Shirley Pearson - ActionCOACH iNala

What sparked your interest in business coaching? A client of mine sent me the details of ActionCOACH with a message: “I think you'll be really good at this.” Back then, they used a lot of sports imagery, and I thought, well, I like sports … Of course, business coaching has nothing to do with sports, but what I did find was a profession that combined my love of business and the opportunity to contribute to something that outlasts a single transaction.

What's a key lesson you've learnt in your career? Determination trumps being smart. I learnt early on that I could consistently outperform people who were far more gifted, simply because most people prefer to stay in their comfort zone. If you can be a little more focused and show up a little more consistently than everyone else in the room, that’s enough.

How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance? This is a question I get asked a lot. The hard truth is that extraordinary results require extraordinary effort, so you've got to put in the work. The trick is to create the counterbalance, the downtime and the time to rejuvenate, in a manner and form that is equal in time and effort.

What advice would you give women entering this profession? A course is just the starting point; the real learning happens after you've graduated, in the books, the podcasts, the hundreds of resources available to anyone willing to keep educating themselves. This is a profession that combines business, people, and a genuine pursuit of excellence. If that combination excites you, you'll do well in it.

Email: shirleypearson@actioncoach.com
Website: inala.actioncoach.com