A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent”. This quote by the famous American military general Douglas McArthur perfectly exemplifies the definition of an organizational leader, especially in today’s dynamic and hypercompetitive business context. Gone are the days when ‘Knowledge’ was the only prerequisite for company leaders to successfully run an organization, as they are now required to have critical intrapersonal and interpersonal skills to successfully steer the company towards holistic growth. Thus, an increasing number of individuals and corporates are now relying on executive coaches.
With the sudden surge in demand, the market is now very much cluttered with a multitude of experienced coaches offering their services. However, one eminent personality who truly stands-out through his dedication towards improving the productivity of c-suite executives is Sabu Thomas (Founder, Disha Strategic Consultants). Having spent his initial 10 years of career leading the HR function for numerous brick & mortar companies, he then moved on to handle the role of Country HR Head for various Indian product & service companies and large GCCs, where he started coaching within the organization. When he got a lot of appreciation from the leaders there, he realized that his core competency was in people development at an individual level. Thus, he ended his 30-year corporate stint and decided to take-up people development as his own profession.
“I was always fascinated by human behavior and its impact on their productivity at the workplace. Therefore, I experimented at human behavioral process laboratories to better understand myself as well as others, and started coaching within the organization I worked at. Owing to the satisfaction and happiness that I felt helping people uncover their true potential, I am now engaged as a full-time business coach and have taken-up two certifications – one from David Rokes Leadership Institute, and another from Cambridge University on Psychological Aspects of Coaching”, says Sabu, explaining his transformation from HR to coaching.
Self-research Driven Services
As an end-to-end business coach, Sabu offers a wide range of services such as Coaching for CEOs, Coaching for Mid, Senior & Top Level Executives, New Hire Acclimatization Coaching, Group Coaching and many more.
Some of the primary industries for which he caters to include IT, Manufacturing, Pharma, Healthcare, Education and Legal, to name a few. Well aware of the unique behavioral traits that each individual exhibits, Sabu formulates a customized coaching strategy for every individual based on their unique requirements. Additionally, he strongly believes coaching to be a process of helping people with self-analysis and thus utilizes a lot of psychologically deep-rooted methodologies to understand the ways in which coachees conduct themselves and identify areas of improvement.
“The core competency of a coach lies is asking appropriate questions to the individuals for them to identify the problems as well as solutions on their own. As a certified coach in the brain-based coaching process from NeuroLeadership Institute (NLI), I drive transformation in the realm of leadership and executive performance by helping people unlock their true potential and lead lives that are not just successful, but also fulfilling. I am a firm believer in the power of ‘Goal Setting’ as the steering wheel of life. It is this philosophy that I infuse into my coaching to help people set ambitious goals, chart the course to achieve them, and evolve into confident leaders”, adds Sabu.
The core competency of a coach lies in asking appropriate questions to the individuals for them to identify the problems as well as solutions on their own
Standing a Class Apart
Sabu always prioritizes client satisfaction and stays committed towards helping them achieve their desired objectives. An ardent believer in the concept of `Continuous Learning', Sabu is also a member of numerous international forums where he interacts with coaches from across the world to stay updated with the latest trends and market dynamics. Additionally, he considers coaching other individuals as a potential learning opportunity for himself, wherein after every coaching session, he carefully analyzes the key takeaways from that session in terms of enhancing his coaching abilities. This way, he is continuously working on building his competencies through self-research while engaging his coachees in their self-research!
Owing to such fine track record and industry benchmark practices, Sabu has created a niche for himself in the industry today as an influential leader, success coach, motivational speaker, and philanthropist. Till date, he has provided over 2,000 hours of coaching to 250+ executives from 50+ companies. Some of the corporates he worked with are from sectors like IT, ITes, Oil and Gas, Automobile, Engineering, Pharma and Health Sciences , Legal and Real Estate.
Expressing his gratitude and sharing his experience of working with Sabu, one of his clients from a leading MNC elucidates, "Sabu has provided exceptional guidance and support in improving my behavioral skills, which have had a significant positive impact on my professional development. Throughout our coaching sessions, he demonstrated a deep understanding of behavioral dynamics in the workplace.
He tailored the coaching approach to address my specific needs, helping me develop effective communication strategies, improve my emotional intelligence, and enhance my leadership capabilities. One of the most valuable aspects of working with Sabu is his commitment to my success. He provided me with actionable steps and continuously followed-up to ensure I was making progress towards my goals. I highly recommend Sabu to anyone seeking to enhance their professional skills and achieve their full potential".
Sabu Thomas, Executive Coach, Disha Strategic Consultants
Sabu Thomas is the founder of Disha Strategic Leadership Advisors, specializing in executive coaching, start-up mentoring, and leadership process advisory. With 30 years of experience in HR across various sectors, he holds coaching certifications from the NeuroLeadership Institute and the University of Cambridge and has coached over 250 senior leaders.
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