Zoryna O’Donnell is one of the coaches we found and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her science-based approach to coaching. She uses neuroscience and behavioral science as tools to help people get to their goals and stay on the right track in their life. Here is what she said.

Meet Life Coach Zoryna O’Donnell:

Name: Zoryna O’Donnell
Pillar: The Mind
Who is this coach for: For individuals and organizations who need help in setting and achieving their goals – both inmmediate and long term ones.
How they can help: By using science-based approaches and various tools and techniques that work with both, the brain and the mind.

First of all, how are you and your family doing in these Pandemic times?

We are a resilient bunch, so we are doing very well, thank you.

How does the coronavirus pandemic affect your clients? Did it affect you at all?

Strengthening the resilience and personal performance of my clients and their teams became more important than ever.

Due to the impact of the pandemic, many people moved to remote or hybrid ways of working almost overnight.

This presented new challenges in terms of leadership and management practice which I help my clients to address.

As for me personally, I am busier than ever since the beginning of the pandemic. My work energizes me and enhances my sense of purpose.

What are the biggest lessons that you learned in this pandemic?

The experience of this pandemic has strengthened my belief in humanity.

I live on the Isle of Wight, UK, and it was amazing to see how people of different walks of life came together to volunteer and support the most vulnerable members of the community.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have used my knowledge and skills to help volunteers and employees who were involved in this work improve their mental resilience and wellbeing.

For the past 12 months, I also had a privilege of managing the Community Resilience Project on the Isle of Wight which helped to build community capacity and strengthen the local response to the pandemic.

The Origin:

Tell us about you, your career, how you started with your coaching career?

Since my early teens, I have been interested in human psychology… in people, their perceptions, attitudes, motivations, and behavior.

I believe that this interest has had a significant influence on my career and personal development.

I have over 30 years of experience in strategic and operational leadership in public, voluntary, and private sector organizations in different countries.

Coaching people and helping them grow was the most enjoyable part of my career, whatever job role I had before I founded my own company L&M Plus Consulting.

My business is specializing in neuroscience-based leadership and management development, change management, and wellbeing programmes which include assessments, training, coaching, and mentoring.

What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your life that made you who you are today?

Like most people, I have had my fair share of challenges in life.

My biggest obstacle was, and is, internal… those few moments of self-doubt and hesitation before I take action.

I had many great teachers and mentors in my life.

One of them, Dr John Grinder who is a co-creator of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, NLP, once said: “The problem is not the problem, the problem is the state in which we approach the problem.”

Once you are in your “resourceful state”, dealing with obstacles is easy.

The Coaching Style:

How do you innovate with coaching your clients?

I work with organizations and individuals to help them exceed their expectations of what is possible for them to achieve.

I do it by using insights from applied neuroscience, psychology, behavioral science, and other relevant disciplines to unlock the power of their brains and minds.

When you are working with your brain and mind rather than against them, the difference it makes is truly incredible!

What’s unique about your coaching approach?

In addition to using the insights from applied neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral science in my coaching practice, I am also qualified in a number of talking therapies that I can offer my coaching clients as and when required.

I am a Master Practitioner of NLP, a practitioner of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and a registered hypnotherapist.

Using a combination of coaching and therapeutic interventions to suit the needs of each individual client helps them to achieve their goals and sustainable outcomes faster and more efficiently.

What benefits do your clients get after working with you?

My clients will have reached some of their immediate goals and will be on the right track to set and achieve their long term goals.

They will be clear about what they want to achieve and how to get there.

They will also know why and how exactly certain methods and tools work.

This means that my clients will be better equipped to deal with any future challenges that life may bring. And, of course, I will be there for them if they need any further support or a sounding board for their ideas and aspirations.

Do you use any specific tools to be efficient with your clients?

I use a variety of psychometric and organimetric assessment tools that help my clients understand themselves better and build on their strengths to reach their full potential.

These include DISC profile, Sova Assessments, GC Index® Profiles and Performance Leader Identifier, or PLI Assessment.

I also use a number of highly effective coaching models and techniques ranging from the classic GROW model created by Sir John Whitmore and colleagues in the late 1980s to more contemporary Continue & Begin Fast Coaching®. It’s an incredibly effective and confidence-boosting method created by Nick Drake-Knight.

The Impact:

If you had a super megaphone that, when you speak into, the whole world will hear your message, what would you say?

My message is simple:

Own your life and live it with the brain in mind. You will notice the difference this will make.

What is the greatest lesson you have learned in your life?

That we are the only ones who are fully responsible for our success or otherwise because the life we get is the outcome of the decisions and choices we make.

It is never too late to start making different decisions to get a different life.

Your final thoughts?

I would like to thank the Life Coach Code and its founder Dejan Davcevski for this opportunity to share my thoughts.

Coaching is an incredible tool that can help us flourish and reach our goals.

If you don’t have a coach yet, find yourself a good one who will help you exceed your expectations of what is possible for you to achieve.

Where You Can Find Zoryna O’Donnell?

If you liked this interview and it resonated with your needs, you can learn more about Zoryna O’Donnell at https://www.lmplusconsulting.com/.

If you are representing an organization, make sure to visit https://www.lmplusconsulting.com/services/services-for-organisations/coaching-mentoring.

If you want to connect with Zoryna O’Donnell you can find her on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZorynaODonnell
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blueoceancoachingwithzorynaodonnell
Instagram: @odonnellzoryna

If you want to unleash the true power of your mind make sure to check her out. It was an honor having this interview with her.