If you are considering what’s next and how to equip yourself to surf the peaks and challenges of your journey, here\’s a thoughtful place to start.
Just as nature does, it has become my habit to pause for reflection in the still days surrounding the solstice. I have time to notice details like the minuscule feathers of frost stretching out their barbs to creep along the edges of the windows. Just as we do, these patterns grow in many directions at once.
This time of stillness has become both sacred and essential to me. It offers a thoughtful, intuitive space that I aim to replicate throughout the year.
In these moments, I do for myself what I often do for my coaching clients: I ask the courageous, compassionate questions that allow me to become intentional in adjusting the direction of my path.
Some of these questions might include:
- What has my story been this year?
- What is going well?
- What was unexpected, and how did I show up for that?
- What was my biggest gift? My greatest challenge?
- What’s essential for me in the coming year?
This reflective process is similar to the complimentary conversations I have with clients as they consider their options.
People are often surprised by what they learn about their own journey during these discovery calls. A step that seems obvious to them may not be what they most need. Leaders who want to foster collaboration, for example, may find they need to begin by shifting their own mindset first.
At the heart of these conversations lies an understanding of the journey we all navigate as leaders and coaches: a journey of growth, transformation, and increasing maturity.
Reflecting on Action
Discovery calls provide a space to surface where you might be stuck and explore what comes next. We are all writing our own stories. Although plot twists insist on showing up, we are the authors who decide how we will react or respond.
You may be wondering what’s next for you, and considering how to equip yourself to surf the peaks and challenges of the year to come.
Here are a few questions to ask:
- What am I longing to do or be?
- What’s missing?
- What resources do I need to do that?
- What do I want for those I coach or lead?
Questions for leaders
If you’re looking to develop as a leader, you might think about:
- what’s working and what’s missing in your current approach
- how you can expand your perspective and lead through complexity
- what shifts are needed to align your actions with your deeper purpose.
Questions for coaches
If you’re a coach, you might consider whether:
- you are seeking to broaden your skills through horizontal development, or to deepen what you already do through vertical development
- you need a certain type of support (perhaps mentor coaching or team coaching supervision) to qualify for a credential like the ACC, PCC or ACTC
- you prefer to work one-on-one, or feel a peer community could support them in the work they do.
These reflective conversations often spark unexpected clarity. They allow clients to step back, see their journey with fresh eyes, and identify the next step that aligns with their personal and professional growth.
Growth is not one-size-fits-all. Every element of your experience adds to who you are as a coach and leader.
Designing your path
Your journey might include:
- 1:1 Coaching – Personalized support to explore your beliefs, behaviors, and aspirations.
- Group Learning – Collaborating with peers to gain diverse perspectives and shared insights.
- Systemic Development – Aligning team dynamics with organizational goals through team coaching.
- Immersive Retreats – Re-sourcing your energy and gaining fresh perspectives in reflective, restorative environments.
All of these approaches can guide you toward deeper transformation, integrating skill-building with vertical growth. It’s a holistic process that supports not just what you do but also who you are becoming as a leader or coach.
Stepping into your future with clarity
All that we do at Novalda centres around reflection. Sometimes, clarity begins with just one thoughtful conversation.
If this season of stillness has prompted your own questions, I invite you to take a courageous step forward. Let’s explore what might be next for you in a complimentary one-on-one discovery call. Together, we’ll reflect on what’s essential for your growth and chart your path toward becoming the leader or coach you were meant to be.
Kerry Woodcock PhD, PCC, ORSCC, ACTC, EIA-SP, ITCA, ESIA, develops core, collective and change leadership capacity in leaders, teams and organizations, coaching pioneers and influencers to amplify the power of relationship and lead over the edge of change.
Invitation | Want to explore further?
Deep dive
Take the plunge. Connect with Kerry to explore your next steps in a complimentary discovery call.