Self – Christine Maassen

06 Apr

Values: Living from the Inside-Out

Last week, a former client shared how instrumental the values work we did was in gaining clarity about her circumstances and in fostering our coaching relationship, which ultimately motivated her to start her own consulting business. Perhaps you hear the word values and you roll your eyes. I wouldn’t blame you. For many of us, it brings back memories of posters on portable walls that make lofty promises that are violated day after day. We’d be better off with a picture of a puppy, at least that would make us smile. Still, there is something about values… I’ve been...

06 Aug

The invisible shackles of systems

Ever noticed how some situations, conversations, or moments get vividly etched in our memory bank? I’m sure there is a reason why this happens. The other day, one such memory came by for a visit with me. It was a conversation taking place many years ago with a university career counsellor during an assessment debrief. My career was well on its way by the time I enrolled in university, and what this assessment suggested was that my interest was for arts-related careers. That was not the path I had been travelling for many years, establishing a management career in...

11 Apr

How are you doing?

I have been quiet lately because we are flooded with information, but today, I want to drop by and ask you, “How are you doing?” Did you ever think that such a simple and familiar question would carry such weight? I hope this find you healthy, at home, with a full fridge, and surrounded by people and things that bring you comfort and joy. Phew, what a ride! The topsy-turviness of the past weeks leaves us a bit dizzy, just like when walking off a merry-go-round as a kid. The news, daily updates, the prediction graphs, recommendations, revised recommendations...

05 Nov

Why we should listen to our tummies and how to do it.

Think and be honest with yourself when answering this question: Did you ever end up in a situation that was not good for you after ignoring the warnings signs? Something was telling you to get out, but you still stayed. Your intuition was to hold back, but you went ahead. I refer to the warning signs as “the tummy” because, for many of us, this is where the signs show up. I’ve been in this position several times. Looking back, I can say that there was a strong signal that I should have paid attention to, yet I didn’t....

26 Aug

How leadership is a paradox and where it starts.

Regardless of what leadership definition you subscribe to—there are so many—chances are it references influence over others. One of my favorite examples is Brené Brown’s definition from Dare to Lead, in which she described a leader as “anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes and has the courage to develop that potential.” In their book The Leadership Challenge, James Kouzes and Barry Posner defined leadership as “the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations.” Leadership involves others. It calls on the leader to inspire others. This begs the question, how...