Transformation as Embracing Where I Am

This post was written by Ellen Ericson, a Newfield graduate of the Coaching for Personal & Professional Mastery program. We reached out to her to see what she’s up to and so she could share her Newfield experience with our readers.

“People are making an impact every day and yet they don’t take the time to acknowledge it.”

What brought you to Newfield?

For the past six years, I’ve been doing leader development workshops that focus on executive presence. I realized I wanted to work more closely with clients and witness a more sustained impact on their lives. Adding executive coaching to my business offerings has allowed me to do just that.

When researching which program to attend, Newfield’s more holistic approach resonated deeply with me—it was about meeting my clients where they are in their process, rather than just ‘problem solving’ with a prescribed methodology.

What was your favorite part of the training itself?

Being there in person and watching Julio and Veronica work with us was absolutely fascinating and insightful. I loved being coached and found that it was critical to take the time to understand what makes me tick and how to be more comfortable with myself so that I can be there fully for my clients.

I also cherish the friendship and community that I found at Newfield. I am still in touch with my study group as well as many people from my class. To me, this shows that it is a sustainable community. As we work to build our own businesses, we continue to support one another and provide insights and moral support.

Transformation: What does it mean to be on the other side?

I had a burst of aha moments for months while I was in the program. But it was only when the teaching really seeped into my soul that it became sustainable. It was only when I allowed myself the space to let it sink in. Transformation takes introspection and forming new habits and that all takes time.

I see transformation as ongoing. It’s not about a destination but about continuing to move toward that place of peace. To really be able to embrace and enjoy the moment that adds up to larger moments.

A lot of the time, we are just moving but we don’t know where we are headed. So to me, it’s not only about what I’m moving towards, it’s about where I am. Newfield really gave me the context to embrace where I am and not want something different or seek out something else. It helped me embrace what is and to really love that. It gave me the tools to enjoy that inner peace.

How have you been using your training since you completed the program?

I use my training every day. There is a huge distinction between being a consultant, which is what I was doing before, and being a coach. I now walk alongside my clients so they can do self-directed work. I try to create a safe space in which my clients know that they can bring anything they want to explore to the table. I embrace the concept that we are whole people and we cannot compartmentalize our work and home selves.

What would you say is a common theme that you are seeing in your clients?

People are making an impact every day and yet they don’t take the time to acknowledge it. They keep searching for something because they feel unsatisfied. I believe this is because they need to work on taking the time to sit back and acknowledge and embrace the impact they are making every day. This helps build the self-confidence they need to keep moving toward their goals.

What do you find most rewarding about being a coach?

When you really embrace coaching and the pureness of it, you are helping your clients be self- directed. You know that they have it within them to figure out and find what they need, and you know it is something that your client owns and is responsible for. I have watched transformation with my clients, and the impact of coaching, and it is so rewarding for my clients and equally rewarding for me.

What do you have to say to those who want to take the course not to become a coach but for personal development?

To me, Newfield was such a gift and I would say: allow yourself to let down your guard and be silly, be vulnerable, and have fun. Be okay just being you because you are going to get so much out of it if you just live into it fully. Allow yourself the time and space to explore all sides of yourself.

Do you think the Newfield training has impacted you outside of your work as well?

Yes. I believe wholeheartedly that it has helped me in my life. The training allowed me the space to really live into the moments of every day and to acknowledge the accomplishments and impacts that I was having at home and in my career.

There are so many gems that we were taught. For example, the body dispositions. Even though we all move through the four dispositions every day, one of them is how we naturally are in this world. Newfield helped me get acquainted with the other body dispositions. So when ‘resolute’ wasn’t working, for instance at home with a child, then I could move into ‘flexibility’ and watch success happen.

What’s next for you?

In addition to continuing to build my business, I’d also like to use my new coaching skills to give back to my community. I live in Chicago and I’m trying to figure out different avenues to mentor people who don’t have the resources they need. For example, young women in more impoverished communities who are trying to get their first job out of college or are trying to get ready for college interviews. I want to help people who are making transitions in their lives and might need some support.

Anything else to add? 

When I talk about what impact Newfield has had on my life, I want to emphasize the feeling more than the process. This career is my calling, and I hope people know that if coaching is something that really resonates with them, it will come out wholeheartedly in your work. Your clients will know it and see your enthusiasm. So to those who are newly graduating, I want to encourage them to live into the experience of stumbling and falling as they try to learn how to coach for the first time. Resilience is key: when you are faced with rejection in building a coaching business, know that every “no” brings you closer to your “yes.”

Want to learn more about our course offerings? Check out our Foundation Course for transformative personal development and the first step towards becoming a Certified Coach.

About the Author: 

Ellen Ericson, a seasoned high-tech business executive, consultant, and leadership coach, brings two decades of experience working with Fortune 100 companies and their leaders. She works with her clients to not only realize their greatness but to acknowledge and live into it each day in all aspects of their lives. She is an established executive coach and workshop leader. She has been a frequent guest on major television networks to discuss and educate audiences on executive presence and building their personal brand. Ellen earned a BS in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Masters in Business Administration from NYU’s Stern School of Business in the Executive MBA program. She is a certified executive/ontological coach from Newfield Network and a certified Business Etiquette and International Protocol Consultant.