Coaching Chronicles: Raghavan Veera

Author: Team xMonks | Published on: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 15:39:16 +0000

About The Interviewee: Raghavan Veera

Raghavan is a passionate people person who is actively involved in training and coaching individuals and groups. After 15 years in Investment Banking Operations, he has taken the plunge to pursue his interests in people development, coaching, leadership, and management. As an enthusiastic social scientist, Raghavan has been devising solutions to help individuals blend their career aspirations and personal goals, enabling them with tools to achieve a more meaningful way of leading a positive life.

He specializes in training a diverse set of groups from both academic and corporate worlds. Raghavan provides targeted skill enhancement training for students from multiple disciplines, boosting their confidence during placements. For organizations, he collaborates in providing Leadership Training Workshops, Thought Leadership, and Executive Coaching. He works with leaders and organizations that yearn for a more meaningful and impactful way of working, communicating, and leading!

Coming from a high-profile investment career that includes being a Vice President at Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, Raghavan made a call to become a coach. Let's see how this journey has been for him.

Raghavan's Journey from Investment Banker to Coach

Transitioning from Investment Banking to Coaching

Raghavan's professional journey spans 17 years in the investment banking industry, a career he describes as more by chance than by choice. He started in 2005, working with Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank, rising through the ranks and taking on increasing responsibilities. However, over time, he realized he needed something more fulfilling. He recognized his passion for people development and decided to pursue training and coaching.

He shares his experience of transitioning to coaching from investment banking. He highlights the structured nature of his former career, the pressures of being a leader and vice president, and the importance of numbers in the industry. He contrasts this with the unstructured world of coaching, where the focus is on people and their development.

The Importance of Certification

Raghavan discusses the role of certification in his journey. He emphasizes how the Erickson certification program helped him gain a deeper understanding of coaching and its principles. He credits the certification with building his confidence in approaching clients and presenting himself as a credentialed coach.

Training vs. Coaching

He elaborates on the differences between training and coaching, highlighting the key distinction that coaching is more about empowering the individual to co-create solutions rather than providing pre-defined answers. Raghavan emphasizes the importance of understanding the client's readiness for co-creation and tailoring the approach accordingly.

The Shift in Mindset

Raghavan talks about the shift in mindset required to move from a training session to a coaching session. He acknowledges that he is on a continuous journey of development, focusing on building awareness and holding space for his clients rather than offering solutions. He emphasizes the importance of creating an environment where the client is at the center of the conversation and feels empowered to find their own solutions.

Exposing his Human Side

He addresses the question of whether being a coach who focuses on solutions prevents him from exploring his human side. He emphasizes that he believes in a human-to-human approach, encouraging his clients to see him as an equal partner in their journey. He shares that he finds his own awareness growing through his coaching experiences, recognizing the diversity of human experiences and perspectives.

The Power of Self-Awareness

Raghavan shares a powerful personal experience that led to a significant shift in his self-awareness. He highlights a quote from his coach certification program that emphasized the importance of building self-awareness for achieving better results. He credits this guidance with leading him to reflect on his behaviors and recognize the root cause of certain reactions. He describes how this realization has helped him become more present and conscious in his interactions, allowing him to approach situations with greater understanding and compassion.

The Importance of Being Present

He discusses the importance of being present in coaching conversations, sharing his experience of how he has become more mindful of distractions and focused on the client's needs. He believes that being present in the moment allows him to truly connect with his clients and facilitate their growth.

Balancing Patience and Tracking Success

Raghavan shares how he balances patience with tracking success. He emphasizes the importance of creating space for himself before each session to ground himself and be fully present for the client. He focuses on acknowledging the client's achievements and celebrating their progress. However, he recognizes that success is a journey and allows his clients the space to follow their own pace.

Key Elements of Raghavan's Coaching Style

He outlines the key elements of his coaching style, highlighting the importance of active listening and presence. He shares his efforts to integrate coaching tools into his cognitive process, ensuring that he can seamlessly apply them in his sessions. He emphasizes that he is constantly striving to develop his skills and become a more effective coach.

A Message for Aspiring Coaches

Finally, Raghavan shares a message for those aspiring to become coaches. He encourages them to embrace the challenges and rewards of this path, emphasizing the importance of self-reflection and growth. He reminds them that coaching is not only about helping others but also about embarking on a personal journey of transformation and development.