A road to ACC - Naila Selimović

The way to transform our inner conflicts into something meaningful - journey to ACC credential

Naila says she always believed that the roles we play in life do not define us. Therefore, the fact that she is a wife, a single mother of three wonderful grown sons, a mathematician since the age of 3, an opera singer since the age of 2, a thinker, a lover of art, historical places, traveling, and other cultures, speaks only to her affinities, aspirations, and abilities, but not to the completeness of who she is, what she’s still exploring with all her potentials.

You wonder how all of these roles and interests are combined in one person? But, there is more… Naila Selimović is an alumni of Koučing centar ICCD programme who gained our ICF Level 1 diploma and recently her ICF ACC credential. So, we decided to ask her to share with all of us her motivation to add coaching to her already wide repertoire of skills and interests.

How would you describe the start of your coaching journey?

In recent years, alongside my regular job as a member of the opera choir at the National Opera in Zagreb, I have also managed processes in manufacturing, led projects, and teams as a freelancer. Personally, I am very results-oriented and capable of pushing myself through superhuman efforts. However, my journey in leading teams has not been a fairy tale; the level of demands to which I exposed myself mirrored those I placed on my team members. This created a profound conflict within me between my humanity and my drive to produce and deliver results.

I found somewhere the thought that change begins with the individual's internal conflict between what is and what could be. This ignited a fervent urge to transform my inner conflict into something meaningful. While excelling as a manager, personally, an unsettling sense of something missing persisted.

I first learned about coaching during a seminar within a master's program several years ago. Words like autonomy, challenge, uniqueness, resourcefulness, and maximizing potential resonated with me. The more successful I became as a manager, the deeper my internal struggle grew. I sensed that coaching might be the path I needed to explore. And just as I reached my final decision, one of my future educators crossed my path. Some might call it a coincidence, but I believe there is a higher intention behind it.

When I made the decision to enroll in coaching training at the Koučing centar, my intention was solely to cultivate additional skills and competencies to enhance my interactions with people. As a leader, I understood that it was my responsibility to cultivate and nurture the culture of creativity, joy, and satisfaction. My aim was to elevate my leadership through adopting a coaching mindset.

What are your learnings from the process of enrolling to the coaching training to gaining an ICF credential?

The educational journey itself was an enriching experience for me. I eagerly anticipated our Wednesday sessions, viewing the two- hour blocks as a sanctuary where I could immerse myself in a mindset that felt inherently aligned with my own. Exploring the diverse styles and languages of our educators was fascinating, as I observed the unique contributions each brought to the realm of education. I eagerly absorbed the wealth of knowledge they imparted, consistently making time amidst my busy schedule to delve into the suggested materials and even seeking out additional sources independently.

Reflecting back, I regret not investing more effort initially in acquainting myself with and comprehending the competencies presented to us in the first session, which we encountered later through the PCC markers in our OCSs.

And what were some challenges on this path?

One of the most intriguing aspects for me was the evolution of a space within myself that I never imagined would lead me to conduct client sessions, record them, and submit them for evaluation. Initially, I grappled with finding a suitable "willing volunteer" for practice (eventually settling on my oldest son), and the process of observing myself and listening to my own voice felt foreign and somewhat unsettling. The questions I posed seemed contrived, as if I were merely going through the motions. I recall my son's disappointment, as he perceived me as distant and detached.

Despite my initial trepidation and the novelty of the process, I swiftly embraced experimentation and began submitting recordings, completing my required tasks by the sixth session. As the education progressed, I eagerly anticipated new tasks, cherishing each exercise during our sessions. In my spare time, I delved into session demos online and sought out colleagues for practice and peering. Gradually, I began to embody the essence of coaching, becoming increasingly aligned with its principles. And I resolved to take my journey even further, aiming for the ICF ACC credential. I committed myself to the ambitious goal of being credentialed within a tight 7-month timeframe. In addition to 10 mentoring hours, it was necessary to collect 100 hours (full hours, not sessions) of work with clients, submit a recording of a client session demonstrating proficiency in applying competencies, and finally pass a very demanding exam.

I broke down the journey into manageable segments, setting short-term objectives and meticulously crafting an action plan that I faithfully executed, even in the face of the most formidable challenges (including initiating a project that demanded my physical presence on-site for 20 days a month, with workdays extending to 14 hours).

The biggest challenge for me was collecting the required hours of work with clients. My buddy, Anastasija, helped me with a simple calculation - 7 months, 100 hours, which means 3 hours a week. Surprisingly, as a mathematician, I hadn't come up with that calculation myself. I reached out to friends, relatives, acquaintances of acquaintances, regularly participated in Peer sessions at the Koučing Centar, worked with these peers in my free time (often counting it in mere minutes), and even participated in group mentoring sessions with highly experienced coaches in international cohorts (It reminds me of the saying: 'What does a child know about what 100 kg is?). But once more, it revealed to me that by pursuing my passion, opportunities unfolded before me where I once saw only barriers. A significant project presented itself, offering me the chance to fulfill the remaining required hours.

Key takeaways:
From the entire process, I learned some valuable lessons about myself:
- Having a well-formed vision of the target state is crucial,
- A well-identified and defined goal, along with awareness of the current state, helps in identifying the initial steps and crafting a good action plan,
- Consistency is key,
- While I reached my goal, it was because I invested the same effort in the goal as I did in all the people who helped me along the way. As a result, I gained wonderful friendships and a deeper sense of humanity. Isn't that what we strive for in the coaching profession?

What would be your message for all people considering starting their own coaching journey?

Embarking on a coaching journey is not just about guiding others; it's also a transformative path for ourselves. It's about discovering our unique strengths, honing our skills, and connecting with our authentic selves. It's magical when we embrace the journey with openness and curiosity, knowing that every step we take will not only empower others but also enrich our own lives.

Tell us more about your future steps in coaching and further development.

Although the process of preparing for the exam exhausted me, it filled me with new energy for further structured work. My drive and desire for structure motivated me to extend the opportunity to share my experience of preparing for and participating in the exam, thereby providing support to my peers. When it comes to education, my primary interest lies in advancing my knowledge in the field of team coaching. I am delighted to discover that the Advanced Team Coaching Diploma program offered by the Koučing Centar is accredited by the ICF. I am facing a significant decision about whether coaching will become my main profession, and that decision will not be easy. Nevertheless, I envision the PCC certification ahead of me, and I can hardly wait to embark on that journey alongside my great mentor, Adrijana. I am confident that the path will reveal itself.