A full circle moment
“The most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed.”
– Adam Grant
Last week was a full-circle moment that reminded me exactly why I love what I do.
This photo of me and coaching client Chitban says it all, joy, celebration, connection, and that quiet thought: I get to do this.
Chitban was the very first person who came to me for coaching when I started my new role as an internal coach within a professional program. She was just months away from graduation and gaining employment, but the road ahead still looked long and uncertain.
Even with impressive national and international experience, she had questions. But, here’s the rub: she already knew the answers. She had the tools (in fact, she taught me a new meeting-tracking system I’d never heard of!). What she needed wasn’t advice, it was a thought partner. A mirror. A champion. A push.
That’s the power of coaching: creating the space for someone to hear their own wisdom reflected back. Sometimes you don’t need someone to give you directions; you just need someone to walk a stretch of the road with you.
Meeting after meeting, I watched Chitban move closer to her goal. She was methodical, motivated, and full of quiet determination. So when tragedy struck days before she was set to begin her job, it was heartbreaking… but her resilience shone through. Thanks to the relationships she had built with such authenticity, her community rallied. And now, she’s working in an amazing position at a human rights organization.
Last week, I invited her back to share her story, how her schooling shaped her path and helped her find her place in her profession. Her speech was beautiful, and seeing her “on the other side” was a profound moment.
As Adam Grant reminds us, the most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed. Watching people like Chitban rise reminds me how powerful it is when we invest in one another’s growth.
