Luxembourg-based executive coach and leadership trainer Jill Saville is one of the presenters at a full-day workshop, “Communication from different perspectives: physical, emotional intelligence and leadership”, to be held in May. She spoke with Delano about the training session, the coaching profession, and about what keeps her motivated.
AG: What do you want people to get out of your communications day workshop?
JS: As a coach I ask questions for a living, to challenge the way people think. I want people to go away from our workshop thinking differently, even by only one different thought.
I am passionate about people developing themselves in order to get what they want in life and to do that, leadership is critical, first of yourself then others.
Leadership is influence; to influence you need to connect; and to connect you need to communicate.
This first workshop focuses on leadership through communication and it will inspire people to work outside their comfort zones and reach for the next level.
AG: What is an example that you’ve personally seen of people using these skills to advance their career?
JS: More and more it is the leaders who are skilled in relationships who are progressing in great companies, rather than those with a more command and control style. Think of any inspirational leader and they will be good with people.
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is seen today as more important that IQ in a leader and more companies are putting emphasis on it. Research shows that EQ is strongly linked to successful performance in the workplace.
Our ability to better communicate, think strategically, develop relationships, guide others and motivate our teams or environments depend on how we manage and use our emotions.
AG: You were elected president of the International Coach Federation on April 28. What do you hope to achieve during your three year mandate?
JS: I want to build trust in the coaching profession and save organisations time, especially smaller ones.
At the moment, there are few people who understand what coaching is and organisations are spending valuable resources trying to assess the proficiency of a coach themselves. Who knows the proficiency of a lawyer, an accountant, a doctor better than other more senior lawyers, doctors and accountants? It is the same for coaching and the ICF credentialing process is rigorous.
Within the next three years, I see the ICF and the European Mentoring & Coaching Council becoming respected as industry standards here in Luxembourg as they are in other countries.
AG: What books have you read this year that you’d recommend?
JS: I read a lot of books and particularly like stories about inspirational people like Nick Vujicic’s Life without limits and Malala Yousafzai’s I am Malala.
When I am losing motivation and the voice in my head is making excuses--‘it’s not the right time’, ‘I don’t have enough x, y or z’ or ‘the economy is flat’--I think of these people who face incredible obstacles to make a difference--Nick, no arms and no legs or Malala, shot for wanting to educate girls in Pakistan--and it makes me get on with it!