Before joining the program, I had gathered some experience by being coached on my work place and by co-leading team workshops. I joined the program from this professional perspective to focus on my personal development and to develop my managerial skills.

From the first weekend of the program, Ashraf has succeeded in changing my perspective away from this purely logic-oriented strategy towards a broader heart-opening conception of embracing life. We also gained hands on experience right away both as a coach and as a coachee and I benefited immensely from both angles. I digged deep to reconnect with my intuition and I felt encouraged to provide a listening ear and constant support for my coachees to make progress on their life path. Over the course of the program, we learned a broad variety of coaching techniques, always revolving around the basics of coaching: curiosity, powerful questioning, listening, being in the moment, creating a connection… As the learning process can be rewarding as well as challenging, we could always count on Ashraf’s support but also on the powerful advice of the rest of the group. This protected environment made it particularly easy to take risks and get out of our comfort zones. Very early in the program, we experienced a very steep learning curve by coaching clients external to the group of participants. It was a tremendous experience!

The whole program has not only allowed me to reflect on my impact on developing others at work by using coaching tool. It also changed my way to embrace life, to listen to my family and friends, thereby enjoying the deepened connection, to take more risks, to focus on the present moment, to involve the heart at the center of all major life decisions. I could not thank Ashraf enough for this life – changing experience!

Marie Lafontaine Head of Section - Single Supervisory Mechanism - European Central Bank | Frankfurt am Main (Germany)