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Career Coaching
18 Plays9 months ago
Empowering Career Transformation through Coaching Description In this episode of PRIME SPACE, host Elias Scultori, MCC, sits down with Mary Burns, ACC, a career coach with over 15 years of experience empowering professionals to achieve more fulfilling and rewarding careers. Mary has coached clients across various industries, guiding them through career shifts, transitions, and leadership development. Her work spans from private coaching at AdviseU to advising Executive MBAs at the prestigious Kellogg School of Management.
Mary shares her journey into coaching, from her early exposure to the industry in the late 90s to becoming passionate about supporting professionals, particularly Millennials, as they navigate their careers. She opens up about the evolution of career coaching in the wake of the 2008 recession, how the job market has shifted, and the exciting opportunities emerging in tech, healthcare, and other innovative sectors. Mary also discusses the crucial role of the ICF Core Competencies and coaching mindset in her practice, emphasizing trust, confidentiality, and ethical practice as the foundation for meaningful transformation.
With insights into how AI is reshaping the job market and a personal touch on what brings her joy in coaching, Mary offers invaluable thoughts for those coaching clients striving for career advancement, balance, and overall satisfaction.
Key Takeaways
- The role of coaching in professional growth and career transformation
- How the ICF Core Competencies guide career coaches in their practice
- Balancing advice with a coaching mindset to foster client autonomy
- Navigating career shifts, transitions, and leadership development in today’s job market
- The impact of AI and innovation on the workforce
Connect with Mary
LinkedIn
#CareerCoaching #ProfessionalGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #ICFCoach #CareerTransformation #ExecutiveMBA #CoachingMindset #CareerDevelopment #AIandCareers #MillennialsAtWork #CareerShift #WorkLifeBalance #KelloggSchoolofManagement #MarketingAcademy #CareerSuccess #CoachingWithMary
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Transcript
Introduction to Prime Space Podcast
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to Prime Space, a Prime Coaching Academy podcast with your host, Elias Scultori.
00:00:13
Speaker
So hello, coaches.
00:00:15
Speaker
And today I also have another guest here.
Mary Burns' Coaching Journey
00:00:20
Speaker
We have Mary Burns here with us.
00:00:22
Speaker
Hello, Mary.
00:00:24
Speaker
Good morning, Elias.
00:00:25
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It's so good to be with you.
00:00:28
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Excellent.
00:00:29
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Mary, thank you so much for being here.
00:00:32
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Mary has been a faithful participant of our Prime Hour and our Prime events and everything that we offer at Prime Coaching Academy.
00:00:42
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And I had to have a conversation with her knowing your story and what you have told.
Career Specialization and Experience
00:00:52
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done with coaching.
00:00:53
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So thank you for being here.
00:00:55
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For those who do not know Mary, Mary has an ACC.
00:00:59
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She's a certified coach with the International Coaching Federation.
00:01:05
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Mary coaches professionals at all levels to have more rewarding and satisfying careers.
00:01:14
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With a focus on career and professional development for the last 15 years,
00:01:19
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Mary has coached many making career shifts, those in transition and those ascending to higher leadership roles.
00:01:30
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She coaches both private clients through her business, Advise You, and is also part of the career team at the Kellogg School of Management, coaching executive MBAs and other working professionals.
00:01:44
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Also, for the last seven years, Mary has served as a pro bono coach for the Marketing Academy, a leading organization supporting the development of marketing professionals on the CMO path.
Personal Life and Wellness
00:02:00
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In addition to her coaching training, Mary received her MBA in marketing from Loyola University in Chicago.
00:02:07
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After 25 years in Chicago, Mary moved to Colorado and loves the outdoors.
00:02:14
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And she was telling me here before we hit the recording button here that she starts her day.
00:02:20
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Opening the blinds to the blue skies and the sunshine of Colorado and meditating and being grateful.
00:02:28
Speaker
Oh, Mary, this is beautiful.
00:02:31
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Thank you, Elias.
00:02:32
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And it is absolutely true.
00:02:34
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Every single day, you know, blue skies and sunshine and grateful for being in such a beautiful part of the country.
00:02:43
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Yeah.
00:02:43
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When I talk to you, Mary, in all the exchanges that we've had through Prime Coaching and in all of the conversations that we have, I always have a sense in you of this groundedness and you being in the right place in life.
00:03:00
Speaker
And I know that we didn't plan this question here as we were planning for the podcast, but
00:03:09
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What is your response when I reflect that back to you?
Transition from Marketing to Coaching
00:03:15
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Elias, I'm glad that you picked up on that.
00:03:18
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And I do feel like I'm in a really good stage of life where I am doing such great work.
00:03:27
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I get, again, another really grateful thing to do the work that we get to do to support other people.
00:03:36
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Um, I've had a really good path.
00:03:38
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My first career in marketing and advertising, I enjoyed very much, but also knew I wanted to make a big change and coaching was it.
00:03:46
Speaker
And I can tell you more about that in a moment.
00:03:49
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But being in a place where, again, having my own good wellness, good health and well-being, being in a beautiful place that I really enjoy being in and in support of others.
00:04:04
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I have gotten to a really good stage that I know what works for me.
00:04:10
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I focus my time on those things where I can make the most impact.
00:04:15
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You know, I have my enjoyment and my hobbies and interests and everything, but this is a really good time of life.
00:04:24
Speaker
I love hearing that because it really sounds like you are taking your own medicine.
00:04:29
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You are working with other individuals, supporting them to find a career that really is in alignment with who they are, putting themselves into this place of balance and anchor.
00:04:45
Speaker
And here you explaining that you went through that path yourself.
00:04:50
Speaker
in finding this this moment in this place for you so thank you thank you for that yeah what so you are you go through this path and you are supporting your clients what brought you to coaching yeah that's an interesting great question and and i think an interesting um reflection
00:05:15
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You know, I mentioned that I was a marketer and I spent about 17 years working for some global, you know, communications firms and enjoying that and serving my clients and traveling around the country.
00:05:28
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But I was really fascinated by the millennials when they started to come into our workforce because they were noticeably going about their careers, their approach to their work with a different mindset.
00:05:44
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with a different approach, questioning a lot.
00:05:47
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I was fascinated by it.
00:05:49
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I was also perplexed by it a lot.
00:05:53
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I had, and that was the early 2000s.
00:05:54
Speaker
So that's 20 years ago.
00:05:57
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Prior to that, while I was living and working with one of my clients in Arizona for about four years, I came across coaching.
00:06:06
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I came across the growth of the ICF and a lot of things that were developing through the 90s.
00:06:13
Speaker
And as I read about it, I was fascinated and I just knew, I knew that would be part of my life at some point.
00:06:21
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I followed the industry.
00:06:23
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I followed what any article I could get my hands on.
00:06:27
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I learned about it.
00:06:28
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I found my own coach in 2003 in a very happy accident, meeting Mary at a funeral of all things.
00:06:40
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But she was able to help me make my transition from my advertising and marketing career into the work that I do today.
00:06:48
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And of course, get trained and everything.
00:06:51
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I love that you started being curious about the industry and you hired your own coach.
00:06:57
Speaker
It happened to me as well.
00:06:59
Speaker
And I would say that this is probably not uncommon in the coaching industry.
00:07:04
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Before we jump into getting coach training, we get our own coach.
00:07:09
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And funny story here that later on, the coach that I hired, who was not an ICF certified coach,
00:07:17
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came back to me and now I mentor him to get in his MCC.
00:07:22
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So it's such a beautiful story.
00:07:25
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But this is for I diverge here.
00:07:27
Speaker
Let's let's go on on Mary here.
00:07:29
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So Mary, career coaching.
00:07:31
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So you landed on career coaching because of, you know, your path and your story and how career developed for you.
Balancing Advice with Reflective Coaching
00:07:41
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I am curious because in career coaching, clients come to you expecting some technical and best practices advice.
00:07:52
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How do I streamline my resume?
00:07:55
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What are best practices on interviewing?
00:07:59
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Or how do I edit my LinkedIn profile to be more visible?
00:08:05
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All of these little technical things that usually career coaches
00:08:10
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clients, clients looking for a career transition are looking for.
00:08:14
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How do you balance that with the coaching mindset and this idea that we are not necessarily there to give them advice?
00:08:23
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Yeah.
00:08:24
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And so that is another keen observation.
00:08:29
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There are all of those tactical pieces that when a person, and we see the marketplace today, we see and hear about the layoffs and someone is after their next chapter, their next step.
00:08:42
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So those tactical things do happen.
00:08:44
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And that is where I feel more consultant, right?
00:08:47
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I do feel like I am, you know, consulting and providing those best practices, whether it is, you know, developing an effective LinkedIn profile so they get noticed or cleaning up the resume.
00:09:00
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Sure, those things are important.
00:09:02
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But way before that, Elias,
00:09:05
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Is the reflection work?
00:09:07
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Is the important, you know, competencies that we use in bringing a coach mindset to hearing a person talk about their current situation, where they are,
00:09:20
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For many people, you know, dealing with lots of professional situations and are, you know, as a career coach, and I don't speak for all, but, you know, we all help and serve those who are in challenging work situations as well.
00:09:35
Speaker
They're not even looking for their next role, but they are coming to the coaching conversation with a dilemma, a management issue, situational topics that they're trying to navigate at work.
00:09:47
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But for that person who is after something new and wanting to get to their next step, you know, starting the process with reflection around where they are, what they want next, establishing their goals.
00:10:03
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helping them gain the insights and the awareness around the establishment of goals so they know where to focus.
00:10:10
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They know how to move forward.
00:10:12
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They know the steps to take.
00:10:14
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That's the beginning process way before we're talking about somebody's resume.
00:10:19
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So there is a lot of my training and the important core competencies of just even getting to the point of talking with a client around their motivations.
00:10:33
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That is all core competencies.
00:10:36
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That is all present.
00:10:38
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That is watching and observing and being with the being with a client, however they present in the coaching conversation.
00:10:50
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I know that I say there's a lot in my podcasts, but I have to say this is beautiful.
00:10:55
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And I appreciate what you're saying here because I get excited about these things.
00:11:00
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What you described to me here is like really bringing career coaching into a depth of exploration that goes beyond the tactical.
00:11:09
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And what a lesson for us in not only in career coaching, but to me is in every kind of coaching.
00:11:16
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Yes, there are the tactical points and the points that will support that particular coach, that particular client in that particular situation, whatever the situation is, but really supporting the person.
00:11:28
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Before we go there, before we go into the LinkedIn profile, before we go into the resume,
00:11:35
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Who are you?
00:11:36
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What do you want?
00:11:37
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What is really resonating with you?
00:11:39
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What is working right now?
00:11:41
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Or what is propelling you for a change?
00:11:44
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This is so important.
00:11:47
Speaker
And to me, the core point of coaching, we want to get to the source of what that is motivating that person to be in that particular moment.
Aligning Career Decisions with Values
00:11:58
Speaker
Well, and think about it this way, too.
00:12:00
Speaker
Think about our work lives, our professional journeys in life stages.
00:12:08
Speaker
You know, someone comes out of undergraduate education, they just want to get started working and earn some money and get an apartment and get away from mom and dad.
00:12:18
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You know, someone that's at 40 in their prime earning years has got different motivations and different priorities.
00:12:27
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I'm coaching someone last week who is evaluating a potential, you know, a potential move.
00:12:33
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Has a really, really good position right now, but evaluating a potential move.
00:12:38
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The impact on family life is very profound.
00:12:43
Speaker
So again, in career coaching and coaching the work life of a person, it is really being mindful of all of these other influencers and these factors and just even asking the client, have you talked to your significant other about the impact?
00:13:03
Speaker
What does the next six months look like for you if you make this decision?
00:13:07
Speaker
So now we're really, we're going deep.
00:13:10
Speaker
The other point I'll make about that is,
00:13:13
Speaker
I think anyone, any of our clients globally who is investing in advanced education, anyone who is wanting to learn more and get another degree and get that graduate degree, they are investing a lot in themselves.
00:13:30
Speaker
So again, the intentionality around where they wanna take their work life and their career journey, it gets to be even more important.
00:13:40
Speaker
You know, you're investing all this time, effort, energy, the dollars.
00:13:45
Speaker
You know, the decisions around career are magnified.
00:13:48
Speaker
They're even bigger.
00:13:49
Speaker
And they should be there should be more reflection around that.
00:13:53
Speaker
Yeah, it's a moment.
00:13:54
Speaker
It's a decision that is going to have a ripple effect for many years and a lot of investment that is financial investment, energy investment, time investment that is going to happen for a long term.
00:14:06
Speaker
So it's even more crucial to make a decision that is really grounded in who we are and who we want to be.
00:14:15
Speaker
So that the person doesn't spend so much time and money and energy and then later on sees, oh, I didn't get where I wanted to get.
00:14:24
Speaker
Or I got to a place that doesn't have connection to who I am.
00:14:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:14:29
Speaker
Yeah, that connection piece.
00:14:31
Speaker
Again, we spend a lot of time in coaching talking about personal values.
00:14:39
Speaker
And what they mean connected to someone.
00:14:44
Speaker
Again, I work life versus personal life.
00:14:48
Speaker
You know, what does that mean?
00:14:49
Speaker
And what do you need to feel fulfilled and a sense of satisfaction, you know, in your work?
00:14:56
Speaker
And more and more clients come to the table, come to the coaching conversation with talking about particular industries or organizations, firms that where there's value alignment, value alignment, right?
00:15:12
Speaker
The company that I'm interested, you know, is got some values that are very consistent with my own.
00:15:18
Speaker
So we start there.
00:15:20
Speaker
And again, that is a lot of reflection work.
00:15:23
Speaker
That's, to me, the beauty of coaching.
00:15:26
Speaker
And that's when we say that coaching is not solution-based.
00:15:29
Speaker
Coaching is not just about a goal.
00:15:32
Speaker
Coaching is not just about what am I going to do next.
00:15:36
Speaker
But coaching is really, yes, we will address all of these things.
00:15:39
Speaker
But first...
00:15:41
Speaker
We are going to connect to values.
00:15:43
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We are going to connect to who you really are.
00:15:45
Speaker
We are going to connect to the intrinsic motivators of that individual so that whatever action the client decides to make or whatever career transition or whatever career step that the client, in your case, the client wants to make, it's grounded in a deeper level of self-awareness.
00:16:07
Speaker
And then it will lead them to an outcome that is much more in alignment with who they are.
00:16:13
Speaker
Yeah.
Coaching vs Consultancy
00:16:15
Speaker
Yeah, thank you for that.
00:16:17
Speaker
That's the aim.
00:16:20
Speaker
How do you balance with a client between the moment that is coaching, coaching mindset, the coaching exploration, and the moment when it's required a more tangible advice or suggestion for the client in a more practical manner?
00:16:43
Speaker
You know, I'll go back to the just the the the container of the coaching conversation.
00:16:50
Speaker
And that is what is the client bringing?
00:16:53
Speaker
In most cases, that hour, that 45 minute coaching conversation is a singular topic.
00:17:01
Speaker
And we're working through something.
00:17:04
Speaker
If the client comes and says, I've got some real tactical needs today, we're focused on those things.
00:17:11
Speaker
So there is some meaningful separation.
00:17:14
Speaker
I'll be coaching someone later today who is, again, in the midst of navigating change within his organization, change that does feel uncomfortable to some degree.
00:17:29
Speaker
So there is...
00:17:31
Speaker
emotion, there is feeling unsettled.
00:17:36
Speaker
What do I do with this now that this is here?
00:17:38
Speaker
So that is all coach approach.
00:17:42
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That is all core competencies.
00:17:44
Speaker
And in having that conversation.
00:17:46
Speaker
Now, by the end of the week, that same person might come back and say, I'm thinking about this, and I'm exploring this role.
00:17:52
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And I want to talk about that and evaluate that.
00:17:55
Speaker
And we could have that conversation.
00:17:58
Speaker
That's beautiful.
00:17:59
Speaker
So even in your consultancy, in the consultancy moments, you're still utilizing the coach approach.
00:18:06
Speaker
And I always like to make that distinction between what is the coach approach and what is coaching, right?
00:18:12
Speaker
So you start the conversation utilizing the coach approach, even bringing the coaching mindset and the coaching framework together.
00:18:20
Speaker
But depending on the need of the client in the moment, then it's very clear for you if you're going to continue with the coaching exploration, with utilizing the coaching process, or if you're going to be more in a consultative mode.
00:18:35
Speaker
I appreciate that distinction.
00:18:36
Speaker
And I think that it's so important for us to have that clarity.
00:18:40
Speaker
Well, Mary...
Emotional Connection in Coaching
00:18:41
Speaker
Unfortunately, we have just a short period of time here in our episodes here.
00:18:48
Speaker
And I would open the mic here for you here.
00:18:52
Speaker
What would be one or two points that you would like our listeners to take away with them when they are working with their clients in general or their clients in career development?
00:19:08
Speaker
Yeah, I think that, you know, for anyone in this area of professional and career focus, there is a lot that's going on in the marketplace right now.
00:19:20
Speaker
You know, and there's a lot of challenges for people.
00:19:23
Speaker
We're seeing more rounds of layoffs.
00:19:24
Speaker
We're seeing things that are going on at a macro level in Washington.
00:19:29
Speaker
And some of our coaches might bump into those clients eventually.
00:19:34
Speaker
Yeah.
00:19:36
Speaker
I think we have to start with, again, meeting people as they come to us because there is a lot of emotion.
00:19:44
Speaker
There is a lot of change.
00:19:45
Speaker
It is unsettling and starting there and recognizing and being really present and hearing it all from our clients.
00:19:56
Speaker
And then getting into the work, getting into, okay, you're here now.
00:20:01
Speaker
Where do we head next?
00:20:03
Speaker
And what do we want to work on today?
00:20:05
Speaker
After they might, you know, complete some of that, you know, more personal work.
00:20:13
Speaker
It could be around, you know, again, difficult challenge and everything.
00:20:18
Speaker
I think anyone coaching around careers is recognizing, again, in the marketplace today, things are taking longer.
00:20:25
Speaker
You know, AI is entering into the job search process, sometimes to the betterment and sometimes to the disadvantage.
00:20:34
Speaker
And we can help our clients.
00:20:36
Speaker
by recognizing that whatever they're using AI for in their job search process, they need to verify.
AI's Impact on Job Seeking
00:20:44
Speaker
They need to make sure that whatever materials they're using, it is their authentic voice.
00:20:50
Speaker
It doesn't sound like something that came from a computer generated bot.
00:20:55
Speaker
So we can help them with that narrative and verify that and everything.
00:21:01
Speaker
Oh, so many wonderful points there to consider.
00:21:04
Speaker
Mary, I am, I super appreciate your time here and sharing with us your experience.
00:21:11
Speaker
And hopefully you're going to come back to another episode later on and share more of your experience with us here.
00:21:18
Speaker
Thank you so much.
Contact Information for Mary Burns
00:21:21
Speaker
Mary, if someone wants to get in touch with you, what would be the best way to connect with you?
00:21:27
Speaker
You can connect with me, of course, through LinkedIn.
00:21:30
Speaker
And you can find me in LinkedIn and you'll find my Denver, Colorado location.
00:21:36
Speaker
My contact information is right in there.
00:21:38
Speaker
So that is available to everyone.
00:21:41
Speaker
And you can also reach me at maryatadviseyou.net.
00:21:46
Speaker
Excellent.
00:21:47
Speaker
We will make sure that we have those links in the description of the podcast.
00:21:51
Speaker
So everyone, please, if you have any thoughts or any ideas or questions related to career coaching, please contact Mary because she's the career coaching guru here.
00:22:03
Speaker
I'm putting that label on you right now, Mary.
00:22:08
Speaker
So Mary, thank you so much.
00:22:09
Speaker
Thank you, Ilyas.
00:22:11
Speaker
That was very kind of you.
00:22:13
Speaker
Thank you, everyone.
00:22:14
Speaker
Thank you for listening.
00:22:15
Speaker
We will be back with other episodes.
00:22:17
Speaker
Don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with others.
00:22:21
Speaker
And I will see you next time.
00:22:23
Speaker
Take care.