In this episode of “How’d You Do It and Why Should I Care?" Laila speaks with Jennifer Hanson who is Principal at JHH Coaching & Consulting. Having been fortunate enough to have three different careers, Jennifer talks about the transitions that she's gone through, how she ended up as a leadership and career coach and why it's important for her to help other people find their paths in life.
In this episode of “How’d You Do It and Why Should I Care?" Laila speaks with Jennifer Hanson who is Principal at JHH Coaching & Consulting. Having been fortunate enough to have three different careers, Jennifer talks about the transitions that she's gone through, how she ended up as a leadership and career coach and why it's important for her to help other people find their paths in life.
Hi, everyone. Welcome to the next episode of the Bay Street capital holdings podcast titled How to do it and why should I care? This series aims to highlight women doing amazing work in various industries. So today, we are so lucky to be joined by Jennifer Hanson, who is principal, a G. H. H coaching and consulting. Hi, Jennifer.
Jennifer Hanson:Lovely, lovely to talk to you. Thank you.
Laila Arain:So I guess we can first start off with an introduction as to who you are, and perhaps an answer to the main question of the podcast, which is, how do you do it? And why should I care?
Jennifer Hanson:Sure. Okay. So I like to say that I have had the privilege of having three different careers. The first was that I was a US government bond broker on Wall Street. That was great fun, it was back in the 80s, when you didn't have to have fancy MBAs in order to get into investment banking. And I was one of the only women on the trading floor. And so that was enlightening, to say the least. However, it led me from Los Angeles to New York City, two and a half years over in London. And then career number two was when I had the privilege of retiring from Wall Street to be a full time mom. And for those who think that that's not a career, it's probably one of the hardest jobs out there, and went back to school when my kids went to school and fell in love with industrial psychology. And so career number three, was re entering the workforce as an HR professional, and worked in financial services, which was my pivot, and then I got recruited into a an executive search practices, healthcare division, so learn all about pharmaceutical development, drug development, etc. And that led to career career focus of talent acquisition, talent, management, etc. And as part of that, I also was trained internally and externally as an executive coach. And that then has pivoted from when my position was eliminated as an HR professional, what do I want to do next, to go back into HR? Or do what I really love? And I'm the proud principal of J, HH coaching and consulting. And that's who I am. And the second question was, and why should I care? Because there's never just one linear way to anybody's career, I think that we really have to recognize that we evolve as people, and our interests might change, and society changes the world economic situation changes, and you just have to be open and willing to give it your best shot.
Laila Arain:Wow. So you obviously alluded to the fact that there's no one straight path into any career. So I'm quite curious as to what inspired you to become, you know, a coach and found your own company.
Jennifer Hanson:Yes. So my position at a global pharmaceutical company was eliminated amongst my entire team across the US and the UK. Because for business reasons, they made the decision that they needed to go to an outsourcing model, which actually made all the intellectual sense in the world. However, I wasn't ready. So I really had to take some time and figure out what I wanted to do next. And due to the again, privileged blessing of having a severance package, which so many people don't have, I really got to take, take some time to do some digging and self reflection. And what that led to was saying, I don't want another corporate HR role, then they are done that. And dissecting what I did throughout all of the opportunities within my HR career. What I loved the most, was asking provocative questions of folks who were interested in bettering themselves. And to get them to find insights and limiting beliefs that could then actually change their behaviors and change their personal development and achieve personal fulfillment. Because I was able to do that for myself. I feel like I can, without any judgement, help other people find those paths as well.
Laila Arain:Awesome. So following on from that, what would you say were your best resources that helped you along in your journey?
Jennifer Hanson:Yes. My Network? Absolutely. My personal board of directors, which my on to millennial kids were definitely part of, they had a lot to say about this. And my husband who has been incredibly supportive, as well as basically unprofessional colleagues along the way, you know, when you start to ask, What do you think my strengths are? Where do you think I can add value? Then you compare that to what your own thoughts are about yourself? And it all ended up aligning after doing a few assessments and talking to some folks and actually doing some executive coaching being the client It just it takes a village. I don't know how else to say it. But a lot of those individuals were females. So females helping females as well.
Laila Arain:Awesome. And you will probably spoke to a lot of people while you were networking. I'm just curious of what were some lessons or what was the lesson that you wish you would have known before joining your industry, then?
Jennifer Hanson:Yeah, that I suppose coaching can Can, can have a bad name in that back in the day, they used to bring a coach in to change somebody's bad behavior, kind of turn them around. But over the last 10 years or so it's really been a focus on how to continue to get your top performers to have accelerated development. And there are a lot of ways to do that. There's, you know, stretch assignments, and there's mentors, there are sponsors, there's exposure to conferences, all of those wonderful things. But coaching in its truest form, is really a discipline. And it takes a lot of practice, it takes a lot of trading hours, and the certification process is rather rigorous. I didn't realize I was stepping into that. However, I'm so grateful that I did, because it allows me to be the best coach for my clients that I can.
Laila Arain:Awesome. And thinking about the span of your career, you moved into a lot of places and had a lot of experiences. What would you say was your biggest failure? And what did you learn from it?
Jennifer Hanson:biggest barrier was fear. You know, I mean, it's being somebody who was in corporate America for the better part of my professional career, very different than exposing yourself to be an entrepreneur, and had to learn a lot of new skills. And I mean, I created a website. Now my kids think that mean, they can do that in their suite. But that was a big deal for me. And, you know, the fact that I was able to do it really, then God got me some confidence that I needed. Yeah, it's, um, I wish I guess I had had known that it's okay to follow your dreams, and it's okay to do something that might not necessarily have been in your original plans.
Laila Arain:Okay, awesome. And following on from that, you'd be dropping some really great pieces of advice about this whole call. But what would be one piece of advice that you would give somebody who is wanting to pursue a career similar to yours?
Jennifer Hanson:Yeah, I would say, get a coach. Get a coach. And the reason I say that is because there is something very unique about having a coach who is trained in the coaching ICF, international coaching Federation methodology, because during a coaching assignment or an engagement, it is truly a non judgmental place, because the coach is there to serve you, and to ask provocative questions without any judgment, and having it be a safe space? Because if you think about it, when in life, do you have an interaction with somebody where there isn't some kind of agenda going on either your own or somebody else's? And in a coaching, assignment or relationship? The coach has no agenda. The only reason that we're there is to see if we can, through provocative questions, ask so that there's some insight that the coachee recognizes where they can then take action or not take action to do something about it. And before you become a coach, I think having the experience of having that non judgmental moment to do some deep self reflection is a remarkable gift that we don't give ourselves enough.
Laila Arain:Okay, thank you for that advice, a coach with that. And then finally, about your career. What is one common myth about your professional field that you would like to debunk?
Jennifer Hanson:Yes, that that coaching is mentoring. And it's it's not a fine line in the truest sense from a definition perspective, but as a coach, it is sometimes it requires a discipline not to share your personal experience when you can resonate with what you're hearing from your client. But that really doesn't serve them. If they wanted a mentor, they'd ask you to be a mentor. So it's being disciplined enough as a coach not not to cross that slippery slope. Yet at the same time, we are there to serve our client. And if you make an arrangement and agreement with your coach, that it will Okay to Be mentor slash coach, that's fine. But the discipline of coaching is very different than mentoring. So that's the myth I'd like to debunk.
Laila Arain:Definitely. And it's such a common myth, I feel a lot of people, as you mentioned, you know, associate coaching with where you need to fix your behavior, but it's not being about being mentored. It's about you know, just keeping your momentum up and keeping the good work up sometimes as well. Exactly, right. Yep. And, obviously, you're probably very busy, because you're running your own company. But I'm curious, what have you read or listened to recently that's really inspired you? Oh, gosh, there's
Jennifer Hanson:so I mean, we have gone through the most fascinating, you know, 12 to 18 months. And I guess, from Gosh, you caught me. from a, from a personal perspective, I have taken this opportunity to really learn about white privilege, and my unconscious biases. And a Yeah, eye opening. And I'm proud that I recognize it. Yet. I'm trying to assess how best to be better at being being the best person that I can be with everybody, because humanity is that we're all in this together. Bear with me one second. This is a fabulous book.
Laila Arain:Fantastic. Okay. But is it Between the World and Me?
Jennifer Hanson:Yes, Between the World and Me. And that's with regard to equity? DEI, the other basic, wonderful business book that I recommend to everybody is
Laila Arain:a perfect The Four Agreements,
Jennifer Hanson:correct? I don't know if you've heard of this book, but it should be a staple for everybody. Let me just give you just a teaser. So the Four Agreements, be impeccable with your word. Which sounds so easy, but it's so hard to do when you start paying attention? Exactly. Don't take anything personally.
Laila Arain:That's a bit. Yeah, that's much easier said than done.
Jennifer Hanson:Exactly. Don't make assumptions. And if you think about the self narrative that goes on in our head about everything, freeing yourself from those assumptions, because it's not based on any data, is very liberating. And then always do your best. So as you can see, you know, thin little book, highly recommended for everybody.
Laila Arain:Well, so thank you for those recommendations. Earlier on, you alluded to the power of the network, but I'm curious, who are three people in your life who have been the most influential to you,
Jennifer Hanson:okay. I'm gonna lump my parents together, because they were an absolute united front. And I was brought up in a Leave It to Beaver environment, where I, it was just wonderful in that my parents adored each other, they adored me, and were absolutely supportive of anything that I did. And I know that I had alluded something to you before this broadcast from a personal perspective, but there was no judgment from them on all of you know, all of my, my faux pas, etc. And so I lumped them together. Absolutely. My husband, Grant Hanson, he is, you know, he's just, he's all in there for me. I mean, there's plenty of times that we disagree. And we have very different communication styles. He's an analytical chemist, and so he's very data driven. Whereas I'm this big of emotional, black, you know, when I'll just, you know, black all over you. However, at the end of the day, I know he has my best interest at heart. And then I have to give a big, big shout out to a mentor, who I was actually one of her first coaching clients when she made the transition from Vice President of HR into opening up her own coaching business, and now she does certification training. Her name is Kat Newberry and she just is, is somebody who personifies coaching at its best, and, again, helped me recognize that this was some This was a gift that I had that I needed to share with people and encouraged me to do go through all of the ups and downs and bumps along the way. And here we are.
Laila Arain:Fantastic. And then finally, to round off our conversation, what is one piece of advice that you wish you gave yourself at any point in your life?
Jennifer Hanson:Well, the Four Agreements. I wish I had known about them. And I guess Don't be. Don't be so self critical. I mean, the world is there to throw sticks and stones at you, you know, you don't need to do that to yourself. However, also, don't be afraid to do some self exploration when things aren't trending the way that you would like your life to go. Take a step back, pause, be reflectable and pursue your dreams. What makes you happy? We've only got one life on this earth and we need to make the best of it.
Laila Arain:Exactly. Well, thank you so much, Dan, for for taking the time to speak with me today. It was truly such an engaging conversation.
Jennifer Hanson:Thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Bye bye