Ignition Coach Spotlight: Suzanne Silver
Today’s coaching spotlight is part of a series where we will feature and celebrate the diverse and talented coaches that work with Ignition around the globe. We hope you enjoy knowing a bit more about the wonderful folks who make our work unique.
Today, we are featuring Executive Coach Suzanne Silver. Based in Thailand, Suzanne has over 30 years of experience working in the UK and Asia, specializing in people development and behavioral change. For a full bio, visit her about page.
Here’s what Suzanne shared with us.
What inspired you to become an executive coach?
I have worked in the People space my whole career, in learning and development, talent, leadership, and social work. Coaching was a clear path to follow, and I absolutely love it! I am very interested in people, their development, human behavior, and psychology.
It’s such a privilege to see a client’s journey—you get to see them grow, change, and achieve success. I love helping people navigate the leadership space and supporting people through transition. And the other side is assisting people in exploring more about themselves by better understanding who they are, their values, what matters to them and helping them live more authentically.
What is a significant misconception people have about your line of work?
The misconception that comes up most often is people thinking that coaching or coaches are kind of specialists or experts that will “fix” something or someone. Although that might be the outcome, it's not the coach that does the fixing. The coach provides tools and guidance for the client to do their own fixing. All the answers are inside the client themselves, and it's the coach's skill that enables them to see things that they've not seen before and make those changes for themselves, which I love. I feel like it's a gift.
How would someone know if a particular coach is right for them?
We always recommend that clients and coaches hold a “chemistry call” before starting a formal arrangement. As a client, you have to ensure that you can feel comfortable with your coach because they will be your partner, and you will need to step out of your comfort zone and likely feel vulnerable in that relationship. There has to be a solid element of trust and rapport.
I recommend that potential clients try chemistry calls with a handful of potential coaches because you will feel what is a good fit for you and make the best decision. And I say, if you discover that I’m not the Coach for you, then I'm pleased for you because your success is my success.
“Suzanne is helping me build confidence and understanding in my leadership style. She asks the right questions and really listens. She has already helped me to become much more aware and confident and is continuing to work with me. She is the best coach I have worked with by some way.”
Tell us a brief story about a moment you saw your work's impact on a client.
I specialize in supporting people through career transitions and mindset shifts. People who have gone through their careers for a particular period tend to utilize their strengths and technical abilities and experience a significant change when they venture into leadership. They can no longer rely on those technical abilities in the same way. In leadership, you have to adapt the learning that you've had so far and grasp new ideas and concepts, which takes you completely out of the space that has made you successful up to that point. That can be hard for some to overcome without guidance.
There's one particular client that I'm thinking of who runs his own business. He has been heavily involved in establishing the company, and it has scaled into a multi-million dollar business running in four countries. He's struggling to let go of some of the things he's been building. As the company grows more complex, he hasn’t been aware of the change he needs to make for himself in terms of where he adds value to the business. Previously, when the company was smaller, he was doing everything, and as it's scaled, it’s at the point where he can't do that anymore, and he needs to rely on other people.
In the coaching sessions, we talk about what he values. He loved doing everything. The “aha” came as he realized where he adds value is setting the vision, developing strategy, and planning for the future. As a result, he is engaging, encouraging, and motivating people—all of the things he didn't have time for because he was down in the weeds of the day-to-day work.
In effect, the coaching process has enabled him to shift his mindset. He's spending much more time in that strategic space and delegating work he doesn’t need to be doing. He says, “I know so much more about my business than I knew before when I thought I'd got a handle on everything.” Although he's not the one who has a handle on everything, he's raised himself out of business to see what's happening across the organization. He can focus on delegating, asking questions, and getting others’ updates. He is now in a completely different place in his business.
“Whatever the question, the answer is ‘Yes’ (unless it’s ‘No’)”
What is the unifying theme of your life?
The unifying theme of my life is my values. I believe every person needs to think about what matters most to them and let their values be their north star. I value freedom, independence, personal responsibility, and living with few possessions to weigh me down.
Following the north star of my values has led me to unique and unforgettable life experiences. For example, I left the UK to live in Hong Kong about 15 years ago. While there, I began taking trips to Koh Samui, Thailand’s 2nd largest island. The island’s natural beauty is stunning and enables me to be outdoors and physically active. After many visits, the question came to me - why not live full-time in Koh Samui? And the answer, of course, was “yes,” if I could find a way to make it work. I made a business case to my employer that it was cost-effective to work remotely. They supported my decision as the cost of living was less in Samui than in Hong Kong. So, my husband and I relocated here in 2015. My 10 year partnership with Ignition Coaching, and leading the Hong Kong part of the business since 2015, has enhanced my practice and broadened my scope - working across the globe with 1:1 executive coaching clients and facilitating leadership programs from New York to New Zealand.
Now I live near the ocean and eat lunch on the beach nearly every day. Some say it was courageous to move here, but it wasn’t courage that led me here - I followed my values.
Do you have a regular meditation or mindfulness practice, and how does it help?
I tend to use exercise to get into the zone — to be genuinely focused on what is happening in that moment, including my heart rate, breathing, how my muscles are working together, technique, etc. An extension of that is when I focus on my breathing to ensure deep belly breaths, usually at night when I'm getting ready for sleep.
What other practices do you have to build your resilience levels?
Actively meeting with people - I am an extrovert, and I have learned that I need an external outlet. I seek out friends near home or schedule calls with people further away to talk, share, laugh, and connect. Relationships replenish me.
What is your favorite thought leadership resource? (book, podcast, journal)
I love reading and following some thought leaders. Here are a few of my favorites:
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones;
Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life.