Beyond the Resume: Hiring with Curiosity, Not Just Criteria

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The real story isn’t in the CV – it’s in what you ask

 

Want better hires? Start asking better questions. Learn how to hire for potential, not polish – and move beyond keywords to real human connection. 

 

When the Resume Doesn’t Quite Add Up 

You’re reviewing applications for a new role. And you are in a quandary!

One candidate has the right skills – but a two-year career gap. 

Another made a sideways move last year that doesn’t quite align. 

A third has no degree, but glowing endorsements and a portfolio full of grit. 

 

Do you shortlist them for an interview – or look past them?

 

For many hiring teams, the résumé is still the gatekeeper. It offers a quick, seemingly objective way to narrow down a pile of names into a shortlist of contenders. 

It’s familiar. 

It’s efficient. 

And… It’s flawed. 

 

Let me explain…

 

Not every strength fits neatly on a sheet of paper. 

 

A résumé can tell you where someone has worked, but not how they think. It lists qualifications, not character. And it rarely captures the experiences that shape resilience, creativity, or emotional intelligence – the very traits that often matter most in fast-moving, people-first environments. 

 

In this age of automation, it’s especially tempting to let AI or keyword-matching software do the early work for you. But these tools are only as good as the assumptions they’re built on. And when those assumptions favour linear paths, traditional credentials, or uninterrupted timelines, you risk filtering out people with something even more valuable: perspective. 

 

And therefore, if you want to build a team that’s capable, curious, and equipped for the real world – you need to look beyond the résumé. 

Workplace mental health is finally getting the attention it deserves. But not all experiences of stress, burnout, or emotional strain are the same – especially for those carrying an invisible load.

 

Why Resumes Still Rule (and Why That’s a Problem)

Many hiring processes still begin – and end – with the résumé. It’s the quickest way to scan for experience, shortlist candidates, and keep the process moving. In time-poor environments, it’s no surprise that a well-formatted CV or an optimised LinkedIn profile gets a foot in the door. 

 

But speed doesn’t quite equal insight. 

 

While a polished résumé might reflect access to coaching, privilege, or a career path that followed a predictable arc, it may not fully reflect potential, values, or how someone handles complexity. And when you rely too heavily on résumés – or the tech that scans them – you risk missing exactly those things.

 

Add AI and automation into the mix, and this gap can widen. Keyword-matching software and algorithm-driven shortlists promise efficiency. But these tools are trained on past data – often replicating existing biases. That means candidates with non-traditional career paths, career breaks, or culturally different ways of expressing achievement might never make it past the first filter. 

 

Your brief may be to hire a diverse team. But look at the systems you rely on, because they could be rewarding sameness.  

 

Speed helps you filter quickly – but it won’t help you understand deeply.

A resume might check the boxes, but insight lives in the story behind it. 

 

When hiring becomes a box-ticking exercise, you overlook the human behind the application – and all the experiences that don’t fit neatly in a dropdown menu. 

What Resumes Don’t Tell You

Résumés are designed to shine a spotlight on the highlights of one’s professional journey. It favours job titles, achievements and certifications, all distilled into bullet points. But real careers aren’t bullet points. They’re stories. And the most meaningful parts often don’t make it on to the page.

 

What gets left out?

 

Resilience: The CV might show a two-year gap. It won’t show the grit it took to care for a sick parent, survive a redundancy, or restart after a burnout. 

 

Emotional intelligence: Empathy, self-awareness and team dynamics don’t come with a certificate – but they’re critical to culture and performance. 

 

Adaptability: A “career pivot” might look inconsistent on paper. In practice, it can reflect learning agility, courage, and a growth mindset. 

 

Values alignment: résumés tell you what someone has done – not why. And that “why” often speaks volumes about motivation and integrity. 

 

Cultural contribution: Hiring for “fit” can reinforce bias. Looking for what a candidate could add to your culture – through lived experience or perspective – is far more powerful. 

 

A résumé gives you a list of milestones. It rarely shows what shaped someone along the way. and that’s where the real value often lives. 

 

Ask, Don’t Assume 

A two-year career break that might have seemed like a red flag – it doesn’t always mean the candidate lost momentum. A sideways move doesn’t imply a lack of ambition. Lack of industry experience doesn’t mean they won’t deliver in the role. 

 

But you won’t know that if you don’t ask.

 

Too often, we’re guilty of making assumptions on what’s missing – or unfamiliar – on a résumé. But the gaps and pivots often carry the richest insight: about what someone values, what they’ve overcome, and how they operate under pressure. 

 

This is where human conversations make all the difference.

 

Instead of scanning for red flags or attempting to fill in the blanks yourself, ask:

  • “Tell me about this time you chose to leave this role / take a break / try something new. What drove that decision. What did that experience give you”
  • “What’s a choice you made in your work life that helped you grow – even if it wasn’t obvious on paper?”
  • “What would a team member from your last team say you brought to the culture?”

 

Questions like this go beyond competence – they open the door to context, character, and clarity. 

 

Curiosity isn’t soft. It’s strategic. And when well directed, it can surface the kind of qualities no keyword scan will ever catch. 

 

Hire or Trajectory, Not Just History

A standout résumé might show steady progress, recognisable job titles, and years of experience. But none of that guarantees the person behind it will thrive in your team, your culture, or your challenges.

Past success doesn’t always predict future impact – especially in roles that demand empathy, learning agility, or cross-functional thinking. 

That’s why it pays to hire for trajectory – not just history. 

| Trajectory is about where someone is headed, how they think, and what they’re building in themselves. |

It shows up in candidates who:

  • Taught themselves new skills during a career break
  • Changed industries to align with purpose
  • Tool roles outside their comfort zone to grow
  • Stepped back temporarily for health, family, or reflection – and returned more focused. 

These aren’t liabilities. They’re signs of resilience, clarity and maturity. 

One of the most powerful shifts a hiring team can make is to stop asking, “Do they tick every box?” and start asking “Are they growing in a direction that matches where we’re headed?”

More than following a candidate’s path, you need to recognise their momentum and how it lines up with your mission. 

Practical Ways to Look Beyond the Résumé

It’s one thing to say, “hire with curiosity”. It’s quite another to build hiring processes that actually make space for it. 

If you want to spot potential – not just pedigree – you need to change how you attract, assess and engage candidates. 

Here’s where you can start:

  • Rewrite job ads to focus on impact, not checklists.

Instead of “5+ years in a similar role”, ask for “experience with improving systems or solving challenges in messy, high-stakes environments”. You’ll attract a broader range of candidates – and encourage self-selection based on capability, not just credentials.

  • Train hiring managers to spot potential. 

Curiosity and growth mindset doesn’t always come across in a traditional interview. Equip interviewers to ask deeper questions and probe for adaptability, values and willingness to learn. 

  • Use structured interviews – but leave room for stories.

Consistent questions are essential because they reduce bias. But make sure you make time for conversation. Leave space for candidates to explain gaps, pivots, or motivations in their own words. 

  • Run a dual-track screening process

Even if your workflow now uses AI, include a human review to balance your process. Create checkpoints where people – not algorithms – make the call on nuance, non-linear paths, or unique strengths. 

  • Reward potential internally, as well

The need to fill positions doesn’t always mean you have to hire new talent. It’s equally an opportunity for you to recognise the value of your existing employees whose résumés may have changed in ways that might not show up. Promote on trajectory, not tenure alone. 

When your hiring process is built to hear people – not just sort them – you get better candidates and you build a better culture.

 

Try this:

Next time you’re hiring for an operations or coordination role, you could skip the degree requirement and drop the “5+ years in corporate environments”. 

Instead ask for real-world experiences:

“Have you improved a process, managed competing priorities, or worked across teams – paid or unpaid?”

You might hear from a candidate who has led logistics at a community food bank or organised national events as a volunteer. 

Not traditional experience – but high-impact all the same. 

The results may surprise you.

 

The Resume is a Starting Point – Not a Verdict

Hiring isn’t just about filling a role. It’s about shaping the workplace you want to build and grow. 

If you continue to prioritise clean career paths, polished formatting, and keyword-perfect application, you’ll keep hiring the same kinds of people – and wonder why your teams lack perspective, fresh ideas or resilience. 

The truth is, the best candidates don’t often tick every box. 

They’ve taken detours. Started over. Built skills outside the system. 

They’ve learned from life – not just from jobs. 

So ask yourself:

| Are we hiring for pedigree, or for potential?

| Are we screening for sameness, or searching for substance?

Because when you choose: 

  • curiosity over criteria, 
  • potential over polish,
  • depth over data points

you build a workplace that’s smarter, stronger and more human.  

 

To learn more about how Blue Kite can help to make your interviewing process more meaningful, get in touch with Catie Paterson Blue Kite  today. 

 

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The Invisible Load: Understanding the Mental Health of Underrepresented Employees

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Why workpalce mental health must include lived experience, not just policies. 

Mental health support isn’t a one-size-fits-all. Here’s how to recognise and reduce the invisible load many employees carry every day. 

 

What We Don’t See Still Hurts

Workplace mental health is finally getting the attention it deserves. But not all experiences of stress, burnout, or emotional strain are the same – especially for those carrying an invisible load.

 

For many underrepresented employees, mental health at work isn’t just about deadlines, workloads or performance pressure. It’s about navigating daily experiences of exclusion, microaggressions, and being the “only one” in the room. The moments may often be subtle – but over time, they add up. And they take a toll. 

 

We talk about creating inclusive workplaces. We talk about supporting employee wellbeing. But too often, these conversations happen in silos. Inclusion and mental health are still treated as separate priorities – when in reality, they’re deeply connected. 

 

If you want to build a truly psychologically safe and equitable organisation, you need to understand the invisible barriers that affect the mental health of underrepresented employees. 

 

Reading through this article, you will understand:

  • How identity and wellbeing intersect at work
  • The emotional labour many carry in predominantly white or male spaces
  • Why traditional mental health support often misses the mark for minority groups
  • What leaders, HR and DEI teams can do to create real change

Because the burden isn’t shared equally – but the responsibility to chnage things should be. 

 

Identity and Mental Health Are Deeply Interwined

Mental health isn’t experienced in a vacuum. It’s shaped by culture, environment, and – crucially – identity. 

 

In Australian workplaces, that identity might mean being the only First Nations employee in a team. It might also mean being a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) worker, navigating conversations and systems that don’t reflect your background or lived experience. Or it could mean being a queer employee in a workplace where “fitting in” often defaults to heteronormative assumptions.

 

Each of these identities carry what psychologists call “minority stress”: the chronic pressure of navigating a workplace where you may be different, visible, and expected to self-monitor at all times. 

 

Underrepresented employes – including First Nations peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse workers, and those from the LGBTQIA+ community – often face barriers to mental health support. 

 

For some, it’s the feeling that mainstream services weren’t built with them in mind. For others, it’s the subtle but exhausting task of code-switching or being left out of informal conversations. Even accessing help can be a challenge. For example, only 12% of government-funded mental health websites in Australia offer information in languages other than English. 

 

And then there’s stigma. In many communities, mental health is still treated as something to be kept quiet. Something that signals weakness. Something that might cost you credibility or connection. So people stay silent – not because they’re coping, but because they’ve learned it’s safer that way. 

 

But the invisible strain doesn’t just stay inside. It shows up in performance, in engagement, in energy. And the more someone feels like they have to ‘edit’ themselves just to get through the day, the more it drains their mental health. 

What it Takes to Show Up when You Stand Out 

When you constantly have to filter how you speak, dress, or react – just to fit in – it’s more than uncomfortable. It. Is. Exhausting.

 

And for many underrepresented employees, this filtering happens all day, every day. 

 

They’re not just thinking about the work. They’re managing how they’re perceived. Checking that a comment won’t confirm a stereotype. Deciding if today is a “safe” day to bring their full self to the team meeting. Wondering whether that joke at lunchtime was harmless or a warning sign. It’s all part of what’s called emotional labour – and it’s rarely recognised, let alone supported. 

 

For example:

A woman of colour in a male-dominated tech team prepares for a client meeting. She’s not just rehearsing the project details – she’s anticipating how to present authority without being seen as aggressive. She’s planning her tone, her word choice, and even how much eye contact to make.

 

All of that is emotional labour. And it’s being done and felt even before the meeting starts. 

 

Or, consider a First Nations employee expected to weigh in during National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week planning. 

The assumption? They’ll represent the entire culture.

The reality? They may feel conflicted, exposed, or tokenised – but they also struggle to express themselves or say no. Because saying no might be misunderstood. 

 

This kind of labour – navigating identity dynamics on top of job performance – is mentally and emotionally taxing. And because it often goes unseen, the pressure can quietly compound over time. 

 

The true cost:

  • Energy and focus, especially in high-stakes or group settings
  • Confidence to speak up, question, or challenge decisions
  • A sense of authenticity – feeling known, not just present 
  • Long-term retention: because when culture feels like work, people eventually walk

 

Too often, workplaces value “cultural fit” without examining the culture people are being asked to fit into. 

 

That’s not inclusion. It’s assimilation.

And it leaves many employees quietly wondering:

| What does it really cost to show up every day – as yourself – in a place that still expects you to blend in?

 

Microagrressions, Exclusion and the Daily Toll

Not every harm at work comes with raised voices or bold gestures. 

 

Sometimes, it’s a joke that lands wrong but no one corrects. 

Sometimes, it’s being consistently talked over in meetings. 

Sometimes, it’s being left off the invite list – or always having to educate others on “diversity things”.

 

These are microaggressions: subtle, often unintentional slights or dismissals based on someone’s identity. And while each moment might seem small, their impact over time is anything but. 

 

Here are just a few examples of how microaggressions show up in everyday conversations:

“You speak English so well!”

“You’re so articulate – for someone your age.”

“I don’t see colour – I just see people.”

“Let’s not get political in this meeting.” (when a staff member discusses a lived experience)

 

None of these comments are inherently violent. But when heard repeatedly, they reinforce a message: You’re not really one of us. And that message doesn’t just bruise, it isolates. 

 

Employees on the receiving end of these, sometimes, daily slights often learn to brace themselves before walking into a room. To anticipate discomfort. To spend extra energy managing the environment instead of focussing on their work. 

 

That’s not resilience. Its survival.

And exclusion is not limited to just words that are spoken. It also shows up in:

  • Being left out of key projects or social gatherings
  • Not being offered the same mentorship or challenging, visibility-building opportunities
  • Feeling invisible during celebrations, or hyper-visible during cultural “moments”

 

What’s most harmful about exclusion is that it can be so easy to deny. It’s soft around the edges. You can’t always point to a policy or a moment and say: Here’s where I was made to feel like I didn’t belong. 

 

But over time, the result is loud:

  • Disengagement 
  • Mental and emotional withdrawal
  • High turnover, especially among early-career professionals from marginalised backgrounds.

 

When people feel excluded:

  • they don’t speak up
  • they don’t innovate
  • they don’t stay.

 

And no wellbeing strategy can be successful if the work culture keeps people in quiet defence mode. 

 

What Inclusive Mental Health Support Actually Looks Like to avoid

Mental health support is only effective when people feel safe enough to use it. 

 

Too often, organisations tick the box with an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and assume that’s enough. But for many underrepresented employees, accessing that support isn’t so simple. 

 

Maybe they’ve had past experiences where “confidential” didn’t feel confidential.

Maybe the counsellor didn’t understand their cultural background, their family expectations, or the kind of workplace pressure they’re under. 

Maybe they just don’t want to explain racism, homophobia, or class anxiety before they can even start getting help. 

 

Inclusive support means recognissong these barriers – and designing for them. 

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

 

Culturally competent care: Mental health professionals who understand, or are trained in, the unique stressors tied to identity – whether that’s racial trauma, intergenerational pressure, or navigating bias at work. Ideally, employees should have the option to choose a practitioner who shares or understands their lived experience. 

 

Peer support and affinity spaces: Sometimes, the most powerful support isn’t formal. It’s a space to exhale amongst people who just get it. Peer groups – whether organised by culture, gender, or shared experience – can reduce isolation and offer an informal circuit-breaker when things get heavy. 

Normalising mental health conversations: Train those in positions of power and with the ability to influence other employees to talk about mental health. Not just during an “R U OK? Day”, but regularly and openly. This signals that vulnerability won’t be punished. When a team hears their manager say, “I’ve had days when I wasn’t okay”, it shifts what’s considered acceptable. 

Making support part of the culture – not just the crisis plan: Too often, support only kicks in after an employee is burnt out, breaking down, or leaving. Inclusive mental health care means making wellbeing an intrinsic part of policies, team rhythms, onboarding, and how managers lead – so no one has to hit a breaking point before help appears. 

 

Because when people feel safe being seen, they’re far more likely to seek support before they’re overwhelmed. 

 

 

What Leaders and Businesses Can Do Differently

The invisible load isn’t something you can measure in KPIs. But it shows up – loudly – in turnover, burnout and disengagement. 

 

And while the burden often falls on individuals, the responsibility for change sits squarely with organisations. 

 

So, beyond good intentions, what can leaders, HR and DEI teams do?

 

Start by listening – genuinely

Move past the survey and into real, ongoing conversations. Not just with “safe” voices, but with employees whose experiences may challenge the dominant narrative. Create multiple, accessible channels for feedback, and act on what you hear.

 

Rethink your policies; make them inclusive

Who do your policies protect? Who do they exclude? Flexible work, bereavement leave, cultural calendar recognition aren’t perks. Rather think of them as signals of whose lives are valued. Involve underrepresented voices in shaping policy, not just reviewing it after the fact. 

 

Make inclusion part of how you lead

While it’s important to train leaders on compliance, they also need training on empathy, bias awareness, and how to create psychologically safe teams. If someone’s managing people, they’re automatically managing mental health – whether they realise it or not. 

 

Audit your systems for hidden inequities

Are the same employees being chosen for growth opportunities or career-building assignments? Are promotion panels diverse? Are exit interviews bringing up cultural safety concerns?

Systems shape experience. Review them as rigorously as you would any business process. 

 

Don’t wait for culture to fix itself – model it

Culture isn’t what’s written on your values wall. It’s what people feel safe saying (or not saying) in a team meeting. It’s how often those in positions of leadership and responsibility say “I don’t know”, or “Thank you for sharing that”. Inclusion is built in the micro-moments.

 

Because when we reduce the hidden cost of showing up, we increase the chance that people will stay, grow, and thrive – exactly as they are. 

 

You Can’t Fix What You Don’t Acknowledge

If someone tells you they feel invisible at work, believe them. 

 

If someone tells you they feel exhausted from being “the only one” in the room, listen.

 

Because the invisible load isn’t just about identity – it’s about impact. And ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. On the contrary, it becomes almost impossible for people to stay. 

 

This work – building truly inclusive, mentally healthy workplaces – isn’t quick, and it’s definitely not comfortable. It asks for humility. It asks for curiosity. And most of all, it asks for consistency. 

 

But here’s what’s also true: it makes your workplace stronger. More creative. More trustworthy. More human. 

 

So start the conversations. Listen. Keep them going.  

Challenge what’s “normal”.

Reevaluate what “safe” means. 

Make space where silence used to be. 

 

Because when people feel safe being seen, they don’t just survive at work – they lead, they thrive, and they help others rise too. 

 

To learn more about how Blue Kite can help to make mental health conversations happen everday in the workpalce  get in touch with Catie Paterson Blue Kite  today. 

 

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How to Talk About Mental Health at Work – Without Making it Awkward

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Mental health belongs at work.

 

Here’s how you can speak up, listen well and build a more supportive workplace.

 

Struggling to start the mental health conversation at work? Learn how to open up, support colleagues and create a culture where honesty is safe. 

 

Why Mental Health Still Feels Hard to Talk About at Work  

You’re in a one-on-one with your manager, and they ask, “How are you doing?”

You pause. 

You could say: “Honestly? I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately – my motivation’s dipping, my sleep’s off, and I’m running on fumes.”

Instead, you smile and say:

“Good! Busy, but all good.”

Even today – with everything we know about mental health, burnout, and the pressure modern work can place on people – these conversations still feel tricky. We know they matter. We just don’t always know how to start them. 

We worry about oversharing. About coming across as unprofessional. About being judged, met with award silence or worse, unhelpful advice. 

But, avoiding mental health conversations at work doesn’t protect professionalism, it protects stigma.

In this blog article, we’ll explore how to make mental health conversations at work feel less intimidating – and more human. You’ll find:

  • Way to open up without oversharing
  • Tips for responding to a colleague in distress
  • Guidance on how to respond supportively, not awkwardly
  • And why normalizing the phrase “I’m not okay” is one of the most powerful things a team can do.  

Let’s talk about how to talk – without making it weird. 

Because when we sidestep these conversations, we quietly maintain the status quo and quietly reinforce the idea that mental health conversations are off-limits. 

 

And silence, especially at work, is never neutral. 

Silence is Not Neutral – How Avoiding the Conversation Fuels Stigma

You notice a colleague has gone quiet. They’re missing calls, staying off camera, not quite themselves. You wonder if something’s up – but you hesitate. You don’t want to overstep. You tell yourself maybe it’s a busy week. Maybe it’s personal. Maybe some else will check in. 

So, you say nothing. 

This is a relatable and familiar moment for many. And a risky one. Because when mental health is not addressed, or even acknowledged, the silence doesn’t just fill the gap. It sends a message: This isn’t something we talk about here. 

And the cost of that silence is real.

According to the World Health Organisation, 15% of working-age adults are living with a mental health condition at any given time. In Australis, mental ill-health is one of the leading causes of long-term work absence and reduced productivity. 

Yet in many workplaces, it remains invisible – unspoken, unsupported, and misunderstood. 

The result?

  • Managers miss the early signs of burnout of distress. 
  • People mask how they’re really doing to protect their reputation.
  • Teams lose the trust that comes from honesty, empathy and connection. 

Creating a mentally healthy workplace doesn’t require big, dramatic conversations. It starts with making space for small, honest ones. 

Silence might feel easier, more comfortable. But it quietly shapes the culture – and not for the better.  

 

How to Open Up About Your Own Mental Health – Without Oversharing 

Creating a culture that supports mental health starts with moments of honesty. And sometimes, that moment begins with you. 

Speaking up about your own mental health doesn’t mean sharing everything. It means sharing something – clearly, appropriately, and in a way that invites support rather than sympathy.

You don’t have to explain your history or disclose a diagnosis. You are in full control of the personal information you wish to share. You can name what you’re feeling and detail the support you need, while still keeping personal boundaries intact. 

 

Here are a few ways to open up at work without oversharing:

  • “I’ve been feeling stretched a little thin this week, and it’s affecting my concentration.”
  • “I’m managing alright, but I’ve been under pressure outside work and it’s weighing on me.”
  • “I could use a little flexibility today – my energy’s a bit low.”

Each of these statements is grounded, respectful, and honest. They signal where you’re at without explicitly giving reasons for why you’re there. 

If you’re unsure where the line is, try this rule of thumb:

|| Share what’s relevant, not what’s raw. ||

 

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Let’s say you’re supporting a sick parent and it’s taking a toll. 

Instead of saying,

“I’ve been up all night worrying about my dad’s treatment. I haven’t slept. I’m barely coping, and I feel like I’m falling apart.”

You could say:

“I’ve had a lot going on personally, and it’s impacting my focus. I’m doing my best to stay on top of things, but I may need more flexibility over the next few days.”

It’s honest. It’s human. And it stays within professional bounds. 

Linking your experience to a workplace need – like more time, fewer meetings, or just a heads-up on bandwidth – keeps focus clear. It also models something powerful: that mental health is a valid, professional reason to speak up. 

Because when one person opens up, it often invites others to do the same.

That means you won’t always be the one speaking. Sometimes, you’ll be the one listening.  

Supporting a Colleague – Do’s and Don’ts of Responding Well 

Someone opens up to you at work. 

They say they’re overwhelmed. That they’re not sleeping. That something personal is making it hard to focus. 

Now what?

Even with the best intentions, many of us freeze in these moments. We panic about saying the wrong thing or asking an inappropriate question. We rush to offer solutions. Or we retreat into awkward silence.

But supporting a colleague doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means showing up with empathy, curiosity and care. And all this starts with listening. 

 

✅ Do: Hold space, don’t fill it 

You don’t need the perfect response. A simple “That sounds really tough – I’m glad you were able to share it with me” can be more powerful than any advice. 

Allow them to share at their own pace. Resist the urge to jump in, fix, or relate it back to your own experience. 

 

✅ Do: Ask what support would help – don’t assume 

Try:

| “Would it help to talk about ways we could ease the load this week?”

| “Is there anything I can do to support you right now?”

Sometimes just asking is the support your colleague might need. 

 

✅ Do: Respect boundaries – don’t push for details

If someone shares, that’s already a leap of trust. Don’t ask for more than they’re ready to give. Trust that what they’ve shared is enough.

But let them know that they can come to you if they need support, or just a sounding board. 

 

✅ Do: Follow-up – don’t drop the thread 

A quick check-in a few days later signals you meant what you said. It helps build safety and trust over time. 

| “Just wanted to check in – how are you doing this week?”

 

❌ What to avoid 

  • “Oh! Do you know what you should try… (Unsolicited advice can feel dismissive)
  • “Everyone’s stressed these days.” (Minimising language shuts people down.)
  • “At least it’s not as bad as…” (Comparing struggles helps no one)

Most people don’t expect you to be their therapist. They just want to feel seen, heard, and not judged. 

You don’t have to say the perfect thing. You just have to be there – to listen and to support. 

 

When these conversations are handled well, even in small moments – they start to change the culture. 

Because the goal isn’t just supporting one person. It’s building a culture where honesty isn’t risky – and where mental health conversations aren’t taboo. 

 

Creating a Culture Where “I’m Not Okay’ is Okay

To create a workplace where people feel safe to talk about mental health doesn’t require big workshops or major HR statements or announcements. It’s defined by day-to-day interactions – in how we respond, how we check in and what we make room for. 

🌟 It starts at the top 

When managers acknowledge their own limits, set boundaries around availability or say “I’ve been feeling off lately too”, they send a powerful signal: It’s ok to be human here. 

You can share only as much as you feel comfortable doing. But even simple behaviours – blocking time for mental breaks, skipping video for some call, excusing yourself from back-to-back meetings – can help normalise healthier rhythms.

🌟 Check-ins are normal, not a big deal 

You don’t need a crisis to ask how someone’s doing. A quick “You’ve seemed quiet – want to talk” or “How are you managing with your workload?” goes a long way. 

Over time these questions stop feeling awkward – and start feeling expected. 

🌟 There is room for real boundaries 

Encouraging people to take mental health days, setting norms around response times, and respecting breaks (including lunch!) helps build a workplace that prioritises recovery, not just resilience. 

🌟 Mental health isn’t treated like a weakness 

When someone takes time off for reasons of mental health – or works differently to manage it – they’re not seen as fragile or less capable. They’re supported with the same seriousness we’d apply to any health-related need. 

The goal isn’t to turn work into therapy. It’s to create a space where openly saying “I’m not okay” isn’t a risk – but a signal that support is available, and no one has to carry it alone. 

 

Small Conversations, Big Impact

Mental health conversations don’t need to be dramatic to make a difference. 

In fact, the most powerful shifts often start in small, quiet moments:

  • A team leader who shares they’re not 100%
  • A colleague who checks in without making it awkward
  • An employee who says “I could use a little support this week”

These are not grand gestures. They are culture-building moves. 

 

When we refer to mental health at work – clearly, respectfully and without fear – we make it easier for others to do the same. 

So, whether you’re speaking up, listening, or leading a team, remember this:

You don’t need the perfect words. You just need the courage to go first. 

Let’s make it normal to say, “I’m not okay” – and safe to hear it, too. 

 

To learn more about how Blue Kite can help to make mental health conversations ‘business as usual’, get in touch with Catie Paterson Blue Kite  today. 

 

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Zoom Fatigue at Work: How Video Calls are Draining Mental Health

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Zoom Fatigue: how Video Calls are draining Mental Health

 

The camera’s always on – but should we be?

 

Zoom fatigue is real, and it is hurting mental health. Learn why video calls drain us, and how to build healthier meeting habits at work. 

The Rise and Toll of endless Video Calls

 

It’s 9:00 am. You’ve just sat down at your workspace with a steaming mug of coffee, hoping for a slow start to the day. You log in to your emails, catch a glimpse at your calendar and realise it’s another day of ‘not meant to be’. It’s now 9:08 am and you’re already logging into your first video call of many. By the time you log off for the day, you’re more exhausted than if you’d run a marathon. 

And then you realise you have been in a marathon – a call marathon! You’ve spent your day toggling between Zoom, Teams, Google Meet. You’ve been greeting, smiling, nodding, adjusting your hair, muting, unmuting… Even the moments in between calls have been filled with the pings of notifications. 

And there you are, at the end of the day, making lists of tasks to complete and checking on what you have lined up for the next day. You’re mentally drained, emotionally disconnected, and increasingly stressed. 

 Sound familiar?

This all-too-familiar exhaustion comes not from demanding tasks, but because the medium through which you performed them was so relentlessly demanding. If you don’t already know, this modern malaise that many remote and hybrid workers silently ensure is known as Zoom fatigue.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, video calls were usually a novelty – a way for colleagues across locations to catch up and collaborate in a personal, visual way. A scheduled video call sparked excitement and genuine connection, often reserved for special projects, strategic sessions, or long-distance reunions. 

However, as the world shifted to working from home, a helpful tool transformed into a necessity. E-meetings became the new norm, almost as indispensable as meals. For companies embracing remote or hybrid models, Zoom and other video conferencing platforms worked to their advantage. Not just for collaboration, but also for tracking progress, assigning tasks and maintaining constant connectivity. They’ve gone from being occasional windows into distant offices to becoming the primary architecture of the workday, a change that has quietly reshaped how we experience work and how we feel about it.

This blog explores the evolution of video meetings – from novel innovation to necessity – and what happens when their overuse starts to chip away at our mental health. We’ll briefly examine the science behind video call fatigue, the subtle symptoms many overlook, and most importantly, the strategies that employees, managers, and organisations can adopt to rebuild a healthier, more human virtual workplace.

Because connection should energise us – not leave us running on empty.

So, what exactly is Zoom Fatigue – And Why Does it Happen? 

At first, it seems harmless, routine – another meeting, another grid of faces. But after your fourth call of the day, your brain starts to buzz, your attention wavers, you zone out… Let’s face it, most of us are physically present albeit with eyes glazed, but mentally we’re at a beach somewhere! And all this has a name: Zoom fatigue. 

Coined during the height of the pandemic, Zoom fatigue is the unique exhaustion that comes from prolonged and continuous use of video conferencing tools. Unlike phone calls or in-person meetings, video calls need continuous partial attention – forcing our brains to process multiple layers of information at once. 

Think about it. We’re trying to decode tone, facial expressions, chat messages, screen shares and body language. All of this while trying to manage how we ourselves appear on screen. And this sometimes goes on for hours. That’s a cognitive load we weren’t built to carry!

According to research from Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, four key factors make video calls especially draining:

 

1. Too much eye contact 

During video calls, we feel like we’re constantly under the scanner. In real life, the kind of sustained eye contact we have while on video calls would be unnatural and intense. In normal meetings, our gazes shift naturally. But in video calls everyone tends to look at everyone else all the time. This feeling of constantly being watched can be stressful and is similar to the anxiety of public speaking.

 

2. Seeing yourself constantly

Imagine using the time you spend in e-meetings to stare at yourself in the mirror. Daunting, right? This constant self-view is unnatural and can lead to self-criticism, negative emotions and increased stress. Research suggests that constantly seeing your reflection up close makes you more critical of yourself.

 

3. Limited movement 

In face-to-face meetings, people naturally move around and use gestures and body language to express themselves. All this helps with cognitive processing. However, in video meetings, we’re usually trying to be heard clearly and so we lean forward or sit stiffly, focussing more on getting our message across. This enforced stillness of video calls can affect cognitive processing and contribute to mental fatigue. 

 

4. Higher cognitive load

Effective communication relies on both verbal and non-verbal cues. In video calls, we have to work hard to send and receive non-verbal cues. We’ve all dealt with lag, poor lighting, blurry backgrounds etc. But what you may not understand is that our brains work overtime to fill in the gaps during these hindrances and we’re putting in a lot more mental effort.

When calls are then stacked without breaks or enough adequate breaks, we may feel like we’re being productive, but our mental energy is being depleted behind the scenes. 

The Mental Health Consequnces of Constant Video Meetings

And so, you carry on day after day – smiling, nodding, adjusting your camera, trying to stay focussed. But once the laptop snaps shut, the silence feels heavier than it should. You’re exhausted in a way that sleep doesn’t fix. Your brain is overburdened, your patience is thin, and even simple tasks feel impossible. 

This isn’t just fatigue – it’s a form of emotional depletion that comes from the overuse of video meetings. 

While video calls were meant to bring us closer, too many of them can actually make us feel more disconnected, anxious or invisible. Here’s how:

  • Executive function depletion: Video calls require a high degree of focus, memory recall and social processing. The constant pressure to stay ‘camera-ready’ depletes the mental energy that’s needed for critical functions like problem-solving and creativity.
  • Social performance pressure: Knowing you’re constantly visible, often in a grid of faces, can create a subtle pressure to perform. Even when you’re exhausted or emotionally off-balance, the expectation to appear engaged and “on” persists. 
  • Reduced recovery time: Unlike in-person meetings that are broken up by hallway chats or physical movement between rooms, video calls are often scheduled back-to-back. Without natural transitions, your brain lacks the recovery time it needs to process information and reset – leading to accumulated stress and decision fatigue.
  • Emotional exhaustion without connection: Being in constant interaction doesn’t necessarily mean you feel connected. In fact, video meetings often limit informal moments of connection – like side conversations, laughter, or shared pauses – that normally recharge us. This can result in emotional withdrawal, irritability, and a sense of disconnection despite frequent interaction.
  • Reduced psychological safety: When employees feel they must always be available and emotionally composed for video calls, it can lead to self-censorship and guarded participation. Over time, this erodes psychological safety – making people less likely to speak up, admit uncertainty, or ask for help during meetings.
  • Isolation masked by interaction: Frequent video calls can create an illusion of connection while still leaving employees feeling unseen or unsupported, particularly for remote and hybrid workers.

Unaddressed, these dynamics can quietly deteriorate employee wellbeing, productivity, and team cohesion and turn intended collaboration into a source of chronic stress.

 

Signs You’re Experiencing Digital Fatigue (But Didn’t Realise It) 

Zoom fatigue isn’t always obvious. It doesn’t show up with sirens and flashing lights. More likely than not, it creeps in quietly. You’d be forgiven for mistaking it for procrastination, mood swings, or just feeling ‘off’. 

Here are some signs that you could be dealing with digital fatigue: 

Emotional and Cognitive Signs:

  • Increased irritability or emotional flatness after meetings
  • Heightened self-awareness or anxiety around being seen
  • Difficulty concentrating or retaining information
  • Feeling mentally foggy after video calls

Behavioural Signs:

  • Turning off notifications… and not turning them back on
  • Camera avoidance or frequent screen-off behaviour
  • Withdrawing from casual team chats or check-ins
  • Resisting meetings, you’d usually attend 

Physical signs

  • Feeling wired but tired – unable to shut your mind off
  • Difficulty falling asleep or relaxing after work 
  • Tension in the neck, shoulders, or jaw
  • Eye strain or headaches by afternoon

If you’ve found yourself nodding along, don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with you. It means your brain needs more space, more downtime, and more human-centred work rhythms. The solution isn’t to push harder – it’s to create more intentional boundaries and recovery times. 

 

Attention Employees! Here’s What You Can Control 

Smart ways to reduce your own Zoom fatigue 

While you may not be able to rewrite your company’s meeting culture overnight there’s no reason why you can’t make some changes and regain some control. These strategies don’t require permission, they just need intention. 

 

1. Go camera-off when you can

Unless face time is essential, turn off your camera and let yourself focus on the conversation. Not on your reflection. 

 

2. Protect your time blocks

As much as possible, schedule your meetings in the morning or post-lunch. This will allow you to have stretches of non-(call)-interrupted deep work.

 

3. Not everything needs to be a meeting

Use written or flexible updates when a meeting isn’t necessary. A short voice message, email or team post can often save everyone time without losing clarity. 

 

4. Build micro-recovery into your day

Add 5 – 10 minutes between calls for breathing, a drink of water, movement or silence. Don’t jump from screen to screen – disconnect to recharge. 

 

5. Change your visual environment

Shift your set-up. Move closer to a window. Stand. Sit. Use different backgrounds. Even small changes can work wonders on your energy. 

 

6. Speak up about an overloaded meeting schedule

It’s ok to say: “I’m feeling Zoomed out – could we share updates another way?” Normalising starts with someone. Why not you?

 

 Remember: you don’t need to attend everything, be on camera all day, or “prove” your presence through pixels. You need boundaries to sustain focus, wellbeing and emotional clarity. Boundaries are not disconnection—they’re care.

 

How Managers and Teams Can Work to Change the Culture

It’s going to take a village to reshape meeting culture. While an individual cannot influence office protocol by themselves, team leads and managers are uniquely positioned to influence organisational policies. They can use their positions and influence to set expectations and shift norms. 

Here are some practical ways to build healthier relationships with video calls:

 

 1. Make camera-optional the default 

Unless absolutely necessary, let team members choose when they want to be on screen. Giving people the option to turn off video can lower stress and help them stay more present. 

 

 2. Rethink your recurring meetings

Regular catchups can soon pile up. Run a meeting audit. Once a quarter, review your team’s recurring meetings. Analyse, ask: Do we need this meeting? Does everyone need to attend? Can updates be shared another way?

 

3. Create space for non-meeting communication

Encourage updates via shared docs, team posts, or short recorded messages for non-urgent topics. This supports inclusivity and focus.

 

4. Focus on outcomes, not appearances

We’re all aware that productivity isn’t determined by who talks the most on calls. Track progress through goals and deliverables – not attendance in every meeting. 

 

5. Normalise talking about bandwidth and energy

A simple “How’s everyone’s energy today?” at the start of a meeting can open the door for honest check-ins and build team trust.

 

6. Model the behaviour you want to see

When leaders turn off their cameras, block focus time, or cancel non-essential meetings, it becomes clear to the team that they work in a culture where rest and boundaries are respected.

 

All the steps listed bring about small changes. But done consistently they can influence big changes in culture. When employees see an active concern and respect for their bandwidth and mental health and wellbeing, they reciprocate with trust. And trust fuels better work.

 

Less Face Time, More Focus – Redefining Prouctivity for the Modern Workplace

Traditionally, at work, productivity was often tied to visibility.  

In the office, that meant being seen: arriving early, staying late, even eating lunch at your desk. In remote settings, the principle seems to have stayed the same – only the ways of measuring visibility have changed. It’s now measured by your attendance at every Zoom call, staying ‘green’ on Slack, and how often your camera is on. 

But, does visibility actually equal value?

Let’s be honest, productivity has never been about being constantly present – it’s about doing meaningful, sustainable work. 

This shows up as Not just
Delivering results Attending online meetings
Offering solutions to problems  Reacting to everything in real-time
Creating space for deep work, reflection and recovery Being busy from 9 to 5 with no breaks
Ending the day with energy A filled calendar

 

Too often, the pressure to be ‘always on’ comes at the expense of strategic thinking, creativity, problem-solving and wellbeing. In the long run, it doesn’t serve anyone – especially not the team. 

While it could take some time to make a complete shift, it’s time for companies to normalise a healthier culture. 

Think about:

Rewarding Over
Focus Face time
Outcomes Optics
Boundaries Burnout

This is not about only protecting mental health, it leans towards encouraging and supporting better, more human performance. 

And the change has to be top-down. When leaders give permission to work smarter – not just louder, teams can finally stop managing appearances and start doing their best work. 

One Shift at a Time 

Video meetings aren’t going away – and they shouldn’t. Used well, they can build connection, alignment and trust. 

But overused? They drain our focus, increase stress, and chip away at our energy. 

Zoom fatigue is real – but is also reversible. 

 Easy does it, and small, intentional choices will create big changes.

  • Audit your meeting schedules
  • Turn off your camera when you need to reset
  • Replace non-essential live calls with written updates
  • Check-ins must include the team’s energy, not just outputs

Because when we create space to breathe, we also create space to think, connect, and do better work. 

To learn more about how Blue Kite can help to re-energise yourself and your team, get in touch with Catie Paterson Blue Kite  today. 

 

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Coaching for All: Discover how Everyone can Benefit

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Coaching for All: Discover how Everyone can Benefit

Discover how coaching boosts self-awareness, resilience, and leadership, enhancing both personal and professional growth. 

 

Have you heard of Phil Jackson, Patrick Mouratoglou, Lauren Zander or Aristotle? The names may sound vaguely familiar at best. But what about Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Hugh Jackman and Alexander the Great? These names most likely ring a bell, don’t they? These well-known people across various fields have claimed a part of our consciousness through their achievements. 

While there is no question about how talented they are, credit must also be given to the figures behind the scenes – their coaches. Phil Jackson transformed basketball players into legendary teams; Michael Jordan was one of his protégés. Patrick Mouratoglou helped Serena Williams win several Grand Slams. Hugh Jackman turned to Lauren Zander when he was struggling with his career and had personal challenges; and Aristotle advised and influenced Alexander the Great as he created one of the largest empires of the ancient world. 

 

Defining Coaching and its Universal Appeal 

Coaching is a process through which a person’s performance and personal growth is enhanced. It’s dynamic, it’s transformative. Coaching facilitates an individual’s journey – it helps them realise their full potential, redefine their goals and gain a deeper understanding of their motivations. Coaching is not only for athletes, celebrities and business leaders. It’s accessible and beneficial to everyone from executives to students and artists to individuals looking for guidance and personal improvement. 

Who Benefits from Coaching?  

The short answer? Everyone!

Whether you’re looking to move ahead in your career, improve relationships or overcome personal challenges, engaging a coach will give you the perspective and tools that you need to achieve sustainable and lasting change. 

 

How to Find the Right Coach for Your Goals 

Once you’ve decided that you’re going to work with a coach, you’ll need to make sure you find the right coach for you. This process involves understanding what you want to achieve so you can find a coach that has the expertise and approach that aligns with your goals. 

While it’s nice to have someone in your corner supporting you and encouraging you, a great coach does much more. They will challenge your assumptions, push your limits and assist you as you work through successes and failures. 

 

The Importance of Finding an Inclusive Coach 

As our world continues to become increasingly diverse, an inclusive coach is invaluable. Coaches with an inclusive mindset not only recognise differences, they celebrate them! They have different approaches and ensure that they honour diverse backgrounds, unique experiences and varied aspirations. They build relationships on platforms of trust and mutual respect. 

 

The Universal Benefits of Importance of Coaching

Have you wondered what separates extraordinary achievers from everyone else? Is it raw talent, determination, or some other, more fundamental factor? 

Evidence shows that, most often than not, there is a powerful catalyst that’s working behind the scenes. In all the examples we’ve seen earlier, coaching is the bridge that connects untapped potential and exceptional performance. 

And the best part? Coaching can facilitate and hasten growth for anyone committed to meaningful progress. It’s equally accessible to those navigating career transitions, strengthening relationships, or seeking a more fulfilling life. 

Here are some benefits of successful coaching:

Improved Self-awareness and Personal Insight

Gaining clarity: How clearly do you see your own strengths, motivations and limiting patterns?

Through a structured space coaching facilitates profound self-discovery that not available in most environments. Experienced coaches rely on insightful questions and proven assessment techniques to help individuals. They identify the individual’s hidden biases or unnoticed tendencies, highlight underlying habits and ensure that help align their actions to reflect their true values. 

#Transformation Tale  

Elena, a mid-level financial analyst, excelled technically but dissatisfied in her career. Through a structured coaching relationship, she discovered her natural strategic thinking abilities were underutilised in her current role. Her coach helped her recognise that her true strengths lay in translating complex data into actionable business insights – not just executing analytical tasks. This clarity catalysed a targeted career move toward financial strategy. 

In her new role, Elena leads cross-functional initiatives that leverage both her technical expertise and strategic capabilities. The transformation wasn’t only professional – Elena reports significantly higher engagement and purpose, illustrating how self-awareness ripples across all life domains.

Enhanced Accountability and Motivation 

Setting and Achieving Goals: What happens in that critical gap between intention and consistent action?

It’s almost impossible to maintain high momentum and constant internal motivation during any meaningful change process. Engaging a coach helps cover this gap. Coaches act as planners and accountability partners. They assist in creating clear, measurable goals and create a framework based on milestones which creates the necessary external structure. This framework is important because it helps to sustain momentum when your own momentum starts to wane. 

#Transformation Tale  

As James was launching his second venture, he was struggling with consistent execution despite having a compelling business model. His previous startup had faltered from implementation challenges. When he engaged a coach, they developed a tiered accountability system that broke down quarterly objectives into weekly action commitments.

Their structured check-ins created space to celebrate progress while addressing implementation barriers in real-time. This partnership transformed overwhelming strategic goals into manageable tactical steps with clear success metrics. Within a short span, James had secured initial funding and established proof-of-concept – achievements that had taken so much longer with his previous venture.

Strengthened Leadership and Interpersonal Skills 

From Good to Great Leaders: Have you wondered why some technically brilliant people struggle when promoted to leadership? 

Well, excelling at what you do doesn’t automatically translate to helping others excel. In such situations, coaching can create remarkable value.

#Transformation Tale  

After years of delivering exceptional results as a product specialist, Priya was promoted to lead a global team. Everyone expected continued excellence, but within a couple of months, problems emerged. 

Team members didn’t collaborate enough, they were disengaged, deadlines were frequently missed and customer complaints started trickling in. 

Working with a coach, Priya realised that her direct, results-focussed approach that made her effective individually was creating barriers between her and her team. They felt micromanaged rather than empowered. 

Through actionable and practical strategies Priya learned to adapt her natural style to different situations. She became a different person. Over three months, Priya implemented structured feedback systems, created psychological safety in team interactions, and established clearer decision-making frameworks. The results proved transformative: team retention improved, product delivery timelines shortened and customer satisfaction scores returned to industry-leading levels.

Boosted Resilience and Adaptability

Navigating Challenges: It is said “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. And we see this so often in business. In fact, it’s a great way of explaining how some businesses turn crises into opportunities while others falter under similar pressures. 

Businesses that thrive in the face of challenges do so because of resilience and adaptability. The good news is that these qualities can be meticulously cultivated. Coaching plays a strong role in this transformation, providing the strategies and support to emerge stronger through uncertainty. 

#Transformation Tale

Sam owned a popular café known for its community vibe and local music nights. When unexpected road construction drastically reduced foot traffic, his business took a significant hit. Revenue plummeted, and the future looked bleak. Rather than resigning to failure, Sam turned to a business coach who helped him see the crisis as an opportunity.

The coach worked with Sam to alter his business approach. They explored various strategies such as enhancing the café’s online presence, initiating a local delivery service, and partnering with other local businesses for pop-up events. They also developed a resilience plan that included financial contingencies and emergency response strategies for future unforeseen events.

By implementing these changes Sam’s café not only recovered but also expanded its customer base significantly. Sam’s adaptability, bolstered by effective coaching, transformed a potential business failure into a story of success and growth.

The benefits we’ve explored – enhanced self-awareness, strengthened accountability, improved leadership capabilities and increased resilience, – show why coaching is a strategic necessity today. It has the power to transform your personal and professional path. Regardless of your current role, industry or aspirations, the right coach can intensify your learning and speed up your progress in a way that other interventions can’t match up to.

 

Debunking Common Myths About Coaching 

Coaching is a powerful tool for personal and professional development, yet several misconceptions may deter some from fully exploring its benefits. 

Here are three common myths debunked to clarify what coaching really offers.

Myth 1: Coaching is only for struggling individuals

Many assume that coaching is a remedy meant only for those who are failing or falling behind. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. High performers across various fields often engage coaches to sharpen their skills and continue excelling. 

For instance, many successful executives and elite athletes work regularly with coaches to maintain their competitive edge, enhance their performance, and ensure they stay at the top of their game.

Myth 2: A coach tells you what to do

Unlike consultants, who may prescribe solutions, a coach’s role is to facilitate personal growth and development. Coaching is centred on empowering you to discover your own solutions through guided exploration and strategic questioning. This approach helps individuals develop self-reliance and decision-making skills. It teaches and enables them to navigate complex challenges independently over time.

Myth 3: It’s expensive and only for corporate leaders

While it’s true that executive coaching can be a significant investment, coaching is not exclusively for those in upper management of corporate hierarchies. There are coaching options suitable for every budget, career and life stage. From group sessions and workshops that lower individual costs to digital platforms that offer scalable and affordable coaching services. Moreover, many coaches offer sliding scale fees or packaged deals that make coaching accessible to a broader audience.

 

How to Find the Right Coach 

Choosing the right coach is a crucial step in ensuring the success of your coaching experience. Here are key factors to consider when selecting a coach who can truly help you achieve your personal and professional goals.

 

Credentials and Qualifications 

Look for coaches who have credible certifications from established coaching institutions. These certifications ensure that the coach has undergone rigorous training and adheres to a strict code of ethics. Additionally, many experienced coaches also have backgrounds in psychology, business, or other relevant fields, which can enhance their coaching effectiveness.

Differentiating a Coach from a Mentor 

Understanding the difference between a coach, a mentor, and a consultant can help you choose the right kind of support. Coaches focus on unlocking potential, helping you to develop your own insights and solutions through structured questioning and goal setting. Mentors provide guidance based on their personal experience, offering advice that followers can apply in similar situations. Consultants diagnose problems and provide expert opinions and strategies. Each serves different purposes and clearly identifying your needs will guide you to the right professional.

 

Key Questions to Ask 

Before hiring a coach, consider asking the following questions to ensure a good fit:

  • What is your coaching experience and background?
  • Can you provide references or testimonials from past clients?
  • How do you tailor your coaching approach to individual client needs?
  • What is your methodology for setting and achieving goals?
  • How do you measure progress and success?

 

Your Path to Growth: Why It’s Time to Consider Coaching

Coaching is an excellent tool for development, capable of transforming ordinary opportunities into opportunities of growth and success. It might, in fact, be just the game changer you need. The right coach will push you to achieve more than you thought possible. Whether you’re looking to boost your personal growth, achieve more success in your career or become an impactful leader, the right coach can give you the exact support you need to succeed with confidence. 

Are you curious about what coaching can do for you? Are you ready to convert the smallest opportunities into major wins? Book a free discovery call to find out how you can fulfil your aspirations. 

To learn more about how The Intentional Coach™ can facilitate your growth and help you achieve the success you’ve envisioned, get in touch with Catie Paterson Blue Kite  today. 

 

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