We congratulate Maria Bohdanova on taking first place in the “Breakthrough in Career” nomination of the case competition by COACHING.UP!
This story will make you think and inspire change.
2018 – I am the leader of a great team in an IT company. I am surrounded by colleagues who genuinely love their work, their eyes sparkle when they discuss something with each other or solve problems. I feel their energy. And I envy it. I feel embarrassed to be among them. I used to be like them. I was passionate about what I did. Together with my team, we developed cool projects that we were proud of. But I was anxious. It seemed like something had broken inside me. I was stagnating. At that time, I didn’t know it was a career crisis.
I started searching for a way out. Through new approaches, tools, and knowledge that would help me manage my team as effectively as possible, but most importantly – understand “who I want to be in 5 years.” By chance, I discovered coaching through an ad, and then my first coach. I was shocked that there were people who helped others get out of career crises.
Together with her, we explored my values, looking for what would reignite the spark in my eyes. Step by step, I got to know myself better and realized what my work should consist of to feel energy and satisfaction. That’s how I came up with an action plan, and one of the steps was to study coaching. I felt that this approach resonated with me because I wasn’t an authoritarian leader. On the contrary, I strived to involve my employees in joint decision-making because I understood that this way, their engagement and interest would be higher.
Unexpectedly, the results of working with clients during my first training inspired me so much that I decided to become a professional coach. That’s when I chose a 9-month training at COACHING.UP to break down how to manifest coaching competencies in the moment. Here, we dive step by step into each competency, analyze markers, and practice conducting coaching sessions both in large groups and in triads. We receive developmental feedback that inspires and gives us wings. There are mentorships and supervisions that help us grow professionally. And, as the cherry on top, I received quality support on my path to passing my first certification – assessment of my sessions, help in preparing for testing.
In 2021, I became an ICF ACC-level coach, one of only 166 coaches at that level in Ukraine at the time. But my journey with COACHING.UP didn’t end there. I continued to strengthen my skills and underwent specialized training, such as the “Behind the Glass” project, “Support in Long-Term Contracts,” “Crisis Coaching,” and more.
At the same time, I accumulated my first 80 hours of practice and dared to suggest to my manager the implementation of coaching as a tool for developing and supporting managers in a company with 900 employees. The project’s goal was to increase the company’s effectiveness through working with leaders and developing their competencies. After a second attempt, my idea was supported.
We initially launched a pilot project for 13 managers to understand if this tool was suitable for our company.
The results met my expectations – 4.88/5, showing that:
Coaching was worth the time and investment from the company.
The manager was satisfied with the results of working with the coach.
The manager was willing to recommend working with a coach to a colleague.
These data confirmed that the tool really works, and we decided to scale it further. Now, for four years, managers and employees at our company have had the opportunity to work with a coach to achieve their career and professional goals.
I am an internal coach at the company. I not only believe in the effectiveness of coaching but also observe the results that employees I’ve worked with achieve. This is one of the biggest advantages of being an internal coach – having the opportunity to see the changes and witness how people realize their potential.
Now, I share our experience of implementing coaching with other coaches during the International Coaching Week, with HR specialists, and I’ve written an article on the topic. I serve as the organizer and moderator of a panel discussion with coaches who successfully implemented coaching and coaching culture in their companies – Intellias, Boosta, Nestle Ukraine. For me, this is not only an opportunity to develop coaching culture in Ukraine but also to raise awareness of coaching among Ukrainians. This is my contribution to building a society with more satisfied and conscious professionals who realize themselves and achieve their goals.
It is also important to me not only to develop coaching in the business environment but also to support social initiatives. That’s why I’m happy that I can use my coaching skills to help our country, volunteering for various projects like Women IN Engineering (WinE) or “Quantum Boost: The Synergy of Coaching and Mentoring.”
Coaching has become not just a profession for me but a way of thinking that has helped me grow professionally. Recently, I became the head of the employee training and development department. Soon, I’ll be taking the test for a new certification level – PCC ICF.
Analyzing my journey, I understand what helped me reach this point:
Long-term paid contracts with coaches, during which I worked with my mindset and biases.
Training on how to work with clients in long-term relationships.
Gradual, systematic progress and the understanding that immediate results won’t come quickly.
Personal brand development – in communities, on social media, during networking.
Creating opportunities and presenting myself as a coach in various projects and communities.
What’s next? I see the following steps ahead:
Completing my adaptation in the role of manager, resolving my internal conflicts and concerns (I already have a coach for this).
Applying the coaching approach in my new role as a leader.
Continuing to develop my personal brand as a coach, but now focusing on leaders who want to consciously manage their future, not just go with the flow.
Turning coaching into a systematic business that brings consistent and predictable income.
Could I, lost in 2018, have imagined that by choosing coaching, my professional life would change drastically? Of course not. But I’m glad I dared to listen to my interest, follow my values, and now I can not only realize myself but also help others do the same.
Author: Maria Bohdanova,
COACHING.UP graduate
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