Transition Planning in CoachME Model for Sustainable Change

Butterfly Transformation Framework 🦋 Knowing your phase now. Build your self from zero to your beautiful best self. A caterpillar does not become a butterfly overnight. It moves through distinct phases — each with different needs, challenges, and forms of support. Human transformation works the same way. People often expect immediate success or confidence, but real growth is gradual, uncomfortable, and deeply transformative. 1. The Caterpillar Phase — Survival & Foundation At this stage, a person is learning basic survival: * building habits * discovering identity * gaining skills * overcoming insecurity * searching for direction Like a caterpillar consuming leaves constantly, people in this phase absorb information, experiences, and lessons. What people usually need: * encouragement * structure * discipline * basic confidence * practical guidance Best type of mentor: * teacher * trainer * accountability coach * skill-based mentor These mentors help people build foundations rather than chase perfection. 2. The Cocoon Phase — Isolation & Inner Transformation This is the hardest phase. Externally, it may look like nothing is happening. Internally, everything is changing. People in this stage often: * question themselves * feel lost * leave old identities behind * experience failure or transition * rebuild mindset and emotional resilience Transformation requires discomfort. The old self dissolves before the new self emerges. What people usually need: * emotional safety * reflection * healing * mindset work * patience Best type of mentor: * life coach * therapist * spiritual mentor * leadership coach * experienced guide who has survived similar transitions Not every mentor fits this phase. A high-performance coach may fail someone who first needs healing and clarity. 3. The Butterfly Phase — Expression & Contribution The butterfly phase represents alignment: * confidence * purpose * self-expression * contribution * impact The person is no longer only surviving. They are creating, leading, teaching, and inspiring others. But butterflies still continue learning. Transformation is ongoing. What people usually need: * vision expansion * leadership development * strategic thinking * purpose-driven growth Best type of mentor: * visionary leader * business mentor * executive coach * master practitioner * community of high-level peers These mentors help people scale their impact rather than simply “fix” themselves. A common mistake is choosing mentors for the phase we wish we were in instead of the phase we are actually in. Someone in emotional burnout may follow productivity gurus and feel worse. Someone ready to lead may stay too long in healing spaces and stop growing. Growth accelerates when: 1. we honestly identify our current phase, 2. accept its lessons, 3. and find guidance designed for that stage. The beauty of the butterfly is not just the wings — it is the evidence of transformation.

Coaching models look basic… until you realize how many leadership problems they quietly solve. Thank you George Stern for sharing these.

"What actually is systemic coaching Norma?" Honestly people ask me this at least once a week and about high time I shared a wee piece on it here if it helps one person the way it did for me all those years ago when I hit a roadblock. I was first introduced to it by a mentor coach when I needed help making a life-changing decision. A constellation, a type of 3D map revealed what couldn't be seen. The hidden dynamics that play into our choices, beliefs and ways of working. Most coaching puts the spotlight on the individual alone. Your goals, your blocks and your next move. Hugely useful work and yet it treats the person as if they're standing alone in the field. Systemic coaching turns the lights up on the whole field or uses a spotlight within it to illuminate what can't be seen in a broader context. It sees the person & everything they belong to. The team, the org, the people who came before them in the role, the ones who left, the restructure no one fully grieved, the loyalties and loyalties-broken no one's allowed to name. It also sees who you've been in every system you've ever belonged to starting with your family. Eldest, middle, youngest. Those patterns travel with us especially with us to work even when we think they don't. That boss that reminds you of an older annoying sibling. In a team setting, it shows how each of us make up the sum of the parts but the system itself holds the rules of belonging, starting with the founders. Because no one leads in a vacuum. We lead inside systems & nearly all systems have a deep memory. Especially now, when AI is dissolving roles faster than the human side of organisations can feel. There's loss and identity-shift sitting underneath every change management deck. 'And Norma, what the hell is a constellation?' A constellation makes the invisible visible , a 3D map, in person or online. We map the system in the room using people, objects, or paper. What is revealed are the dynamics that's been costing the team months of progress. You can see who's carrying what and what's been excluded. It's not mystical nor is it not therapy. It's working with what's actually there but rarely spoken. The teams and leaders who are most curious by nature get the best results. When leaders are willing to look at the whole picture not just the symptom things shift & trust returns. I spent 22 years in big tech Salesforce, Oracle, Nokia and the thing I kept noticing was that when teams or leaders were struggling, the problem was almost never what everyone said it was. The strategy was usually fine. The people were usually capable. But something in the dynamics had gone arseways & nobody was naming it or were scared to. That pattern kept showing up & now I have built a practice around it. I work with senior leaders and their teams to surface what's actually driving the entangled issue so they can get unstuck & move forward. This is the work I love the most! Can you tell? ;) Brand images by Eva Blake💜

This really resonates from a talent development perspective. Managers and mentors play a critical role in shaping employee growth, but that support should not always come in the form of direct advice. True coaching helps employees strengthen their thinking, problem solving ability, and confidence. Frameworks like GROW, FUEL, and OSKAR are practical tools that can make development conversations more structured and meaningful. A strong reminder that capability building starts with better questions, not faster answers.

These are great frameworks. Managers who lead with a “Coaching Mindset” enable their teams to be more resilient, agile, and creative teams during times of uncertainty. The Manager stops being the bottleneck for all of the answers, but multiplies their affect by investing in their teammates’ trust, critical thinking, and professional growth.

Most people hire a coach when they're stuck. The wisest ones hire a coach before they even know they're stuck. Here's what 30 years in medicine and coaching has taught me: The gap between where you are and where you're capable of being isn't a skill problem. It isn't an experience problem. It isn't even a motivation problem. It's a clarity problem. And clarity doesn't come from thinking harder, working longer, or reading one more book at midnight. It comes from being asked better questions by someone who isn't emotionally invested in your comfort zone. That's what great coaching actually does. It doesn't fix you. You were never broken. It reveals you. Most high achievers I work with aren't failing. They're succeeding at the wrong things. They've optimized for a life that looks impressive on paper but feels hollow at 2am. They've climbed the ladder only to realize it was leaning against the wrong wall. Coaching changes the wall. The 12 benefits of coaching aren't 12 separate outcomes you cherry-pick from a menu. They're one domino chain, each one unlocking the next: Gain clarity → Build confidence → Increase productivity → Improve performance → Enhance communication → Achieve goals → Overcome obstacles → Relieve stress → Solve problems → Build leadership → Prepare for transitions → Get feedback that actually lands. Pull the first domino. Everything else follows. But here's what nobody tells you about coaching: The ROI isn't measured in promotions or revenue alone. It's measured in the decisions you stop second-guessing. The relationships that stop draining you. The version of yourself you stop postponing. I've sat with executives navigating burnout. With cancer patients rebuilding identity after diagnosis. With leaders who had every external credential and zero internal compass. In every case, the turning point wasn't a strategy. It was a question. One honest, well-timed question that cracked something open. That's the real work of coaching. Not the frameworks. Not the tools. Not the 90-day plans. The courage to sit with someone in the truth of where they actually are, not where they pretend to be. And then, together, build the bridge forward. The question isn't whether you need a coach. The question is: how much longer can you afford to operate below your potential? If the word CLARITY just stopped your scroll, DM me to connect. Let's start there. Dr. PRITESH LOHAR, MD FACP | QUANTUM ALCHEMY HUB #QuantumAlchemyHub #MindsetAsMedicine #ExecutiveCoaching #CancerCoach #Ikigai #Leadership #CoachingBenefits #PurposeAlignment

Structured Thinking, Unstructured World Part 1: Adaptability & Resilience | McKinsey Forward Program The McKinsey Forward Program reinforced something my MBA journey has constantly taught me: structured thinking helps, but the real world rarely presents problems in a structured way. It is messy, uncertain, and constantly changing, and that is where adaptability, resilience, and practical problem-solving truly matter. And more often than not, it doesn’t give you time to prepare. That’s where adaptability and resilience stop being concepts and start becoming survival skills. One idea that stayed with me: “In the adaptability and ease with which we experience change lies our happiness and freedom.” And the more I reflect, the more it connects with the MBA journey itself. From managing deadlines, navigating placements, handling uncertainty about the future, to stepping into environments where there are no clear answers, you realise that how you respond matters more than what you know. Here’s how this learning started making sense to me: 1. Activate Learning: In uncertain situations, learning feels difficult- but it becomes even more important. Instead of chasing outcomes, being intentional about what and how you learn changes everything. Small, consistent habits quietly build adaptability over time. 2. Strengthen Adaptability & Resilience: Your mindset is your first response system.A simple but powerful shift: Awareness → Pause → Reframe (APR) Instead of reacting instantly, you create space to respond better. Not avoiding pressure, but handling it with clarity. 3. Reinforce with Purpose: When things get tough, motivation fades quickly. Purpose doesn’t. Connecting your actions to a personal “why” is what keeps you moving forward when situations feel uncertain. Making it practical: The Habit Loop Cue → Routine → Reward A small trigger leads to an action. An action, when repeated and rewarded, becomes a habit. And over time, these habits shape how you deal with change. What this really means for me: • Focus on learning, not just outcomes • Be aware of how I respond under pressure • Stay flexible when situations are unclear • Build habits that support consistency • Keep everything connected to a deeper purpose MBA is not just about solving structured problems. It’s about staying steady when the problem itself is unstructured. And that’s where adaptability becomes your biggest advantage. If you’re navigating your MBA journey, career decisions, or feeling stuck at any stage - happy to share, discuss, and help in whatever way I can. Let’s connect on Topmate - https://lnkd.in/gAsj_WtE #McKinseyForward #MBAJourney #Adaptability #Resilience #StructuredThinking #LearningJourney #GrowthMindset #CareerGrowth #StudentLife #SelfDevelopment #LearningByDoing

I attribute much of my professional success to the mentors and coaches I’ve had throughout my career - from managers who pushed me beyond my comfort zone, to co-founders who taught me how to build a business from the ground up. Of all the support I’ve had, the biggest inflection point for growth came from coaching. As a first-time founder at Button, I was introduced to coaching through our investors. That’s where I met my coach, Lulu C.. At first, I didn’t get it. As an engineer who’s always looking for a solution, coaching felt abstract - almost theoretical. I was wrong. Throughout my career, I’ve struggled with impostor syndrome. No matter what I achieved, I never felt I belonged in the rooms I was in - as a founder, as a leader, as someone others looked to for answers. Coaching changed that. It helped me separate what was true from what wasn’t, and gave me tools to navigate moments of self-doubt - ones I still use today. What I’ve come to realize is simple - everyone needs support, even the best in the world (just ask Stephen Curry’s shooting coach). The support exists. The frameworks exist. The methods work. The problem is access. I’ve spent my career building systems that scale, and I’m seeing where they break today. Technology evolves quickly. Organizations adapt. Expectations rise. But the people inside those systems are expected to keep up - often without the support they need to do so. At Button, we saw the power of coaching and offered it to our team - but access to coaching is expensive, and it doesn’t scale. The support needed to navigate the moments that change career trajectories rarely reaches beyond the top of the corporate pyramid. Today, we’re launching Blomma to fill that gap. Blomma is an AI career coach designed to help you grow with clarity, accountability, and insight over time. It supports the moments that shape outcomes for your career - feedback, difficult conversations, shifting priorities, skill building, leadership transitions, and the day-to-day decisions that define how you show up. With memory, context, and continuity, Blomma helps you communicate more clearly, build stronger habits, and turn self-awareness into real progress. The kind of coaching once reserved for executives is now accessible to everyone. Try it at blomma.com and let me know what you think! I'm so proud of what Silvia Oviedo Lopez, Justin Su, Mike Cavaliere, Todd German, Angela Chu, Lauren Michaels, Pia von Strasser, LPCC, Alexandra Nikolajev, and I have built together. I’m excited for people to experience it. I’m also incredibly grateful for the invaluable support we’ve received from Viviana Faga, Peter Deng, and the amazing team at Felicis. And lastly, to my wife - and forever coach - Caru Jones, thank you for always encouraging me to pursue my dreams, and for pushing me to be the best version of myself.

There's a moment that happens in almost every scaling company. A manager has a difficult conversation to have. They've known about it for two weeks. They've been putting it off. The anxiety is real. The default is loud. And the easiest thing, the thing every instinct is pointing toward, is to delay it one more time. That moment, right there, is where performance is won or lost. Not in a workshop. Not in a coaching session booked for next Thursday. Right there. In that moment. When the behaviour is live and the stakes are real. Traditional development isn't designed for that moment. It's designed for scheduled sessions in calm environments, removed from the pressure and the stakes and the specific context where the behaviour actually has to change. And so the moment passes. The default wins. The conversation doesn't happen. And the cost compounds. Perform is designed for that moment. Same-day coaching means support is available when the behaviour is live. Before the conversation, not after it. Before the default kicks in, not in reflection once it has. The manager who gets support at that moment doesn't just gain insight. They have a different experience of their own behaviour. They find out what it feels like to hold the line. To have the conversation. To own the decision. And that experience, repeated in real moments rather than rehearsed in calm ones, is what builds the new default. Not theory. Not awareness. A different experience of actually doing the thing. That's how behaviour changes. That's what same-day coaching inside Perform produces. And it's the difference between development that sounds right in a room and development that actually holds under pressure.

Coach Diaries#2 If “people” are truly the force that keeps the mothership afloat, then the next thought is not about declaring it louder—it’s about making it undeniable through lived experience. Employees don’t infer intent from values statements; they infer it from patterns. What gets rewarded, what gets tolerated, and what gets quietly ignored tells the real story. So, the question shifts slightly: it is not just why people matter in business growth, but how visibly and consistently that belief shows up in everyday decisions. When people feel like the focal point, three things tend to be true at the same time: 1. Trade-offs are transparent—and human-conscious. Growth decisions inevitably create tension: speed vs. sustainability, profit vs. well-being, innovation vs. stability. In people-centric organisations, leaders don’t pretend these tensions don’t exist. They name them, explain them, and make decisions in ways that show people are not expendable variables. Even when outcomes are tough, clarity builds trust. 2. Power is shared, not staged. “Empowerment” often lives in language but not in structure. Real belief in people shows up when decision-making authority is meaningfully distributed, not just symbolically delegated. When individuals see their judgment shaping outcomes—not just executing someone else’s vision—they begin to internalise ownership of growth itself. 3. Feedback flows upward without penalty. Psychological safety is not created by workshops; it is revealed in moments of disagreement. If challenging a senior voice carries risk, people quickly learn that “being heard” has limits. Cultures that truly centre people make dissent productive, not dangerous. 4. Growth includes the individual, not just the enterprise. If the organisation is scaling but individuals feel stagnant or depleted, the message is clear. Investing in people means aligning business growth with personal growth—skills, autonomy, purpose—not just output. Otherwise, “people-first” becomes “people-utilised.” 5. Consistency outweighs charisma. In many organisations, belief in people depends on which leader you report to. That inconsistency erodes trust faster than any bold vision can rebuild it. A people-centric culture is systemic—it survives leadership styles, not just inspirational ones. Ultimately, what makes thinking about people so critical is not sentiment—it is leverage. Strategy, innovation, and resilience all compound through people. But they only do so when people believe they are participants in growth, not instruments of it. So perhaps the sharper question becomes: Where, in the daily mechanics of the business, can people clearly see that they are not just supporting growth—but that growth is being built with and for them?