Stories and testimonials
Coaching began during my years of employment, during which I found myself more talking with team members and clients about their personal situations, problems, expectations, motivation or the lack of it.
After becoming self-employed I continued this while working as change manager at large organizations and with individuals. Below are a number of client stories and testimonials. For privacy reasons, only the initial (s) of the names of those involved are mentioned. Choose 1 or 2 that appeal to you, or read them all.
Story 1: opposite expectations
This client came to see me because his own expectations and those from others collided with each other, while working as a consultant and trying to get everyone aboard for taking the organisation to the next level.
Testimonial: “André asked to the point questions, analyzing and reflecting, showing different perspectives and learning self-reflection.” (ICT project manager, independent, Gert)
Story 2: workload
This team leader was overflowing with work, unable to finish anything due to immense work pressure, having difficulty to delegate.
Testimonial: “During the short summaries, he flawlessly got the points that I have difficulty with.” (Team leader finance, a university, B.)
Story 3: turmoil in the department
The employee in question ran into all sorts of tensions in the departments. It was difficult to carry out his job, much dependened on colleagues and team management.
Testimonial: “Andre has a pleasant calm voice. He listens carefully, dares to drop silences and asks the right questions which led to a thorough deepening. ”(Supervisor of benefit recipients, a municipality, Willianne)
Story 4: organisation in transition
A faculty of a university was faced with a transition, in which part of the permanent employees had to leave in order to start working at the shared service center. After so many years, those employees had hard times to deal with the changes, leaving behind familiar faces and working methods. One of the directors wrote the following about me at the time.
Testimonial: “He invests in contacts with others and handles sensitive or personal information with care. He is fully trustworthy and skilful with formal and informal power relationships. His people-oriented attitude is powerful and has a great impact on people. His warm charisma, humor and boyish naughty features make him a great person. He is engaging, inspiring and honest. ”(André, Board member, faculty)
Story 5: communication issues
As team leader, he was responsible for facility support, often meeting with a rebuff about decisions by senior management. He had difficulty carrying out his job. We looked at his family of origin (his parents and brothers / sisters), among other things, to understand which place he takes in daily. Using a constellation, he gained insight into the place he used to take in his family of origin: a constellation shows dynamics which cause us to do what we do as an adult. In this case he noticed how he confused his place as son with that of his father’s place at the time. As an adult with that of his senior management. This insight gave him the opportunity to take his own place, to find peace in it. His response:
Testimonial: “I am doing well. Coaching helped me a lot and I still benefit from this. What also helped (and has left an impression) was the 1 on 1 family constellation.” (Team leader, Ton)
Story 6: communication problems, threat of dismissal
The man in question works as a trainer within an international transport organization. He has known the organization for almost 40 years and has an enormous amount of organizational and job related knowledge. However, he got stuck when he communicated serious messages at the wrong times and to the wrong people, although the content of those messages might have been right. It increasingly got out of hand, so colleagues, supervisors and management experienced. He got one more chance to change: to be coached. Seven consults later he had changed: he kept his job, understood his own positive qualities and was therefore much more in balance with himself. I received the following message from his supervisor:
Testimonial: “I don’t know how you did it, but you accomplished a miracle!” (senior manager, Jan)
Story 7: uncertainty in his relationship
This client was confronted by a serious feeling of uncertainty about his relationship with his wife. Usual patterns were suddenly changed and caused tension and uncertainty for him. Those patterns prove to be the way he thought he had to take care of het. He was deeply confronted with himself. By looking into his position, how he has been in the relationship and how he is generally in contact with others, he got to know his own strength and his strong and positive qualities.
Testimonial: “Through the sessions with André I became aware that by listening to my feelings, the contact with myself, but also with others, I gained much more significance.” (Peter)
Story 8: from surviving to taking her own path of life
I contacted André because I was about to get stuck due to the many challenges, as well as in private life as in work. My question was ‘how do I hang on?’.
A combination of coaching and healing with André has brought me further. André is attentive, is a good listener and returns his observations with care, thereby putting his finger on the sore spot in a pleasant way. I have gained insight into my limiting beliefs and have received tools on how to let go of them, so that I experience more space for the things that give me energy. André has also given me practical tips in communication and choice of words, so that I can indicate my boundaries more clearly.
The healing sessions were special, beautiful experiences in which I worked on the inner blockages in my body on an energetic level. This allowed me to release tension in my body, which created more connection between head and heart. I dare to trust my inner compass more and more, by learning to listen to the signals of my body and to take them seriously. In doing so, I dare to rely more and more on my intuition and the signals that are presented to me by the universe. I feel more inner peace.
Testimonial: “Life is to beautiful to just surviving!”
During the sessions my question has changed from ‘how do I hang on?’ to ‘how do I stay true to myself on my life path?’. Life is too beautiful to just ‘hang on’!
I have a new perspective on the future by taking control of my own life, guarding and indicating my boundaries in a healthy way, giving space to the things in life that give me energy.
André, thank you for the great sessions and for the support that I have received from you!
Love, Diana B. (Team leader financial administration)