It all started during my first assignment abroad, in Northern China. My company was building its world biggest facility, with brand new equipment and cutting edge technology. All this while transferring production and upgrading knowledge and skills of workforce from an outdated factory a few kilometres away. The challenge was huge and exciting... Target was of course to eventually run the facility with local staff and management. It quickly became obvious that the old model of "expatriates come-tell local staff what to do without explanation-everything works fine-expats leave-everything drifts away" was not going to work this time. Thanks to visionary leaders, the path chosen became coaching and I was lucky to become the first internal coach. I received professional coach training from CoachU, one of the oldest and most respected schools in the profession. Part of my time besides my production management responsibilities became dedicated to coach futures leaders of our brand new factory. The general manager also asked for coaching to build and lead his ambitious change management program. Coaching became, one conversation at at time, part of who I am.
I have since worked with individuals, teams and groups including Chinese, French, American, Thaï, British, Japanese, Philippino nationals. I enjoy working with people going through all kinds of transitions and challenges as I have gone through moving from France to Asia, becoming a manager early on in my career and then having to manage outside my culture. I also had to adjust through several position changes from rather fundamental R&D to technical market support then industry, organization and production management.
As far as teams are concerned I am fascinated by team leadership, team dynamics and what makes them "click" - or not! Especially where cultural diversity is involved. I was lucky to work with some exceptional managers who are strong role models and also to have the opportunity to manage teams and projects myself.
I blend into my coaching 17 years of experience in various management positions in a global manufacturing company, more than 6 years of professional coaching experience, and more than 9 years of living and working in Asia. And of course all the personal experience associated with this journey as a woman, a wife and mother of 3 lively third culture (pre) teens!
Having completed a certification in transformational coaching with Singaporean based ICF master coach Ben Koh and the Coach Masters Academy, I now enjoy supervising practical coaching session for the students of the academy, under supervision. A lifelong learner, I am engaged in continuous development with the Advanced Corporate CoachU program and regularly invest in masterful supervision.