Birthday Edition

Hello everyone,?

Welcome to the September edition of my newsletter. I’m 42 now and feeling pretty smug at being given the keys to life, the universe and everything. ?? Seriously though, the 40s rock!?

I’m also pleased to say, we made it through the summer madness and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! Then I blinked and woke up with a child in year 4 and another in year 6.? I’m so grateful to their wonderful teachers because they have come home every day this week absolutely beaming with joy. Teachers, I love thee, thank you!?????

Some of you may have seen my little experiment to re-introduce myself to my network. I was feeling really weird about doing it (but marketing needs must) and serendipitously fell upon a wonderful personal roast by Roberto Ferraro and it inspired me to do the same.?Thank you, Roberto!

Here it is again for my new followers and those who missed it (and because it took me blooming ages to write!).

“The Roast of Astrid Korin” ??

Oh wow, you're basically the Swiss Army knife of leadership coaches, aren’t you? You’ve got one-on-one, group coaching, team coaching, leadership development programmes – what’s next, coaching squirrels to organise their nuts more efficiently for winter?

18 years in education and international development? So we’re supposed to assume that you’re some kind of saint who works insane hours for a pittance because “it’s all for the kids”? Nice work, you nearly got us.

And now you’ve pivoted, but don't worry, the imposter syndrome and perfectionist monster are still tagging along for the ride. How refreshing. Look at you, building a coaching empire with that dream team of insecurities at your side!

And let's not skip over your personal growth cocktail of mindfulness, meditation, therapy, and acupuncture. You’re not just healing your mind; you’re sticking needles in it too. Talk about a holistic approach!

Now, don’t get me started on the stuff you love and the stuff you hate. Oh, you want me to?! Ok, here it goes…

So, you’re into “unstructured family time with music playing”? That sounds like code for “everyone’s doing their own thing while you pretend to relax, but you’re secretly planning next week’s leadership programme in your head.”

And you love the beach and the mountains? Heaven forbid you don’t find a way to be perfectly balanced in your love for nature. Gotta keep that well-rounded coach persona going!

“Malbec in the winter, G&T in the summer”? You’re basically a seasonal drinker with a PhD in weather-based alcohol pairings. How very sophisticated.

And then there’s your love for “finding connections between seemingly unrelated things.” Is this your secret weapon during awkward silences at parties? “Wow, did you know that yoga poses and corporate strategy are essentially the same thing?” Mind blown.

You hate loud, busy places? Ah yes, clearly the quiet zen master of the 40s has emerged. Let’s hope there’s no Christmas music in those loud places because apparently, you’re the Grinch?

And what’s this? You dislike oysters? You’ve drawn the line at a luxury food that people pretend to like just to seem fancy? Respect.

Oh, and when your kids are mean to each other, you just throw your hands up like, “Well, I coach executives, not children!” Very on-brand.

Here’s to your journey - If there’s one thing the world needs, it’s more people finding their purpose through your relentless coaching. Keep charging forward – or you know, just charge them for it!

If you liked this post and want to read more of my stuff, click follow - I'm usually very boring though so don't expect more of this.

New articles ?

Three new pieces this month:

Leadership skills for today’s world - This blog offers an exploration into what I think leaders need most urgently to thrive in today's world. It is based on what I am witnessing with clients and what our team is hearing from our resilient leadership programme participants. Remaining calm, seeking clarity, being courageous, offering compassion, and maximising curiosity—these are hard skills that can be built through self-awareness and self-care.

Founder burnout requires a different approach to boundaries, in Startups Magazine - Founders and small business owners are burning out at alarming rates. Their unique circumstances mean that some of the most effective burnout mitigation strategies are or feel out of reach to them. This article explores their experience of leadership and offers some ideas on how to think differently about boundaries.?

How can accountants set better boundaries with clients? It was a pleasure to be invited to contribute to this article by The Institute of Financial Accountants alongside Colin Ellis. Setting and holding boundaries in a high-accountability, high-stakes, client-facing role is not easy. The pull to be responsive in the name of service is a noble one. But it comes at a cost. The article offers some thoughts on the importance of considering organisational culture as well as individual behaviour in setting boundaries that enhance and don't diminish the quality of the client relationship.

Other people’s stuff to explore

This month, I’d like to spotlight:

Book: Optimal, How to Sustain Excellence Every Day, by Dan Goleman. What I love most about this book is that it is grounded in reality (we can not always perform at 100%), backed with evidence and very neatly aligns with all the themes of our resilient leadership programme: ‘Inside Out’. Phew - that was a relief.?

Podcasts:

The habits that hold leaders back in Coaching for Leaders with Marshall Goldsmith. It’s funny because it’s so true! If you haven’t got time to read Marshall's book: ‘What got you here won’t get you there’ then I highly recommend this episode. A helpful tour of some of the things leaders do that they think works (because that’s what they’ve always done) but really doesn’t.?

The way to be more self-aware in Coaching for Leaders with Tasha Eurich. Tasha’s research on self-awareness is fascinating. I've returned to it this month in anticipation of my first lecture for Animas (see below). This episode explores what she learnt from 50 ‘unicorn self-aware leaders’ on what helped them get to know themselves. If you want some top tips on how to ask for feedback that really makes a difference, this is a great listen.?

Updates

"Coaching Leaders in Times of Crisis: Achieving Personal and Organisational Transformation" with Animas Centre for Coaching

This month, I will be delivering the first of three sessions on this fantastic professional development programme for qualified and practicing coaches, curated by Animas Centre for Coaching.?The subsequent two will be in October.

It’s one of those ‘pinch me’ moments to be working alongside Professor Peter HAWKINS, Jonathan Passmore, Professor Erik de Haan, Prof. David Clutterbuck, Simon Cavicchia, Mia O'Gorman, Tayo Rockson.

I’ll be exploring self-awareness (session 1) and the concept of resilience in times of crisis (sessions 2 and 3). Resilience is a critical quality for anyone living or leading through times of crisis. We will consider how to build and nurture the kind of resilience required for the coach and the leader as they work together across two sessions in October.?

If these are themes that you are interested in and would like to discuss with me, please reach out for a chat!?

For more information, click here.?

Get your spot on the next cohort of ‘Inside Out: A Pathway to Resilient Leadership’?

‘Inside out’ is a highly accessible and affordable leadership development programme, focussing on building a new kind of resilience in the face of challenge and uncertainty? - one that sustains and nourishes us to lead our organisations and our lives with clarity, courage and compassion.?

Maggie Farrar and I have delivered five cohorts, reaching 137 leaders over the last eighteen months.?

We have four cohorts of thirty participants each starting in September 2024.?

Four participants have commissioned us to come 'in-house' and deliver the programme to all their senior leaders in a bid to shift mindsets, improve relational dynamics and enhance organisational culture.

Our experience tells us that there is appetite for this kind of thinking - for a new way of being and building our resilience so that we can sustain ourselves and our organisations through challenging times.

As a result, we are expanding our team with the addition of Roger Bretherton and Rob Petrie whose experience and professionalism will add tremendous value, bring new perspectives and insights and challenge us to constantly improve the quality and impact of our collaboration. You can find out more about them on our team page.?

Roger will be facilitating our next cross-organisational cohort with me, starting in January 2025. As a Clinical and Coaching psychologist, Roger brings to the team over two decades of researching and teaching mindfulness in health, business and education sectors. His approach aims to create a sustainable mindful practice with beautiful qualities of character - like gratitude, joy, compassion and hope. He is delighted to join the Inside Out team because he loves nothing more than teaching people to be fully alive in the present moment.?

If this sounds interesting and you'd like to hear more, please reach out for a chat and check out the website.?

New Group Coaching Programmes from January 2025

Several new group coaching programmes will be kicking off in January 2025, dedicated to:

1. Founders and small business owners
2. Female leaders in education

Here’s what previous participants have said:

'Group coaching was new to me and when I started I wasn't sure how I'd benefit compared to my previous individual coaching. I found the group setting helped me see how other female leaders face many of the same issues despite being in very different organisations and sectors. I found the more I heard and related to their issues, the more confident I felt to surface (and solve) challenges that I might have otherwise left on the back burner. Highly recommend curious minds to give it a go.' Female leader, non-profit sector.

‘Astrid thoughtfully brought together a brilliant group of women leaders, nurtured the group and enabled and empowered us to work through our challenges and take ownership of our solutions. We have developed a strong bond and I hugely benefited from the space Astrid created for each of us in every session.’ Deputy CEO, public sector professional body.?

For more information on how these groups would benefit you and your leadership, click here.?

If this sounds interesting, please get in touch, or reach out through LI or via email: [email protected]

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That’s it for this month - feels like a lot when you write it all up! Thank you all so much for being valued members of my network. I appreciate you deeply and look forward to our next interaction.?

Astrid