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Happiness often seems to be an elusive state but throughout my long executive coaching career the things that I see really perpetuate are;

  1. Meaningful relationships
  2. Meaningful work
  3. Meaningful contribution beyond self
  4. Putting yourself in positions where you are stretched and challenged
  5. A sense of gratitude for the opportunities that you have (no matter what they look like to begin with)

What are the things that you need to do consistently to build ‘genuine happiness’.

These observations are not extraordinary, they align with a substantial body of research and expert opinion on the subject of ‘happiness and well-being’. Genuine happiness results from a combination of external and internal factors. To build and maintain genuine happiness, consider how you turn the following practices into rituals :

(Rituals – Strengths-Based Behaviours, Practiced on Purpose and Positioned to Enhance Engagement, Performance and Happiness.)

1. Self-awareness and Mindfulness: Being aware of your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors helps you make choices that align with your true self. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, can enhance this awareness.

(Jonno Pittock is the person who has taught me the most about this and is ability to create space is something I love.)

‘Do not look for sanctuary in anyone except yourself.’ – Buddha

2. Physical Health: Regular exercise, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, and avoiding harmful substances contribute to both physical and mental well-being. (Victoria Tipper has taught me the most about physical health and well being and the best ways to manage them.)

‘Take care of your body. It is the only place you have to live.’ – Jim Rohn

3. Setting and Achieving Goals: Pursue goals that align with your values and passions. Achieving small milestones can boost self-esteem and provide a sense of purpose.

(Billy Harkin is the most phenomenal goal-setter and goal getter that I know.)

‘What you get from achieving your goals is not as important as who you become by achieving them.’ – Zig Ziglar

4. Continuous Learning: Acquiring new skills or knowledge not only stretches and challenges you but can also provide a sense of accomplishment.

( Peter Charles Turner is prolific when it comes to learning… I cannot wait for his book in 2024. The 2b Limitless 2bAPC is a product of his curiosity to know more.)

‘The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.’ – B.B. King

5. Positive Social Connections & Community : Surround yourself with positive, supportive people. Building and maintaining healthy relationships is vital for emotional well-being.

( Kirstin Daly (Chartered MCIPD, CPHR) embodies a focus on the behaviours that make people feel like they belong. Her warmth and support is something I cherish.)

‘Connection creates commitment.’ – Valentina Vescovi

6. Resilience: Develop coping strategies to handle setbacks. This includes reframing negative thoughts, seeking support, and focusing on solutions.

( Ben Corrigan one day we will write a book about this I am so proud of what I have learnt from you about this topic.)

‘I can be changed by what happens to me but I refuse to be reduced by it.’ – Maya Angelou

7. Practice Gratitude: As you mentioned, recognizing and appreciating what you have, rather than focusing on what you lack, can shift your perspective and elevate your mood.

( Paul White and Guido De Wilde best capture this for me… No matter what life throws at them they see it as an opportunity and to embrace it regardless of the circumstances.)

‘The more you practice gratitude the more you see just how much that you have to be grateful for!’ – Don Miguel Ruiz

8. Acts of Kindness: Altruistic acts, no matter how small, can boost happiness levels. Helping others can create a sense of purpose and connection.

This is my mum, Madonna Todd – Her whole mentality is ‘First look to serve and support others!’

‘Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.’ – Henry James

9. Limiting Comparisons: Avoid comparing yourself to others. Everyone has their own journey, and such comparisons often lead to unnecessary stress.

( Sarah Locke has this amazing sense of humility that enables her to stay focused on the best version of herself.)

‘Comparison is the thief of joy!’ – Theodore Roosevelt 

10. Manage Stress: Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as through relaxation techniques, hobbies, or spending time in nature.

( Melda Yasar Cebe is a person that I really admire around this space her ability to recognise a pattern and change it is something that sets her apart for me.)

‘The best time to relax is when you do not have time for it.’ – Sydney J. Harris

11. Limiting Technology: While technology is beneficial, excessive screen time, especially on social media, can lead to feelings of isolation and inadequacy. Set boundaries for your tech use.

(David Labouchere is relentless around his disconnection rituals and this discipline enables him to maintain such extraordinary results.)

‘Carefree time, outside and offline is essential for high performance and happiness.’ – David Labouchere MBE

12. Spiritual or Existential Exploration: For many, exploring their spirituality or seeking existential meaning can be a profound source of happiness and contentment.

(Valentina Vescovi is such a deep thinker and I value how she uses her human experiences to grow in a profound way.)

‘We are not human beings having a spiritual experience we are spiritual beings having a human experience.’ – Pierre Tellihard de Chardin

13. Seek Professional Help When Needed: If you feel overwhelmed, it’s essential to seek help, whether it’s talking to a trusted person or seeking professional coaching and support.

(I have so many great examples of this from clients all over the world but the one tat stands out to me is Scott Thiel on the back of this he has grown in so many dynamic ways.)

‘The greatest show of strength and humility is the wisdom to ask for help when you need it.’ – Unknown

14. Regular Reflection: Regularly reflect on your life, happiness levels, and goals. This can help you make necessary adjustments and stay on the path to genuine happiness.

(Sam Instone, Graham Borthwick and Martin Dewhurst are phenomenal at their consistency and rigour around their reflections and reviews and how they use the information to grow and develop is inspiring to me.)

‘It is the space between the notes that makes the music!’ – Wayne Dyer

*15. Focus on Your Strengths: 2b Limitless is ‘Overtly Strengths-Based (we use the Gallup CliftonStrengths® StrengthsFinder Assessment to identify individual, team and organisational strengths) – I love the insight that ‘People who focus on their strengths are three times more likely to report a higher quality of life.’ It is amazing how a focus on strengths so positively shifts perspective. The ability to spend more time doing the things that you do best and that bring out the best in you and those who matter most to you.

(There are so many people that I work with that have used their strengths as the platform to grow themselves and their teams but the person that stands out to me is Dan Brown – His focus on strengths has had a profound impact on his personal and professional story.)

‘What will happen when we focus on what is right with people rather than fixating on what is wrong with them?’ – Donald O. Clifton

Remember, happiness is a quest, not a destination. It requires consistent effort, but by incorporating these practices into your ‘Great Week’, you’ll be better equipped to cultivate and sustain genuine happiness.

I am so proud to lead the 2b Limitless team of ‘Elite Performance Coaches’ with my Partner Peter Charles Turner – Our team of Victoria Tipper, David Labouchere, Tony Martin, Garreth Ewing, Melda Yasar Cebe, Guido de Wilde and Ian Ward – These brilliant coaches are committed to helping people, teams and organisations build success and happiness.

‘Because… Your world, needs you at your best!’ – 2b Limitless

Great to listen to a discussion featuring former Rugby League International James Graham.

What comes first?

Confidence or Skill?

The answer fascinated me…

Hard Work

I really love this answer as it represents everything that the brilliant founders, entrepreneurs and business owners and leaders that I work with all over the world embody.

One of these leaders Sam Instone the Founder and Co-CEO of AES International and I connected last week… I love Sam’s insight into the mindset and behaviours it takes to build a high performance business, powered by deeply engaged teams.

‘There is nothing more unequal, than the equal treatment of unequals…’ – Sam Instone

This is not a ‘euphemism’ for treat people however you want as long as you get to your objective… More the path trodden by the very best… Sir Alex Ferguson, the storied Manchester United Manager or Steve Jobs the legendary leader of Apple applied these principles to build not only powerful organisations but brands that changed the game and achieved spectacular results whilst captivating a generation.

High-performance leaders who leverage the mindset of “There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequals” typically hold certain beliefs and exhibit specific behaviors that acknowledge and address the differences among their team members to ensure fairness, equity, and success for all. Here are some of those beliefs and behaviors:

1. Beliefs:

Individual Strengths and Weaknesses: Everyone has unique strengths and weaknesses. A one-size-fits-all approach does not work for managing people or projects.

Equity Over Equality: Treating everyone exactly the same (equality) does not always result in fair outcomes. It is more important to address individual needs and circumstances (equity) to ensure success for all.

Diverse Perspectives Add Value: Different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives lead to better decision-making and problem-solving.

Inclusive Environment: Creating an inclusive environment where all team members feel valued, respected, and supported is essential for high performance.

2. Behaviours:

Tailored Approach: Adapt leadership and communication styles to suit the needs and preferences of individual team members.

Active Listening: Listen actively to understand the unique perspectives, ideas, and concerns of team members.

Encourage Input: Actively seek and value input from all team members, not just those who are the most vocal or dominant.

Provide Individualized Support: Offer personalized support, resources, and opportunities to team members based on their individual needs, strengths, and development areas.

Fair and Equitable Treatment: Make decisions and allocate resources in a way that is fair and equitable, rather than simply treating everyone the same.

Recognition of Individual Contributions: Recognize and celebrate the individual contributions of team members, acknowledging that different people may contribute in different ways.

Promote Inclusivity: Foster an inclusive environment where all team members feel valued, respected, and supported, regardless of their background, experiences, or characteristics.

By acknowledging and addressing the unique needs, strengths, and contributions of each team member, high-performance leaders can create a more inclusive, equitable, and effective team environment that leverages the talents of all team members to achieve success.

Just for the record I am not a Manchester United fan, my daughter and I celebrated Father’s Day (the Antipodean version) spent wandering around my favourite city in the world and finished the day in the best way possible… Watching Arsenal F.C (North London Forever) defeat the Red Devils 3-1.

Great to be back in London and looking forward to a powerhouse two weeks with great clients… It all starts with Julian Sharpe‘s Studio Day at tp bennett today.

At 2b Limitless we work with organizations all over the world on 5 key things;

  1. Leaders Worth Following
  2. Work Worth Doing
  3. A Culture Worth Contributing To – Purpose & Values
  4. Unleashing the Unique Strengths of Your People
  5. The Rituals that Enable Your People to be ‘Fierce and Creative’

In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, remote and hybrid working models have become the new norm. The challenges of leading such teams are myriad, but they also offer unique opportunities. Here are some key strategies to unlock the strengths of each individual while fostering a close-knit, cohesive team.

1. Leverage Digital Communication Tools

2. Establish Clear Expectations

3. Promote Flexibility 

4. Engage in Team-Building Activities

5. Invest in Continuous Learning 

6. Recognise and Celebrate Individual Strengths 

7. Facilitate Open Communication 

8. Encourage Peer-to-Peer Collaboration

9. Invest in Mental Health and Well-Being

10. Regularly Reevaluate and Adapt 

By understanding and leveraging the unique strengths of each team member in a remote or hybrid environment, business leaders can not only achieve business objectives but also foster a tightly-knit community of professionals. With the right balance of autonomy, flexibility, and connection, teams can thrive irrespective of physical location. Our team love the ‘Autonomy, Recognition, Connection and Purpose’ that our 2b Limitless model enables. It is Peter Charles Turner and my responsibility to lead in a way where we we balance the privilege whilst delivering excellence for our clients.

Building a Culture of Success

Thinking a lot about building your personal and professional success culture and the model that makes it happen.

EAT is a model that Kaushik Amruthur (CEO at Third Eye Media) introduced to me at his brilliant talk at DIFC – (Nigel Lea – CEO at Sicuro Group LLC actually developed the acronym ).

EAT;

1. Elevate

2. Abundance Mindset vs Scarcity Mindset

3. Trust

Elevate – ‘Every next level requires a different version of you!’ – Leonardo DiCaprio

I have always been enamoured by the idea that ‘you do not choose your future, you choose your “Rituals” and your “Rituals” choose your future.

(Rituals – Your strengths-based behaviours, practiced on purpose and scheduled to enhance engagement, performance and enjoyment (SUCCESS) in your life.)

These are the anchor points in your life that create real rhythm and tempo and they continuously develop.

What are the new rituals that are or will drive the different and better version of you?

1.

2.

3.

Abundance Mindset vs Scarcity Mindset

Humans have evolved over history a ‘negativity bias’ it was a survival adaptation – When we first were ‘coming out of our caves’ it was helpful to know what might eat us… The challenge now is that we are now in an era of ‘Thriving not merely surviving!’ and this negativity bias creates an environment of fear, anxiety, anger, frustration, judgement that creates a real weakness focus that drives the ‘Scarcity Mindset’ – Nothing thrives there!

The challenge is that the growth that accompanies ‘Abundance Mindset’ takes more ‘intellectual horsepower’ you need to be able to really elevate your thinking to engage in what we call BVOS – ‘Best Version of Self’

In order to create this powerful mindset you need to move from

Judgement  to Curiosity

Fear to Courage

Anxiety to Excitement

Where do you need to be more;

1. Curious:

2. Courageous:

3. Excited:

What are the internal and external barriers that you need to acknowledge, own and overcome to open up ‘Abundance Mindset’ as a way of life for you?

*

*

*

I am often asked to come in and run ‘Feedback Sessions’ – These sessions are designed to improve the quality of the feedback we give and improve the receptiveness of those we are giving it to…

The reality is without ‘Trust and Respect’ as the central pillars of your culture these sessions are just south of a town called “Useless” – So, how do you build a culture of ‘Trust’?

Trust is all about knowing the people behind the roles – It is a move from transactional relationships to transformational relationships.

‘When people lose trust in their leaders their thinking is driven by ‘Suspicion’ and their behaviours become motivated by ‘Self-Interest’ – Cultures become toxic as people are no longer focused on ‘the greater good’ and act via a Scarcity Mindset’. – Mick Todd (Adapted from Gallup Insights)

So, how do we develop trust?

There is a powerful formula for trust…

TRUST = Credibility x Reliability x Intimacy ÷ Self-Orientation

In the most critical relationships in your personal and professional life where do you need to be more;

Credible:

Reliable:

I love the insight from Valentina Vescovi;

‘Connection increases commitment!’

What are the upgrades in your behaviour that drive greater intimacy and connection in order to drive deeper understanding of who people are and what really matters to them?

The behaviour that I want to focus on to drive greater connection and understanding is;

Intimacy:

All of the top three quarters of this formula are the multipliers of trust BUT the final element is the element that diminishes trust.

Self-Orientation (EGO), has a corrosive impact on trust when it tips over.

It is a balance because the fantastic work of Dr. Tom Rath outlines the importance of a strong sense of self BUT when this tips over and the perception becomes ‘it is all about ME’ then ‘Trust’ is truly divided.

I have found the Harvard Business School’s definition of ‘Humility’ helpful in navigating the ‘Self-Orientation Balance’ (Sam Instone, Co-CEO at AES International shared it with me.)

“Humility is not about a series of self deprecating behaviours it is deeply rooted in strong and profound sense of the best version of you motivated by the want to understand, support and serve others.’

I love this it is not about diminishing you and your goals it is about connecting with and inspiring others through them.

Where do you need to be leading more through ‘Genuine Humility’?

*

What would that look like and feel like for the people with whom building ‘Trust’ really matters?

*

I am here to support and I am really interested in how the ‘EAT’ model can have a genuine positive impact on the quality of your life!

‘Don’t wish it was easier… Commit to being better!’ – 2b Limitless

There has never been a more important time to find an integrated way to deliver on the rigours of high-performance personal and professional life. As an c-suite and high performance team and organization coach that works with leaders all over the world the consistent challenge is;

“How do I fit it all in and deliver it all at the level of excellence that I expect of myself?”

This is indeed a challenge my business partner Peter Charles Turner and our team of high-performance coaches have really reflected deeply on this challenge as we continue to look to offer support to leaders that are faced with complex and multi-factorial expectations. We have leveraged several models to enable leaders to understand and develop their own models focused on their unique strengths and unique needs.

Start at the start… Sir John Whitmore’s ‘Dimensions of Growth’ model enables leaders to examine if they have a ‘crisis of meaning’ or a ‘crisis of performance’ – We are all about finding the ‘middle path’… In order to do this we have to help leaders ‘scaffold their lives’ – The Y-Axis is all about ‘meaning’ – “Purpose, Paradigm, Values and Guidelines”. The X-Axis is all about ‘performance’ – “Rituals, Strengths and Goals”. The knack is finding the ‘Middle Path’ and staying there. (At 2b Limitless this is why we focus on our ‘2byb Accountability Document’ – Our way of helping our clients find the ‘Middle Path’.

“The myth of balance!”

One of the most overused words is balance… It is one of the greatest ‘stressors’ in life – Life is not a linear journey therefore linear models tend to create more stress than they relieve. A man that I admire greatly is John Brady, I remember John speaking at the ‘Global Male Suicide Conference’ (Tragically, for men under 45 years of age, in the western world, suicide is the number one cause of death!)

John spoke about the need to let go of a focus on balance and instead focus on an ‘integrated model’ – He referenced his great sporting love ‘Aussie Rules’ saying that there are times in every game when you need to “flood forward, times when you need to hold your ground and times when you need to drop back” – Life is a lot like this too, so understanding the ebb and flow of your life and the ‘rhythm and tempo’ that builds great weeks for you is critical.

‘It starts with setting great expectations!’

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The above model applies personally and professionally and is so important when creating a level of ‘expectation’ that engages you and your personal and/or professional team.

Functional Expectations

Roles, Responsibilities and KPI

These are the baseline expectations that are all about roles, responsibilities and goals. They are critical in building clarity personally and professionally. (About 50% of employees say they are not completely clear about what they are expected to deliver at work.) They are also a trap that so many inexperienced leaders fall into thinking that these are the only expectations we need to be clear on… Whilst critical they are baseline and high-performance does not exist without an integrated set of expectations.

Emotional Expectations

Culture, Environment and Values.

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast!” – Peter Drucker

The same logic applies when it comes to expectations… No matter what the functional expectations are if we do not build clarity around what we all expect of one another from a;

“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Relational Expectations

Connection, Understanding and Experience

An understanding and mastery of relational expectations is perhaps the most critical factor in thriving as a modern person and leader. These expectations are all about ‘Connection and Understanding’ – The ‘Great Resignation’ has brought these types of expectations into sharp focus as employees connect more with ‘well-being, purpose, engagement and their strengths’ than ever before. As such creating a ‘I have got your back’ environment is key – A place where people feel connected and supported and also enabled to challenge and make ‘agile decisions’. 

Indeed, of all the things that former Wallaby, Coach at Leicester and head of High-Performance for Australian Rugby and Cricket, Pat Howard values, it is the want for people to make agile decisions that he values the most. 

For this to happen there needs to be an environment of TRUST that clear relational expectations create.

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” – Stephen Covey Expectations

  1. Great 1-1s
  2. Role Model
  3. Empathy – Great Questions
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As the 6seconds model of change encourages there needs to be a real ‘move towards’;

‘Elevate yourself to the place where your curiosity, energy and passion intersects and then get out of your own way and the way of your team.’ – Ric Lewis (The High Performance Podcast)

Are you happening to the week or is the week happening to you?’ – 2b Limitless

I love the insight from the author of ‘Getting Things Done’, Dr. Dave Allen.

“Either through capacity or conditioning the number one timeframe in high-performance is the week!’

Where is the middle path?

With this in mind we are constantly working with our clients around building their rituals in order for their weeks, months and years to have real rhythm and tempo. Rituals – Targeted, Strengths-Based Behaviours, Practiced ‘On Purpose’, Positioned to ‘Enhance Performance and Engagement’.

 These rituals are the anchor points of great weeks and provide real energy and direction for high performance (Rhythm and Tempo)

 *       Unique – What are those rituals that are the very best of you?

 *       Mind – What are those rituals that get you in the right headspace to succeed – exposing you to new information and experiences?

 *       Body – What are the physical rituals that provide the base to thrive?

 *       Social – ‘95% of the viscosity of your success is down to your sense of belonging and the community with which you interact.’ Dr. Dan McLennan What are the rituals that provide this lubrication?

 *       Professional – What are the key anchor points in a great ‘work week’? – Building Clarity and Raising Expectations.

 *       Adaptive – What will you do this week to build in change and create momentum? Remember… ‘If nothing changes . . . Nothing changes!’

What are your rituals… Do they enable you to create an integrated approach?

‘We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.’ – Albert Einstein

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I love these combined insight from two extraordinary minds… The challenge of Einstein and the need for leadership to move from… to… At the heart of this is the challenge that we need to embrace ‘Discipline without rigidity!’ developing agile models of leadership that are at their heart focused on what is right with people. Building models that allign with strengths and create an environment where people can thrive.

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Our business, like yours is unique, and so is our model. This is the 2b Limitless model… It is predicated around the unique strengths of our amazing team and we are constantly challenging ourselves to elevate ourselves and create value through the model. We are constantly challenging ourselves to be better versions of ourselves and to challenge one another to elevate – ‘Build Intimacy – Build Community – Create Opportunity’.

‘Purpose – Because your world needs you at your best!’

Coaching in the 21st century has become a fundamental part of companies and businesses to enhance the potential of their people and mission. Research finds that employees prioritize their growth as a critical factor in their commitment and tenure at the workplace. In addition, the rapid growth of the personal and professional development movement is continuing to advance. More and more people are looking to coaching as the medium to accelerate their growth. 

“Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. Sometimes they just need a little nudge, a little direction, a little support, a little coaching, and the greatest things can happen.” — Pete Carroll

The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as ‘Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.

When coaching cultures are grown within an organization, they can find new optimism, mission, collaboration, and engagement levels. Coaching creates an environment where people know how to listen, speak with clarity and ease, self-regulate emotions, empathize, and tap into deeper motivations that drive their efforts.

Trained strategic thought partners (coaches) have the counterintuitive abilities to help people explore both purpose and performance and help turn that exploration into reality.

In parallel to the growing demand, some professionals, leaders, coaches, and individuals seek flexible working opportunities to balance their lifestyles. Achieving an approved accreditation can create possibilities for working as a professional coach and successfully developing other people in an enriching role.

2b Limitless are the builders and deliverers of the APC course. 2b Limitless is a multi-award-winning professional coaching and training institution focused on Strengths, Engagement, Performance, and Transformation. The APC course designed by 2b Limitless is accredited by The Association of Coaching, The International Coaching Federation, and The CPD Standards Office in the United Kingdom.

The APC course is an interactive programme designed to provide coaches, professionals, individuals, and leaders with the tools, skills, and knowledge to unlock human potential to its greatest extent. 

The course has a blend of theory, coaching exercises, critical thinking discussions, reflections, interactive projects, self-study, and the completion of written learning notes. Successful candidates will learn crucial psychological theories of motivation and decision making and the applied coaching competencies that can unleash the best version of others and help them discover both purpose and performance.

Book the next APC workshops in October and November 2021 or January/February 2022, so you can get accredited and be a certified coach before you start to set up your own coaching business in the UAE.

5 types of coaching in the workplace that gets results
1. Business Coaching

Business coaching is about assisting employees to become more productive — and encouraging and including your employees in the process. Coaching impacts employee’s adaptability, engagement, and retention.

The demand for business coaches continues to grow in the companies as they improve the quality of decisions and value creation. Business coaches have the abilities to open up space, challenge where required, help create new awareness, design new actions and build a plan of performance, success and value creation for their clients.

Business coaches are the strategic thought partners who help in unlocking the potential of the business owners. They work to improve their talents, set strategic goals, develop decision-making muscles, and help them build a personalized outline for success.

Business coaches study everything about the brand and the company, from its value propositions to its potential customers and the difficulties it faces and beyond. Once the business coach has analyzed everything about the company and its systems, they develop a strategy that serves the clients goals and needs. Coaches can build a lucrative career in the business coaching niche as it is growing in demand.

A business coach helps in planning strength-based, clear and on-purpose goals for the company. They set a clear roadmap to achieve the planned goals. They enhance the company’s performance and improve the business owner’s skills in decision-making. They act as a true asset for the company.

2. Leadership Coaching

Leadership coaching includes encouraging team leaders to define and describe the company’s aims to all employees and ensuring that everyone is working toward fulfilling the organization’s objectives.

70% of the engagement of a team hinges on the experience of their leaders. The goal of leadership coaching is to help the leader develop the confidence, mindset, skills and competencies to maximise the potential of themselves and their people. Leadership is often defined as: Achieving goals through people. When technicians are promoted to leadership, they are no longer trading in IQ – they are trading in EQ. Their ability to inspire others is very important.

Leadership coaches work personally with their clients either in a one-on-one connection or with a team of leaders and employees to help them become more effective in their role as a decision maker, strategist, influencer and tactical relationship builder. 

Coaches analyze and observe the culture and goal of the company. They facilitate meetings and explore with employees and leaders alike. Coaches may provide their clients with assessments, tools, frameworks and feedback to grow self awareness and performance. After gathering all the information, the coach helps the leaders develop their own strategy that will help the company achieve its goals. Also, the coach works throughout the strategy to guide. 

3. Executive Coaching

Executive coaching proceeds to gain traction in the corporate field, as organizations of all types and sizes experience its value and reap the perks. The role of executive coaching is now known as a requirement for guiding skilled, high-potential employees to achieve outstanding performance.

Organizational effectiveness, profitability, productivity, and innovation–these assets all rely on having strong, capable, and experienced leaders in place, which is why executive coaches are in massive demand at many top companies globally. They are among the highest-paid coaches in the business niche.

As an executive coach, you have the opportunity to work with company leaders on strengthening the skills and perspectives to enhance their team management efforts, develop a better work-life balance, and build high performance behaviours that drive real value.

An executive coach supports the company to achieve their business mission in order to make their organization successful. They involve the right people, including employees, owners, investors, and stakeholders, at the right place. They understand and observe the company culture and facilitate the integration of talent and mission to drive success.

4. Career Coaching

Career coaching aims to help professionals, individuals, and leaders make informed decisions about their trajectory. It’s a solution-based strategy for career decisions. Career coaches focus on growth, performances, and accountability.

A career coach might introduce methodologies and mindsets to support professionals, in finding their sweet spot so they can position themselves in a way that will maximise their potential and help them derive and contribute maximum value.

A career coach helps their client assess the current career situation, identify strengths and weaknesses, differentiate factors, identify potential skills gaps, and recommend actions to fill them.

A career coach helps people understand what is meaningful for them. What is their purpose, what is the goal behind the goal and what are their values that decisions are based around.

Career coaching can be an asset for future coaches, individuals, and professionals, as with the career coaching program, they can:

5. Strengths Based-Performance Coaching

Strengths-based performance coaching is now one of the most used coaching methodologies in business today. This reflects a growing recognition of how strengths-based performance coaching majorly contributes to strong coaching outcomes, including higher positivity, engagement, and sustained peak performance.

The strengths-based performance methodology studies both strengths and weaknesses. It focuses on strengths as the most productive possibility for strategic deployment and growth and weaknesses as areas to be eliminated and managed around.

An experienced strengths-based coach helps choose the most relevant strengths for the situation and helps develop the weaker areas by applying the potential strengths to them.

Coaches who use a strengths-focused performance approach with their clients explore what most energizes their clients – and so are already focusing on areas that the client is expected to be great at – or are more capable of becoming great at.

The 2b Limitless approach towards coaching is Strength-based Performance Coaching – this is a methodology that focuses on investigating what is right about people. It is probably the best type of coaching in the workplace that gets results.

It is derived from research in Positive Psychology. This research finds that when people learn to understand and deploy their strengths, they are more likely to have increased professional and personal commitment, more likely to be happier, and more likely to increase their engagement and performance.

Investment returns are exponential when people develop their strengths; they grow faster and find more profound engagement, happiness, and performance levels. When weaknesses are the main focus area for development, they miss out on the most lucrative opportunity to find deep engagement and high performance. 

Leaders, organizations, and coaches are only gradually embracing the strengths-based approach. Coach training programs accredited by the International Coaching Federation and Association for Coaching underpinned by the strengths-based approach bring a real advantage to leaders and coaches looking to unleash the potential of individuals, teams, and organizations.

Organisational research shows that there is no limit to the available talent resource in the market place – but people are quickly realising that unleashing, developing and aiming that talent is not always done effectively. Business coaches and executive performance coaches are specifically trained to help unlock potential, help teams align their talent and turn that potential into realised performance. 

Business coaching is high in demand in the UAE as; post-pandemic new businesses seek high performance partnerships to make better decisions and thrive amongst so much opportunity and challenge.

2b Limitless are partnering with teams and organisations around the region to not only help them accelerate out of the Covid curve, but also train leaders in executive coaching so they can optimize the performance and well-being of their employees and staff.

Dynamic marketplace changes have accelerated the arrival of a new type of work and initiated innovation and skill development opportunities. Unsurprisingly, the top five most sought-after skills are all about how we think, learn, analyze, solve problems, and innovate — all of which are the pillars of coaching. Being an active learner is the most potent antidote to solving unfamiliar problems.

Why is the UAE preferred for corporations and startups?

The UAE is rising as a preferred “corporations and startup hub” worldwide in the entrepreneurial view. The broad scope of business plans, tax advantages, low-cost startup opportunities, advanced infrastructure, and access to foreign trade routes are beneficial features.

The demand for business coaches and leadership coaches in the UAE continues to grow as new startups emerge. Administrators, owners, and experts are eventually compensated for the quality of their decisions, but having a qualified strategic thought partner can massively enhance the quality of those decisions.

Several demonstrated business-developing policies can allow business coaches to build pipelines of fresh, motivated clients ready to pay a premium for their services. By utilizing some of these strategies, business coaches can create a significant and highly lucrative career for themselves, provided that they are qualified, credible and effective.

Why do corporations and startups actively look for business coaches?

Business owners who are starting corporations and startups want to understand the strategy of setting and accomplishing business growth goals. A business coach helps them draft and prioritize goals and strategies that will help them get closer to their desired result.

Let us go in-depth to understand the benefits a business coach provides to organizations:

Which roles do business coaches take part in to make such a huge impact in the industry?
  1. They communicate with clients to understand their vision and goal: A Business coach learns everything about the company, from its strategy to targeted customers to existing competitors.
  2. Assisting clients with their company growth and strategy: After analyzing and understanding everything, the business coach plans SMART goals that are Strengths based, Motivational, Adaptable, Relevant to Purpose and trackable. 
  3. Assisting client’s strengths and weaknesses and guiding development: A business coach’s significant role is to analyze the client’s potential strengths and weaknesses. A business coach uses clients’ strengths to enhance company growth and inspires clients to leverage those strengths to drive performance and eliminate vulnerabilities. 
  4. Helping clients grow their business from inception: A business coach guides business owners at the start of their startup to make profitable decisions to help them achieve success. 
  5. Assisting clients in developing their personal skills: People are highly talented, but their talents are often unexplored and underdeveloped. The business owners and executives have potential but what they lack is strategic counsel. A performance coach enables them to explore their latent talents to drive performance. 
  6. Guiding clients to complete necessary business growth tasks: Business coaches support their clients to take essential steps to grow their business and achieve their goals. They continuously boost the hidden caliber of their client. 
  7. Monitors business growth and establishes methods for improvement: A business coach regularly monitors business growth and provides challenges, frameworks and tools to improve company performance and work in a clear path to accomplish the goal.
  8. Analyzes strategic plans that have added to the company’s successes or failures: Be it be success or failure, a business coach takes both into account. They help their clients make sense of the metrics that led to the company’s success, and similarly, they also identify the causal factors that lead to the company’s success. Their only motive is to make the organization successful.
How 2b Limitless creates world-class leaders?

2b Limitless are the creators and deliverers of the APC courses, founded by Mick Todd in 2004. 2b Limitless is a multi-award winning professional coaching and training organization focused on Strengths, Engagement, Performance, and Transformation. 2b Limitless was awarded the  Acquisition International UAE Executive Coach of the Year in 2016 and International Advisory Experts UAE Executive Coach of the Year in 2017.

2b Limitless APC courses are accredited by The Association of Coaching, The International Coaching Federation, and The CPD Standards Office in the United Kingdom.

2b Limitless powerfully delivers transformational coaching solutions across a wide range of business topics. It provides coaching to professionals and coaches starting their professional journeys and C-suite executives who are at the helm of large international corporations. 

The APC courses are designed to provide coaches and leaders with the tools, skills, and knowledge to unlock human potential. Successful candidates will understand the counter-intuitive psychological theories of motivation and decision making and the applied coaching competencies that can unleash the best version of others and help them find both meaning and performance.

Book the next APC workshops in February 2022 so you can get accredited and be a certified performance and business coach before you start to set up your own coaching business in the UAE.

Why is formal accreditation from 2b Limitless preferred by professionals, coaches, and individuals seeking professional and personal development? 

Professionals and individuals prefer the APC courses from 2b Limitless as it is an interactive programme. The courses have a blend of theory, coaching practice, critical thinking discussions, reflections, interactive exercises, self-study, the completion of a written learning journal and real world experience. 

2b Limitless provides coaching worldwide and online one-to-one to 

The APC courses from 2b Limitless allow you to differentiate yourself from other coaches as an Accredited Coach with the Association for Coaching certificate and the 2b Limitless Award in Performance Coaching. It eventually helps you to intensify your resume and LinkedIn profile with an approved coach accreditation. Also, It allows you to promote your coaching service with more confidence and credibility.

What qualifications will you achieve from the 2b APC courses?

On completing the APC courses and successfully fulfilling the Association for Coaching requirements, successful trainees will receive:

Is it the right time to make a career as a business coach?

A big YES! Post-pandemic, we have seen a massive rise in new startups and corporations starting in the UAE. Business owners need proper guidance to enhance their business growth and build a strong brand in the market. An experienced business coach can be an excellent asset for the company.

Coaching is about more than performance and growth. It’s about helping people and businesses remain relevant, find fulfillment and create value through a period of unprecedented change, uncertainty, disruption, and opportunity.

“The epitome of an agile learner, is knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do.”

Rapid marketplace changes have hastened the arrival of a new type of work and opened up new possibilities for innovation and skill development. Unsurprisingly, the top five most sought-after skills are all about how we think, learn, solve problems, and innovate — all of which are the foundations of coaching. Being an agile learner is the most effective remedy to solving unfamiliar problems.

In the past where people looked to mentors to give them pre-packaged answers to solve problems that have existed before, now they are seeking out coaches to ask searching questions to solve unfamiliar problems that have never existed before. 

2b Limitless understands this need and works in creative partnerships with businessmen and women to unlock new potential in themselves and their companies.

Leaders are investing more and more in executive, business, and leadership coaches, so they can develop strategic thinking partnerships to help them navigate uncharted waters more effectively.

What is business coaching?

The demand for business coaches and leadership coaches continues to grow. Leaders, owners and professionals are ultimately rewarded for the quality of their decision making and the value they create, and having a trained, strategic thought-partner can massively improve the quality of decisions and value creation.

But business coaches cannot just be experts in business. Where their real expertise lies, is coaching. Business coaches have the skills to open up space, challenge where necessary, help create new awareness, help design new actions and help their clients build a blueprint for performance, success and value creation.

How to become a business coach?

First of all, you must be formally accredited as a coach when planning to become a business coach. More and more sponsors of coaching are checking certification as a prerequisite before requesting proposals. Accreditation in coaching is essential for the industry’s growing credibility and your ethical responsibility as a professional business coach. 2b Limitless offers Accredited Performance Coach Courses that give you accreditation to become a certified coach.

How 2b Limitless can help you become a business coach?

2b Limitless understands the current requirement of the market. Our APC courses are accredited by The Association of Coaching, The International Coaching Federation, and The CPD Standards Office in the United Kingdom. On completion of the APC course provided by 2b Limitless and successful fulfillment of the Association for Coaching requirements, you will receive the following, which are crucial to building your credibility when starting your career as a business coach in the UAE or worldwide:

Book the next APC workshops in October and November 2021 or January 2022, so you can get accredited and be a certified performance and business coach before you start to set up your own coaching business in the UAE. If you want to know more about how to set up your own coaching business in the UAE, check out our previous article to get more information here.

What does a business coach do? 

Business coaches serve as creative, strategic thought partners who create space for professionals to unlock their potential to grow and perform. Depending on the approach that the coach uses, business coaches use a variety of models, tools and techniques to help professionals optimise their talents, manage around their vulnerabilities and be at their very best. Business coaches work to refine the talents, set strategic goals, develop decision making muscles, and help clients build a personalized blueprint for success. 

Business coaches learn everything about the brand and the company, from its value propositions to its potential customers and to the challenges it will face and beyond. Once the business coach has studied everything about the organization and its systems, they shape a partnership with the organization to co-create a bespoke process of development that serves the clients goals, needs and agenda. 

Business coaches use a variety of frameworks to help leaders and organisations build an integrated vision for success. 2b Limitless coaches learn frameworks that connect Goals, Purpose, Success Rituals and Strengths into a live-action plan to drive performance and value. 

Once a set of goals are in place, the business coach strategizes with the client as a critical friend, strategic thought-partner and objective observer to support, challenge, and build actions that drive performance, value and meaning.

How can you differentiate yourself from others after being accredited as a business coach from 2b Limitless?

The APC course from 2b Limitless allows you to differentiate yourself from other coaches as an Accredited Coach with the Association for Coaching certificate and the 2b Limitless Award in Performance Coaching. It ultimately helps you to enhance your resume and LinkedIn profile with a recognized coach accreditation. It helps you to promote your coaching service with more confidence and credibility as you become a member of the Association for Coaching as a merit of being on the APC Course. 

What are the benefits that a business coach brings to your team or organization?
  1. A business coach helps set goals: A business coach helps create Strengths based, Motivational, On-Purpose goals for the company. 
  2. A business coach helps create a clear roadmap: A business coach helps co-create a blueprint for businesses to strive toward meaningful goals.
  3. A business coach helps in improving skills: Helps partners grow, leverage their strengths and manage around their vulnerabilities to maximize their performances. .
  4. A business coach helps enhance the company’s performance: Business coaches create frameworks to help leaders and managers get the best out of the people they lead.
  5. A business coach builds accountability: Accountability is vital to the success of your small business. So not only will a good coach challenge the organization to think broader, try new ideas, and take risks, but they will help businesses build internal accountability around their growth and performances.

As your journey as an Accredited Performance Coach starts with 2b Limitless, we are here to help you grow and reach new heights in your professional business coaching career and business. Suppose you are currently a professional who wants to make a significant shift and become a business coach and build your own company, or a present business coach looking for formal accreditation before starting your own business. In that case, 2b Limitless has all the primary requirements you need – from the Accredited Performance Coach APC workshops to the international certifications necessary to help you start your own professional coaching business in the UAE or anywhere in the world.

After completing all the Accredited Performance Coach (APC) training with 2b Limitless, you may get inspired and want to know how to start a career coaching business in the UAE or in any part of the world you want to be based at. If you want to start a professional coaching business in the UAE, getting accredited on the 2bAPC is the first step to take in starting your business as a career coach in Dubai or a certified business coach. With many years of professional training, business coaching and doing business activities in the UAE since 2002, The 2b Limitless APC has ample knowledge about how to establish your brand and vision as a professional coach in the UAE. 

In this article, we share an overview on how to start your coaching business in the UAE, and also provide you a short checklist on how to promote your coaching business, using modern digital marketing strategies and online business tools, whether you are based in the UAE or in other countries.

How to start your coaching business in the UAE
Step 1: Get certified as an Accredited Coach with the Association for Coaching via the Accredited Performance Coach Program

First of all, being formally accredited as a coach is critical when thinking of starting a coaching business in Dubai. More and more sponsors of coaching are checking certification as a prerequisite before requesting proposals. Accreditation in Coaching is important for the growing credibility of the industry and also your ethical responsibility as a professional coach. The APC supports individuals all the way to becoming an Accredited Coach. 

On completion of the APC course, and successful fulfilment of the Association for Coaching requirements, you will receive the following which are key to building your credibility when starting your own professional coaching business in the UAE:

Book the next APC workshops in October and November 2021 so you can get accredited and be a certified performance and business coach before you start to set up your own coaching business in the UAE.

Step 2: Register your coaching business 

You can start in a simple way and be a freelance business coach once you get certified after finishing the Accredited Performance Coach (APC) training workshops with 2b Limitless. As an independent business coach, you can register your coaching business as a sole proprietorship in the UAE. It takes time to grow and as you build up your network and increase your clients, you can find the right partners and establish a full-fledged LLC company in the future as needed.

Step 3: Get a good business name and register it

Think about how to name your coaching business and start to register and trademark it. Nowadays, many ideas, logos and names pop up every second on Google and on different sites worldwide and you should assure your business that you have a good brand name that is registered so you will have no problems in the future when it comes to copyright claims. 

After identifying your brand name and trade marking it, you can also have it officially registered. In the UAE, you can  get the approval for your trade name from the Department of Economic Development (DED) before you can move forward and set-up your coaching business. When you have received the approval from the DED, you will then submit your requirements to apply for your UAE trade license, if you plan to focus on the market in the UAE, and start the process of opening a company which can now be easily be done with a local partner or a business set-up agency of your preference based in the UAE, which we will discuss more in the next step.

Step 4: Get a local agent or a business consultancy firm as needed

Opening a business in the UAE may require getting a local partner who is a UAE national or a business set-up consultancy firm like Creative Zone. You can start the search for an ideal local business partner or agency that can represent your business and trade name well and be able to perform business activities for you in the UAE with trust and confidence. Business setup consultancy agencies like Creative Zone or Virtu Zone in the UAE offer different services and corporate sponsorship where you have full documented authority and a 100 % ownership of your company. These business set-up agencies can take the complexity out of setting up a business by taking care of the administrative effort and can guide you through the process.

Step 5: Promote your coaching business 

At this point, you should be ready to market and promote your business to clients and companies in the UAE and you would need additional resources and guidance to lead you as you move forward with your very own coaching business. 2b Limitless offers 5 coach mentoring sessions even after you have finished the APC course to support you in becoming an Accredited Coach. The instructors at 2b Limitless do supervision sessions that can guide you on how to tread on your path as a certified business coach, identify key strategies for you and help you maintain efficiency that you can apply to your own professional coaching business.

Below is a short checklist on how to promote your coaching business in the UAE, to guide you after you have established your own business name, structure and presence.

A quick checklist on how to promote your coaching business in the UAE

After having your business name registered, your structure defined and your business all set-up, the next step is to build a website and start creating your social media channels to promote your business coach consultancy firm or business. We have gone through a pandemic, and it taught us the most important lesson: if your business is not online, you will lose potential clients.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to code, you can hire a web developer who can help you design your website or better yet, get a professional web and marketing agency specialized in the UAE market for you to be able to target your niche market, which we will discuss in the next point.

Identify the demographics of your market and see which industry, company, or age group you want to coach. Do you want to target corporate executives from 35 to 45 years old? Or does a millennial crowd appeal to you for business coach workshops? Identify your target market and focus your strengths and coaching skills to cater to this market’s needs and wants.

There is a setback when you try to help everyone with your skills and having a target market will save you time in doing your online marketing and promotions for your business coaching firm. Always remember, you are not marketing your services to everyone. Make sure you’re marketing to someone you can really help with your skills, knowledge, and experience. For example, if you have worked in the manufacturing industry before being a business coach, you can target companies in this industry or if you prefer to focus on providing business coaching for tech start-ups as you have worked with one before, then this is the ideal target market for you to focus on.

You need up to date online and offline marketing and engaging skills to attract people to your business coaching company. You just can’t sit and wait for people to approach you directly.

Reach out to them regarding your service, tell them your brand story and connect with them personally. Focus on their pain points and try providing them with the best solutions both online and offline. For online, digital marketing solutions such as blogs, email campaigns, webinars, podcasts and videos are now trending as the main sources of leads and clients for many professional business coaching companies. Try building your own YouTube channel and see your follower count increase as you create new content every week (even daily if you can) about your coaching skills and tutorials as an example.

You don’t need everything to be just perfect for getting your business coaching company started. You simply need to start. No one needs a perfect logo, website, social media account, social media following, etc. Spending too much time seeking to make everything perfect will likely get you nowhere.

Instead, focus on what you will offer — is it good enough? Will your clients be benefited? Ensure that your services will help the clients that avail of them, and the rest will likely fall into place as your business moves forward. The people that you will coach will be your best allies in promoting your coaching business and services, as long as you stay authentic and true to yourself and to others, while maintaining a fruitful and lasting relationship with your clients.

As your journey as an Accredited Performance Coach starts with 2b Limitless, we are here to help you grow and reach new heights as you embark on your professional business coaching career and business. If you are currently a professional who wants to make a big shift and become a business coach and create your own company, or an existing business coach looking for formal accreditation before starting your own business, 2b Limitless has all the essential requirements you need – from the Accredited Performance Coach APC workshops to the international certifications needed to help you start your own professional coaching business in the UAE, or anywhere in the world.

Coaching in the 21st century has become an integral part of businesses to maximize the potential of their people and mission. What’s more, research finds that employees are prioritizing their development as a key factor in their engagement and tenure at the workplace. In addition, the rapid growth of the personal and professional development movement is speeding up, not slowing down and more and more people are looking to coaching as the vehicle to support their growth. 

“Coaching works because it’s all about you. When you connect with what you really want and why – and take action – magical things can happen.” Emma-Louise Elsey

Businesses know that if the potential of their mission is to be fulfilled, then the potential of their people needs to be fulfilled as well. 

The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as ‘Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.’ 

When coaching cultures are embedded into an organization, they can find new levels of optimism, mission, collaboration and productivity. The competencies of coaching are very similar to the attributes of emotional intelligence. What this means is an environment where people know how to listen, know how to speak with clarity and composure, can self-regulate emotions, empathise and tap into deeper motivations that drive their efforts.  

We also know that people want to find, not just economic benefits from their workplace, but they want to find meaning and fulfilment from their work as well. 

Trained strategic thinking partners (coaches) have the counterintuitive skills to help people explore both meaning and performance and help turn that exploration into reality.  

In parallel to the growing demand, some professionals are seeking flexible working opportunities to balance their lifestyles. Achieving a recognized accreditation can create those opportunities to work as a professional coach and successfully develop other people in a deeply rewarding role. 

2b Limitless: The Leading APC Course Provider

2b Limitless are the architects and deliverers of the APC course. 2b Limitless is a multi-award-winning professional coaching and training organization focused on Strengths, Engagement, Performance, and Transformation. Mick Todd founded it in 2004, ‘Acquisition International’ UAE Executive Coach of the Year 2016 and ‘International Advisory Experts’ UAE Executive Coach of the Year 2017.

2b Limitless successfully delivers transformational coaching solutions across a wide range of enterprises. It not only provides coaching to young interns starting their professional journeys but also to C-Suite executives who are at the helm of large international corporations. 

The APC course is designed to provide coaches and leaders with the tools, skills, and knowledge to unlock human potential to its greatest extent. Successful candidates will understand crucial psychological theories of motivation and decision making and the applied coaching competencies that can unleash the best version of others and help them find both meaning and performance.

The APC course is an interactive programme. The course has a mixture of theory, coaching practice, critical thinking discussions, reflections, interactive activities, self-study, and the completion of a written learning journal.

What is the approach of 2bAPC?

2b Limitless believes in strengths-based performance coaching. Strengths-based performance coaching moves away from the disease model of focusing on what is wrong with people, and is centered on searching for what is right with people. The founder of 2b Limitless derived this strategy from research in Positive Psychology. This research finds that when people learn to understand and expand their strengths, they tend to have better professional and personal engagement and connectivity with people around them. Also, they tend to be happier and feel a certain increase in their productivity and performance.

New and experienced life coaches, career coaches, executive coaches, and well-being and high-performance coaches are quickly moving toward this approach. Global coach accreditation bodies like the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the Association for Coaching (AC) are certifying these programs as they understand the depth of credibility behind the approach. 

The strengths movement that was started in the USA has made it to Dubai successfully. Dubai-based coaches are gradually training and certifying in this methodology. 2b Limitless provides coach accreditations for Dubai-based and worldwide coaches, both face-to-face and online.

Who accredited the courses?
Who are the courses for?
What qualifications will YOU achieve?

On completion of the APC course provided by 2b Limitless and fulfillment of the Association for Coaching requirements, successful candidates will achieve:

What does your qualification prepare you to do? 

It prepares you to differentiate yourself from other coaches as an Accredited Coach with the Association for Coaching and ICF, and the 2b Limitless Certificate in Performance Coaching. More importantly, it prepares you with the skills, tools and credibility to transform the lives of others. 

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