Eriona Gjinukaj on a Coachee's Testament to the Value of Professional Coaching

Our final guest for the main portion of season three brings an indispensible perspective to conversations about the state of professional coaching today: what value does a coachee get out of the experience? Eriona Gjinukaj, longtime COO of Dompé during its growth from Milan-based pharmaceutical to global biotech firm, has plenty to share with Kavitha on the topic. Eriona emphasizes the ways in which her coach—Cameron Smoak, featured in episode 2—engaged in both team coaching and one-on-one sessions at a time when the company was rapidly expanding its markets, revenues, and team size. For company leadership, having a coach in the boardroom led to improved cooperation and innovation. For Eriona personally, it meant transitioning from a problem-solving strategy consultant to a confident, effective manager of a 15-person team. She and Kavitha discuss the value of learning to prepare for difficult conversations with role-play, finding the right balance between listening and speaking, and why it is so critical that coaches lead with questions which allow their coachees to come to the realization that they already hold the answers they need within themselves.

Transcript

S3Ep9—Eriona Gjinukaj Transcript

Links and Resources

Information on YGELP and Yale SOM Executive Education:

Yale SOM Executive Education Homepage

Certificate in Professional Coaching Program Homepage

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Resources Mentioned in Today's Episode:

Dompé Homepage

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