I asked it to conduct a 20 minute interview with me, asking roughly ten questions in a conversational tone, and basing its questions on my responses.
It’s a long post, so no worries if you don’t read the whole thing, but you can ask ChatGPT to do this as well, to get an idea of how your message might resonate on a real podcast.
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CGPT: Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you got into transformation coaching?

TH: Yes, thank you. I recently completed a 37 year career as an engineer and project manager for the Federal Government. I’ve always had a knack for solving problems, as engineers do, and I’ve also developed some good leadership skills along the way. When I eventually moved into management, I took the advice of the mentors I had early in my career, to encourage and challenge my team, and to always be doing succession planning. Encouraging the junior members of the team to step up, and to encourage the more senior members to step out. I had a habit of moving on to new challenges every three years or so, so I was always focusing on developing a deep bench of talent within the teams I led, with the aim of developing my replacement. Towards the end of my career, I started leading professional development programs and internships, to help college students prepare to be full-time knowledge workers, and to help technical experts transition into being technical leaders.

CGPT: Thank you for sharing your background with us. It sounds like your experience in leadership and professional development has given you a solid foundation for becoming a transformation coach.

Moving on to our next question, what do you think are the biggest challenges that people face when trying to achieve work/life balance?

TH: The biggest challenge is the fear of failure. Most people as they move up to positions of greater responsibility try to do too much and don’t let go of their previous duties. Whenever somebody takes on a new role, they are bound to struggle initially, and people who are used to being successful don’t like that feeling. That’s why it is so important to always be looking to develop your replacement, so you can embrace the new challenges and growth opportunities fully and not try to do your old job along with the new one. I think there was an unhealthy expectation that leaders put on themselves, to be the first one in and the last to go home. It set a bad example for the rest of the workforce. They think that is the expectation if you aspire to a leadership position, so many people will reject that out of hand. It’s very important for leaders to model good work/life balance and good work habits if they want people to work at their best. There is still room for improvement in that regard, but I believe work/life balance is trending in the right direction.

CGPT: That’s a great point about the fear of failure being a major obstacle to achieving work/life balance. It sounds like a big part of your coaching approach is helping people let go of their previous duties and develop their replacements, so they can fully embrace new challenges and growth opportunities without getting bogged down. And I completely agree that it's crucial for leaders to model good work/life balance and good work habits if they want their teams to perform at their best.

Now, let's talk about how you help your clients identify their goals and aspirations. Can you walk us through your process for doing this?

TH: Sure! It’s been said that people will over-estimate what they can accomplish in a year, but under-estimate what they can accomplish in five or ten years. The mid-career technical leadership program that I led was a three year program, so I wanted the participants to think about the job they would have when they graduated, and the job they would do after that. Then, we’d discuss the knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences that would be necessary to succeed in that position. Ideally, we’d find someone already in that position who would be willing to mentor the development program participant. Then, once we have the end goal in mind, we’d work backward to create the yearly, quarterly and monthly goals. The biggest thing we would say all the time is “get comfortable being uncomfortable”. You can’t grow if you stay in your comfort zone. You need “stretch” goals, but they shouldn’t be so stressful that they don’t allow for work/life balance. However, I think the five to ten year goal should be a bit scary. If you aim big and miss, you’ll still achieve a whole lot. And if you do hit the mark, you just might change the world!

CGPT: That’s a great approach to goal-setting, starting with a long-term vision and then breaking it down into yearly, quarterly, and monthly goals. And I completely agree that setting "stretch" goals is important for growth, but it's also important to find a balance between pushing yourself and maintaining work/life balance. And I love your point about aiming big and not being afraid to fail, because even if you miss the mark, you'll still achieve a lot.

Next, can you tell us about a particularly challenging coaching situation you've faced, and how you were able to overcome it?

TH: This is probably not a coaching situation per se, but once I was in charge of a customer relations organization, and the people assigned to it by military manpower were in their first tour. They had no knowledge of the organization, but they didn’t fit into any other mission at the site either. Morale was pretty bad. So I set up a series of workshops with our training organization to come up with a new mission statement for the unit. We used Daniel Pink’s DRiVE book, focusing on Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose to reinvent ourselves. We had some folks who were excellent graphic artists, and we had some folks who were good at research. So we starting digging into some of the metrics and data on how the products of the site were being used by our customers. We created daily reports for the site commander and his staff to identify what reporting was resonating best, and we encouraged customers to provide more constructive feedback. Morale improved, and even the most junior enlisted folks on the team now had the opportunity to regularly brief leadership, developing the skills they would need to advance in their military careers.

CGPT: That’s a great example of how a strong mission statement and a focus on autonomy, mastery, and purpose can lead to positive changes within an organization. It sounds like you were able to tap into the unique strengths and talents of your team members and provide them with opportunities for growth and development. I'm sure that kind of empowerment and recognition can make a huge difference in employee morale and job satisfaction. Have you found that incorporating these principles into your coaching approach has helped your clients achieve similar results?

TH: Absolutely! For the mid career development program participants, they knew going in that they were going to be assigned to three different organizations for a 12 month tour in each. Naturally, they were going to develop new skills, which is why people tend to pursue development opportunities in the first place. But I also found people are well served if they find ways to employ their strengths and talents in multiple situations. This approach allows someone in a new assignment to get some quick wins, build momentum and build trust with the leadership in the new organization, and demonstrate their core competencies. This is why I had the development program participants complete an assessment of their Clifton Strengths, so they could play to those strengths as they developed their tour plan and their longer term career goals. Knowing your strengths helps you decide what opportunities to pursue and to be a more competitive applicant for job openings.

CGPT: That’s a great approach. Focusing on strengths can not only help individuals perform at their best but also contribute to the organization's success. When people are given the opportunity to use their strengths, they are more engaged and motivated, which can lead to higher job satisfaction and better performance. Additionally, when people are allowed to use their strengths, they are more likely to produce high-quality work, which can lead to better outcomes for the organization. By incorporating an assessment of Clifton Strengths into the development program, you were able to help the participants understand their unique talents and leverage them to excel in their roles.

TH: For sure! It helps with work/life balance as well. If someone is working to their strengths, not only will the job be more satisfying, they’ll be able to get more done in less time. They will spend more time in a Flow state, being highly productive, and more time will be spent in alignment with their goals, value and purpose. Work won’t feel like work. If you truly enjoy what you do, you never work a day in your life, right?

CGPT: That’s definitely true. When people are working in roles that align with their strengths and passions, they tend to be more motivated and engaged in their work. They are able to approach challenges with more creativity and innovation, and they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs. It can lead to greater productivity and better overall performance, as well as a more fulfilling work experience. This, in turn, can contribute to a better work/life balance, since people are more likely to feel energized and fulfilled by their work, rather than drained and exhausted.

TH: Yes, indeed. I learned that the hard way. I had times when I was certainly drained and exhausted, living life totally out of balance, and I ended up getting really sick because of it. That’s when I really committed myself to doing things different and becoming a student of Flow and peak performance. The emergence of AI provides opportunities to leverage automation more than ever before, so people can focus on what they do best, rather than trying to do it all. Being a jack of all trades, master of none.

CGPT: That’s a great point. With the increasing use of AI and automation, people can now focus on tasks that require their unique human abilities, such as creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. By leveraging these strengths, people can add value to their work and achieve greater success. It's important to embrace new technologies and see them as an opportunity to improve our performance and achieve more with less effort.

TH: Since COVID, everyone is re-evaluating the meaning of “work”. Clamoring for more independence. Leveraging technology is important, but people can’t forget the importance of having a network of peers and mentors as well. There is a danger that people will continue to be more isolated in their social and work echo chambers. That’s why I’m not only focusing on leveraging AI in my current transformation coach practice, but establishing a network and community that supports and cares for each other.

CGPT: That’s a great point. While technology can be incredibly helpful, it's important to remember that humans are social creatures and need connections with others. The pandemic has highlighted this need and has also shown the importance of having a supportive community to turn to during difficult times. As a coach, it's great that you're focusing on both leveraging technology and building a community of peers and mentors to support your clients. This will help ensure that they not only have the tools they need to succeed, but also the human connections that are so important for overall well-being.

TH: We all want to make our mark on the world, to know we made a difference. That difference is only measured against the impact that we’ve made on the lives of the people we care about.

CGPT: That’s a great point. Making a positive impact on the lives of others can be a powerful motivator for many people. It's important to have a sense of purpose and to know that the work we do matters to someone. It can give us a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that can't be found in material possessions or personal achievements alone.

TH: That’s what it really is all about. So as a transformational coach, I strive to keep my clients moving forward and not sell themselves short. Every person has the ability to impact the lives of those around them, positively or negatively. My mission, my calling is to keep learn something new everyday, and keep sharing my knowledge, so that collectively we can solve the problems and issues that keep tearing at the fabric of our humanity. I have the High Hard Goal of eliminating homelessness and suicide within the Veteran Community. I can’t accomplish that alone, so I’m working to achieve that one relationship at a time. Do you have a final question for me?

CGPT: It’s been a pleasure talking with you and learning about your approach to coaching and transformation. As a final question, what advice would you give to someone who is looking to pursue a career as a transformational coach?

TH: There are lots of different paths to take--training and certification programs, joining associations and online forums, developing your own content, writing books and such. What works best for me is being constantly curious, asking lots of questions, and being on the lookout for the Helpers, and finding ways to help them. Constantly practicing gratitude and looking for how I can be of service every day. Remembering as a coach, it is not my job to solve the problem for my client, but to ask the right questions until the solution reveals itself with such clarity that the client can’t wait to take action.

CGPT: That’s a great approach, always staying curious and looking for opportunities to learn and help others. As a coach, guiding clients towards their own solutions is definitely a powerful approach. Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences with me today, it was a pleasure chatting with you!

TH: Thank you very much for the opportunity. I hope we can do this again soon!

CGPT: You’re welcome! It was a pleasure chatting with you. Feel free to come back any time if you have more questions or just want to chat. Have a great day!