I heard the following sentence a few years ago on a coaching seminar: if you want to be an authentic coach, you should not only study and practice coaching, but you must live your everyday life like a coach. I did not really attributed much importance to this statement for a long time, but lately, when I held a coaching seminar at the university of Pécs, I instinctively gave the exact same answer to a student’s question. It was an awfully interesting experience. But what does that exactly mean to me? A drive for continuous learning and development; the ability to change quickly and adapt to perspectives; spontaneity, self-reflection, creative thinking, self-awareness, non-judgmental attitude and self-improvement!
As a coach, I consider my profession as a service and as a mission at the same time. I consider it as a service, because I offer a safe environment where the client is an equal partner, and can verbalize his blockers, desires, innermost fears, or anything that cannot be expressed in any other environment. This is all done for his well-being, learning and development. I am present with full commitment to the client’s case(s) in this partnership, with all my knowledge, experience and resources. I consider it as a mission, because in my opinion a successful coaching process can result in a profound and radical change in the client’s professional and personal development, as well, which later influences his whole life and environment. I believe in the ability of change, even in those cases when we perceive the situation more complex than the resources in place to solve it. I am offering a constructive partnership in this learning process.
Professional career in coaching & mediation
Welcome to my webpage!
My name is Szilard Szabo, and I would like to introduce my path in coaching & mediation below.
The beginning of the journey
It has started in 2005 when I joined the Management & Leadership minor at the Collage of Modern Business Studies. I still remember the impact of the first leadership seminar: I was sitting shocked in the classroom, and thought: yes, this subject has to do something with me. I was touched by the human centric approach of this science. Since that moment I have been consciously educating myself in leadership and people-development subjects.
Becoming a supportive leader
I joined IBM ISSC Hungary Kft. in 2009, and I have been working in various leadership roles. Currently, I am People Manager, working with German speaking countries. I speak German and English besides my mother tongue. I attended the very first structured coaching seminar at the beginning of my leadership career. It was a four-day long workshop, which covered the basics of coaching, focusing on the GROW model.
I have been dealing with talent management since 2013 as a coach, mentor and soft-skill trainer.
In 2014 I participated at a 40hour long coaching workshop, which is part of IBM’s leadership development program. This course introduced two coaching approaches: solution focus and performance maximalization.
In 2016, I completed my masters degree in Leadership & Management, with the minor of workplace mediation, at the Budapest Metropolitan University. My researches and thesis topic are about mediation in Shared Services Centers & the manager’s role as a mediator. Those semesters gave me great opportunity to practice and deepen all those skills and knowledge that I have already gained in coaching before: active listening, effective questioning, giving feedback, re-framing, paraphrasing, constructive communication, applying transaction-analysis, etc. Moreover, I went through a comprehensive psychology program, which focused on the following subjects: self-awareness, sociability, assertiveness, challenging communication situations, personality typologies, communication styles, self-protection mechanisms, etc.
Coaching becoming a profession
That was the year when I started the structured coaching consultations with clients from the organization I was working for. I have been continuously coaching since then in very diverse subjects. I gained more than 350 hours of individual coaching experience (2020 May data).
In 2018, I completed the IBM Blue Core Coaching program, which is an 8week-long practical learning series, based on ICF (International Coaching Federation) competencies. Connected to this learning program, I have attended an online seminar called “the manager as coach”, held by the University of California.
In the same year I successfully closed my MBA studies in Turnaround Management, at the Budapest Metropolitan University . The title of my diploma thesis and research is Implementing coaching-based leadership in multinational organizations. Thanks to the program and to the diploma research, I could significantly increase my expertise in coaching. I was primarily focusing on the leader’s role as coach, and I was also making myself familiar with new coaching approaches, models and techniques (Gestalt coaching, Brief coaching, Appreciative coaching, Team coaching).
My way today
I have graduated in December 2019 from the advanced level of integrative coaching education, held by the GROW Education Ltd. This program is based upon the competencies of EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council). I am still, regularly attending at coaching supervision, and other self-awareness developing programs. In May 2019 I have kicked-off my Coaching & Mediation praxis, in which I am looking forward to a successful partnership with You, as well.
On top of all these, I love interacting and cooperating with groups and teams, I often facilitate workshops and trainings besides my official duties. I regularly hold personal-development training in various subjects at my workplace.
Personal information
Regarding my private life, I am a very lucky dad of two beautiful kids. My daughter is Luca (8) and my son is Zalán (11).
I strive to spend as much quality time with them as possible in my free time, we often go hiking and biking. Besides that, I love spending time with playing guitar and reading good books. I do sports regularly, as well.
Thank you very much for your attention, and for reading my profile! If you would like to learn more about coaching and mediation, please check my services.