Getting to know FlexCoach Vanessa Panayi

1.Vanessa, tell us about your career history?

I have practiced across the whole spectrum of learning and organisational development for nearly 20 years, since the beginning of my career.

My experience covers the areas of leadership capability, change and human behaviour, diversity and inclusion, employee engagement, talent management, facilitation and training and design and development of learning. I have multi-national experience, having led learning functions across the Asia Pacific region and built a learning function and team for a business in Europe, as well as held
Executive level HR roles. I gained my experience working across range of industries – professional services, manufacturing, IT, insurance, finance and banking, construction, FMCG, property and real estate, health, mining, co-operatives as well as in the public sector. I have run my own consulting firm for the past 7 years, specialising in learning and organisational development.

2.What was your motivation to become a coach? 

I have a true passion for people – getting to know them, building relationships, hearing people’s stories and finding out what makes them tick. With my background in learning and organisational development, it was a natural step for me to coach people as part of my practice. I love helping individuals develop themselves to achieve true personal growth and satisfaction.

3.Do you have any particular areas of coaching expertise?

My coaching specialties are in behavioural and leadership growth and change, career coaching and health and wellbeing coaching. I also specifically work with women around managing and balancing family, work and personal goals.

4.What do you love most about coaching?

Seeing the satisfaction in someone when they try something new, implement a new idea, resolve a conflict, have a difficult conversation, and the pride they get from having the courage to try that new thing.

5.How do you define success?

Success in a coaching relationship is achieving self-awareness, motivation and sustained change. Personal success is having a vision, setting goals aligned to that vision, and then achieving those goals.

6.What is your vision for women in the workplace?

That the issue of gender becomes a non-issue. That women aren’t called out on things in the workplace that are specifically related to their gender. That women can achieve what they
want from their workplace, and that these needs and the balance is specific to them personally.

About Vanessa Panayi

FlexCoach Vanessa Panayi has over 15 years experience in learning and organisational development professional with extensive experience in delivering solutions to maximise individual and organisational talent capabilities.  Vanessa has executed targeted initiatives across local, national and international locations to achieve set objectives.

You can connect with Vanessa and browse coaching services available through FlexCareers here.