Pushing my clients to be their best is easy. Why? Because I wouldn't ask them to do anything I wouldn't do myself. As a practitioner and student of leadership as well as a former CEO, to create the credibility that drives results, I have to model the behaviors I’m asking them to demonstrate. Here’s what I did last year to find, forge, sharpen and use my edge:
Deliberate Discomfort Challenge
In January, I took on the Deliberate Discomfort Challenge in their first cohort. The program, which is run by Navy Seals, Green Berets, PhDs and performance psychologists, revolves around six domains of activity (physical, mental, professional, social, emotional and spiritual) that are accomplished every day for 60 days. Miss one, and you go back to the start!
I wrote an article about my experience.
Coaching Supervisory
This spring, I joined Dr. Jen Hall’s first Coaching Supervisory. We discuss challenges and themes that surface in the coaching process, in our client interactions or in our own coaching practices. This confidential learning environment allows us to push each other, challenge our assumptions and ultimately, to deliver better perspectives, insights and value to our clients.
Physical Intelligence
In the summer, I was part of another inaugural cohort! Physical Intelligence is an eight-week program where participants study the chemicals that control the body. We learned how to better manage them for ourselves and for our clients. The applications have been endless.
Conscious Leadership
Late in the summer, I launched a cohort of dedicated learners around Conscious Leadership. The concept is based on the learnings of one of my mentor-coaches, Haydn Hasty. The underlying principle of conscious leadership focuses on leading by being vs leading by doing. It combines the disciplines of philosophy, psychology, neuroscience and meditation, and its implications are far-reaching. The group will continue to meet to generate content and insights that can support our practices and our clients. Watch this space!
I wrote an article about the power of conscious leadership.
COBI
Since the beginning of 2021, I’ve been pioneering a new coaching concept with colleagues in Europe and the Middle East called COBI. This new coaching/consulting paradigm builds transformational results within organizations using a bespoke methodology and a radical approach to individual development. Our purpose is to connect individual transformation with significant organizational results by adopting an exponential mindset and approach, versus a linear one.
Princeton Half-Marathon
Prior to my 50th birthday in November, I entered the Princeton Half-Marathon, which raises funds to educate, empower and support LGBTQ at-risk youth in the Princeton area. I re-enlisted with Deliberate Discomfort (another 60 days) to get myself in shape. Although I’ve always been an athlete, I’ve never run more than six miles competitively before this year. My time does not merit a mention, but I was one of the top 10 fundraisers, which brings its own reward.
Coaching Leadership Award
The icing on 2021’s cake was being awarded AIIR Consulting’s Coaching Leadership Award from a cadre of over 150 coaches worldwide. The award is based on client contributions, ROI surveys and client feedback, but also on my ability to partner with my coaching peers and the work I’ve done to support AIIR behind the scenes, which has contributed to AIIR’s being named to the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in the USA list three years in a row.
The Top of My Game
I’m sharing these accomplishments to demonstrate that I take my work seriously and that I’m on the cutting edge in multiple disciplines. I intend to stay at the top of my game, so you can stay at the top of yours!
If you are interested in discovering how to find your edge, reach out to me at jamie.ramsden@adastraleadership.com
Jamie Ramsden is a certified executive leadership coach and founder of Adastra Consulting (www.adastraleadership.com). A former Chief Executive, Jamie has been coaching C-Suite and Senior executives around the world for over fifteen years.