Alec Jiggins is one of the coaches we found and we did a little interview with him. He impressed us with his no BS approach to coaching. Here is what he said.
Meet Life Coach Alec Jiggins:
Name: Alec Jiggins
Pillar: The Mind
Who is this coach for: Anyone who wants to develop an unshakeable mindset that will help them push past their limits.
How they can help: By using various techniques, models as well as NLP and action promoting questions.
First of all, how are you and your family doing in these Pandemic times?
Thankfully, we are all fine.
My family and I moved back to the UK from Singapore mid pandemic, which was a real challenge. It’s lovely to be close to family, finally putting down some roots after 16 years overseas.
For me, the pandemic has helped me to strip away lots of superfluous beliefs and really focus on what’s important.
Being physically isolated made me really value the closeness of being with my family and friends, and now that we are able to travel and see people, I am determined to really build and cherish each relationship.
How does the coronavirus pandemic affect your clients? Did it affect you at all?
Coaching is person centered, so switching from face to face to online presented me with an opportunity to challenge my beliefs around coaching, learn some new skills, and show up powerfully online for my clients.
The pandemic has created new challenges for all of us, whether that be in our careers or families.
It’s thrust the frailty of human existence into everyone’s awareness, and my clients.. and myself.. are asking deeper questions of themselves. I help them to find the answers.
What are the biggest lessons that you learned in this pandemic?
The quality of our life is determined by the quality of our relationships, so stay connected, even remotely.
One of our basic human needs is to feel part of a community.
I made a conscious decision of “nobody left behind” so I connected with friends, clients, former clients and colleagues, even total strangers, to make sure that we all felt connected.
The Origin:
Tell us about you, your career, how you started with your coaching career?
I’ve been coaching, in one way or another, since I was in high school. I have always been fascinated by people, their drive and motivation, and how to be successful.
I wasn’t a particularly good student at school, and didn’t have THAT teacher who stood for me. I left school at 18 with average grades and no real plan to achieve my goal of becoming a journalist. Through sheer determination and a lucky break, I landed a job with a newspaper and slowly learnt my craft, developed my skills as a writer and editor.
My own immaturity was a major obstacle to feeling fulfilled, so I began a search for meaning. I quit my job and went to university to train as a teacher, as I had always enjoyed working with young people. I got the teaching bug, and was naturally drawn to working with teenagers who were struggling. In many ways, I identified with their journey and wanted to connect with them and help them achieve their potential.
I was promoted to Head of Department at the end of my induction year, and found myself coaching a newly qualified teacher. I discovered that I really enjoyed helping adults achieve their potential, not just teenagers. During my career in education, I worked with my own coach as I was struggling with imposter syndrome, feeling overwhelmed, and ultimately burning out. It was transformational for me and led me to train as a coach.
In my career, I’ve started two successful new schools and turned around a failing school, and all of this has been possible by developing my own unshakeable belief, a growth mindset, and by coaching and building high performing individuals and teams. No two people are the same, so I start where my client is, and we co create the rest.
Every year, Dr Marshall Goldsmith generously offers scholarships for coaches to train in Stakeholder Centered Coaching. I applied three years in a row before I was successful, so resilience does pay off. I’m now a certified leadership coach with both Marshall Goldsmith and the Global Coach Group.
What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your life that made you who you are today?
My imposter syndrome, choosing to believe in myself.
There have been times in my life when I have slipped into a disempowered state, at times even into a victim mentality.
What helped me overcome this?
1. Working with coaches. I am not the same person I was six months ago, let alone 10 years ago. My self awareness and self belief have grown massively.
2. Letting go of my ego. It wasn’t easy, trust me, but accepting myself, being 100% authentic, and living according to my values are my superpower.
3. My purpose. I truly believe that when you are living your purpose, your passion, then you are thriving. Serving others is my purpose, coaching is the vehicle I use.
The Coaching Style:
How do you innovate with coaching your clients?
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” — Wayne Dyer
My coaching is based on my clients developing an unshakeable belief in themselves, a mindset that is set to “thrive” and not “survive”.
I don’t do warm and fuzzy.
My coaching is like having a drill sergeant for your mind.
Pain is a by product of growth, suffering is optional.
I want all of my clients to become stronger, more empowered, making powerful choices in their lives.
In either my individual or group coaching programmes, my clients have the benefit of belonging to an online community, which is great for promoting accountability, collaboration, and supporting one another.
What’s unique about your coaching approach?
Other than my life experience, absolutely nothing. I am unafraid to share my own personal failings, the lessons learnt, and the insights I have about it now.
Our past does not equal our present or future, so breaking the cycle of beliefs and behaviors is at the heart of my coaching.
In essence, I stand for my clients, give them my full and absolute attention and integrity, and support them in making powerful choices.
I start from where they are, using tools and questions to move them towards their goals, but always focused on building an unshakeable belief in their potential.
I use a range of coaching techniques and models, including NLP, through individual coaching, group coaching, online and face to face with my clients.
What benefits do your clients get after working with you?
By its very nature, coaching is intangible, you’re not buying a washing machine.
My clients find greater clarity around what they truly want in life, develop an unshakeable mindset, and build the behavioural changes and habits that are going to enable them to be authentic and live their best life.
My clients have achieved promotion, quit their jobs and started their own businesses, found greater work and life balance, a sense of calm and improved wellbeing, and dialed down the voice of their inner critic.
Do you use any specific tools to be efficient with your clients?
I use a range of different tools with clients, including an online booking system for sessions, recordings of each session for reflection, and a community group for support.
The Impact:
If you had a super megaphone that, when you speak into, the whole world will hear your message, what would you say?
You are enough.
You cannot fail.
It can be done, and you can do it.
The only difference between fear and excitement is your attitude about it.
What is the greatest lesson you have learned in your life?
Self Belief is everything.
Before Roger Bannister ran the four minute mile, everyone believed it was impossible. His record lasted just 46 days before it was broken, by someone who knew it was possible.
Life is about choosing, every moment, to believe, how to be. Letting go of expectations, just being in the moment, being responsible, being aligned with one’s values, believing in oneself.
We all slip, from time to time.
Coaching has helped me to develop a greater self awareness, so I can catch myself and my clients when this happens, and pivot into an empowered state.
Your final thoughts?
Life is created, minute by minute, by the choices we make.
You can only join up the dots when you stop and look backwards, but you have to live it looking forwards, so believe in yourself and go for it.
I have reinvented myself, been fired, pivoted careers, lived in seven countries, failed more than I’ve succeeded, and I am leaning into the fear and going flat out for it.
Where Can You Find Alec Jiggins?
If this interview resonated with you and you want to get to know more about Alec’s coaching go and visit https://alecjiggins.com you will find everything about him and his method.
If you want to contact him directly you can do that at [email protected]. Don’t be shy, send him a message and he will make sure to answer your questions. It was an honor having this interview with him.
