Coaching to Your Strengths

Born and raised in Ohio, our guest today now lives in sunny South Florida while supporting clients around the world as an executive coach. Monique Betty, or Coach Mo, knows her strengths and how to use them!

But first… we need to go back to the basics. From wanting to be a dancer, to going to school for computer programming, to ending with a degree in marketing, Monique’s story is full of pivots (there are more, but you know you have to watch the podcast for the full story). It was after an internship in sales that Monique realized she loved to connect with people AND she was good at it! From working for Kodak to Coca-Cola, she has quite an impressive career path that has led her, fortunately, to my podcast. Let’s dive in.

The Emerging Leader

If you find yourself deeply dissatisfied with your career and wanting more then you should, consider calling Monique. Many people feel trapped in the lifestyle they’ve created. Many of the habits and patterns they need to be a competent leader (and satisfied with their lot in life) are not present. Monique works with those emerging leaders to prevent career dissatisfaction from occurring (or a mid-life crisis, you choose)!

The Strengths-Based Approach

You may have heard of the Gallup StrengthFinder. Monique fell in love with the approach of focusing on talents and skills instead of flaws. If individuals and organizations focused on natural talents versus investing in fixing a weakness, much more significant productivity and efficiency would be realized. The individual will feel much more fulfilled as well! You know I love a win-win.

With Great Power… Comes Great Responsibility.

Most people don’t recognize their strengths because they are so natural to them. Once you gain clarity on the strengths of you and your coworkers and employees, you can identify how to work with each other, and your relationship with them is heightened. The other side of knowing your strengths is knowing when to hold back. Your strength (however great it is) may not always be the best strength for the situation. It might be the person next to you who needs to push their strengths more in that meeting! 
 

So, How Do I Become CEO?

With 34 different themes (another word Gallup uses for strengths) to choose from, which ones will make you the best leader? There’s really no wrong answer. The magic of StrengthsFinder is knowing your talents as a leader and looking at the talents of those around you who help fill in the gaps. There are four pillars that all themes fall under – executing, influencing, relationship building, and strategic thinking. If you’re predominantly under the strategic thinking umbrella, you may want to hire or surround yourself with people who fall under the other pillars. We like people who are like us, but we all know the danger of groupthink! 

How To Find The Right Coach For You

It’s a two-way road when you’re searching for a coach. Different skill sets and competencies are required for each individual. It’s okay to interview with a coach and decide you’re not a good fit for each other. And if you aren’t a good fit, then a good coach will connect you with the right person. During our conversation, Monique shares a big AHA! moment on what a coach is and what a coach isn’t… but you know the drill. Listen to the podcast to find out more!

Resources:
Michael’s Website