Have you heard of the word ‘bolshie’? Neither had I!

When I first made the decision to leave corporate I invoked a ‘safety net’ option available to me. I was able to take a yearlong sabbatical for the purposes of study, illness or compassionate care. I invoked this for two reasons; 1) I don’t think I really believed what I was doing! I needed some reassurance that if I fell flat on my face, I had a secure haven to come back to. And 2) I was terrified of telling people that post my studies, I intended on starting a business. I just didn’t think they would take me seriously.

And they didn’t really.

I’ll never forget the day I told my direct line manager that I was pursuing coaching studies and would like invoke my sabbatical option. She crinkled up her sweet little nose and said, “Coaching? Are you sure? I know coaches and, well, you’re just not bolshie enough for that. I don’t see it.”

Ok. Right. Well. Ummmm.

It would have helped if I knew what that meant.

Instead I replied with, “I’m sure.”

Post discussions, I discovered that bolshie actually means uncooperative, disparaging, bold, argumentative and/ or blunt.

My line manager was right. I was neither disparaging nor uncooperative and at the time that was probably the first real BOLD move I was making.

But did I have to be like other coaches? Did I have to fit that mould?

Were these coaches who apparently disparaged and argued with their clients who I wanted to be like?

Nope.

Did that mean I couldn’t be a coach?

Nope.

There’s absolute merit in not being a ‘bolshie’ coach. I have found a way, at least my clients have told me, of pushing people beyond their boundaries without being aggressive. My clients are totally held accountable… just not in a bolshie way.

The point really is this;

Choose your own style. Find your own voice. Take inspiration from others (not the whole kit and caboodle) and create your own unique path. Be authentic. If people don’t think you’re going to fit the mould they’ve created in their mind, find different people.

What have you once been told and almost believed until you realised otherwise?  I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to post a comment below.

With love