 sessions; all virtual

Becoming a level coach – Transformational Coaching
What is it? - A course to help you transform the value you add as a coach by deepening your understanding of behavioral psychology.
Who is it for? -People who have already completed an coach training program
When? - Feb-May, 64 hours; spread over 8 days; all virtual

Send a message to learn more

17/10/2024

We're delighted to announce the first session of "On the Spot" - an improv-based workshop specifically for HR and L&D professionals. Come and spend the 25th of October (from 10am to 1pm) at our lovely office in Jeevan Bhima Nagar to:

- experience the power of improv to connect, rejuvenate and inspire
- bond with your tribe; HR and L&D leaders from the industry
- re-engage with your creative, playful self
- take away activities and games that you can use within your organisation

The session is anchored by Akash Narendran, a gifted facilitator and one of the kindest souls you'll ever encounter. He brings to the session a wealth of experience with theatre, including performing, directing and being one of the founders of City Lamps, a playback theatre company.

We hope for this to be the start of a thriving community that experiments with the use of theatre in facilitation and learning so get in on the foundation and let's shape this together.

Write to [email protected] for registrations and any details. The session is attractively priced at Rs2500/- + taxes.

08/08/2024

Announcing the 7th batch of the Navgati Stand Tall open program, our flagship leadership development initiative for women. A program that is very close to our hearts as we believe that the world needs more and more women in leadership roles. Since 2021 we've run six batches of this experiential and impactful leadership program for women across industries and have witnessed their empowering journey of stepping into their roles with confidence and strength.

Program Highlights:

• Duration: The program starts on Sep 23rd, and is spread across 12 weeks in a series of ½ day webinars to make it easy to attend for busy professionals.
• Personalized Coaching: 3 one-on-one sessions with trained coaches.
• Peer Learning: Build a strong network of supportive fellow leaders.
• Exclusive Community: Access to the Navgati Stand Tall club for ongoing learning and support.

Write to [email protected] for details and for registrations.

07/08/2024

Have you experienced warm leadership? That quality of a leader that shows you that you are valued as a person; that you are cared for; that you can trust. If you have you'll know how powerful it can be (and if you're shaking your head sadly, you'd know how rare it is).

Warmth is one of the two elements in the warmth-competence framework (developed by Amy Cuddy, Susan Fiske and Peter Glicke). Competence is relatively easy to understand – making the right decisions, solving problems, creating strategic plans etc. Warmth is a far more difficult entity to pin down. It’s often seen as some “touchy-feely” stuff that gets delegated to HR because it seems inessential to the core job of a leader.

And yet, in our 25 years of work in this space, we’ve consistently found that leaders who demonstrate both warmth and competence achieve the best results and build the most motivated teams.

If you'd like to learn more about warmth in leadership, experience the power of warmth firsthand and walk away with a sense of commitment to being warmer leaders, register for our one-day workshop on Warm Leadership, where you will learn about the five key competencies needed to be a warm leader and build skill in demonstrating these competencies.

Program details:
Date – August 28th 2024
Timings – 9.30 am to 5.30 pm
Venue – Navgati office, Bangalore
Audience - People leaders
Facilitator – Dr Smita Fernandez

Write to [email protected] to register and for more details