Transformation Is Personal. But Never Alone.
But don’t just take my word for it, throughout history and across cultures, we find echoes of this truth. Wisdom traditions, shared philosophies, and cultural teachings have all emphasised the role of community, relationship, and connection in shaping who we become.
The saying, “no man is an island,” rings true here. We are not meant to navigate the challenges of growth and change alone. Desmond Tutu once said, “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” That wisdom reminds us that it is in relationship, in shared space, that our deepest growth occurs.
As I reflect on this, I’m reminded of the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which speaks to our shared humanity. Ubuntu can be translated as, “I am because we are.” It recognises that our growth, identity, and success are deeply tied to the relationships that surround us. Coaching, in many ways, is an active expression of Ubuntu, it’s an intentional space where someone holds you with presence, so you can become more of who you are.
That’s the quiet strength of coaching.
A coaching relationship becomes a place where connection meets personal purpose. We are wired for connection, for witnessing, for shared meaning-making. Coaching is not transactional. It’s relational. It’s built on trust, curiosity, and compassion. And in that space, something profoundly human happens, people begin to feel truly seen.
For many adults, spaces of honest reflection and non-judgmental support are rare. In our day-to-day lives, we often don’t feel seen. And when we don’t feel seen, we tend to shrink or strive. Coaching offers what life often doesn’t, a moment to be fully seen, without needing to perform or prove. A space where you can arrive exactly as you are and grow from there.
It’s liberating to feel safe enough to bring your struggles and know that you will not be seen or perceived as broken, but instead, as human. Even the strongest among us need spaces where we can exhale, reflect, and realign.
I’ve come to believe that one of the greatest gifts a person can receive is the experience of being deeply seen. Not for what they do, but for who they are becoming.
That’s the heart of coaching.
It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity. And it’s a partnership in becoming.
Coaching Is Not a Fix — It’s an Investment
Over the years, I’ve come to see coaching not only as a response to something gone wrong, but as one of the most proactive and empowering investments a person can make, especially for individuals in the early stages of their career.
Early-career professionals often have the luxury of time and financial means to invest in themselves. What they may lack is the awareness of just how valuable coaching can be. They’re navigating identity, values, ambition, and self-worth, often all at once. Yet many wait until they’re far along in their careers, hitting a crossroad or challenge, to access the very thing that could have empowered them to navigate that journey with much greater ease.
At this stage, many young professionals actively seek out mentors, and rightly so. Mentorship is incredibly valuable, offering the opportunity to receive wisdom, perspective, and guidance from someone who has walked the path ahead. But coaching is something different. Where mentoring focuses on transferring knowledge and insight from someone else, coaching focuses on drawing insight from within. It’s about unlocking your own passion, potential, and unique path forward.
Coaching is especially powerful in navigating the real inner tensions that early-career professionals face. Many struggle with imposter syndrome, questioning whether they truly belong. Others are perceived as arrogant, simply because they carry confidence that isn’t yet refined by experience. These aren’t signs of brokenness, they’re signs of humanness, natural developmental dynamics that deserve attention and reflection.
This is exactly where coaching is powerful. It creates a safe space to explore these tensions without shame or judgment, a place to name the doubts, acknowledge the discomfort, and find your own answers to deeply personal experiences. You don’t have to struggle through them alone. You can grow through them with clarity, strength, and intention.
In just a few coaching sessions, I’ve seen young professionals gain clarity that might otherwise take years to reach. Not because someone gave them the answers, but because they were given the space to ask better questions. Coaching is not about fixing what is broken. It’s about unlocking what is ready to grow.
If you’re looking to partner with a coach or to equip yourself to become one, I’d love to support you. Visit https://www.landmanconsulting.co.za/#coaching to learn more about how my coaching and training offerings can support your journey.
From Helping to Empowering: A Parent’s Role in Their Child’s Career Journey
But when it comes to our children’s career decisions — their subject choices, studies, and first steps into the world of work — this instinct to hover, guide, or control may do more harm than good. We’re trying to help, but in doing so, we may unintentionally hijack a crucial part of their growth.
Let’s be honest: the world they are stepping into is vastly different from the one we prepared for. The decision-making frameworks that guided us often failed even then — and are now largely irrelevant. And while it’s true that our children may be young, distracted, or influenced by teachers, friends, or pressure to fit in, that’s not a reason to make decisions for them.
Yes, these decisions are daunting. But that’s exactly why they’re powerful opportunities for growth — for discovering who they are and developing the self-awareness and confidence they’ll need not just for this decision, but for every future career pivot they’ll make in a rapidly changing world.
I don’t pretend to know what their futures hold. That’s precisely why I refuse to prescribe a path. Instead, I choose to walk alongside them — as a parent, a guide, and a sounding board — sharing what I know, offering what I can, and trusting them to grow into the responsibility of deciding for themselves.
Of course, knowing all of this conceptually is one thing. But consistently showing up in this way — with intention, self-awareness, and restraint — is something else entirely. Empowering ourselves to become empowering parents often requires us to unlearn familiar ways of being and re-learn new ones. And that can be uncomfortable, even confronting.
As a career guidance practitioner, I have the privilege of seeing the bigger picture. I get to witness both the unintentional missteps parents make and the powerful moments where parental support truly hits the mark. These experiences offer rich learning — not just for our clients, but for us, too. I often think about how valuable it would be if more parents had access to these insights: not just from their own families, but from the broader view we see across households, schools, and developmental journeys.
That’s why we at Career Thinking have decided to invest in our fellow parents by opening up the conversation. We want to share what we’ve come to know — the common questions we hear, the missteps we frequently observe, and the inspiring examples of parents who navigate this space with intention and grace.
To begin this journey, we’re excited to introduce our first workshop in the series. Instead of diving immediately into age-specific topics, we’ll start where the real shift begins — by focusing on the core things we wish every parent knew about their role in their child’s career development. This session will explore the mindset changes we believe are foundational, drawing directly from what we see every day in our work. Click HERE to register for in-person attendance or to receive the recording.
From there, we’ll invite you to share the questions and challenges you’re currently facing. Your input will help shape the more focused sessions to follow — whether you’re supporting a Grade 9 subject decision, a Grade 12 school-leaver, or a young adult transitioning into the workforce.
Together, we hope to create an informed, empowered community of parents who are equipped to show up in the ways their children need most.
Reflections from my panel discussion with Cori Human Capital Solutions
I reflected on the wonderful experience for a few days, and the more I think about it, the more touched I am by the profound conversations, and deeply meaningful connections I experienced between us. From exploring the challenges women face in balancing professional and personal lives to challenging the narratives around work-life integration, we were able to inspire one another and leave with new insights and renewed energy.
The most powerful feeling of all was the sense of connectedness and belonging we all felt, rooted in the shared experiences of womanhood. Despite being dialled in from different parts of our beautiful continent, we found a common ground in our womanhood that transcended distance and technology.
Looking forward to continuing these important conversations and driving change together.