WhEN WEAKNESS BECOMES STRENGTH
What makes each of us unique is the way we understand success. It is how we anticipate change and how we impact on others.
We sometimes need an accountability partner to identify skills that might survive disruption,
to help us transition, and to turn our weaknesses into strengths.
ABOUT VIRGINIE COULLOUDON, YOUR SUCCESS PARTNER
Call me a ‘disruption optimist’ if you want, but after 20 years working as a strategic communicator at global level, and having set up an NGO focusing on public value and sustainability, I know how crucial it is to control change before change controls you.
I have worked with Secretary Generals, Ministers, CEOs, Board Chairs and Board Members on large-scale projects and value-based programs. I have served on executive committees and as a strategic communicator in global organizations, such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and Transparency International.
Surprisingly this experience also helped me develop survival skills in large organizations! I now help executives, business owners, and teams to develop their own resilience and increase their impact.
I started my career over thirty years ago as Moscow bureau chief for a French radio station and a weekly magazine in immediate post-Soviet Russia. I embraced investigative journalism and published three books on how Soviet society addressed its historical transformation, including one of the very first non-fiction books on the Soviet mafia. I then moved into academia and became a research director at Harvard University, focusing on the Russian elite and patronage. I returned to Europe as a Russian language-journalist to author a regular radio program about invisible post-Soviet Russia and how its citizens perceived their own country. That period is well over and I have only fond memories of all the people who accepted to open up to me and share their experience. I learned a lot from them.
What these seemingly opposite careers had in common was a human approach, a focus on perceptions and a genuine interest in managing complex situations, including in hostile environments. I have always explored new dimensions to find innovative solutions.
Despite corridor politics, heavy lifting, and the heavy burden of too many and too bureaucratic processes, I learned how to remain authentic and positive in complex environments. I am interested in understanding the root causes of overwhelm, uncertainty, lack of purpose or direction. I am a global citizen and enjoy working with people in English, French, and Russian. And always online.
I bring to my clients a strong presence and full dedication. I am gifted with a natural healthy curiosity, a deep empathy and interest in people, and a wise energy that help me ask questions that you might not expect, to open up new territories and perspectives. I am convinced that the best treasure always sits deep inside of us, and that we too often forget this. I offer a safe space for you to go deeper into your introspection if you wish, or to move forward with renewed energy and focus. For greater impact.
ABOUT VIRGINIE COULLOUDON, YOUR SUCCESS PARTNER
Call me a ‘disruption optimist’ if you want, but after 20 years working as a strategic communicator at global level, and having set up an NGO focusing on public value and sustainability, I know how crucial it is to control change before change controls you.
I have worked with Secretary Generals, Ministers, CEOs, Board Chairs and Board Members on large-scale projects and value-based programs. I have served on executive committees and as a strategic communicator in global organizations, such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and Transparency International.
Surprisingly this experience also helped me develop survival skills in large organizations! I now help executives, business owners, and teams to develop their own resilience and increase their impact.
I started my career over thirty years ago as Moscow bureau chief for a French radio station and a weekly magazine in immediate post-Soviet Russia. I embraced investigative journalism and published three books on how Soviet society addressed its historical transformation, including one of the very first non-fiction books on the Soviet mafia. I then moved into academia and became a research director at Harvard University, focusing on the Russian elite and patronage. I returned to Europe as a Russian language-journalist to author a regular radio program about invisible post-Soviet Russia and how its citizens perceived their own country. That period is well over and I have only fond memories of all the people who accepted to open up to me and share their experience. I learned a lot from them.
What these seemingly opposite careers had in common was a human approach, a focus on perceptions and a genuine interest in managing complex situations, including in hostile environments. I have always explored new dimensions to find innovative solutions.
Despite corridor politics, heavy lifting, and the heavy burden of too many and too bureaucratic processes, I learned how to remain authentic and positive in complex environments. I am interested in understanding the root causes of overwhelm, uncertainty, lack of purpose or direction. I am a global citizen and enjoy working with people in English, French, and Russian. And always online.
I bring to my clients a strong presence and full dedication. I am gifted with a natural healthy curiosity, a deep empathy and interest in people, and a wise energy that help me ask questions that you might not expect, to open up new territories and perspectives. I am convinced that the best treasure always sits deep inside of us, and that we too often forget this. I offer a safe space for you to go deeper into your introspection if you wish, or to move forward with renewed energy and focus. For greater impact.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME
One size never fits all. My coaching approach will always be tailored to your needs and uniqueness. I offer a strong presence, attentive listening, and a safe space, so we can focus on your challenges:
Managing high pressure and success
Navigating an era of constant change
Dealing with conflict and taking positive risks
Walking your personal path and helping others
Learning agility, building resilience and engagement
Feeling "stuck" or "out of place"
SUCCESS PARTNER FOR TEAMS
We all know how fast our world is changing and how unsettling it is for organizations. Our processes are never agile enough. We are constantly taking on higher challenges and redefining tactics, but the risk of failure and negative impact on our reputation is constantly increasing.
In my view, teams are living bodies with their own specific needs, strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Co-creation is an essential part of my methodology. Together we focus on:
- assessing their energy flow and deepening their engagement
- redefining their purpose within the organization’s strategy
- aligning the values of the team with those of each team member
- mapping the needs and expectations of their stakeholders
- finding their own hybrid way of working
A long-time executive and strategic communicator in the fields of security, transparency, and sustainability, I give you new lenses to comfortably navigate the political, societal, and environmental dimensions of our disruptive times. In my work, I refer to the early warning methodology of security organizations, which I have adapted to corporate reputational risks. I have also developed board games to help organizations better understand public value and build trust.
I work with Boards and Executive Committees to help leaders align their personal values with those of their organizations, and define the narrative that best represents them.
I accompany managers in their study of new risks linked to their company’s purpose and stakeholders, and offer techniques to reflect on their impact.
I coach cross-functional teams to find innovative solutions to any business challenge, always keeping in mind how to create public value, and make both profit and impact.
Choose the perfect plan
ENERGY
900 EUR
For whom:
Leaders in transition or who feel overwhelmed and trapped in a reactive mode. They wish they had the energy to regain control of their work and lead their team the way they used to successfully do.
Expected results:
This program functions as a reset button. It is a space to get clarity on your current situation, it brings energy and motivation.
Six weeks
- 5 one-on-one sessions
- At the end of the program, I send you the notes I took during our sessions.
FOCUS
1,700 EUR
For whom:
Leaders who want to redefine their focus, remove obstacles, and gain influence. They need to (re)evaluate their strategy in the current period of disruption, build new types of partnerships and ensure that their business remains sustainable.
Expected results:
Through a better understanding of your own drivers and boundaries, you will turn your weaknesses into strengths. We will build on what makes you unique to sharpen your focus.
Three months
- 9 one-on-one sessions
- 1 online workshop
- My personal notes
IMPACT
2,850 EUR
For whom:
Leaders who want to demonstrate impact. They need multiple perspectives to stay ahead of the innovation curve. They want to keep their team’s motivation high and to remain influential within their leadership group.
Expected results:
A roadmap to position yourself as an impactful leader, able to navigate through the current crises + a customized mapping of your ecosystem.
Six months
- 15 one-on-one sessions, inc. on short-notice
- 2 online workshops
- My personal notes
- Direct access between sessions if needed
SUCCESS
7,200 EUR
For whom:
Leaders who want to stay focused and impactful throughout the year. They need a regular safe space where they can recharge, gain focus, and reflect on the strategies that will be the most impactful.
Expected results:
A dedicated accountability partner to focus on your own impact and narrative, understanding of your ecosystem. We will review your data & progress, and tailor your programme to your needs.
One year
- 39 one-on-one sessions, inc. on short-notice
- 3 online workshops
- Direct access between sessions
- Monthly personal notes
- Personalized roadmap: “How to use your strengths in your current ecosystem”
The program can be cancelled even after the contract is signed. There is no charge if the cancellation is made after the first session (excluding session/s used). Once the program has started, the cancellation fee is 5% of the total cost of the program (excluding session/s used). Contact me if you’d like to discuss payment in several instalments.
Any question? I would love to hear from you. Don’t hesitate to reach out today for further information. We can discuss your needs and how to address them. There will be no hard selling. Feel free to find a time that suits you best here: https://calendly.com/virginie-coulloudon/discovery
Please note that services are subject to VAT for EU residents. VAT in Germany is 19% and is not included in the aforementioned prices.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Now I identify as a global citizen that can help young people across the world from my own home; not just via an office in the UK. It was a liberating feeling and instantly opened opportunities I’d been blind to. Now I’m settled and grateful for my new lifestyle, feeling fulfilled instead of wondering how on earth I could continue in the career I love from the middle-of-nowhere. Since starting coaching with Virginie, I’m now actively part of several online networks, attending global conferences and have been invited to deliver webinars, online training and youth coaching for various organisations and individuals.
WHAT THE MEDIA SAY
Humbled to have been recognised as one of the 15 most influential coaches in Berlin in 2022. Even more proud when one of my clients mentioned this to me:) This is not paid advertising and there was no string attached to the publication!
I am also very humbled to have been acknowledged as an influencer by the House of Ethics that seeks to forge a positive and thriving culture; a culture that promotes values, ethical behaviour and diversity; a culture that induces loyalty, creativity and positivity; and a culture which leads to success.
Here’s a short article I published in 2018 on the need for leaders to embrace the « sustainability revolution ». Public value is an all-inclusive approach to corporate activism that considers society and the environment as active stakeholders of any business.
Below is an interview I gave on what constitutes trust ahead of the 2017 European Communication Summit:“Whatever the nature of collaboration, success is based on trust ».
In November 2013, Worldwide Branding acknowledged me for my expertise in strategic communications and cultural history, and for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in human rights advocacy.
Here’s a short report following my presentation at the 2029 World Trade Forum on the trust paradigm and the new frontier