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For most of my professional life I have worked in the world of communications – crafting messages and stories, and engaging with people and organisations beyond my own employer. In essence, communication is about explaining the journey your organisation or programme is on and bringing others with you and making them feel a part of that journey.
I’m averse to being part of a communications bubble, often preferring roles within project teams, and would happily disown the stereotype of a ‘PR person’. I regard two-way symmetric communications as the ideal form of practice. It involves organisations listening and respond to stakeholders, rather than just communicating to them. Commercial and political pressures mean it isn’t always achieved but I hold it as an ideal.
A few years ago, I went through a challenging period professionally, experiencing burnout and becoming disassociated from my authentic self. Moving to a new role with a big focus on collaborating with partners, and gaining awareness of my traits as a sensitive person were both part of gaining new focus and resilience, which in turn fuelled a desire to branch out, developing my coaching capability and practice.
When I started on my Executive Coaching qualification, I thought becoming a coach was all about gaining knowledge and skills. I soon experienced a paradigm shift in my thinking – in realising its about ‘being’ a coach, and the tools and models involved are things that equip me to be a better coach. This was liberating for me – it made me value my own intuition, and value holding space for human connection. The skills involved would flow from these key principles. And those skills fused with my own life experiences, has provided new perspectives, and an understanding of how deep change can come from adversity.
Coaching is now a parallel vocation for me. I am constantly learning and developing as I progress as a coach, and from a place of innate confidence of being a coach. I enjoy the privilege and excitement of helping others to become their best version of themselves, and the change and challenge that brings to me in the process.
The journey continues……
Gavin Bostock
Sometimes you hear people say, ‘No one likes change’. The sentiments behind it can appeal, but it’s not true. If no one ever liked to change we would still be living in the Stone Age. But change can be unsettling, particularly if we feel that its unexpected and being done to us, and we’re at the mercy of events.
Faced with upheaval and loss, we can too easily become jaded, cynical, and disengaged. A world of constant change requires navigating. In the world of work there is almost constant transformation and this can present career development, progression and transitions dilemmas and opportunities. And that is where coaching comes in. While going through career transitions, the support of a trusted coach can help discover priorities and needs, unlock potential, and enable progress towards dreams and ambitions.
Change presents an opportunity, and we can seize it to realign with our authentic self. My coaching is about helping coachees create momentum using their own resources, to become the best version of themselves.
My coaching style is reflective, empathetic and intuitive
• Life can be busy and frantic, and we often respond by getting through our days on autopilot, at the mercy of events. My coaching has a thoughtful and reflective approach, asking insightful questions to help coachees see ‘the wood from the trees’ and better understand things at a deeper level.
• Our emotions are part of who we are, but are often suppressed or hidden while we inhabit professional environments. My coaching provides a supportive context to recognise and understand emotions and help channel them towards positive aims.
• Each of us is unique and complex, and coaching conversations cannot follow a linear ‘flow chart’ type approach. My coaching provides space for coachees to be themselves, and my intuition can ignite those ‘a-ha’ moments of self-discovery.
If you’re in the midst of career change, or know there is one around the corner, and would welcome a person-centred conversation to explore and unlock your potential, please get in touch for a chat about how coaching can help.
"Working with Gavin has allowed me to navigate a tricky transition in my career. His thoughtful and flexible approach allowed me to tackle problems and issues when I was ready to while always keeping us focused on the ultimate objectives. Gavin kept me focused and engaged in the process enabling and empowering me to eventually achieve them"
Sarah, senior project delivery manager
“Gavin came to me 12 months ago with the ambition of becoming a coach. He has since become qualified and applied himself to learning and practising coaching skills diligently since that time. Gavin is a highly observant individual, a skill that is very useful in coaching, and asks excellent questions of his coachees, another valuable skill of a coach.”
James, global transformation coach
“Having the coaching sessions with Gavin helped me to reflect on what I really want in every situation and be sure to ask the right questions. Gavin helped me to look introspectively at myself and challenge my thinking.
Through the coaching sessions, Gavin helped me to really consider what is important to me and what made me feel fulfilled and accomplished. He encouraged me to document how I think I could add value, this helped me realise its about waiting on others to seek out my value”.
Candiece, project manager