Dave Veale: Authenticity, Coaching & Leadership Growth

Emily Rodger  0:00  
Hi, I'm Emily Rodger, host of the Boiling Point Podcast, my co host de Valle and I will bring you thoughtful discussions with leaders who are positively impacting our world. This is The Boiling Point where leadership and inspiration meets. 

Here we are a very special edition of the Boiling Point Podcast today because Dave, it is just you and I.

Dave Veale  0:27  
Yes, we get to just chat. 

Emily Rodger  0:29  
Yeah. 

Dave Veale  0:30  
And you took the pressure off, you said, Well, it's doesn't have to be necessarily interview of you, Dave. So I'm like, Okay, this is more and more comfortable that.

Emily Rodger  0:37  
I wanted to do this. Because I mean, gosh, we have such phenomenal guests on all of the time, yet, just a chance for you and I to connect more. And I'm sure that the listeners would love to hear more about you. There's more, there's so much more a way that we can, like, tap into and so selfishly, I even just wanted this time with you, for you. And I just have a little ketchup. 

Dave Veale  1:02  
I'm in your hands. So you you carry the conversation in the direction you want to Emily?

Emily Rodger  1:07  
Well, first of all, I think that like you and I now we've been doing the podcast together for two years, just wild, right? In working together for a couple of years. And we had Dave Stonehouse, and you know, he was speaking around how he notices within the province of New Brunswick expecially, that businesses really support one another. And he was telling a story about him speaking with another agency company, when he was first getting into the business and how just supported they were. And that reminded me, of course, I'm gonna get emotional. It was probably like two and a half years ago, where you wrote an article on me in the fresh ideas newsletter. And I might have known that you were going to write something, but I didn't know anything of like what it was going to be about. And the email popped up on my phone. And I'll never forget this. I was in HomeSense, in Ottawa, and it popped up on my phone, and I started reading it. And I sat on like one of the couches that was for sale in HomeSense. Because I was so blown away, by the way that you wrote about me and the way that you uplifted my company outside of Vision Coaching, but and I just thought, like, Wow, what a man that really supports people and really wants the best for people. And so when listening to Dave Stonehouse tell that story, I was like, Yep, and that is de Valle to a tee.

Dave Veale  2:42  
Wow, that you've never told me that story that that is heartwarming is nice. And yeah, I don't even know how to respond other than to say, you know, like, I just have always felt like, there's enough for everyone. You know, I quite enjoy telling other people's stories. And I love when I see people doing amazing things. And I mean, that's probably how we got into coaching, just being curious about other people and what they're doing. And yeah, I found your story fascinating. And it's easy to tell a story about someone else, and it's fun. And I get, you know, I get as much out of it as anyone else. So, you know, there's some self motivation there for sure. It's like when you see a client do an amazing thing, right, or win an award or whatever it might be, or, or overcome some some obstacle that was in their way. It you know, you get a little out of it, right feels really good. So writing stories about other people and sharing your story in particular was just an easy thing to do. And, and I'm glad it landed the right way. And maybe that would be my only concern. Actually, no, they think about it. We talked about this column that I used to do in the Telegraph journal, and I would, it's called Leadership unleashed. And I would share stories or just a q&a with someone and I, you know, you'd have to edit it down. So it could fit into the column length. And that would be always my big concern is not how many how many people were going to read it. But was the interviewee going to be happy with it? And the picture, and that would have literally been the one thing I would be concerned about. So the fact that you you know, it was a good experience. 

Emily Rodger  4:21  
Yeah.

Dave Veale  4:22  
That makes me very happy. And I hadn't heard that story. So thank you for sharing it.

Emily Rodger  4:26  
Yeah, well, and I think of that when I have magazines or other editors reaching out wanting to write a story on me, I usually will go to why don't I write it? I can then be in control of the narrative. Because it's you don't know what someone is going to say or how they're going to word something. You're how you're gonna come across and like that can be a very vulnerable thing.

Dave Veale  4:54  
Yeah, or sitting in agreeing to be interviewed by your your co hosts, right? Uh, you know, it's gonna be a little uncomfortable. So I actually prefer to be on the other side, as you know, we've talked about, and even going into this I was I woke up this morning, I was like, I don't really want to do this, maybe I'll make an excuse. And then I was like, no, because the other thing I've learned about myself, it's important to do the things that are uncomfortable. This isn't hugely uncomfortable, but it's, you know, it's just on the on the periphery of just outside the comfort zone. But it's, if we're asking others to do it, like we have to role model it ourselves, and go and do it ourselves. So here we are.

Emily Rodger  5:33  
Yeah. 

Dave Veale  5:34  
And you have, like, here's me trying to flip the script a bit here. But you have done a remarkable job of that, because you have really put yourself out there in, you know, your fly fishing, but your your whole the story of your life, the documentary, you know, public speaking, you know, on and on and on. And I know that that's taken a lot of courage to do. And so I look at that as really good role modeling, as well. And you're I know, from the vision client standpoint, I was just looking at email from you today. You're an easy person to introduce to a client. And generally they don't want to stop working with you, which is, is good for business. I love it. 

Emily Rodger  6:13  
Yeah, and it's even like that courage thing. And the ability to like put ourselves out there, what I have really come to learn more and more about myself is that it's easier and less scary to just show up exactly as we are, and to allow people to see us for us versus doing it the opposite way. And I think that like, regardless, anytime we put ourselves out there, we're opening yourself up for judgment, or criticism, or feedback, or whatever it is. But at least people are being able to see me for me.

Dave Veale  6:50  
Right? Yeah, a number of years ago, there was this CBC was doing. They're doing like a, like a pilot, or like, I can't remember the name for it. But it was a TV show called Headhunter TV. And they were, they did a big call for coaches. And so this is probably, I don't wanna say 2010, maybe. And what they were looking for is people that have coaching credentials, who had some experience being on camera and who could be authentic. And I knew I had authentic down and had just done a documentary on coaching with Greg Hemmings. So I was kind of, I was getting a lot more comfortable, like coaching someone, but you're like uncomfortably close, and the cameras right there, you know, that sort of thing. So I thought, What the heck, I'll just put my, I'll put my video out. And I send it off. And, you know, I was honored to be, you know, a couple of people out there and asked, or encouraged me to do it, not knowing what would happen. Anyhow, they they did call a casting call, and they they had us go in and coach improv actors. And I went up to Montreal and did that. And lo behold, they, you know, they, me and another coach, actually, who we should have on this on the Boiling Point at some point, because she's a master certified coach. And she and I'm, like, met on a TV set. And we started this thing called Headhunter TV. And they did, I don't know how many series things and it never got taken, never got picked up by the CBC. But it was an amazing experience. Anyhow, the point of me telling you that is I had the authenticity thing down because I just like I can be me, I don't know, if you want me. No idea if that's gonna resonate for this show. But every time I'd be me, instead of trying, like I would tell a story about being, you know, I'd have this I slipped into this persona, and I haven't done it a long time. And I hope I don't do it again, although we're all susceptible. But I would slip into this persona, I would call corporate Dave, and I'm not being fair to people in the corporate world. But for me, that was the best way to describe it, where I just like, would try to be buttoned down and say everything correctly and slow down. And, you know, talk about the ROI of coaching and, and that persona, let's call it corporate Dave just was not very successful. And when I slipped into what I call authentic, Dave, I've had a lot more success. And I'm not for everyone, I get that, but but it's just a lot more comfortable to your point. 

Emily Rodger  9:16  
Yeah, definitely. I hear you on that corporate side, though, and even how, you know, individuals can kind of, I'll use the word coaching, although I wouldn't see that that's what it is, but almost want to steer, you may be more in that you need to be more corporate for this position, or you need to kind of tap into more of those like quote unquote, corporate skills. And I can see people and even clients coaching that it is like, Hey, how can you just bring more of you into your corporate role? And you will feel much more like yourself, and you will be able to tap More into your own leadership skills, instead of this kind of cookie cutter. Our approach, there's

Dave Veale  10:01  
A lot of work around, you know, helping people be authentically themselves, you know, and professional and that sort of thing. And it's a journey. I think it's a journey. I know, for me, it has been anyways, and you continue to go through it. And then and, you know, to your point, like, sometimes it's not gonna resonate, or I guess maybe it's my point earlier, but it's not going to resonate with everyone. And being okay with that. And thinking, Okay, well, but I can't, I can't change me to try to fit something because that's hard. How do you show up if you're not showing up of yourself? Like, to me, that's pretty demanding. Do so it's, it's probably just easier just to be yourself. I do workshops. And like, we all do a lot of a fair bit of workshops. And the one thing I like to request at the beginning, and I borrowed this from someone else, but I make a request is for people not to expect me to be perfect. Do they accept that and people accept it, and you can just I just feel like I relax. And I feel like the audience kind of warms up to you because they're going oh, okay, so he's like me, or like he's, or he's, like, more nervous than I am or whatever it is, but, but the point is, it just kind of evens the playing field, you know, and you don't feel like you're this person standing up. And, you know, we're going to defecate and just let me be me. And I might screw up. And I hope that's okay. 

Emily Rodger  11:19  
Yeah, that is kind of a grace that I have been really trying to give myself more and more around, even with public speaking, and this thing of trying to perfect something. And so even if I look at public speaking, and me trying to perfect giving a speech, well, what is that then telling the audience that they should then perfect everything they are going to be doing? And how much we get frozen in that state of perfection? And and, like, why? Like, I try and tell myself more and more of like, Emily, just show up as like 90%. It's fine. Like...

Dave Veale  11:59  
I think it's a great rule like I did, you know, be as close to yourself as you can be. And I was thinking there's one, there's one and it kind of relates, it totally relates to this podcast. But sometimes I think you do a really good job of this is like, there is also where you should, this is more me, yes, be yourself. But it's probably a good idea to go back and listen to podcasts and see how you're showing up and what you can improve on to be more effective. And it was really pointed out to me when we did this speaker training we had the folks on from Vox VO X, and we're doing some work with them. And if we do another public session with them, I'd love for you to be involved. It's really excellent speaker training. But we did a podcast and I believe Were you part of that? Or is that was great.

No, I think I was away. And I think Greg was in 

Greg jumped in. Okay, because I was gonna say cheese. I'm telling the story. And Emily was there, but I was, I didn't think you were there. So anyhow, so you probably heard the stories are pretty myself. But they had me read this script verbatim. And it was just like, so chaotic. It didn't make sense. Or it had. It wasn't like a good cadence. It was jumbled the words were all over. And as I was reading it, I realized they had pulled it from one of the podcasts. And it was actually me speaking, and I couldn't even read it back. 

Emily Rodger  13:23  
Right...

Dave Veale  13:24  
Yeah, he was at. I mean, maybe I got the point across, but I couldn't even understand what I was trying to read. Emily, it was so funny. And I'm reading this because I, and they, they, they didn't tell me ahead of time, they had me read it. And anyways, I just burst out laughing because I realized, like, so that's where, you know, it is good to go back. And I could benefit from that big time. I guess what I'm my point is you can get into the authentic thing a little bit too much where it kind of gives you. Maybe you take liberties where you can say, Oh, it's fine. It's just me, it's like, well, is that the best version of you, though? Dave? You know, or is that 90% of you like to your earlier point?

Emily Rodger  14:03  
And that reminds me of two things. One was I had an interview for some sort of a film, and I heard back the edited version after and I out loud said I was like, wow, I sounded really good. The editor was like, Yeah, I edited that down a lot was like, oh, like, wow, you made me sound so intelligent. But then I noticed just the other day, I was speaking with someone whose primary language is not English. And I caught myself as to how much I say. Yes, no. Like...

Dave Veale  14:46  
Like, yeah, yes no.

Emily Rodger  14:49  
Emily, Oh my god, what is and how confusing but for sure having having those awarenesses Uh, yeah, most definitely. And so I think for everyone who listens to the podcast, they both know that we are leadership coaches, executive coaches, before I dive into my next question for you a little more, I would love to have your definition of leadership coaching.

Dave Veale  15:21  
Oh, my God.

Emily Rodger  15:23  
I hate that question. Just so you know.

Dave Veale  15:27  
What we do is we we meet leaders, where they're at, we help them define, you know, with the help of the organization with various tools where they want to be. And the leadership coaching is the journey between, you know, that current state and that future state. And it's about building a plan and creating accountability and creating some psychological safety, to support someone in that career trajectory or leadership trajectory.

Emily Rodger  15:57  
And so you have been in this career now for over 20 years. Is that right? 

Dave Veale  16:03  
No, it's 18. We just visited and we're gonna I'm writing an article on this, with the help of our good friend Dave Stonehouse about being that 18 year old teenager right, so old enough to to vote, go to war and drink in Quebec and Alberta. And yeah, so it's been it's been 18 years. 

Emily Rodger  16:24  
Amazing. So back when you were quoted Stonehouse slickster, from the Yukon

Dave Veale  16:31  
I moved from Vancouver, so I was even. I was even slickster from the West Coast. 

Emily Rodger  16:36  
A slickster from the West Coast. How did you even like I feel like now a lot of people don't really know what leadership coaching your executive coaching is. How did that idea even come to you?

Dave Veale  16:49  
It didn't come from me. It came from people I was around me. And I was, I think the time that where it really kind of became something I wanted to explore was I was delivering some leadership training for a municipality and the fire chief who was a he had a master's in leadership and exceptional guy. He would he raft in the international hockey leagues and stuff. He was just just a neat guy. And he asked if I would coach him. And I was facilitating the training. And I went like, yeah, of course, I'd coach you like not knowing anything about coaching. So I read my first book, coaching for performance by Sir John Whitmore, who was kind of the godfather of coaching, who actually Greg Hemmings got on our, our documentary, surprisingly, got Sir John Whitmore, and I read the book. And I was, I was like, Oh, my God, this is a thing. But I don't understand what this thing is. So I had to go back to the client and say, you know, I'm really sorry, but I can't deliver this because there's a whole certification process. And I just don't know enough about I don't even know how to quote you or anything. And then from there, I had this wonderful mentor. Her name's Her name was Deb Armstrong, she sadly passed away way too young. But she, she was kind of my person and my go to person, and she just put me under her wing and, and she always helped assisted me all like, like, with just getting to know the community and the business and, and, you know, the training world and all that sort of thing. And she was kind of school of hard knocks. So she would, she would, you know, I'd be in a situation or like, Oh, my God, what do I do, I've got this workshop, these guys have gone through this change, like, I don't know how to, you know, she'd go, just read this book, you'll be fine. You know, like, so she'd make you do your own work, right. She's one of those people. And it was amazing. So she encouraged me, she said, you know, maybe you should really consider this coaching. I think the final kick in the rear end to get me going was Mary Ellen, my wife, I was, you know, at the time I was trying to be, because it was the only time I'd ever been employed. I've always been self employed. And I, we were about to get married. And Marilyn was really excited about us, you know, kind of encouraging us to tie that kind of stuff, which, you know, I was like, you know, thrilled, but she actually said at one point, you know, like, you just you're not happy with what you're doing. You've been talking about this coaching stuff. And I don't want us to get married. And you start thinking that I somehow handcuffed you into working in this job you're not happy with. You gotta go get this coaching credit, education at Royal Roads that you've been talking about? And I was kind of, well, how are we going to pay for, you know, all the things right? It was early days in terms of the coaching world. Anyhow, she kind of gave me an ultimatum. She said like, I'm not prepared to get married unless you go that I was like, I think I should go get that education. So that's the story. And I went and I was in probably the second day of that first week. And I was you know, in this beautiful, Victorian beautiful camp. was at Royal Roads. And I was like, this is a business like I got to do this, that's, you know, this is amazing. And this tiny little cohort, it's called the dream cohort with 13 people. So that was the beginning. And that's where vision coaching, the idea was more. 

Emily Rodger  20:14  
Wow. And here you are like a roster of cash, but it's like 20 of us on the roster.

Dave Veale  20:22  
20 Plus, I don't know what we're up to now, we'll need to 25 that area.

Emily Rodger  20:38  
In the last 18 years, where do you think the biggest shift in kind of this coaching culture is like, do you feel like just kind of now we're really kind of at a increase trajectory in the Navy kind of awareness of what coaching is, or 

Dave Veale  20:55  
I've noticed the last few years, I feel like coaching just has more credibility, the example I would give, we've talked about, we've published articles on this, when we started doing work with the New Brunswick Medical Society and a physician coaching program, that professional group who would come for individuals that come from coaching, but just it was never really supported from an organizational standpoint, or, or like the medical society standpoint, when that happened, it just, that was just such huge credibility and the program, they put out a call and it was oversubscribed with one email. So that will mean a whole bunch, you know, like, as an example, because we've done work, but we could never get the traction, right? And then that happened, I went oh, so I just use that as an example. So I feel like it's got like so because early days be like, what is it? I mean, it's still still early days, because a lot of people don't know aren't sure. But they've heard enough that they're interested and want to learn more, were early earlier on, it wouldn't it wouldn't even be on the radar, it certainly gained a lot more credibility. 

Emily Rodger  21:58  
Yeah, I've definitely noticed that even in just the last few years, and this thing to around, you know, you and I have talked a lot about this before, like, the titles of like, leadership coach, business coach, executive coach, where it's like coaching is coaching. And even sometimes that, you know, people who will think that they aren't leaders were for me, in my mind. I'm like, we're all leaders. And so how do you get that message across that, like leadership coaching is not just for people in C suite positions, or business owners?

Dave Veale  22:35  
Yeah, well, you know, what early days made the distinction between executive coaching and leadership coaching and executive coach, because that because people would actually say, Well, I'm not an executive, I write in the C suite. And then it dawned on me, or, you know, maybe other people, I'm sure other people were doing it that, yeah, why don't we call this more broadly leadership coaching? Because it kind of fits really, at any level. And to your point, you know, some people are just, they may not be leading a big team, but it's about personal leadership, right? The vast majority of the coaching we delivers, you know, person has direct reports and is leading in some capacity in their organization. But that, but then what's nice about it is it doesn't, it doesn't, you know, it can be accessible in a number of levels, it tends to be the stuff we're offering through vision tends to be, you know, kind of that director, VP C suite level. But, you know, you get people at every level that can access it, which I think is, is awesome. So the leadership became just more broad. And I just fell to the kind of executive coaching definition I just felt was I kind of ran into a few barriers with it.

Emily Rodger  23:43  
Yeah, well, even I remember for myself before I even became a coach and reached out to you looking for a coach, and you set me up with Bruce and thinking that I wanted to coach but I was like, I don't know, if somebody would take me on. Like, I don't know if I'm even qualified to work with a coach because I was so new in my business and and even Yeah, my own hesitancy and reaching out to say, like, ah, can I be a client?

Dave Veale  24:19  
Yeah, I remember that conversation. I was like, seriously, of course, Emily. But that's good for me to hear that too. And, you know, one of the things I really enjoy because I don't deliver as much coaching anymore, I have a number of you know, I keep a smaller group of clients. And my job is really to keep the coaches busier than and try to try to streamline operations, we will go there and really is like, I love the onboarding. And it's hard for me to give it up. But that's where you meet someone. The organization said, hey, you know, we'd like to invest in you and then I get to meet that person and have a half an hour 45 minute conversation, and just answer any questions they have about coaching. thing and just help them see normalize it and help them see the opportunity for them. Because as we know that, it's kind of like, you know, it's like going to the gym, you're gonna get out of it, what you put into it. So we have this way of assessing readiness, and then we assess fit, right, and we try to match the individual with someone who we feel is a really good fit for them. So you'll hear all your certain things like I heard the other day and someone I want to talk to you about later. But there's certain things I'll go, Oh, I think this is a really good candidate for Emily. And but then you guys would meet and decide, do we feel it's a good fit? Yeah.

Emily Rodger  25:36  
And I asked that question, because I have even just recently received messages from people, whether it's on LinkedIn, or email saying, like, I don't know, if you're taking on clients, or I don't even know if I would be a client for you. But it's like, what are those things that as a professional and coaching that we can kind of possibly be putting up some barriers that we don't even know that people would think that like, they aren't credentialed almost to be able to work with us, or people who are getting into retirement? And at that stage of like, Okay, what's next? And like, Can I hire you as a coach for that? And it's like, yeah, absolutely. Like, that's a perfect fit for it. But yeah, making it more broad.

Dave Veale  26:24  
And more gets your point more accessible. And so, you know, with that in mind, and like you would work with a nonprofit leader, you know, a client of vision coaching. And, you know, I wanted to make it accessible to nonprofit leaders who have to find ways to do that, and price points that can make that work. I also feel like it's really important for the small business owners. And then but, you know, like, they're, you know, we always we found ways, because, you know, not everyone has a big budget for, for development purposes. Or sometimes it's the individual that it reaches out and looking for a specific type of coaching. So, I agree, yeah, I think we could do a better job. I don't know, what do you think? How could we do a better job? Do you think?

Emily Rodger  27:09  
I think it is just continuing to kind of spread the word around what coaching is, and then it isn't just for organizations. And like I said, executives, or people who think of their ideas of what a leadership position is that it really is just for anybody who's wanting to find that clarity, who's wanting to, like figure out like, what those next steps are, and to better tap into their own potential and personal development and endeavors. And, yeah, what do you feel like even now, where you are at in your career? And maybe this is too personal, but I'll ask that you could decide if you want to answer it, what do you find the most beneficial for you in still working with a coach?

Dave Veale  28:00  
I try to be very transparent. I borrowed this from someone else. But beware of the coach who has no coach. And no, you work with a coach, or, you know, probably a number of years. So have I in a couple things. One thing is that it keeps me like, it's really, I love what's the way some people like my coach Barb, she lives on the West Coast, her company's vision works, I think, Barb R icher, she's amazing. She's fabulous coach, I've worked with her for a few years. For me personally, it's it, it slows me down, you know, it gives me that time to reflect, you know, she's really good at coaching the whole person. So I'm, you know, working hard at building a business with a group of amazing people. And I'm a dad and I, my husband, and you know, we got three kids, and I'm trying to, you know, participate in the community and all those things. So, like, that whole idea of coaching the whole person, and within their, you know, I'm trying to carve away out to help continue to grow this business. And, you know, I just, it's unique to me, and I love that, that how that supports and keeps me accountable, you know, and I don't like, you know, at the amount of times I sometimes think jeez, and just today so busy. I don't know, if I get time to get on this call coaching call. And, you know, I'm saying this someone who promotes coaching services, right? And I'm like, Well, of course, I'm gonna get on the call because we're paying for this. And I, it's like going to the gym Emily, like, I never regretted after, I'm always like, feel so much better. Right. And I think that's probably the challenge is just encouraging people to make the time. You know, what's your reason?

Emily Rodger  29:39  
To have someone that like, they are not just going to tell me what to do? Or tell me what I want to hear. And to really kind of challenge me on my thoughts and maybe my perspectives. I feel like now that I really know the true value of coaching and 100%. I'm with you on the never trusted coach who doesn't have a coach Coach, it's it's that like, even even when I go like a few weeks or a month without having a call with my coach, I can feel myself go into a different headspace of maybe like not being as confident like in what it is that I'm doing and what my vision is and what my purpose is, and just really finding that clarity. And I think, especially in a world that is so quickly changing and evolving, and is kind of faster pace, and it can be easier with whether it's social media, or other people's opinions like to potentially allow ourselves to get more into our head. And, you know, even two days ago, as I'm getting ready for a big trip, I have this moment of thinking like, oh, my gosh, Emily, what are you doing? Emily? It's like, how many? How many times am I going to have that thought, What am I doing, but I'm glad that I have those thoughts. But then it's like having that space with my coach to be able to kind of like, cook, just collect my thoughts and work through what my doubts are, and find clarity on that. So that I can then step forward into what it is that I am doing, which is what I want to be doing and know that I am like, called to be doing. But yeah, just that it's like, and I hear it so often from clients of how little we have that space, if not ever to have a completely unbiased conversation with someone.

Dave Veale  31:35  
Yeah, no judgment.

Emily Rodger  31:36  
And gain so much value from it that like at the end of that call, like, there is something that we are taking away and doing.

Dave Veale  31:45  
I  recall a particular conversation that I was having. And I in my head, I convinced myself to not build a coaching training program, which we have now built, called Using the Coach Approach. And the ability just to have someone disrupt the thinking, because I was a kind of I was kind of going to this pattern of thinking and it was really like, I was carrying some baggage from a previous, you know, attempt to bring a program in another company. And I just realized, like, it was just so like, it was just like, oh my gosh, you know, and it was it was amazing. And, and as a result, now we've got a you know, this has been a two year journey. But we're we got we've launched a program, and we're out there delivering it. And it's very exciting, it's proprietary. And, and, you know, it taps into all these wonderful skills, you know, and, and knowledge and abilities that this group of coaches has. And so that's pretty cool. And that was one conversation that flipped the switch on that. So that ability to disrupt thinking patterns, you know, for a skilled coach is really very cool to be on the receiving end, and just change your paradigm, right and all and just helping you recognize the paradigm you're kind of maybe in and how that might be slowing you down.

Emily Rodger  33:04  
I know I look back on and then now we speak of Bruce often and I will forever speak of Bruce often, but it is like, gosh, I do not know if I would be where I am. I do not think so personally, professionally, if it was not for my time working with Bruce is my coach. And yeah, me just kind of really just stepping into what I really wanted to be doing and just how powerful those coaching calls were with him and life changing. They were as my conversations and, and coaching calls with you that you and I have just kind of hopped on and you've helped me process through things. And yeah.

Dave Veale  33:49  
The biggest part of that is you putting yourself in position to be open to having someone disrupt your thinking or me, you know, like, so I think there's some really interesting work around helping people, you know, be ready for coaching. And I don't know if we do enough of that. And so, so what I'm trying to do is in these onboarding conversations I was talking about earlier before you match someone up and they work on a six month retainer, I'm trying to trap them a bit for what to experience, I think there's something out there could be a lot more, a lot better, a lot, a lot more effective, because you're gonna get so much more out of it if you can learn how just to lean into it. You know, and you you just to me, you've always had that naturally bringing your whole self even in podcast you just bring yourself and like to me that's those are the things you know, level of humility and all these things that I think lend themselves really well to being coachable.

Emily Rodger  34:44  
So what's next for you? What do you like as we kind of like wrap up the year 2023 What's the end of the year gonna look like for you and what are you hoping for moving forward?

Dave Veale  34:57  
My Christmas gift to myself is a proper microphone. For the so that's, I mean, give myself that because I didn't realize how bad the audio is. So I apologize to people that are listening to it, it's not good idea. So I'll certainly be doing that. The what's next, you know, can build out a bit of a strategic, not a bit, we built out a strategic plan, I really want to lean into launching this Using the Coach Approach training program. So I'm excited about that. And possibilities of that holds and the new, you know, the new places that will take us as a group, and that's very exciting. And then, you know, the channel on the personal side, my, our eldest son, this is his last, I think, his last year to him. And he's, he's, he's pretty excitable going to university, unless something changes, he decides to stay home, for whatever reason. So you know, just trying to really enjoy the time as a family of five. So that's, that's kind of, I guess, I level sort of the things that I'm looking forward to. And also, I'm also trying to build in like, more time to do some of the things that I you know, when you get really busy, you just don't have your kind of me time. So I'm trying to work at being better at that. So I'll get you to hold me accountable to that. Because it's really easy to, to jump into to, you know, being there for everyone else, and kind of forgetting, oh, yeah, I want to want to do this activity, or I want to meet with these friends or whatever it is. How about you? Let's end with you. What's up? What's next for you? It's a tough question.

Emily Rodger  36:29  
 Well, what's next for me while I fly to Africa and Friday?

Dave Veale  36:33  
That's awesome. 

Emily Rodger  36:34  
Yeah, so I'll be over there for close to five weeks, I'll be in Botswana for a couple of weeks at three different safaris, and then to a fly fishing lodge in Lissu. And then fly fishing lodge in Setacmoma and then going on a gorilla trek. And while I'm over there during all of that time, and filming a short documentary, on just sustainable travel and ecotourism and just the partnership between travel and just the different lodges and really sharing stories around, especially for the fly fishing lodges. But just how catch and release fly fishing has just greatly impacted these local villages, and what more we can be doing for that. So that is my holidays, which is wild.

Dave Veale  37:30  
Yeah, I should have known. I mean, I was aware of it, but maybe not to the extent of what you'd be doing. And I understand you'll still be working with clients while you're while you're away. 

Emily Rodger  37:39  
I will be Yeah, yeah. It's a beautiful setup, how like, even with my travel schedule, going into 2024, and I'm away a lot this year, I'm doing work with different lodges and hosting a lot of groups for fly fishing excursions and stuff, but breaking up my time between like, yeah, having office time, or just time that is booked in hotels, where I'm sitting, just working, versus time then out doing work with lodges or hosting clients and stuff like that. So it's been a really fun, kind of, like, business development time for me as to like, how can I make it all work? And even it's interesting, because I was in a conference on Saturday, and at lunch, went and took a call. And someone afterwards was like, Wait, are you working on a weekend? And it's like, yeah, like I am. And for me, that's totally fine. I just choose the times that I'm going to work in. There's no right or wrong way to do it. And just, yeah, figuring out the ways that for me that like I can still really have that knee time yet. Take my work with me, wherever I go. And, you know, even not that long ago will write when I was getting back from my last trip to Bolivia. And someone said to me, like, oh, good luck getting back to reality. And it's like, no, this is my reality. And I just actually spent three days in a hotel in Santa Cruz, like working in coaching clients before coming back here. And yeah, there's no right or wrong way to do business.

Dave Veale  39:24  
No, you know, it's your way. Right? And that's like, for anyone that's interested in coaching and likes flexibility. We have that in spades. And I remember at Royal Roads, I was watching a video and it was one of the faculty members coaching from a place kind of on the on on the sun shine coast. And I remember thinking, that's pretty cool. Like, this is 2005 Like, you're making money, you're coaching, you're serving clients, you're doing this cool thing called coaching and you're doing it from this remote place like amazing. Now we're you know, it's you know, there's more Are the digital nomads that sort of thing now, but I still kind of think, like how amazing how you can integrate all those things. So you can do because, you know, there, if you had some other type of work, it would be hard for you to go to Africa for five weeks, but you can actually do it well and like do some amazing things and, and see so amazing places, and I can't wait to hear about your trip and your travels and the film and everything. And you can be working with people. Amazing. 

Emily Rodger  40:27  
Yeah. And coaching while I'm over there. Like, yeah...

Dave Veale  40:33  
I know, we're finishing up here, but I've just, I'm in this room here. It's in my house. It's, you know, a beautiful view. I just, I feel so fortunate to do what we do. And and I, you know, I really was important to me to be close to home as a father, and you met my father amazing guy was all gone building a law practice. And you know, you didn't you as a kid, you didn't get a lot of, of interaction. I've got an hour of hey, guys want to you know, do you want to go to whatever you want to come up to the store with me or want to, you know, go like now we're good dad. So I'm like, okay, they clearly see me enough. They're probably they're probably like, can you go into the Uptown office and just sometimes home after school, because, you know, we have the Wi Fi battle. Right? 

Emily Rodger  41:24  
Right. Well, hey, this has been fun. Yeah, this has been fun.

Dave Veale  41:28  
For us nd it's been hopefully for listeners as well. But I appreciate you encouraging you know, this conversation. And I think you're right, I think we should make sure we do some check ins because I want to hear when you get back, I definitely want to hear about Africa. And I can only imagine I hope you're keeping some sort of journal or, you know, video log or something. Because that will be incredible experience and good for you. I'm glad you got over whatever don't you had or fear you had with your support of your coach to like, embrace it, you know.

Emily Rodger  42:04  
No, and the whole thing. I mean, I journal for all of my trips, and even non trips, and yeah, there will be a videographer with me for almost all of it. The gorilla trek, I'm choosing to do that on my own, just because that's something that it's like, gosh, I look back at like being a little kid and watching Gorillas in the Mist. And just like wanting to experience that one on one so much that I'm like, I don't even know if I want to film crew. With that, like, I really just want to be present and just fully experience it. But everything else yeah, will be will be documented. So you'll be able to see and hear all about it. 

Dave Veale  42:47  
I look forward to it. 

Emily Rodger  42:48  
Yeah. Well, Dave, thank you for this and we are going to put all of I guess, your information. And any extras we discuss, which would be Vision Coaching, information in the show notes. And the best place to find that is on our website at boilingpointpodcast.com. We're active on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. And this video version is available on YouTube and Facebook. So I look forward to the next time we get to record.

Dave Veale  43:20  
Absolutely have an awesome trip Emily. 

Emily Rodger  43:22  
Thank you, Dave. 

Buy everyone. 

Thank you for listening, follow or subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app or visit boilingpointpodcast.com for more.