Alumni spotlight: Paula Kilpinen, Henley Business School Finland
A coach, a leader, a parent – becoming better in all
Paula Kilpinen recently started as the Director for custom programs at Henley Business School Finland. Besides her new day job, Paula is also an experienced Executive Coach and she just graduated from the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching program at Henley. You might wonder, what’s the thing about studying another coaching program? Let’s hear from Paula.
Before joining Henley, Paula worked the past ten years in executive education and leadership development. She also has a background as doctoral researcher and a long career in a global company. So why did Paula choose Henley and started to study coaching, again?
“Yes, indeed I had already done another coaching program and had acted as a coach during several years. However, the Henley program enabled me to revisit my personal approach to coaching, broaden my method- and toolbox, and access the international coaching research done at Henley”, explains Paula.
According to Paula, there are many benefits in the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching program. It prepares you for a coaching certification, but on top of that, it is a great personal development journey and a very practical program, as you get to build your own approach to coaching, with the methods and tools that are aligned with that.
When asked, why Henley, Paula has the answer ready, no doubt.
“Once a Henley alumni said that when you select a company for your personal development, it is like a job interview, but in a reverse setting. Henley is a triple-accredited coaching program, as well as the only university-level coaching program offered in Finland. So the decision was easy”, elaborates Paula.
Paula’s key learnings and take-aways relate to her own personal development, sounds familiar? Most likely yes, to many. In her reflection paper Paula explored how to shift as a coach from doing to being, and from knowing to not knowing, in order to help her coachees in reaching their full potential. The program also helped Paula to embrace the multiple roles of a leader, an advisor and a coach, required in her coaching work and in her new job.
Nowadays, lifelong learning is paramount. Paula stresses in particular having a growth mindset, learning on continuous basis and building networks, as the success recipe in today’s work life. In Paula’s view, Henley Business School provides a wonderful platform for that.
For Paula, studying at Henley offered surprises, but only pleasant ones.
“I took the program to become a better coach, but I think I ended up becoming a better leader and even a better parent as well. Moreover, I did not expect to build such deep and long-lasting relationships with my peer students. We had a great group and it is amazing how much you can learn collectively”, says Paula with a big smile on her face.
And due to coaching studies or not, she also now has a new job – at Henley Business School of course!
Read our other Alumni in the Spotlight interviews.
P.S. Have you already familiarised yourself with the Henley Student and Alumni Mentoring Programme? The programme is accessible through Henley Live. If you have not registered to Henley Live yet, signup here.
