Celebrating Andrea: Partner Professional Services Firm
“Throughout the journey you have highlighted great moments of success that has given me confidence from that positive feeling. You have taught me to be curious and be open. Not to be fearful. To be me, to be unique, to share my wisdom.”
Andrea
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
Welcome to High Definition You, it’s Gitanjali here and this week, it is my immense pleasure to welcome the wonderful Andrea, she and I have been doing one to one coaching for the last few months. And she’s here to share her story. And to tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do in the world.
Andrea
I’m Andrea, and I’m a partner for BDO, which is a professional services firm. And as part of my partner role, I lead a technical accounting business stream in the property sector. And I also lead our quality and risk strategy for the business services and outsourcing business.
I also have a wider wall, which is the video program partner for the 30% Club, mentoring businesswomen across a wide range of organisations and businesses.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
It’s quite a lot of balls that you’re juggling in the air. Well and truly, what was life Like? What were some of the challenges that you are experiencing? You know, professionally and in life in general? Before we started working together?
Andrea
Yes, I mean, I guess my role is extremely busy and leading the business areas that I’ve mentioned, requires huge amounts of time and energy. And before the coaching program with you, I guess I was feeling quite frustrated that I had minimal time and headspace to focus on developing sort of the widest strategy, innovating new ideas and get that thinking, and for my team and for our clients, and to help them support developing my people with their own career development.
And my future progression in the firm is to elevate my current role as a leader of the business to be more strategic and challenging and add value. I couldn’t see how I was going to unlock that, and how I needed to get to that more senior leadership role.
And I guess I also needed to really understand the part that I had to play in the partner team, what my role actually is, and how I can make that unique and successful for me.
So I was struggling with the time to focus on that and to really be comfortable with delegating some of the more operational aspects of my work, not to be involved in the detail and not be involved with everything and be less in control of everything. But for me to feel comfortable with that and let go and have that confidence.
And I was struggling to see how I was going to be comfortable with that transition, and what I needed to achieve to be a successful leader. So that’s how things were really before we started working together.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
And we had an initial conversation, as is always the way and you know, then there’s always kind of the thought processes that come up potentially for people. Was there any resistance that came up for you before you said yes to going ahead with our coaching?
Andrea
Yes, there was some doubt. Well, first of all, I would say that I was hugely grateful to be offered the opportunity to work with you and to receive some coaching. But then, in my usual style, I wanted to be completely committed and dedicated to the time and to the work that came out of the sessions.
And I was really concerned, obviously, as I mentioned, my time was so limited, so so busy. And whether or not I would be able to make the commitment to prepare for the sessions to think about it and to actually really protect my time to do it justice.
And I guess I felt the doubts arise as to whether or not you could actually take that time out just for me to feel that I needed that protected time for my own development. So I did commit the time.
And I have also seen the impact that it’s had on me from the work and the support you’ve given me. And I was also encouraged and inspired by the impact of your work on a colleague. So I just went forward with the opportunity and really eager to experience what I was going to learn from you your experience.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
And you were so wonderfully committed from the get-go. And I think what was great well, certainly from your time perspective, isn’t wasn’t onerous. Right? That’s a big part of how you approach a high definition you it’s like, it’s not lots of pre-work, and it can be easy and graceful and the transformation can be from that place. So what happened?
You said yes. And what are the results been? What has changed for you, you know, for as a leader, but also personally, and then maybe a little bit about what does that mean? You know, you said that you’ve been given this opportunity from a work perspective. And oftentimes people come to us that way. And you know, their business is paying for it.
So they want to see the business result. But let’s start with the what are the results, what’s changed for you personally and as a leader, and then maybe what you’re seeing differently.
Andrea
Yeah, sure. I mean, well, first of all, and leading on from the last point, I absolutely really look forward to the session. So rather than thinking, oh my gosh, you know, I’ve got another session to book into an already busy diary. This is one area that I absolutely was committed to, but absolutely embraced the time and enjoyed what we were going to discuss.
And I was curious as to what was going to come out of each of those sessions as well. But also, if I didn’t have time to think about it, or prepare for it, I did often come to you and said, not really thought about it much since we last met. But you know, that was great, because then we worked on what was actually happening in my head at that time.
So you know, I wouldn’t obviously encourage people not to worry about the preparation if they haven’t got that time to begin with. So what’s happened since working together? Well, we’re quite a lot in terms of sort of me as a person and my personal style, I’m uncertain, more confident and assured I think, in my role as a leader.
And I’ve really got some great examples now where I have been more comfortable delegating. and give more responsibility and empower some of my team. Whereas before, I probably would have held back from what I wanted to control I wanted to keep detail. And I’ve got some really fantastic people in my senior team, who also focus on their future development and leadership.
So some really exciting projects that I was leading on, I’ve actually given those over to those people. And it’s brilliant to see them really be positive and take on that leadership role themselves. And that’s enabled me to have more time to sort of step up and to be that overall leader and contribute in a different way.
So that’s been very liberating, I would have questioned whether or not I could have actually achieved that. And so that the coaching, the support you’ve given me huge amounts of self-belief, and confidence. And the reaction that I have for my people you know, is, again, it’s very rewarding because I can see their contentment with what they’re doing.
And they’re going to actually be really, really successful with those projects, I’m very confident about that. And I think, you know, in the workplace, with my fellow partners, and my colleagues, I think I’m much more assertive and calmer, with my presentations and the delivery of those presentations.
I stopped overthinking, which I’ve tended to do in the past, and I stopped taking things too personally, sometimes I would come out of a presentation out of a meeting, and I analyse it to death afterwards, or myself up a little bit about it as well. I don’t do that so much now. I feel very confident that I’ve delivered what I needed to deliver and getting everything right is, of course, we human beings. But I’ve just felt in control and very, very short that I’ve made a great contribution.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
I love that. And I mean, you are deeply analytical, and the work that you do is deeply analytical. So, you know, it’s about leveraging, how your brain is wired, but also just shifting that mindset so that I shouldn’t come from this place, as you say, confidence without my rant on confidence.
But you know, around that place of, of truly being curious and having that courage, one of the things that, you know, we looked at was how do you actually come across to other people, right, so people were seeing that already, you know, there was a lot of those adjectives being used in that exercise that we did relatively early on around that how you seed as a leader, but actually, how you felt inside and one bringing to the table wasn’t necessarily as strong as other people were already seeing you.
Right? So that shift is intangible around the delegation, which is brilliant. Oh, we’ve had this time together, your team seeing the results? We had three, we had a three-way with your managing partner as well, because that’s an important part of the process to say, actually, you know, what is the business going to see differently?
And how is he going to grow? So I’ll come back to him at the end around, you know, where he saw your shift. That’s always quite interesting, isn’t it too.
Andrea
Yeah, yeah, it was really interesting and so helpful to get that feedback from him.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
Yeah. And to really have that level of engagement. I think it’s so important at any level, but certainly, you know, at that partner level, yeah, to be able to rely on that.
So we had this sort of amazing journey together. What was an aha moment that you had taken me to sort of that moment when you knew that the coaching was working because sometimes it can be a bit nebulous, like, oh, yeah, we’re having these sessions. What was a moment? Andrea, when? Yeah, the coaching is working.
Andrea
I think there’s been a few. But I think the key one that was really, really powerful for me and powerful for me was when I, on a monthly basis, I do attend a leadership meeting, and I present a report on sort of my quality and risk agenda, which I’m leading for the business. And it’s quite technical, it’s quite detailed.
And there are a number of colleagues that are quite sceptical sometimes about, you know, seeing the work that we’re doing and the value for that as well. So I always have a bit of apprehension before that meeting. But I went to that meeting and presented it last month. And as well as just being prepared, I approached it really with a bit more curiosity, rather than on the goodness, what’s going to happen in this meeting today, it’s more about let’s be open to seeing how this will play out and the contribution I can make.
And so I felt really calm and confident before and during the meeting, and it ended with a really positive report, able to respond to challenges or questions from my fellow partners, and I felt comfortable with those responses. And I came away from the meeting feeling that I’ve contributed something significant and added value and that I was regarded as the subject matter expert.
And that’s my role. That’s why I’m there. But it just felt really, really confident in that. And if I was gonna get a chat in your questions, then so be that I will respond to it. If I can’t respond to it, then I’ll find out the answers and bring that back as an action. But I came away from the meeting, really feeling very, very empowered and confident.
And to me, that was a breakthrough, because that’s what you’re absolutely right. What you said before is what I do, and have done in the past. But in my mind, there was a shift in that I really, really did feel confident and assured and I was in the right place. And that was my role. And that was what I wanted to achieve from some of the coachings.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
What was it in the way we worked together that really allowed you to get that shift and that breakthrough?
Andrea
I think that I had such an absolutely strong impact from you is that you believed in me and that you can understand the way my mind works and where I’ve got little demons that are nagging away at me and how to resolve them. And I think you know, throughout the journey, you’ve highlighted great moments of success, I might not have even recognized them as success, but you’ve highlighted them, which has given me the confidence and that positive feeling.
And you’ve made me really believe that anything really is possible. You’ve taught me to be curious and to be open, and not to be fearful, to be me, to be unique and to share my wisdom. And it’s you that’s given me that confidence to think that way, which I will take out into the world.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
I was just blessed you did the work. That’s the thing, just eliciting that from you. And it has been my privilege to be that catalyst for you. I’ll tell you the proud coaching moment for me.
One of the many was when you went on holiday and you took that time off, because you mentioned at the beginning of our conversation, you know so much busyness, right and continually being out long days, a lot of rules that you’re juggling.
And when you said to me that you took that five days, and you hadn’t checked your emails, and you had to stay in that place of time to do that, for me was a real transformation from you know, getting our journey together. Well, and truly.
Andrea
Yeah, I agree I’m in that really was another transformation because I have never done that before. But I felt very confident to actually recognize I needed that time and nothing was going to go wrong. While I wasn’t there. I needed that break for my own well being. And and I felt fantastic coming back to the workplace afterwards as well.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
And what surprised you because sometimes people have, you know, thoughts about what coaching will be or won’t be what surprised you about the coaching program?
Andrea
I suppose a couple of things. One, I think that you know, had such a great connection with yourself and with the wisdom and the knowledge that you have and how you could facilitate that and you could really understand some of the challenges that I’ve been experiencing and how you could help me with that.
And I was also just thrilled that you were available, just responding To the ad hoc messages, sometimes if I had a moment of doubt or question that I could call upon you if I needed to the outside of the regular meetings, and you just sort of was with me as I was working through my life, not just a love professional, but on a personal anything that was having any impact on my own well being and my thought process, that you could really relate to that, understand it, and support me with that.
And so that was just fantastic. It’s just been a really rewarding and fulfilling experience.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
Thank you for sharing that. And you mentioned the piece about anything being possiblist now. And as many of you know, who are watching this, I am a possiblist a professional, possiblist, you are possiblist now, Andrea. So with that in mind, what is possible now that seemed impossible once.
Andrea
For me, personally, I can be that confident, liberated individual, that I can really make a difference, I can make a change, I can respond to any challenge, I can tackle difficulties, and I have confidence and self-belief that I can achieve what I actually set out to achieve. And if there are challenges along the way, there’s always a solution, there’s always a way around them.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
Coming from your wisdom from your wisdom. So I said that we come back to the idea that we have this three-way at the beginning and in the middle, and also at the end with your managing partner. And I asked him to describe you in one word at the beginning of one word at the end.
And these word at the end was sort of around the idea of being steely wasn’t and bringing that level of I guess, assertiveness to your role as a partner in the firm. How would you describe it in one word of where you were at the beginning, Andrea and where you are now.
Andrea
I think I think in the beginning, probably I was hesitant, and a bit unassuming. And, and sort of I was also sort of, probably quite exhausted. And detail is lacking a bit of energy and passion because everything seemed quite overwhelming with what I was working on and where it needed to be.
But now I feel very short and calm. And I definitely feel liberated. And that I’ve released some of that anguish or, or challenges that I felt weren’t possible.
And so the feedback from the managing partner has been really positive. He’s seen a difference in my style and approach and who I am as a leader and a partner in the business. And that’s, that’s just been so positive for me to say that there’s been a really powerful change in me in the right way, as well. So not only can I be that strong, confident leader in the firm, but I’m also confident and self-assured for me individually.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
The professional and then the personal as well. And that word of liberated, right that’s come up in so many of our sessions. So if people are feeling inspired by your story, Andrea, and they want to be that strong, confident, liberated, leader or professional, what advice would you give them? If they’re thinking about investing, you know, the time perhaps the money if they’re paying for it themselves?
What advice would you give to them?
Andrea
Well, obviously, for the experience that I’ve had, I would absolutely take the opportunity, you know, invest the time, commit to the coaching, because it is so rewarding, and you will see that difference. And then as you approach the coaching, just be really open and honest, in the sessions with yourself Gita.
Be true to who you are. So be really open and honest. Because then that way you can help each other and share what you can and really be open to what is possible for you to change and to have a real positive benefit, either in your personal life or your professional life.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
Now that’s because anything is possible. Anything is possible. Thank you so much for sharing your story again with such a level of openness and vulnerability, Andrea and I am sure inspiring other people because it doesn’t matter how senior you get, you know, in your career, there’s always an opportunity to find that level of calm and assured that you said and strength and the gift that you’ve given to your team as a result and the way that you have been able to develop them has been a wonderful thing.
It’s that ripple effect, right that we then start to see, which of course for me is very rewarding because it’s not I’m coaching you, but actually the effect is wonderful.
Andrea
Supporting each other. No. And I really, really appreciate it. Thank you for everything that you’ve done.
Gitanjali – High Definition You Coach
My pleasure. Thank you for saying yes, look forward to continuing our journey together. Thanks, Andrea.
Andrea
Thank you