A couple of years ago, I called on Huib's coaching skills to help give me a head start in my new job as marketing manager. In practice, a coach often gets called in when you've hit a roadblock, but I wanted to use coaching as a 'preventive' approach - to explore how to best deploy my communication skills, my energy and my strengths.

'Am I on the right track? How can I make optimal use of my strengths in my job? Which leadership-managerial style suits me best?' These were the questions I wanted to investigate.

Huib and I were immediately on the same professional wavelength. I'm a sensitive person, and so is Huib. He's quick on sounding out whoever he's talking to. With his powerful intuition, he's able to make an accurate evaluation of the other person and identify the best way to approach them. He knows how to visualise complex concepts in images that have stuck with me. For instance, Huib introduced me to 'the circles and the squares' concept. Circle people find it easier to connect and collaborate, and they're quicker to act. Square people are generally more rigid in their communication and find it more difficult to act. Once you're able to recognise and accept these differences, connection is possible; you understand that squares can become rounder and circles squarer. This has benefited me enormously at work. If I find it difficult to communicate with someone, I'm now better at putting the process into perspective.

I'm someone who wants to please and to create harmony. This can be a challenge in a corporate environment. In order to exude and apply natural leadership qualities in my position as manager, I need to protect myself, and strike the right balance between showing my personal power while remaining sensitive. This was a key learning for me.

One thing I see as a great added value is that Huib has worked as a coach with several people in the company. So he's familiar with our company culture and has insights into our teams.

The coaching process has given me oodles of positive energy. Now I'm ready to take the next step in my life - as a person and as a manager.

Monica Escutia

Text by Jannie Regnerus