Carmen Negiba is a Strategic Organizational Transformation Consultant, ICF-certified Leadership & Team Coach, EMCC Mentor, and works with founders, CEOs, and executive teams to transform the way they think, make decisions, and collaborate, so that performance becomes sustainable and people are engaged and autonomous.

C&B: If we were to look at a narrative thread of your career, what were the key moments that defined you?

Carmen Negiba: There were a few moments that changed the way I see my work and professional direction:

The first was when I truly understood, from the reality of companies, that it’s not individual people who change organizations, but the way people function together. You can have the best specialists, but if there’s no collaboration, trust, and shared way of making decisions… everything gets stuck.

The second moment was when I moved from training and HR to working in depth with organizational culture, leadership, and decision-making systems. I realized that if we don’t change the way the system is built, people are forced to adapt to structures that hold them back.

And the third moment happened when I started working directly with boards and CEOs. That’s when I clearly integrated the understanding that transformation always starts at the top. When the top changes, the whole system aligns differently.

Since then, my mission has been to create spaces where leadership is not a solitary effort but a collective capability within the team — because that’s where real change truly happens.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?

Carmen Negiba: The most difficult moment was at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, when I got involved in many different types of projects because I wanted to learn, grow, prove myself, and gain experience. So I said “yes” to many different directions. And even though they all seemed like opportunities, over time I felt they were dispersing my energy, attention, and focus.

That was the moment I realized that growth doesn’t come from volume and variety… but from clarity.

What I did was define exactly who I am in the market, what my mission is, and which types of projects support this mission. By choosing projects aligned with me, the impact became much greater.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?

Carmen Negiba: Yes. I’ve always had the desire to show that healthy, long-term performance is not built on control, pressure, and micromanagement.

I believe in performance that comes from trust, psychological safety, autonomy, and mature leadership — where people can think, decide, and contribute with all of who they are, not just execute.

My dream is to contribute to a world where work doesn’t consume people but develops them. Where you go to work and feel that you’ve grown, not that you’ve eroded.

That has always guided me, no matter the obstacles.

C&B: How did your journey in coaching and organizational consulting begin, and what inspired you to specialize in leadership and organizational culture?

Carmen Negiba: It started from curiosity: how is it possible that the same process, the same method, the same strategy… works perfectly in one company but gets stuck in another?

This question stayed with me for a long time. And as I worked with different organizations, I began to observe the same thing: the difference isn’t made by tools, methodologies, or trainings. You can do 10 courses, 5 workshops, and bring the best practices from around the world — if relationships, culture, and the way people make decisions don’t change, nothing truly transforms.

The way people relate to each other, communicate, build trust, manage conflicts, and negotiate different perspectives — that determines everything.

That’s how I ended up doing what I do today, and the programs and interventions I run in organizations address both leaders and teams with impact on organizational culture. Because real change happens when you work in parallel on people, the system, and the strategic direction. Courses are useful, can inspire and educate, but what truly changes an organization is transforming the way teams work together in day-to-day reality.

That’s where real impact emerges.

C&B: If we met with your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Carmen Negiba: That I am direct, but warm. That I quickly see dynamics that others feel but cannot put into words. And that for me, the real development of people and the team matters more than the “method” used.

Coaching is my primary tool because it allows authentic transformation and internal responsibility, but what I do is a combination of things: coaching, strategic reflection, facilitation, organizational culture, systemic decisions. I work with the whole ecosystem — so that change is visible in results and in the way people function together.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?

Carmen Negiba: The decision to work only with leaders and companies ready to move to the next level and open to real transformation, not just superficial interventions. Since then, the impact has become much greater and results much more visible.

C&B: How have you built your leadership style or decision-making approach? Was it natural or learned?

Carmen Negiba: It was a conscious process, built over time; it didn’t come naturally from the beginning. I learned not to make decisions from impulse, fear, pressure, or even ego, but from a place of clarity, aligned with my values. I realized that good decisions aren’t about proving something, but about making the choice that truly supports people and the business.

For me, leadership means responsibility, maturity, and the ability to stay aligned with your values and make the right decisions, even when it’s hard.

C&B: In your experience, what are the main challenges boards and executive teams face when it comes to collaboration and strategic decisions?

Carmen Negiba: The biggest challenge for boards and executive teams is the lack of a safe space for authentic dialogue, not just reporting and execution. Then decisions become slow because there is no real trust and shared accountability. Often, intentions are good, but behaviors don’t support them, and that’s when a gap appears.

And another very present issue in Romanian companies: direct conflict is avoided, which doesn’t eliminate tension, it just moves it into passive conflict, with significant medium- to long-term business impact.

Boards truly transform an organization only when they become a team in the real sense, not just a group of specialists at the same table.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?

Carmen Negiba: My schedule isn’t identical every day; it’s more organized by thematic days, which helps me focus better.

I have days when I work with individual leaders — CEOs, founders, directors — in strategic coaching sessions. I have days dedicated exclusively to working with teams — boards, top management, extended leadership. I have separate days for strategy, process design, content creation, writing, and developing new concepts. And days for exploratory meetings, business conversations, and connections with new clients or partners.

The most satisfying moments are when a team experiences that “collective click”: when shared clarity emerges, people align, and decisions flow more naturally. In those moments, I feel the transformation at the organizational level — and that is the essence of my work.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them daily?

Carmen Negiba: The values that guide my work are clarity, shared responsibility, real and deep transformation, not just surface change, elegance in relationships, and continuous evolution. I firmly believe that transformation happens with people, not to them. When teams work in a space where they can communicate openly, accountability is shared, and direction is clear, performance becomes natural and sustainable.

C&B: How do you integrate individual coaching for CEOs and founders with team coaching for top management teams so that results are coherent at the organizational level?

Carmen Negiba: I work in an integrated way, not necessarily separately. I work individually with CEOs and leaders to increase clarity, maturity, and their decision-making approach. And in team coaching, we bring this clarity into the shared space of the team, where it becomes behavior, real collaboration. In this way, change doesn’t remain only at the personal level but transfers across the whole system, throughout the organization.

C&B: Can you give a concrete example of an organization where cultural transformation had a visible impact on performance and engagement?

Carmen Negiba: Sure, for example, an organization that was growing rapidly and whose leadership structure couldn’t keep up with the business direction. There was a lot of responsibility at the top, decisions were slow, teams operated in a fragmented way, and change got stuck in the “how” rather than the “what.”

There, I worked systemically: with the CEO and individual leaders, with top management teams, with strategic clarification and integration of behaviors aligned with the company’s mission, vision, and values. Not just on mindset and discussions, but on how we turn intention into real ways of working, decisions, and collaboration.

The result was that leadership became more mature, teams started operating as a system, and strategy could be implemented much more easily. When the top aligns and transforms together, the whole business moves differently.

Through her experience and approach, Carmen Negiba demonstrates that true transformation begins with clarity, accountability, and team collaboration, making performance sustainable and people fully engaged.

The post In Conversation with Carmen Negiba – Strategic Organizational Transformation Consultant and Leadership Coach appeared first on careers-business.com.

Dana Tudor, communication consultant and coach, journalist, entrepreneur. “What are we building this year?” No, she is not a house builder, but a communication project builder, and this is one of the big questions that has followed her since she began her professional life. “Is it time to say that yes, I know this field, after 30 years in media and communication?” is another. Dana Tudor is a communication consultant and coach, founder of Chic-Elite.ro, the female leadership platform. She launched Eva.ro, was editor-in-chief of Cariere magazine and in 2010 founded the Buticul de Inspirație agency. Alongside some of the best professionals on the market in their field, the agency responds quickly, with concrete solutions (Dana calls them “braincrafts”), to companies, brands and leaders who want to amplify their unique voice.

C&B: If we were to look at a narrative thread of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Dana Tudor: Looking back, I realize that the projects that define my professional path have often been in the area of ​​pioneering and building projects. I stubbornly took the entrance exam to the Faculty of Communication and Public Relations, recently established at the University of Bucharest. It was a field that 30 years ago, only a few people and a handful of DCRP-ists, as we, the students of this faculty, proudly called ourselves, had heard of.

Next came HR. Well, when my publisher at the time told me, around the early 2000s, that I would be in charge of the HR column of Biz magazine (the first business “glossy” in Romania), a lump stopped in my throat: I didn’t even know what he was talking about, much less what topics related to this field would be of interest. How many knew what HR was? I started writing about human resources, education and leadership, and audience data would show that it was one of the most read columns of the magazine. It is a field that I have remained close to to this day, thanks to the clients and projects I had.

The same publisher proposed that I take care of, in parallel with the column I had at Biz magazine, the launch and coordination of an internet project, the first website in Romania dedicated to women: Eva.ro. This was where the greatest investment of energy and soul was. We went to meetings, talked about the online environment, newsletters, interactivity, things that are now commonplace, but which at the time were something exotic, at best, and often misunderstood. Eva.ro would become one of the first brands in the Romanian online world and, in all the 7 years that I was the project manager of the site, it was in first place in terms of traffic, in the category of sites dedicated to women.

In the summer of 2010, I entered entrepreneurship, founding the communication agency Buticul de Inspirație. At that time, we were again discussing terms rarely used in the business environment, which are very fashionable today, such as personal brand or thought leadership.

My interest in the field of personal development materialized in the fall of 2010, when, as editor-in-chief of the magazine Cariere, I coordinated the relaunch process of the publication. And in 2015, I launched the women’s development and leadership website Chic-Elite.ro, together with my high school friend Cristina Lincu, a remarkable and creative writer. And during the pandemic, I made a fascinating journey into the world of coaching, following a consistent training with the high-quality professional and human team of the Coaching Partners school.

C&B: What was the first concrete step in building the Chic Elite brand and community?
Dana Tudor: The discussions with Cristina Lincu, co-founder, also a community creator, after which I chose the name Chic-Elite, I put the structure, the launch campaign on paper, I created the logo and the slogan.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Dana Tudor: Yes. Ambition has been cultivated in me since childhood and is a character trait that has helped me find solutions in the most difficult situations. And indeed, there are dreams that I had that seemed impossible to achieve, but animated with meaning, determination and a lot of work, I saw them become reality, in a way that was perhaps even more fulfilling than I had dared to dream. I started to look more carefully at dreams and dreams, following discussions with Ana Maria Ștefănescu, a former high school classmate, the first certified Dream Teacher in Romania, currently a Master Dream Teacher.

C&B: What did you look like at the beginning of the journey and how do you feel you have transformed yourself so far?

Dana Tudor: I was a teenager with a lot of energy, enthusiasm and ambition, without realizing what valuable resources they are. At school we are evaluated by how well we know the lesson, not at all by our personality and the value we bring to the environment we are in. How helpful it would be to have as many benchmarks related to idour entity, at the beginning of the journey, don’t you think?

In the meantime, I learned to manage these resources more carefully and to value them. Added to this was the experience of working with many people and exposure to diverse situations, which come with the ability to “read” certain everyday situations relatively quickly, which sometimes gives a minus to enthusiasm, but a plus to the ability to listen and understand.

C&B: If we met with your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?

Dana Tudor: Asking for such feedback is an exercise that I recommend! I still have in my heart the unexpected appreciations that I received from those I worked with.

For this interview, I asked Cristina to answer this question and here’s what I found out: “I’ve known Dana since my teenage years and I can say that, from a professional point of view, we grew up together, later being college and, implicitly, industry colleagues. Thus, our partnership started early, when we were both discovering and perfecting our skills, talents and goals. Dana is, first and foremost, an extremely loyal partner, very well prepared, constantly self-improving and always one step ahead of everyone else, so that unforeseen situations are always defeated when I have her by my side. In fact, I’m lucky because, in addition to an excellent business partner and collaborator – as an example, see the Chic-Elite.ro platform – I have in Dana one of those friends you have for life, a solid point of reference, when everything seems to be chaos around me. She is not only talented, rigorous, a consummate professional, attentive to the last detail, but and because he has a vast personal culture that subtly leaves its mark on each of his projects, which gives him the elegance and refinement that we all seek today, especially when automation and algorithms have somewhat taken over the reins of creativity”.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?

Dana Tudor: There were several. The first was when, at the age of 18, on a window sill in the Casa Presei Libere, on half an A4 sheet – the one that absorbed the ink – I wrote my CV with a pen (far from what we know today about writing a CV). That half a sheet of paper took me to the editorial office of the most widely read newspaper in Romania at the time and from there to one of the most beautiful jobs on earth, according to a forgotten – or ignored? – dream from high school, when in my diary I asked myself “What would it be like to become a journalist?”

C&B: Can you share a moment or feedback that confirmed to you that the project has impact and relevance?
Dana Tudor: Yes, for Chic-Elite we often received feedback that our interviews made people evaluate or become aware of important things for them.

C&B: What do you think differentiates your business or your professional approach from the rest of the industry?
Dana Tudor: If we refer to the Buticul de Inspirăție agency, the approach to communication from a complex perspective – as a communication specialist, journalist and coach. Our clients get 3 in 1 :). We have some of the best people in the industry on our team, in their segment. We are fast, efficient, very good and very serious.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now and what moments of the day bring you the most satisfaction?
Dana Tudor: Some days are for documentation and work in the office, others are in the field, in meetings with clients or at events. The constant (which also comes with the moments of greatest satisfaction) are the interactions with clients, the coaching sessions, the discussions with my daughter, the sports classes and the amusement provided by the antics that the little animals in our yard do, including those that come to visit (hedgehogs, frogs).

C&B: What values ​​or principles guide you in what you do and how do you apply them every day?

Dana Tudor: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review a values ​​identification report, made by Dan Dițoiu, an exceptional psychotherapist, who works very documented and scientifically, founder of Psycenter. My values ​​are Relevance, Development, Efficiency, Success and Safety. If I feel like I’m not developing, I panic, I’m a “target woman”, as a collaborator once defined me, I look for solutions to achieve maximum results in the most efficient way, and probably due to the thousands of news and articles written and rewritten, it has become second nature to ask myself how relevant a certain information is to one audience or another. That’s why I allowed myself to make a few references in this interview, for those who would like to learn new things, discovering the mentioned experts.

C&B: How was Chic Elite born and what motivated you to launch this project?

Dana Tudor: Before the launch, Chic-Elite was like a baby that cried every day because it wanted to say something to the world. That’s how I gave it a voice, a platform. I’m privileged to meet special people , often modest, who through their passion leave their mark on the world in a way that inspires me so much that I want to hear about them, through the interviews I conduct. I believe that when we have a goal, a disappointment, a bad time, a real story about courage and determination can become a landmark. I believe that landmarks are essential, especially since we are increasingly surrounded by forms without substance, as I discussed in a recent video interview with Ana Maria Ștefănescu.

The interview with Dana Tudor shows us how passion, courage, and perseverance can transform a career into a source of inspiration for others.

The post Dana Tudor – A Journey through Media, Coaching, and Women’s Leadership appeared first on careers-business.com.

Julie Starr is an executive coach, mentor, author, and speaker. She works with organizations and individuals, helping them clarify their purpose and remove obstacles standing in the way of progress. Driven by the intention to unlock people’s full potential, her approach is both challenging and compassionate. Her books on this topic have become bestsellers, specifically The Coaching Manual and Brilliant Coaching.

Julie Starr is also a dedicated advocate of mentoring, and in Romania, her book Manual de mentorat: un ghid pas cu pas pentru a fi un mentor mai bun / The Mentoring Manual: Your Step by Step Guide to Being a Better Mentor has been published. This book is aimed at anyone who wants to become a mentor, as well as those who have never dared to aspire to such a role, unsure if they have the necessary qualities. The book reveals: the qualities you need to become a mentor, the essential methods of mentoring, and how to apply them to typical mentoring scenarios.

We spoke with her to learn more about the secrets of mentoring and building a successful career.

C&B:What inspired you to write The Mentoring Manual?

Julie Starr: I wanted to create a clearer distinction between mentoring and coaching. Too often, the two roles are blurred together, yet in their purest forms they are different. Mentoring is not the same as coaching, managing, or consulting — it’s a unique kind of one-to-one relationship.

A common misconception is that mentors advise while coaches ask questions — in other words, the mentor is directive while the coach is less so. But that’s not true. Both roles can be directive or non-directive depending on the situation.

Another issue is that many books cover both mentoring and coaching at once, which only deepens the confusion. I wanted to return mentoring to its roots: an ancient, archetypal role that has shaped people’s lives for centuries. When a mentor operates from that deep, archetypal energy, that’s when real transformation takes place.

C&B: In your experience, what are the mistakes new mentors tend to make?

Julie Starr: Most mistakes happen at the beginning — during preparation or the early stages — but they don’t reveal themselves until later. After what I call the ‘honeymoon stage,’ when the novelty fades and conversations start to feel routine, the real challenge appears: how to support someone without slipping into forceful advice-giving or problem-solving.

New mentors often fall back on what they know. If the mentor is also a manager, for example, it’s tempting to approach mentoring like performance management: “Here’s what I need you to do.” That approach might work in management, but it undermines the intentions of mentoring.

In reality, the problem often starts much earlier, when the mentor hasn’t developed the awareness or skills to handle the later, more demanding phases of the relationship.

C&B: What makes an effective mentor?

Julie Starr: In The Mentoring Manual, I outline five qualities that stand out: The ability to connect — for instance, through deep and attentive listening; The ability to build trust and genuine engagement; The ability to keep focus; The ability to help someone move past false limits or roadblocks; The ability to foster growth. Of these, the fifth is the most important. True mentoring is about growth in the broadest sense — beliefs, values, behaviours, mindset — not just short-term skills or results.

C&B: How would you define a healthy, balanced mentor–mentee relationship?

Julie Starr: At its core, it’s an exchange of benevolence and respect. From the mentor, there must be benevolence: generosity, compassion, patience. A mentor must accept that they don’t have direct authority over the other person’s choices. That often means standing back, watching someone learn through mistakes, and resisting the urge to fix things.

From the mentee, there must be respect. Respect opens the door to being influenced by someone else. It’s this combination — benevolence from the mentor and respect from the mentee — that makes the relationship effective and lasting.

C&B: Is there an exercise you’d recommend even for those who don’t plan to become mentors?

Julie Starr: Absolutely. I suggest a simple but powerful reflection exercise:

Step 1: Identify your mentors. Write down the names of people who have had a positive impact on you — shaping your development, mindset, or outlook. It could be a teacher, a family friend, a coach, or someone you met in a community or sports club. Parents are important too, of course, but look for those other, naturally occurring relationships that helped you grow.

Step 2: Reflect on their influence. Think about how each person shaped you. Did they spark an interest? Nurture a talent? Help you see the world differently? These are the relationships that often leave the deepest imprint.

Step 3: Consider your own role. Now think about where you might play this role for others. It could be nieces, nephews, younger colleagues, or people in your community. You may not always recognise it, but your influence often reaches far beyond the roles you’re formally known for.

#Coaching

C&B: What inspired you to write The Coaching Manual, and how has your understanding of coaching evolved since the first edition?

Julie Starr: I wrote The Coaching Manual because I wanted to create the book that was missing when I first entered the field. I wanted to write something that gave people direct access to the principles, process, skills, beliefs, and mindset of coaching. I was disappointed, I suppose, with the more conceptual books I could find at the time. I also wanted to welcome people into the field—to be encouraging and to support their journey into becoming a coach.

C&B: In your view, what are the core principles that make coaching truly effective?

Julie Starr: There are several! One core principle for any coach is that we intend to serve, humble ourselves, and be willing to embark on a journey of self-discovery and self-inquiry to remove those aspects of our behaviour, conditioning, or character that inhibit our ability to become a truly great coach.

To coach effectively, we must be able to ‘get ourselves out of the way’ in conversation. To achieve that, our thoughts, beliefs, and unconscious tendencies must be decluttered over time. For example, in conversation, some of us want to fix, to help, or to hear ourselves talk— to be seen as adding value in a conversation. There’s nothing inherently wrong with any of those behaviours; it’s simply that they can interfere with creating the spaciousness necessary for effective inquiry.

C&B: You describe coaching as a way to unlock potential, rather than direct or advise. Why is this distinction so important?

Julie Starr: The power and magic of coaching lies in conversations of inquiry, which means we go deeper, to uncover someone’s unconscious awareness, inner thoughts and buried insight. This is all hidden beneath the noise, chatter, and clutter of everyday life. If what we do as coaches is always direct or advise, we’re simply piling more thoughts, more options and more information onto a situation that might already be overwhelmed.

C&B: What are the most common mistakes new coaches make, and how can they avoid them?

Julie Starr: A common mistake is what I call ‘efforting’—for example, in conversation, they talk too much, and work too hard, perhaps as they have a strong intention to ‘be a great coach’. Instead we must learn to relax, lean back, and focus on listening, and allow effective questions to surface from the present moment. This is why self-awareness is key; if you’re not aware that you’re talking too much or working too hard in a conversation, how can you manage yourself in that moment? How can you remember to take a breath, to lean back and relax?

C&B: How would you describe a great coach in just three words?

Julie Starr: Intentional. Focused. Compassionate.

C&B: Your approach is said to be both challenging and compassionate. How do you maintain that balance during a difficult coaching session?

Julie Starr: This is a tricky one for me to identify exactly, since some of this process is more sense-based than logic-based. For example, over time, I’ve learned to use my body as a navigational tool: to remain embodied and not to disappear into my head. From here, I can get a sense of where to go in the conversation. There is great strength in a willingness to speak the truth with compassion, and many experienced coaches have this. An experienced coach will likely acknowledge that sometimes they’re working from a felt sense in the body as much as from the thoughts in our mind. This is access to intuition.

To maintain a healthy balance between challenge and compassion, I check in regularly to ensure I’m not being too challenging, that what I’m saying can be heard (rather than blocked or distorted) and that I’m communicating from an aligned, heartfelt place. That might sound more mystical than it is—in practice, it’s quite simple. I need to stay grounded, stay embodied, and continually check that my tone feels appropriate. Of course, I’m also observing visual cues: how the individual appears to be reacting. When things get difficult, it’s important to give people time to process. Sometimes, silence helps with that.

C&B: What role does self-awareness play in a coach’s own development?

Julie Starr: Self-awareness is an ongoing journey for any coach—something that must be developed, increased, and maintained. That’s why the practice of staying present is so important. It helps us stay attuned both to what’s going on within ourselves and what’s happening with the person we’re speaking with.

C&B: You emphasize the importance of listening in coaching. How does ‘deep listening’ differ from ordinary conversation?

Julie Starr: Deep listening is an effective blend of intention and attention. It’s very different from surface-level or casual listening. In deep listening, we stay fully present. We hold a strong intention to understand the other person and actively demonstrate that through our attention. Like many of the core coaching skills, effective listening is a valuable life skill. We should teach listening in schools (imagine!).

C&B: Many people struggle with the idea of “not giving advice” as a coach. How do you guide them through this mindset shift?

Julie Starr: This idea of not giving advice is something many coaches never quite grasp. They never develop the ability to remain in inquiry—to ask great questions, to summarise and observe before offering guidance.  It means that coaching mastery is not a level that same coach can ever reach. If we don’t build this skill, we will struggle to avoid defaulting to advice-giving—because that’s what we’re used to (and comfortable with).

The mindset shift often happens when coaches experience the freedom that comes from not giving advice—and see how powerful that can be, both for themselves and the client. Sometimes it’s a question of self-awareness (how much we tend to talk or advise), and sometimes it’s about skill—having the tools and strategies to do something different. Ultimately, it’s skills plus experience that help us move beyond the impulse to give advice.

C&B: In The Coaching Manual, you offer a structured coaching model. How can coaches use it without becoming too rigid or mechanical?

Julie Starr: The Coaching Path is a flexible structure encompassing the basic stages of an effective coaching conversation. Because the stages within The Coaching Path are domains of purpose—to inquire, to understand, to shape agreements, etc.—there is built-in flexibility within the model.

I developed The Coaching Path after becoming irritated with the mechanical, sometimes formulaic nature of other coaching models based on acronyms, which became ‘checkboxes’. I wanted to offer freedom for coaches to explore the stages of a conversation gently, without being constrained by them.

C&B: You often speak about removing obstacles to progress. What kinds of internal blocks do you see most often in clients?

Julie Starr: Obstacles can be internal and external. Internal obstacles include self-perception, beliefs, values, and worldview. For example, in a tough situation, clients are often living in a story of perception about that. They tell a convincing story about their lives or challenges, completely constrained by a limited sense of possibility. A trap for any novice coach is to accept that lack of possibility as ‘true’ – which means they don’t believe that things can change or improve either.

A great coaching conversation expands someone’s sense of what’s possible. That’s often the beginning of meaningful change.

Of course, some obstacles may be more external practical (e.g., habits or routines), but at the level of coaching mastery, most obstacles are internal.

C&B: How do cultural differences influence coaching relationships, and what should a coach be mindful of in cross-cultural settings?

Julie Starr: Cultural differences demand self-awareness and an awareness of others.  For example, we must be aware of our unconscious assumptions and demonstrate respect for alternative views. This awareness must be blended with a sense of respect and equality towards others. When people sense that you respect them and see them as equals, any cultural misunderstandings can often be minimised—or even ignored entirely—because mutual respect carries the rapport beyond any minor misunderstandings.

C&B: If a client shows signs of low confidence or self-doubt, what is the most effective coaching response?

Julie Starr: When someone is experiencing low confidence or self-doubt, the best response depends on the capacity of that individual, in that moment. Sometimes, encouragement, belief in them, and helping them explore limiting beliefs or fears can be enough.

But if someone is deeply affected by low confidence, our positive intentions of upbeat optimism can backfire. In those cases, it’s important to stay with them, understand their process, and support them in a way that is appropriate in the moment.

C&B: Looking to the future, how do you see the field of coaching evolving, especially in fast-changing workplaces?

Julie Starr: To name the elephant in the room: AI is advancing and can now handle some of the simpler aspects of people’s coaching needs. But AI will never replace the human element in coaching. There is so much occurring in a conversation that cannot be explained or replicated. The human system of communication, includes the energy between people, the subtle cues (verbal, non-verbal, tonal, facial expressions)—most of this lies outside AI’s reach. Indeed, some of it even lies beyond our ability to understand. That’s where the true magic of coaching exists—in the intangible, inexplicable moments of transformation. It’s why, after more than 25 years in the field, I’m still excited by these conversations, still passionate about this work. Where the world becomes ever more complex and the challenges we face feel different from anything previously encountered, one-to-one coaching support has an essential role to facilitate enquiry, insight, and understanding. In conclusion, looking ahead, I believe the future of coaching is very bright indeed.

The post Julie Starr on Mentoring and Coaching: Secrets of a Successful Career appeared first on careers-business.com.

Malina Iordache Chirea is a psychologist, organizational consultant, and founder of SAGE Leadership. She has been delivering training for nearly 20 years, since she was spotted and recruited by UNCTAD to deliver the Empretec training program in Romania – a 9-day behavioral change bootcamp for entrepreneurs. Malina has worked with dozens of organizations across 32 countries, always focusing on personal leadership and its impact and dimensions – both organizationally and personally.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence to spark curiosity in people who don’t know you yet?
Malina Iordache: I’d tell them I’m a person with many hats: I’m a psychologist, a mother, an entrepreneur, passionate about sports and healthy living. I do my best to be the person I talk about in training sessions – I believe in congruence and decency. I love traveling – who doesn’t?! – and having meaningful conversations with people from all over the world. That’s one of the reasons I love my job so much.

C&B: Looking at your career or business narrative, what were the key moments that defined you?
Malina Iordache: It’s hard to point to just one moment – there were many. I believe the most defining ones were conversations with people I genuinely liked or admired. Some of them became friends, which I’m very grateful for. Others I only heard speak at a conference or in a TED talk online. People have an incredible ability to spark something in others. That’s probably another reason I love this job so much.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?
Malina Iordache: Again, there have been many moments. But the hardest was probably when I had to close the NGO I was leading, 10 years ago. It was a path I truly enjoyed, but it came with constant challenges, and I realized that in order to grow, I had to go in a different direction. It was a really tough decision – one I still remember vividly.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, no matter the obstacles?
Malina Iordache: Yes, I have a vision. I believe everyone who starts something has a personal vision. And I have this huge passion for turning vision into reality. For example, last year I had the idea to conduct a nationwide analysis to understand how Romanians are reacting to the pressure of ongoing changes. We used a psychometric tool from transactional analysis that we use in our company. We already have over 3,000 responses – well above the statistical threshold. We’re launching the results this September at a very special event. I can’t wait!

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you’ve changed?
Malina Iordache: I think I’ve changed a lot, and I’m deeply grateful for it. Two paths have shaped me: psychology and entrepreneurship. Psychology teaches you to be introspective, to be aware of yourself and your emotions. Entrepreneurship teaches you to be grounded, realistic, and attentive to your environment and the people around you.

C&B: If we asked your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Malina Iordache: I hope they’d say I genuinely care about them and their wellbeing. I hope they’d say I push them out of their comfort zones – but not too much. I’m sure they’d say I’m a restless person full of ideas, that I laugh a lot but am also very serious when it comes to work, client-focused, and always looking for solutions – no matter how complex the situations in our development projects may be.

C&B: What’s the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?
Malina Iordache: It’s hard to pinpoint one single decision – there were several that brought me here. There were moments when I felt the path I was on no longer represented me, so I changed direction. What matters most to me is enjoying my profession. I graduated from the Faculty of Letters at UVT 20 years ago. I taught English to elementary school children for a few months but felt the system was too restrictive. I pivoted to marketing and worked in the music industry – I’ve always been a music lover. Then I moved into marketing and sales in the IT events sector. I stumbled upon social entrepreneurship and started an NGO focused on emotional education. I went back to school and studied psychology. From there, organizational psychology was a natural step. I explored a lot before finding my space. I discovered it nearly 15 years ago, and I feel at home.

C&B: How did you develop your leadership style and decision-making process? Was it natural or learned?
Malina Iordache: I’d say it was a naturally learned process. Meaning, I made a lot of mistakes. I learned from each of them. Some lessons weren’t clear at first, so I repeated the mistakes. But eventually, with attention and clarity, we learn from all the things we go through. When it comes to decision-making, it’s crucial to learn from our mistakes. Each of us has a unique decision-making process, like a fingerprint. It’s essential to stay realistic and not fear our mistakes. What we postpone eventually comes back to us anyway.

C&B: What do you think sets your business or professional approach apart in the industry?
Malina Iordache: Professionally speaking, we are the only training and consulting company in Romania that uses certified transactional analysis tools for the organizational environment. We are either certified or in the process of certification. There are very few professionals in this field in Romania.
On a human level, everyone might have a different answer. I don’t know what sets me apart from others, because I don’t know every training firm in detail. What I can say about us is that we care. I say it clearly and with conviction: we care about our participants, the organizations we work with, and we genuinely want to create change. We often combine training and consulting to ensure things move forward effectively. We don’t fall in love with solutions – we focus on results.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what parts bring you the most satisfaction?
Malina Iordache: A typical day for me is a disciplined one. I believe discipline is a wonderful and often forgotten trait that brings major rewards in our adult lives. I wake up and dedicate the first part of the morning to family. I start work and continue until the afternoon. I always take a phone-free lunch break. If I’m feeling tired, I go for a short 10-minute walk. I work out almost daily in the afternoons. For us, sport is a couple’s activity. In the evenings we cook and spend time as a family. I try not to work after 6 PM – and I usually succeed. Every night, I read a few pages before bed.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in your work, and how do you apply them daily?
Malina Iordache:

• Consistency – I aim to be emotionally intelligent, as a sign of respect for the people I work with.
• Perseverance – even when initiatives don’t turn out 100% as planned, it’s important to stay focused on the final goal.
• Authenticity – doing things that truly bring me joy and that I can promote honestly.
• Enthusiasm – for my work and the way I can contribute to the community around me.
• Modesty and curiosity – to never stop learning, no matter how far I’ve come professionally.

C&B: How did you come up with the idea to start this business and choose its name?
Malina Iordache: SAGE means “wise” in Old English and in French. In modern English, it also means “sage,” the plant associated with calm and mental balance.
Our first product was a board game – we called it SAGE, and the name came naturally. In games, the Sage character appears to offer players the resources they need to move to the next level.

C&B: If you could send a message to people who look up to you, what would it be?
Malina Iordache: My message is to be authentic, curious, open, relaxed, to stay humble, and focus on creating quality for those around them. The good things will follow naturally.

Malina Iordache Chirea’s story is not just about professional success, but about the courage to pivot, the consistency in the face of challenges, and genuine care for people. Through SAGE Leadership, she continues to inspire, transform, and create spaces where leaders can grow with integrity and clarity.

The post Malina Iordache Chirea – Authentic Leadership through SAGE appeared first on careers-business.com.