Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
The Courage to Do What's Right
60 Plays1 month ago
What happens when an internal corporate coach with a decade of experience steps away from a secure leadership role to open an independent practice—named It’s Not About the Name?
In this inspiring conversation, Ali Cengiz, ACC, joins Elias Scultori, MCC, to explore the courage, clarity, and deep humanity behind becoming a coach who leads from the inside out.
Ali shares what it truly means to center the person—not the problem, not the system, not the process—and how his years as an internal coach shaped the way he now supports leaders and teams through meaningful transformation. From redefining his professional identity to parenting with a coaching mindset, Ali shows us that coaching isn’t something we do—it’s who we are.
⭐ Quotes
“It’s really not about the name. It’s about the person on the other side.” — Ali Cengiz, ACC
“If you want to inspire others, walk the journey yourself first.” — Ali Cengiz, ACC
01:18 — Finding a name for his coaching practice
02:45 — Ali’s courageous transition from corporate to independent coaching
03:38 — Lessons from five years as an internal coach
05:11 — Remembering the people behind the systems
08:47 — Three powerful learnings from PRIME Coaching Academy Level 1
10:52 — Listening as a fundamental human skill
13:47 — Advice for coaches: start with your own inner work
15:03 — Courage: choosing to do work that energizes you
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to Prime Space, Prime Coaching Academy podcast with your host, Elias Scultori Hello, coaches. We are here with Ali Cengiz as a guest to Prime Space today. I'm super excited.
00:00:23
Speaker
Ali is calling all the way from Germany. Ali, I forget, what city are you in? I'm based in Griffith, Elias. Excellent.
Ali's Coaching Practice and Philosophy
00:00:32
Speaker
Thank you so much for joining us at Prime Space today. Ali is a leadership coach and he has worked many years as an internal coach at Bayer.
00:00:43
Speaker
But Ali is also a graduate from our Level 1 program, and he just got his ACC. Fabulous. Congratulations, Ali. Thank you. and And because Ali just finished his program and he got his ACC, he now opened his own coaching ah ah practice,
00:01:07
Speaker
And that's very exciting that you're going full time as an independent coach there, Ali. So I appreciate that. So Ali, what is the name of your practice now? So, ah I mean, I'm calling it boutique, like a coaching boutique where people come in can discover and something or take something great out for them.
00:01:25
Speaker
But actually, a elias it's not about the name. What do you mean it's not about the name, Ali? So it's about you and it's about the person on the other side creating space to let them grow and then you know discover their full potential.
00:01:40
Speaker
Okay, so that means that your practice doesn't have a name? It has a name and the name is, it's not about the name.
00:01:51
Speaker
And let me tell you
Transition from Corporate to Coaching
00:01:52
Speaker
a story about how we come to that name. I mean, we we are we were sitting, and when I'm talking about we, i have a co-founder, which is Juliana. And we were sitting and discussing what should be the name of the company.
00:02:04
Speaker
And then, of course, we were checking on social media, chance of the names already given. And we had a couple of, you know, Trading Space, Another Me, and all those kind of, yeah, interesting, curious names.
00:02:18
Speaker
Phil, we have or talked about. the name of maybe three hours. And then we have decided, you know what, we are now discussing three hours about that name.
00:02:29
Speaker
And it's not that important because it's really not about the name. It's about the person. It's about the other side. It's about the people. And then they we said, okay, you know what, why we are not then just taking, it's not about the name.
00:02:41
Speaker
And that stayed until now. It's not about the name. And we are happy with that. That is such a fabulous story and a fabulous process. I appreciate that. I am very impressed with you, ali and that's why I invited you to come to the podcast.
00:02:57
Speaker
You have ah a long experience working for big corporations in a very prominent position and for you to make this decision to go and I'm going to start my own practice. This is courageous and a lot of people have trepidations to do that.
00:03:16
Speaker
And you did it. So
Leadership Coaching Insights
00:03:18
Speaker
Ali, we have a couple of questions here. ah The first question is what ah what are aspects of the of your training and of your coaching experience would be particularly inspirational?
00:03:31
Speaker
invaluable to the coaches that are listening to Prime Space right now? You know, yeah, I've mentioned Elias working in a corporate the last 10 years, ah being like four to five years now an in-house coach.
00:03:46
Speaker
That's something I want to now bring out a bit to also other coaches, this inside the system perspective, you know, being an in-house coach for the last, let's say, five years.
00:03:58
Speaker
That's something, you know, coaching, especially I would say to 90% leadership teams and in different aspects. Like I have spent the the last several years as part, I'm calling it as in the system or of the system, you know, being being a part of the system, trying to be constructive and stay constructive. That's something, you know, may i I can share.
00:04:20
Speaker
And I understand, or I understand probably the tension between the new structures, Also, we see as valuable for people and groups and the old habits or behaviors people grew up in the system, as well as dynamics in the room you can observe while having, for instance, a key team coaching.
00:04:43
Speaker
And I know how to bring people along so no one gets left behind during a transition phase. i think that's something I i really want to share outside about how to do that, how to really pick up the people where they are.
00:04:57
Speaker
Well, here again, you're showing the emphasis and your your focus on the people, on the person, the individual, and supporting them. It seems that this is a a core value of of you as a coach.
00:05:13
Speaker
Yes. What brings you, what makes you have so much ah focus
Personal Growth and Self-awareness
00:05:17
Speaker
on the individual? Actually, um I mean, if you look to our vision, like we want to um change your world from the inside out, that's a bit, you know, when you look to our webpage, that's something that's very prominent.
00:05:32
Speaker
And what we have observed is that in the past where we tried to bring things to the organization was first walking the talk. Means first applying everything on yourself and run through the journey by yourself before you go with that outside. Means like if we apply behavioral diagnostics, we first apply them on ourselves.
00:05:55
Speaker
So doing my own work, increasing my own self-awareness keeps me honest and helps also to deeply emphasize with my colleagues internally or the clients I'm working with.
00:06:06
Speaker
And the last, I would say, four years, I had a journey by myself saying, okay, what are your values? What are really the strengths? What is the environment you need to thrive? What is the potential you have?
00:06:18
Speaker
And ah what is the self-awareness you need to detect yourself in the system you're are yourself in? Means like, are you able to identify
Human Element in Transformation
00:06:29
Speaker
when you may act aggressive or passive? Can you caught yourself in the system you're in? And if yes, what you do then in this moment?
00:06:38
Speaker
So ah an emphasis on the on the people, and this is something that we even addressed here Prime Space before, the revolutionary aspect of the coaching mindset.
00:06:48
Speaker
That yes, we especially when we are working internally or we are working with leadership coaching or executive coaching and you're working with organizations, yes, there is the bottom line. There are all the systems that need to be taken care of. There are situations that need to be resolved, but we cannot forget that that the people, the person behind that particular situation, because if we don't address and if we don't put the focus on the person, we are going to just postpone the problem to a different date. So appreciate that emphasis on on the person there.
00:07:25
Speaker
And let me also maybe add to that what you will build on what you have said. If you if you look to our web page, we're seeing we are caring about the human side of transformation.
00:07:38
Speaker
Because what we have seen in the last couple of years is that, yes, we have great PowerPoint slides and we have great operating models, but in the end, the people will go and make this happen and most likely forget that human side to care about the human.
00:07:54
Speaker
And that's something, you know, we said, oh, you know, when we when we go one day independent, like we do now, this is something really want to focus on, that the human is in the center.
00:08:07
Speaker
That's something that to me is very um amazing, actually, that we have forgotten that. Internally, when we are working for organizations, there is so much emphasis.
00:08:18
Speaker
We have been distracted by the things, which are important, but we forgot to look at each other. We forgot that what what makes everything work is the people. So if we don't take care of the people, everything else, nothing is going
Training Reflections and Parenting
00:08:35
Speaker
to work, all right? So...
00:08:36
Speaker
What did you learn during your level one training with Prime Coaching Academy that you found especially inspiring? So three things coming in into my mind immediately. i want to start with the fun we had in the course with you and Amy and all the other participants. Right. I think, you know, creating that kind of environment where you can just freely be you.
00:09:03
Speaker
That's something that was really unique. And of course, this is growing over time and you have to build relationships, as we all know. But that's something i really feel when I'm being even virtually with a you and Amy in the room. So maybe that's top one.
00:09:17
Speaker
Now, top two, and this is something... That was my biggest learning, right? it's It's never about the problem. It's about the person. Comes a bit together with what we have talked. But after now nearly four years coaching in corporate, level one really crystallized the core truth for me. It's never about the problem. It's always about the person. So we have to go deeper. And most likely, and this is how how our brain was trained, right? because all the How we grew up and all the assessment centers and also all, let's say, trainings that we're trying to solve immediately the problem.
00:09:53
Speaker
So we see something, oh, there's a problem we're trying to solve. And it's it's never about the problem. It's always about the person. And of course, like listening deeply, that's something, you know, we, and I mean, that's like a ah topic I believe should be even start teaching in kindergarten and then going, you know, to university and to work. And at least in my education, there was never a course what is teaching you how to really listen. And it's not only for coaches, right? It's it's for the life. It's not in kindergarten. It's not in university, not at work. They are really teaching you how to really listen. And I think it's such an important skill.
00:10:33
Speaker
And level one really significantly deepened this listening skill. I'm really happy about where colleagues now consistently noticing or clients noticing my patients and that presence what creates a level of trust and where people then open up you bring up a great point here this idea of listening skills why aren't we teaching this in elementary school. And to me, it's so beautiful to hear this because the skills of coaching are so human. How can we better listen to each other, better communicate with each other, more present to each other? If we were able to ah acquire these skills as human beings, not necessarily as professional coaches, how much of our relationships would enrich and the way we relate with each other would be much better.
00:11:29
Speaker
What about your life experience and events support you in being a better coach? yeah I remember too. I mean, there, of course, like a coaching as in parenting philosophy. i have two kids, as you may know, Elias, my son, Bertu, who's 14, and my daughter, Leah, she's 10.
00:11:52
Speaker
And i I missed that a bit where I was raising Bertu and, you know, coaching or asking more and telling less is coming later a bit in my life.
00:12:03
Speaker
But now I think that's something, you know, raising those two children to tell less and ask them more is something, you know, what shaped a bit. Like let them take the ownership of their choices. and That's a bit what I'm a bit proud of because most likely kids are like, should I take this or this? And I say, okay, what is hindering of taking A?
00:12:24
Speaker
What will happen if you take B? So really let them do the... the decision in the end. And I believe also being a good listener to my wife sometimes. And now, of course she knows, like I'm doing those coaching trainings and those practices. And sometimes she comes from work and we are sitting there and she's coming in my working room and saying, Ali, I have to tell you something out out of the work. And then she's saying that, that, that, that. And then she's looking to me saying, thank you. And then she's going out of the room.
00:12:55
Speaker
that something you Sometimes just listening to someone even helps let others vent and feel them better. So that's like very prominent in my head what happened last week. That is fabulous. One of the things that I noticed about you when you were a student and in all of our interactions, avi is that Your love for your family and how much you invest in this role of being the parent and being the spouse. Thank you so much for incorporating
Encouragement for Coaches
00:13:24
Speaker
coaching in all that you do. Coaching is not what we do, but coaching is who we are, right? And you are demonstrating this.
00:13:32
Speaker
Very much so. Ali, for the coaches that are listening here, what else do you want to share with them that will inspire them in the next step that they are going to take in their coaching journey?
00:13:47
Speaker
For me, very, um very important is that if you go into a coaching journey, that you first do this journey on yourself before going out to someone else. You're really trying to figure out by yourself what are what is the your belief system? What are your values? what are What are your strengths? What are the things you are struggling with? How do you come out of this that you really live through?
00:14:09
Speaker
can feel also about and what is going on in the environment you're in. And then the second thing, maybe for other coaches, when we talk about, you know, 10 years in corporate and then, you know, why why I should even put my 150K job.
00:14:23
Speaker
It's like being courageous enough to do what you love and doing the right things. And sometimes we have lost that being courageous in our life,
00:14:36
Speaker
to really do what gives you energy and where you can bring your best self on the table. If other new existing coaches are following this, I think we can create a better world.
00:14:49
Speaker
ah Even when it starts with yourself and you do this for yourself, you have a better better world for yourself. And then we can care about the others. And then hopefully you will have a shiny, great world.
00:15:03
Speaker
Wow. Courage. Thank you for that message. Courage. I really appreciate that. Ali, thank you so much for walking this journey with us. It has been truly a privilege to witness your development as a coach, to be inspired by your light and to bring to the world. And thank you what you bring to your clients and all of that you have Achher, we cannot wait to see what you're going to create. Thank you so much for being here with Prime Space.
00:15:36
Speaker
Thank you so much, Elias. I feel really honored and appreciate every conversation we have. And I hope, you know, there's something um others can take out of this podcast. And I really look forward for next year where then we're going already into the next level too, where then we can deepen our skills.
00:15:55
Speaker
So thank you everybody for listening and thank you for joining us here at Prime Space. Please don't forget to subscribe and to share this episode with others. Remember that right now we have our level one and level two open registration for our cohorts in the spring of 2026, which is coming up very soon. And we are in a period of early bird registration. So you have a few more weeks for you to register. and start our your coaching journey and your coach training.
00:16:29
Speaker
Thank you so much, everyone. And I will talk to you next time.