Portraits
Spotlight on Marion Becker Coaching
Let's get to know you. Tell us more about your profession:
I believe that managers who lead by example, lead with care, and create a great place to work, are creating efficient teams, who are more engaged, collaborate better and have a greater impact on the environment and on their clients.
What I do is helping leaders in Energy and Infrastructure to identify practical and actionable solutions to their leadership concerns (executive loneliness, taking on a new role, dealing with a conflict, navigating change, time management, feeling stress and anxiety, improving team effectiveness…). We partner together on their journey to go from being hands on in a survival mode to a thriving mode. I call that leadership and team coaching!
I have a background in engineering and management in the energy industry and I am a certified coach by the International Coaching Federation.
Why did you switch careers?
I love solving complex technical issues and to see the results of my work. I was happy as a manager/engineer. When I arrived in Singapore, I was looking for a leadership role in the gas industry, but the job search was not my cup of tea! I hired a coach to support me in my job search and I realized that I was passionate about empowering people, building teams that work well together in a real team spirit and with fun.
Then, the pandemic hit, and the restrictions increased to hire foreigners, so I decided that I would create my own job and become a certified leadership coach and an entrepreneur in Singapore to support managers in Energy & Infrastructure.
It was a big step out of my comfort zone but I’m so glad I did it! I learned so much on the journey (in marketing, sales, website creation and social media communication) and met great people along the way.
What are the challenges you’ve encountered as a coach?
Clients choose their coach mainly by recommendation and word of mouth. So, when you add: being new in the country + switching career + in the middle of a global pandemic, there are a few challenges to overcome in terms of being known out there and networking!
The French Chamber of Commerce Singapore has been a great help for that, by organizing online networking events and webinars. Thanks again to the whole team!
Another challenge is being a solo entrepreneur. It is easy to get distracted (by a new app, a new training, …) and it takes a lot of discipline to spend time on what needs to be done instead of what I want to do on the moment. I am still working on this!
What are the next steps?
Up to now most of my coaching is online and in 1 to 1. My next step is to have more engagements in workshops -hopefully in person- to help corporate leaders and teams to collaborate more effectively by working on their mental fitness, work with intercultural teams and clients, and improve staff well-being at work. I am also developing my sketch noting skills to use simple drawings to explain complex issues or coaching concepts in my webinars and communications on social media. I am working on how I will use my sketch notes in workshops to foster creativity and deliver a unique experience to my clients.
What are your business and personal mottos?
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf” by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Follow Marion Becker Coaching here
