An Interview with Michael Eatman, Founder & Coach

As an educator over the past twenty-two years, I recognize that I have always had a leaning towards coaching. I can remember that seeing someone struggle to accomplish a task or goal always bothered me. Partly because I felt that for much of my life I have been the person that others expected to do great things but didn’t know how to get there. For years I had a real issue with folks that called themselves mentors because it seemed to me that mentors only took you as far as they had gone.

One memorable experience took place while I had a stint in Network Marketing. In 1998 I found an awesome opportunity that I believed would change my life both socially and financially. My mentor, a great guy recruited me into the opportunity with the idea that he would help me find the greatness in me that was looking for ways to come out. In so many ways he helped to move me forward. I actually didn’t really smile that much back then and through this company that was seen as a great self development program with an amazing compensation plan, I grew by leaps and bounds. At the end of the day my colleague left the program leaving me to lead a team of about 20 folks with no real understanding of how to move forward. You see I know that in order to move forward you have to work out and through the hangups, bumps, bruises and heartache that life happily gives to folks that wanna be free.

So, I always wanted to know that I could be great if I had a sense of what I was going after. I read an article recently in that said women don’t need mentors, they need advocates. That article really challenged me to think about what I needed and how I would get the necessary support. What was the stimulus? So, I can easily say the stimulus was having good people not really know how to guide me and to be honest, maybe I wasn’t ready to hear. Knowing in my heart that success was possible as world renown motivational speaker Les Brown reminds us.

What excites you about coaching?

Coaching excites me because it allows the coach to develop strong connections to others as their thought partner. It gives the coach an opportunity to be a witness to the death and birth of greatness. There is nothing like seeing/hearing a client that was stuck express a feeling of freedom because of some tool that I shared. Coaching provides an accountability to another person. It is a delicate relationship that is built on the idea that the client and coach if they willingly work together towards a goal will see it to its completion.

What is your particular style of coaching?

I believe the coaching experience is about highlighting where someone is and charting a path to get there. Asking clients to break down acronyms to articulate their feelings is an important process that I use in coaching sessions. I also have found it crucial to start where the client is and not where I want them to be. Encouraging them to articulate their feelings about the moment or situation, what options they have to take actions then charting out a plan is a process that I’ve grown to love. Included in that process I like to use an activity that allows clients to see some self identified talents and we use that in crafting a plan to accomplish a client's goals.

Who do you most enjoy working with?

I work with executive leaders and up and coming leaders and mid professionals. I have worked with both folks that identify as male and female but recognize the importance of working with women from 24 to seasoned adults. Over the next ten years the number of women moving into leadership roles in all organizations will continue to grow. I also have a great affinity to working with professionals of color. Organizations on a global scale understand the importance of diversifying their workforce.

What is the value that you find coaching brings people?

Based on my current experience I know that I provide clients with a safe environment where questions are welcomed and success in not the only goal because it is part of the journey.

What is your philosophy about coaching?

If a person desires to be great, it's inside job. My greatest work is to provide a mirror for the client to view themself and a window to explore the how, and why of who they want to be.

What is an example of you helping others with coaching?

I met a female colleague at a conference and after a short time accepted her on as a client. She is a brilliant woman that was stuck between where she was and where she wanted to be. She often expressed a desire to live a more balanced life and earn more money. Through our work we she was able to harness her internal genius resulting in a better life. Through her courage to do the important personal work she came to the conclusion that she needed new employment and went for it. The result was that she left her then employer and moved into a position that allowed her to make more money and live in a more metropolitan city. I was so pleased to know that I got to be on that journey with her.

What is next for you and coaching?

I am in the process of expanding the efforts of culture7.co to take on more clients. My goal is to help 100 willing individuals to unlock their internal genius to do the thing that will allow them to experience their greatest potential in life.

What is unique about your coaching approach?

I believe that my style is very fluid and allows clients to face what’s happening for them in the moment. My job is to be with them where they are as we climb their mountain to freedom.

How did you move into this field?

While getting my diversity certification I realized that my work as a diversity professional was more coaching than anything else. I wanted learn to hone my skills so I could help as many people that I could. I truly believe as Howard Thurman early 20th century thinker says, “Our dreams will not let us rest until then incarnate in us." That’s what excites me because I’m on the journey myself and the more I become who I am meant to be the more I can support others in their efforts.