About Michèle
I’m a lifelong learner, cross-cultural expert, certified and accredited Leadership Coach as well as Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. My diverse background and global experiences inform my unique coaching style. With an MA in East Asian Art History and Asian languages, history, customs, and politics, an MBA, and years as a senior executive living in Asia, working as a consultant and recruiter, managing a translation company in Taiwan, and later leading teams of senior leaders in a Big4 and BigLaw firm in Switzerland, I have a unique perspective on business and leadership. As an experienced Business Development Leader, I have a proven track record leading and coaching diverse, cross-cultural, and cross-functional teams of senior leaders.
As an accredited Leadership & Team Coach and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, I help cross-cultural leaders and executives unlock their full potential and lead their teams to success.
As a believer in fluidity and resilience, I embrace change in today's complex world. Pragmatism, agility, and Asian philosophy have shaped the way I think, work, lead and coach.
In today's fast-paced, dynamic, and volatile world, it's more important than ever to approach life with flexibility and resilience in the face of uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu 老子 celebrates this idea in his Tao Te Ching 道德經, stating that the truly good person is like water - able to benefit all things without competing, and remaining adaptable and open to change. This aligns with the Taoist belief that even what may be perceived as weakness, or the ability to yield, can actually be a great strength. Hence, in Chapter 8 of his Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu states that the truly good man is like water.
上善若水。
水善利萬物而不爭，處衆人之所惡，故幾於道。
居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，政善治，事善能，動善時。
夫唯不爭，故無尤。
"The truly good is like water. Water benefits all things and does not compete. It stays in places people despise. Therefore, it is close to Tao.
When settling, choose good grounds. When thinking, be profound. When dealing with people, treat them well. When speaking, be sincere. When governing, be orderly. When serving, do to the best of your ability. When acting, choose the timing well. For he who does not compete, is without reproach."
I strive to embody these principles in my work and coaching: I bring an open-minded, adaptable approach and a commitment to helping my clients navigate change and achieve their goals while staying true to who they are.
As a corporate rebel who challenges the status quo and looks for root causes to facilitate change and transformation, I bring a curious and creative mind to my coaching. I am deeply committed to helping my clients increase their self-awareness, confidence, and resilience to achieve their goals. Let's work together to navigate the challenges of change and reach your full potential.
I take a holistic, strengths-based and goal-oriented approach to coaching, drawing on my behavioural science training and my extensive management and leadership experience. My boundless energy is focused on helping leaders gain greater self-awareness and confidence using their unique strengths to overcome barriers, make effective decisions, develop resilience and lead high-performing teams.
My experience & credentials include:
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Foundations of Team Coaching Certificate (40 hours) at Team Coaching Global Alliance
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EMCC accredited Coach/Mentor at Senior Practitioner level
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ICF credentialed Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
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Certified Professional Coach (CPC) having completed 125h of ICF Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) with the International Coach Academy (ICA)
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Distinguished Fellow Coach, BetterUp
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Volunteer at the Mentoring Program of the Department for Economic Affairs, Canton Zurich
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MBA and MA in Sinology and East Asian Art History, Certificates in Change Management as well as Negotiations from top Universities
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Almost 20 years leadership and change management experience in various business development functions in large multinational corporate organisations
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7 years overseas studies and work in China and Taiwan
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Fluent in English, German and Mandarin
Certified
I am not just any coach; I am a certified professional with credentials from leading organisations in the industry. As a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and holder of EMCC Senior Practitioner and ICF ACC credentials, you can be confident that I have the qualifications and knowledge to support you on your journey.
Trained
My training includes an 18-month ICF Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP), Gallup's CliftonStrengths coaching courses and a 40 hours Team Coaching Training.
I have over 2000 hours of experience coaching and mentoring clients through leadership and career challenges.
Experienced
With nearly 20 years of experience in large multinational organisations, I bring a wealth of practical knowledge and understanding to my coaching practice. I have led cross-cultural and cross-functional teams in multiple locations and have faced and overcome many leadership challenges.
Creative
Born and raised in Switzerland, I was immersed into diverse cultures and languages from an early age. My upbringing, language skills, former expat life and cross-cultural marriage have all shaped my creative and out-of-the-box thinking. I'm a rebel at heart.
My Journey to Coaching
Bill Gates said it best: "Everyone needs a coach." No matter how successful you are, coaching propels growth.
Blackhole Coach was born out of my own journey of transformation. Having always been a rebel and challenger of conventional norms, coaching has helped me navigate career changes, learn from mistakes, regain confidence, lean into my unique talents, and use my strengths. I have shifted perspectives and found a way to be my authentic self combining my different identities as an individual, a mother, a wife, and a leader. Now it's time to give back!
I am striving to be the coach, that I so desperately would have needed.
Through coaching with me, you'll gain self-awareness, confidence, clarity on your goals, and resilience. My holistic, strengths-based approach promotes self-awareness, confidence, and clarity on your journey. You'll leave our sessions with deep insights, and a clear plan for success.
Why Blackhole
In today's volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world, it's more important than ever to be adaptable and anticipate change. Corporate cost efficiency and change programmes, outsourcing and process optimization are lurking around every corner in almost every organisation. “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” is a famous quote from legendary management consultant and writer Peter Drucker. However, when corporate change throws people off the tip of Maslow's pyramid and threatens job safety, position or power, the reverse conclusion suddenly may apply: "Strategy eats culture for breakfast."
When corporate strategy starts to undermine culture, the best organisations, teams and people can become toxic. They hit rock bottom of the change curve and can be sucked into what I call the "corporate black hole". Like stellar black holes, corporate black holes are invisible - a dark, energy-sucking place that can make you lose sight of your true self. Survival mode kicks in as if they were in a life-threatening situation. If you're struggling to find your way out, coaching can help.
“If you feel you are in a black hole, don’t give up. There’s a way out,” said Stephen Hawking. “[...] black holes ain’t as black as they are painted. They are not the eternal prisons they were once thought. Things can get out of a black hole and possibly come out in another universe.”
Escaping the black hole is possible. It can however be difficult to do without support and can be an exhausting and lengthy process. I've been there myself and have developed a unique coaching model to help others escape the corporate black hole.
Get in touch to explore how coaching can help you "come out in another universe".