Kendra Valck followed a coaching programme

She wanted to become a good manager; that was the reason for Kendra Valck to knock on the Staff Career Centre’s door. Looking back, she is glad she did. ‘I was coached for about six months. It was really fun, and I learned a lot. It definitely helped me.’

An American, Kendra (32) has been Head of Marketing and Communications at the School of Business and Economics for nine months. It is the department where she started three years ago as a communications advisor. The fact that she was changing roles within the team made her a little insecure. ‘Besides, I had never led a team before. It seemed like a good idea to seek support in my development as a manager. When I discussed this with the director of SBE after I got the job, she advised me to go to the Staff Career Centre.’

Letting go

In her first contact with SCC, she was advised to start a coaching programme. ‘In the intake interview, the coach asks all sorts of questions: who you are, what you do and what you encounter in your work. For me, that meant learning to let go of my old role and gaining confidence in myself as a manager.’

The coaching process turned out quite differently than Kendra had expected. ‘I thought I would get general management advice, but it is much more than that. I got more insight into myself on a deeper level. You start to analyse your own behaviour and understand it better; you gain insight into how you react in certain situations. This awareness helps you to deal with certain situations differently. For example, I have learned to let go more and delegate. And when I'm nervous, I stay calm and I don't talk so much anymore; I used to do that.’