Howard Hopkins

“My Coaching Journey”

Hi my name is Howard, I'm based in Bangkok and have lived since 2010, originally from Manchester in the UK but now live & work in Thailand. I wanted to share with you my journey to becoming a Coach based in Asia, my experience of being coached and why I decided to become a Coach. My nature has always been to help and support my friends and peers. I never felt I had to hold back information or knowledge, and I am always eager to share my experiences and learnings. But it was only in my late 20’s that I really began to see the true value that a Coaching Culture could provide, not just at an organisational, but also an individual level. I was fortunate to work in organisations in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s that were starting to adopt the concept of Coaching as a key development process and a mechanism to enhance performance and reduce employment attrition. My first “real” Coach was an experienced ex-CEO who was truly a breath of fresh air. He listened and listened, and he challenged me with very tough questions, but above all, I always felt he was on my side. He wanted me to better myself and was there when things went as planned but also when they did not. I knew he was always there for me, regardless of the outcome. This was a turning point for me and one that I will never forget. As I developed in my managerial career, I have always been there for team members; listening to them, assisting them, and providing support by sharing experience & allowing my colleagues to be accountable and responsible for their own actions and success: masters of their own destiny. Up to this point I had no professional coaching qualification. I was good at listening, asking questions, planning, and allowing people to talk and express what and where they wanted to be. I also had my life experiences that I could refer to and reflect on.