Meet Rakhee Patel

 Rakhee is another amazing member of our team who manages to juggle family life, house building (!) and coaching and consultancy work in her busy schedule.

With her background in HR, she’s at home working with senior leaders and high potential talent, and is also part of our team of parental transition specialists.

1. So, what are you up to this week?

I’m currently coaching several clients ranging from Founders; Senior Leaders and high potential female talent. I’m also supporting a high street beauty brand with their Leadership, Talent and inclusion Strategy with a focus on how to put purpose authentically at the heart of everything. It’s a mix I’m really enjoying and proud to have.

I’m also planning some building work for our home later this year and so I’m frequently pouring over a spreadsheet and (unsuccessfully) trying to bring the costs down!

2. What’s the most exciting project you’re working on at the moment?

I’ve just delivered the last phase of a female focussed leadership development programme for a client that has made a commitment to be even more proactive in how they support more women to thrive in their organisation. We’ve combined virtual short learning modules; 1:1 coaching and insights from inspiring internal and external female leaders to help these wonderful women own their strengths and build the confidence and courage to make the impact that only they can make. It’s been a real career highlight to deliver these experiences and work with such great people.

3.     How are you finding your clients are coping with 2021?

As more restrictions are lifted, I’m noticing that many clients are being deliberate about taking the time to think about what matters most to them and how they stay connected to that as we move forward…the word ‘meaningful’ comes up a lot as they make choices to prioritise and create more meaningful relationships or meaningful work. Many are of course feeling the positive boost of being able to re-connect with family and friends but at the same time, they are trying to be mindful about how they start to re-introduce those things that have not been part of life for a while and still nurture new routines and habits that have emerged during lockdown that they’ve really appreciated.

4.     How do you help them?

During any period of transition, clients find it helpful to choose and tell future stories about how they will be feeling, what they will have achieved and the impact it’s all having on them and them and those around them.

So right now, many clients are taking the opportunity to say out loud the future stories that they want to be sharing and celebrating in a few month’s time about how they are thriving; what they’re enjoying and what they’re doing as restrictions ease and we move through the next transition. This is helping them surface and clarify what matters most to them and what they might want to take with them from the last 12-14 months.

5.     Tell us a bit about your own background and experience

I started my career as an advisor at a new start up nearly 20 years ago - A learning and development consultancy created and led by a passionate woman who had one goal - to give access to learning and skills development to as many small business leaders and teams in the region as possible and support them to be the best version of themselves that they could be.

This start up is a thriving organisation today and in addition to the huge pride that I have in being a part of those early years, I’m even more grateful for those first insights on how great leaders and teams create the energy and habits that help them to do their best work and create success even in the most challenging times. 

This experience set me on my path to building my career in HR, leadership and talent development where over the last 20 years I have successfully partnered with and coached leaders and teams who have valued my passion for building leadership capability and impact, delivering change and co-creating an environment that inspires high engagement, excitement and performance.

6.     How would you describe your coaching style?

Supportive and challenging are the two words I hear most from clients…I’ve also heard the phrase ‘Positively irritating’ which I take as a compliment on my approach to nudge my clients, call things out, and provoke with the questions that would be most helpful for the client to ask themselves and of course answer.

7.     How do you manage your own mental wellbeing?

By protecting pockets of time throughout the day for the small things that I know make a difference to my energy levels. Whether that’s 15 mins  for a daily walk, 20mins to stop and have lunch or 10mins first thing to read a book that I’m really enjoying. What’s been key for me is to make them feel as easy to do as possible and to choose activities that that I look forward to and genuinely boost me rather than those that I  feel I ‘should’ do.

8.     What are you looking forward to most?

I’m looking forward to face-to-face coaching again – when we can and if clients are ready. I’m also appreciating the small things at the moment and being able to change my environment during the week to work/have a coffee at my local coffee shop… I’m noticing how much more I look forward to this  and appreciate it…(and of course I’m looking forward to a holiday!)

9.     What’s the one secret you think everyone should be aware of?

Inspired by Amy Cuddy... If you believe you can and ‘act as if you can’… everything else will follow!