Project Portfolio

At the beginning of 2021, I began a coaching program at University of California, Davis, Continuing and Professional Education. This endeavor fulfilled a long-time goal of completing an International Coaching Federation-accredited program and bringing much-needed credibility to my coaching. Not only was I coaching leaders but I was also running the coach training programs, and I often felt like an imposter. After a four-hour training session, we were ordained "coaches," and with a pit in my stomach, I left the event with the orders to coach as many managers as possible. I yearned for self-deveopment to make me feel confident about what I was contributing to the development of others. 

In the program, I learned that it's okay for coaching to be messy, to move fluidly from topic to outcome, and back again. As long as you stay curious about the client, listen with your heart, respond with their words, and remain flexible about bringing clarity and change to the goal because the client does, you will enjoy the process. The master coaches, mentors, and coaching peers all created a safe space to explore new pathways in coaching while also honing the skills we had already developed in our coaching.

During the program, I formed lasting connections with other coaches who continue to impress me with their abilities and strength of character. When I started the UC Davis program, I had no idea that it would open up a gateway to the University of the Pacific's Master's Program. Because the program opened other avenues for me, I feel even greater satisfaction about my decision to attend the coaching program. 

Now, with skills in coaching, consulting, and facilitation, I feel more confident in my abilities and have less imposter syndrome. I also have a bevy of support to lean into, with peers from both cohorts and, most importantly, to celebrate the joys of our adventures together.  

The first leadership course in the Master's in Organizational Innovation and Change journey focused on developing self-mastery of adaptable skills to lead others through organizational changes. This inspiring and exhilarating course consisted of exercises that reflected on the past, current, and future states of one’s leadership journey and its application within a specific framework developed by the personal experiences of the three co-writers of Adaptive Leadership and their colleagues at the Harvard Leadership School. This course provided the anchor that moored the other courses in the program. I believe that the influence of this course will remain with me for the remainder of my life and will be a part of my work. 

Much has been written and shared about individuals leading people through significant change. Still, perhaps less is shared about the leader’s inner development that preempted or possibly coincided with the event. Some theories of leadership even espouse what is known as the ‘great man theory’; leaders are born that way, not created through circumstances or self-development. During an Action Research project, I focused on both my strengths and opportunities and surrendered to some of my deepest biases to explore new horizons. During this project, I examined my emotions and beliefs and explored aspects of social media that I had typically avoided. Far beyond discovering how to market and promote my brand, I learned the joy of letting go of preconceived notions and taking a deeper look inward at what other self-limiting beliefs were holding me back. 

Before starting the project for Evaluating Organizations, I had experience in assessing both qualitative and quantitative data. However, much of this data was provided to me by an analyst who gathered and compiled the data into accessible formats and shared the results with me. This course allowed my partner and me to curate and control all aspects of an evaluation project. We consciously sought a health and wellness program to center our endeavors. Not only did we learn from the course content and the experience of applying the knowledge, but we also reaped multiple benefits from forming human connections in the process. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly present in our world, it is essential to remember the importance of human interactions and relationships. After all, the work is ultimately for us.