Questions to Buddy: Juliette Lutje Schipholt

Before she became a coach, Juliette experienced firsthand how well it works when an outsider helps you move forward with knowledge and skills. She wanted others to do the same, so now she works at Buddy . Perhaps the best thing about her work: you see results immediately. Which brings us to the first question.

What gives you the most satisfaction as a coach?
A few months ago I coached someone of whom I doubted whether he really found the first two conversations useful. But at the third interview he was suddenly a lot happier and said how nice he had been to be able to tell me his story. Of course I think it’s great if I can use an interesting method to give someone new insights into their own behavior. But I am just as happy with a coachee who is just happy that I listened. What is also always very satisfying is a coachee who walks away with significantly more self-confidence at the end of the coaching process and can continue independently.

What do you hope to achieve with people as a coach?

I want to help people feel happier, more vital and more resilient and to trust their own abilities. Reflecting on your own development is not really standing still. You take a step back to be able to give a kickstart to the rest of your life.

Don’t dwell on negative feelings. Each step helps you with the steps that follow. So if you’re thinking ‘shit, I’m in the wrong place’, know that this can actually help you further in the rest of your career.

What is your ultimate tip?

It may be a bit obvious, but we do it far too little: get some rest. You have to take rest to be able to continue. A car with an empty tank can’t keep driving ‘because there is no time to refuel’, can it? Just think how ridiculous that sounds, when you tell yourself that you’re too busy to take a break.

What is your superpower as a coach?

I can listen very well, perhaps thanks to my big ears. Unlike most people, I can fold it in half three times. This often results in bewildered faces. But let’s be serious now: in daily practice with my coachees, my talent for being a good listener mainly ensures that people feel understood and heard.

You also do career guidance. What do you say to people who get stuck?

Don’t dwell on negative feelings. Each step helps you with the steps that follow. So if you’re thinking ‘shit, I’m in the wrong place’, know that this can actually help you further in the rest of your career. This is also good to keep in mind for anyone who is just starting out: unpleasant experiences also give you something. Whether it’s annoying colleagues, work that doesn’t suit you or organizations in which you don’t feel at home: you can learn a lot from all those experiences. About what you don’t want, for example. Or how you would do it differently yourself.

Why do you enjoy working as a coach for Buddy?

As far as I’m concerned, Buddy stands for commitment and uses a friendly but goal-oriented approach. In this way, we help make coaching accessible to everyone: not just to someone in whose bubble it is normal to go to a coach. And not only for the people who have enough financial resources. Thanks to the collaboration between Buddy and people-oriented employers, more and more people can reap the benefits of a coach and I think it’s great to be part of that.

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