Marzena Ermler

I think it is the sense of resilience and agency. You know, as many people, we all go through all kinds of ups and downs in life. And I am really blessed that I recognized at some point in my life that I do have a choice how to look at adversity. Adversity can be something that can completely disarm you and crush you and stop you in your track. Or, it can be the power that gives you opportunity to look at yourself, to look at what's happening from a different perspective that, let's say, if you were just staying in your comfort zone, you would not be able to see. I focus on things that I have agency for, and everything else will happen. It's all about doing what you can control, because you cannot control everything around you. What you can control is yourself.

The best career advice, which is also life advice at the same time, is something I found many years ago and it has been accompanying me ever since. It goes like this: Keep planting seeds, because you don't control the weather. The way I understand this is that it's all about agency, right? You have to do your thing. You cannot control everything around you. What you can control is yourself. So focus on things that you have agency for, and everything else will happen.

I would say that you have to understand yourself and understand who you are. So take the time to reflect on what is important for you. Reflect on what are your personal and professional values, because if you understand that aspect of yourself, this is going to help you tremendously in figuring out where you belong and to whom you want to connect with. Take a breather, reflect on who you are, reflect on what is your core. And then act accordingly. Create out of that awareness a North Star that will guide you throughout life, and do not be afraid if that North Star flickers, because if it flickers, it might indicate that you are in a liminal space that is inviting you to something new.

I would say that the opportunities are very significant, because as the coaching profession is trying to understand the core of what coaching is, the world is seeing more and more that we need support in all of our days. We used to have large family networks. People were brought up by a village. They had access to the elders. They had access to people who were sharing with youngsters those life-long lessons and experiences. Now, we are very disconnected from those natural networks of the past, from how society in the olden days functioned. So people would naturally gravitate towards people who can help them to be those guides, those sherpas that not necessarily carry their burden, but support them on their journey. That is the opportunity. Humans need humans in order to survive. The challenge is that we also have enormous technologies around us. We've just started understanding what AI can do for us. The challenge for me is that we don't get sort of seduced by a new shiny object and forget about what the core humanity is, what humans really need. Humans need humans. I'm not saying that we should stop using technology, because nobody would want to go back and stop washing clothes in the washing machine. So we need to follow the progression of what technologies are bringing for us, but we also have to pay attention to the fact that we still have to sustain that humanity attachment to other humans. If we forget about that, we are going to harm and create tremendous difficulties for people who are right now entering the professional world and for people who are now entering school systems, who are just at the beginning of their development. We need to take care of children so they are not left alone in the world of technology.

When I think about the values, the first value that pops to my mind is the personal value of family. I believe that my family is incredibly important, an incredibly important part of my life. I live because of the support that I receive from my family, and now I also am sort of giving back as much as I can as a mother, as a daughter, as a sister to my family members. When it comes to professional life, I feel that one of the biggest values that I have is empathy, but also the love for learning and curiosity. One of my core values is called non sibi, which is a Latin expression, and it says 'not for oneself.' So, again, that empathy for others that supports other people's development and goals is something that is hugely motivational for me.