When you think about getting caught in an undercurrent, what comes to mind? For me, I’m reminded of a beach vacation in the Caribbean when I got caught in a nasty churn of ocean and sand that made me kiss the ground when I finally broke free of it!

On the surface, the ocean appeared fun and inviting, but underneath it was a different story. I had seriously underestimated the pull of the undertow.

No matter where we work there’s a corporate culture or an undercurrent of values and practices that can either support us in being at our best or it can pull us in – and sometimes – even pull us under.

Have you ever received feedback at work that was mortifying or uncomfortable or just didn’t seem like they could possibly be talking about you?

When there’s pressure and deadlines and it’s fast-paced, you need to have developed a strong sense of self so that you don’t go on autopilot and get sucked into negative patterns and behaviors. That’s not who you really are. It’s the undercurrent.

As a leadership coach, I help professionals get aligned in their working lives. I help you create a plan that lines up your own wants and desires with that of the organizations and then identify the two or three small development shifts that will create the momentum to get there. 

Before I transitioned into coaching, I was in public relations. I helped leaders and politicians develop and deliver corporate types of messages that were genuine and palatable to a broader audience.

Coaching allows me to work with individuals in a much more powerful way. I’m still helping people refine and articulate their message, but it’s more then that. I’m helping them step more fully into who they truly are so that presence can permeate their working lives no matter what’s going on in the undercurrent.

This is your career path. There are ways to make it easier, more enjoyable, and true to who you really are.

It’s time to rise above the undercurrent and get aligned.

Let’s Get Started.

Karen Kelloway, BPR PCC
Your Career Story Editor