Do You Need Help in a Life Crisis?

She came to me distraught, sleepless, not eating.  This had been going on for weeks.  She didn’t know where to turn.

Are you struggling?

Are you struggling with a similar situation?  Something troubling you and you don’t see a way to solve the problem?  It’s overwhelming and too messy to even talk about?  Well, stay hopeful and keep reading, please.

Ann’s story

“Ann” (not her real name) was experiencing a Crisis.  She had managed this business for ten years.  The business grew by referral because of the excellent service customers received as a result of the high standards Ann had set for her staff.  Ann was proud and pleased.  She enjoyed her work, her staff and the customers.  Ann had been given a free hand to manage this business by “Bob”, the new owner, and earned that trust with hard work and excellent results.  Ann was happy and satisfied until…

Bob’s daughter, “Sally”, came to work.  Sally was to be treated as just another employee.  All was good until Ann started to receive complaints about Sally’s behavior.  She was overcharging customers and lying on her time sheets.  When the first complaint arose, it seemed reasonable to assume that Sally had made an honest mistake.  Ann worked with the customers and made them happy.  But then the complaints came more frequently and the other staff members starting coming to Ann with similar stories of Sally’s apparently deliberate misdeeds.

Ann had no choice but to address the problem with Sally and then report the issue to Bob.  Both denied there was a problem.  Ann didn’t know what to do.  The job she loved was being threatened.  The rest of the staff was talking about leaving.  Some customers had left and would not return. Hence, the sleepless nights and worry-filled days. 

What could she do?

With her extensive list of contacts, Ann found me and I agreed to help coach her through her Crisis.  We spoke on the telephone.  Our first sessions were filled with Ann explaining what was happening.  The details just seemed overwhelming and she didn’t see any solution.  She needed this job and had worked hard to build the business.  I listened and asked questions to help Ann clarify her thoughts.

As we were beginning to sort out the issues in Ann’s Crisis, things went from bad to worse.  Bob announced that Sally would become the new managing owner—Sally was now Ann’s boss.

How did the Coach help?

Ann was frantic!  What could she do?  As we worked through the situation together, Ann started to find some comfort in making progress on the problem.

 What did we do?  Well, our coaching centered on finding some specific actions that Ann could take.  Within two months, Ann made her best efforts to address the problem with Bob and with Sally.  When she realized Sally was going to continue to act in an unethical manner with Bob’s approval, Ann reclaimed her own power.  She sought and found a new job that paid more, involved fewer hours and gave her more freedom!  Ann couldn’t have been happier! Before she left, she used her contacts to help her staff find employment and then, with adequate notice of her intent, she left the business she had loved and worked so hard to build.  Within three months of Ann’s departure, the business closed for good.

Coaching helped Ann find solutions she could live with.   She regained her power and some control over a situation that had become unbearable.  She identified her core values and sought solutions that were aligned with those values.  Today, she looks back and knows she handled a very difficult situation professionally and while honoring her own standards and values.

What can I do?

What can you do if you find yourself in a Life Crisis?  The following steps may help:

Determine where you are giving up your own power.  Who is controlling you and/or the situation?

Identify your core values.  What is important to you to salvage from the situation?  What do you need to know about yourself that will make you able to face yourself in the mirror each morning? 

Identify possible options available to you.  Which ones align with your values?

What is a Coach?

A Coach may be a huge help to you in this process.  Coaches are specially trained experts who work with Clients one on one to help the Client connect with their own power and live a richer, fuller and more satisfying life.  Most Coaching takes place over the phone and the Coaching relationship can last just a short while or up to a year or longer.

Coaching sessions usually last 30 minutes each and take place about once a week.  During a Crisis, that time may intensify.  A Coach can serve as an advocate, cheerleader, sounding board, accountability expert, and a fresh perspective.  Coaches use their training to provide whatever type of support the Client needs and wants.  Coaching is all about the Client!

If you have a problem that you just can’t seem to solve on your own, perhaps a Coach could help guide you to a solution.  Most professional Coaches, including me, will offer a free sample session to anyone who inquires.  Through the sample session, the potential Client can experience what Coaching is and then decide whether Coaching should be part of their life. Why not try it today?

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Susan O'Rourke is a Personal and Life Coach specializing in helping Crisis Clients find their power and their options for moving out of Crisis. She also coaches Business Owners and Drivers to find the power in their “loneliness at the top”. Call her for a free sample Coaching Session. She is also available to speak at your next meeting or function.

 

 

For a free coaching session, please contact me:

Susan O’Rourke, C.P.C.C.
Emerald Coaching
Phone: 309.287.1209
Email: EmeraldCoaching@aol.com