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Writer's pictureVijay Rajendran

coaching manifesto

Introduction


Vijay Rajendran
Vijay Rajendran

Hi, my name is Vijay, and I am a Berkeley-trained executive coach. After 20 years as an entrepreneur, investor, and advisor, I believe that through leadership coaching and similar supportive approaches, we can change the world for the better, one entrepreneurial leader at a time.  I am drawn to doing this work because now, more than ever, I feel we need to drive that change.


We need exceptional leadership and that means founders, investors, and startup executives need to tap into their own genius and their authentic selves to do the best work of their lives.







High-Growth Leaders are Doing Hard [and New] Things 


Why coach Founders and other Entrepreneurial Leaders

Your job is tough. I’m here for the tough parts, too. Founders and high growth leaders have high expectations placed on them and while many have mentors, investors, and boards, they lack a sounding board that is focused on them rather than their business. I started working on how to help founders grow their business, develop as leaders, and thrive as people. We are all messy and human and when we do things that make us miserable we and the business can suffer. 


What my coaching Resolves

People I work with have the unique challenge of accomplishing hard things that have never been done before. As they try to improve  the world, they find they want to improve themselves. Working with individuals in the way that I do means transformation. Often leaders come to me because they are struggling with something important and fundamental to them. They are very likely aware that they need to instigate change somehow and have probably tried many things but haven’t as yet found a solution.


What the Process is Like

Specifically, when I work with a coachee, I am helping them in 1:1 individual coaching sessions and some team settings to  find relief from such issues as Difficulty Fundraising (for their Startup or Fund), Challenges of Growing their Business, Co-Founder Disagreements, & Problems with Team-Building. We tackle those issues to find solutions, but also I help them overcome feelings of stress, conflict, and feeling stuck, the impact of which can be hugely significant both at home and at work. They tend to feel a new focus “lightness.” 



What do my coachees Care about?

The types of people I coach care deeply about taking action, iterating quickly, and staying curious. As a result,  a lot of their energy and time goes into making difficult decisions and solving big problems. My coachees are driven by the desire to see the results of what they do and find joy while doing it. This really matters to them in terms of their mission and their wellbeing.


What kind of People are they?

The kind of leaders who say they love coaching with me are smart, ambitious, and hardworking personalities and aren’t afraid to try new things; I’d say that’s down to them being brave and thoughtful and nothing fulfills me more than spending my time with these amazing individuals. They are often stepping into a bigger stage as leaders than they ever have before. The thing is that they can’t be some version of someone else or copy a famous leader based on studying their biography and maxims. They need to express their authentic self. This comes down to being the best version of themselves and not the version of themselves that they held back in the past. Their authentic self is there and ready to step out. 



I have a Dream for my coachees

I want my coachees to experience lives filled with strong relationships and joy (even while juggling everything). I want them to get  to bring their genius to work and wake up feeling limitless and fulfilled, because life is finite, and they have so much on offer.


This matters to Me, because I have been there

In my own life, I have experienced founder stress when conditions change or fears of professional failure. This taught me to first be resilient and then focus on where my genius is and how to unlock it in others. We find freedom when we have an internal north star and follow that and not external validation. Subsequently, I believe that you can have joy and do your best  work [even when things aren’t perfect] and adapt in times of change. 


Why Executive Coaching Works

I spent many years as a strategy consultant and sometimes still mentor others early in their careers. Of course, coaching is very different from consulting and mentoring; the agenda and goals are set by my coachees rather than me giving solutions to generic situations or trying to “fix” them as individuals.  I enable my coachees to be self-empowered and not reliant on others to give them all the answers. I help them be resilient (even “antifragile”) rather than perfect. Being Authentic. Being themselves. This is the magic of coaching. I help coachees to find and use their own innate abilities and resourcefulness!


Let’s have a Conversation


Do you feel limited? Authentic? Do you understand your genius and abilities?


What if nothing ever changed? What will life be like in a year, two years, or five? 


What, instead, if something different were in your grasp?If what I have shared here resonates with you, let’s  connect and see how we could work with each other. I believe in carefully exploring if it is worthwhile to work together before deciding to coach anyone. We can make sure this is the right thing for you.


Committed to your success,


Vijay


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