Impacting Culture Through a Coaching Mindset and Skill Set

Profound Growth podcast hosted by Ursula Pottinga with special guest Hetty Brand-Boswijk

The podcast episode, in summary, features a conversation between host Ursula and Hetty Brand-Boswijk, a Certified Professional and Neurotransformational Coach, focusing on the role of coaching in higher education, particularly at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM). Hetty discusses the differences between coaching in academic and corporate settings, emphasizing the benefits of coaching for students in MBA programs and the ripple effect this can create as they move into the corporate world.

The dialogue highlights the importance of recognizing the diverse backgrounds of students, especially in RSM's international MBA program, and the challenges this diversity brings to group coaching. Hetty underscores the necessity of fostering an environment where students can effectively collaborate within diverse teams, a crucial skill for global leadership.

Being curious, open-minded and stepping away from “telling” and instead adopting a coaching mind and skill set is important in developing these future global leaders.

The concept of the "extended mind" is explored, the research and book by Annie Murphy Paul, suggesting that relationships and cultural diversity enhance cognitive processes.

In her research (and in this fascinating book) Annie Murphy Paul shared various ways how we need to “extend our mind” since modern life no longer enables our minds to hold and deal with the complexity and pace of it all. One way to extend our mind is to use the expertise and creativity of other people, asking for support and advice, brainstorming solutions in teams and being collaborative. This requires coaching skills (and mindset) in order to be effective.

Hetty explains how coaching at RSM promotes neuroplasticity (the science of change and having brains that can adopt and create new habits in the right environment), aiding students' development as adaptable leaders. She advocates for a coaching mindset among educators to empower students and stimulate creativity, sharing her journey of promoting coaching within the academic context.

The impact of coaching on students' leadership styles is discussed, with many students expressing gratitude for the profound influence on their approach to human-centric leadership. Hetty addresses the challenges leaders face in adopting coaching skills and encourages them to develop basic coaching abilities to improve communication and leadership effectiveness.

Hetty concludes with practical advice for leaders, emphasizing self-reflection, curiosity, and open-mindedness, particularly when interacting with diverse individuals. She highlights the transformative potential of coaching in fostering a culture of collaboration and understanding within organizations. The episode ends with a reminder of the ripple effect coaching can create and an invitation for listeners to further explore the discussed themes.

The Ripple Effect of Coaching in Academia