The skill that supercharge your career

So welcome to this interview where I'm going to interview an amazing, calm, heartfelt coach that I'm very proud of having certified as a leadership art coach. And I'm really curious about Antonio who's here. So I'm going to ask him some really good questions today and we'll see where what that opens up for us. So Antonio, welcome. Welcome to this interview.

Thank you very much, Peter. I'm really looking forward for this interview. Yeah, excited.

So, so let's start off by. Let's, let's have you tell us how do you lift others and how do you make a difference in the world?

I think by being myself basically just being this, this guy from a small town in Peru, moving abroad and just bringing happiness and smiling all the time. So basically this what I like to do, just to smile and just bring this energy to other people.

Yes. So I heard some rumor going on in our court certification program that you, you from Peru speaking a lot of English in your professional life and working with cultural differences. You were in our Norwegian speaking group doing the co certification program. This is cool. And then we had someone from the Swedish speaking group coming in and that person was not originally Swedish. So Swedish was the second language. And here you are, Norwegian is maybe a third language, I don't know. And both of you coaching there, there's some cultural differences, there's some language barriers. But even though sometimes you didn't understand each other, there was just this love. So my mentor, coach Thomas, who was listening to this call, he was like, he was so touched by how you just like embrace the conversation in such love and connection. So tell me, how have, are you working with cultural differences and how, what is your professional background and what do you do?

Yeah, well, I'm an economist, so I work in the financial world. But I just have the opportunity to work as a cultural connector some years back in a big company here in Norway, international company, and try to connect or bridge this cultural differences when we have people from all, all over the world. So to understand what is work in Norway. So I, I talk about my own experience being in Norway, how, how not difficult but challenging has been to adapt to be a Peruvian in Norway. So I have a good example about it, but maybe we talk later about it. But yeah, I have a little bit of a experience with cultural awareness and then I work a lot with processes and improvements. That's, that's, that's basically what I do. And as a Norwegian told me one day I'm like a potato. And I thought it was an Insult. Because I may be a little chubby and. And I'm from Peru. Yeah. This is the potato country. But why you call me a potato? Not usual that Norwegians are so directed to you. But he explained me later on that I'm a person that I can. I'm very flexible and adaptable, and I can do different tasks. So, yeah, my. My core. My core education, finance, my heart education is improvements and just health. Yeah.

Yeah. Wow. So you came into the court certification program, and now you're certified. And how do you see that has interfered with or changed or improved the way you're using your finance background and your cultural background, but also being there and being calm and making a difference around you and for yourself and your family. How has it affected you so far?

I think I can feel it in the energy that. The energy around me that I project and the people project back to me. It's affecting the way that I'm more conscious about maybe challenge situations when maybe it's a little more. Harder to talk and people started to escalate a little bit. So I just try to calm down and try to come down, and everybody's in the same level. I mean, we cannot speak when someone is in a higher level and the other one is very deep down. So we need to just compensate. And sometimes we need to have just breaks in the. In the business world, we don't. We cannot make meditation and breathe, you know, so you use breaks and you try to just. Okay, let's park this. This for a moment. Just think for a moment and. And try to put a little down there. The feelings that can be in a meeting or in a discussion. So. So it's the same, but you just need to adapt a little bit. All what you have learned in this. In this. In this journey in leadership by heart. So I see that. You know, when I see my heart and the tools and stuff like that, I see the business part and it's like, oh, it's the same here. But you just need to adapt it.

Yes, yes. And not come from outside and not bring, like, awareness, but awareness. So from weirdness to awareness. So, Antonio, so when you bring that awareness in and you see where people are at, and instead of getting entangled in the conflict or in the drama or in the feelings, but seeing what's happening and then making a break for it, putting words to it, and trying to get people aligned with each other, how do you. Do you see any improvements, any results? Is anything different around you when you do that?

Yes. Yes, definitely. You can see that people, I don't need to ask thing things to people, they can say how I can help you. So from, from a passive, you can say a passive attitude to a more proactive attitude. And, and it's just interesting when these people knock the door and see you and say, hey, do you need some help? And say, maybe no right now, but let me think about it. So it's, it's, you know, it's like when I get my salary at the end of the month, it gives you some security when you get those guys and then says, I can help you and do you need something? This salary doesn't mean anything. I mean money is needed, but that feels more basically.

So it gives you some kind of deeper meaning and connection when you get to take leadership and walk around and actually being there for people and seeing them and asking them how may I support you? And they feel like, wow, thank you for asking. I don't know, but I'll think about it. And that creates something else.

Yes, you can. You create a relationship. When you are at work, you need to create relationships. And relationships takes time. You don't create a relationship just in one day. So you need to use your time to know who is your team, who you're working with, what they want, who. I mean, I even know the names of the wives or the kids or where they have birthdays, things that normally a lot of leaders will not. I invite the guys to my house to, you know, to have some grill or have some fun. So because I said those guys, maybe we were not going to be good friends, but I need to understand that I really care about you guys.

Yeah. So you as a leader, you're feeling that you get a deeper connection and a deeper meaning and a deeper fulfillment. Is the way you are seen different from their side because you see them differently and you connect differently. Is the response you get differently?

Yeah, I think I get the response is different. When I started to build up this team, I mean, it's a lot of septisms around it. I mean it's like, who are you? We know you, we have hear about you, but what does it mean? This for us? And then it's just to start a process to know each other, to meet each other. Probably one of the things I use a lot of time is to talk with each of these guys individually and talk about expectations. I don't talk too much about goals because goals are given somehow. You know what you need to do in your job, you need to deliver. But I talk about expectations, which kind of expectations they have to their job expectations on the future. And what expectations do they have to me, what I need to do to support them. And then also I give my expectations to them and I try to use the expectations. Quite often it's not like this employee conversations that I feel sometimes it's more a formality to check boxes, you know, once in a year. So I try to do this more often because you need to adjust expectations because sometimes you cannot reach the expectation of one of your employees for different reasons. So you need to be open and honest. This, you know what, the expectation here is not going to fly. We need to, to, to find another thing because, you know, I don't have a budget or something happens and it's, it's. For me it's more important. I can, I can reach much easier with this kind of. I just, I call it a tool. I don't know if it's a tool, but expectations for me works. Yeah. Wow.

So I'm running like coach certification program called Leadership at Heart. It started as a leadership development program, went into coaching and now it is how to also improve your career and supercharge your career with the coaching skills. And what made you become interested and wanting to join us? Did you have some issues, something you were struggling with, something that was not working? What was your motivation? Initially?

Yes, basically I think I have. And the personal level, I just came, I just came out from the break breakout with a girlfriend and the professional level, I was not happy with what I was doing it because at that moment I was doing just very, very financial work. It's no cold numbers. And I don't feel that this fulfilled me properly. It's like what I'm doing here. I mean I don't feel the purpose of this, of, of this work. And I think if we put it in an emotion that make me a little bit depressed. So no, no depress and the level of sickness. But the present, the way that you were like what I'm doing here. What, what. What actually I want to do. I'm. I'm in the right place. I'm, you know, and all these questions pop up and, and then just by casualty I just saw an ad of leadership by heart. It was very like oh, it's just appear and I just listen to you and then I just feel that we, we have the same values or the same thinking the same way to see the world and I didn't need to see other things. You know, I didn't go around and check it out what is other thing around it Just says, okay, that's the thing. That's what I need to do now.

Yeah. So you felt that you had a personal breakup, but at work, it felt like crunching the numbers. We're not fulfilling, not feeling a purpose. You wanted something more and more and questioning, is this it? So it was like a depression. Not a clinical depression, but more like the lack of liveliness and energy and. Yes, yes. Why you're really here. Yeah. So had you. And you felt that this spoke to you, and what happened when it came in, you had this urge of, like, getting on purpose, getting with. Finding your passion and working more with people. How did leadership heart make that bridge for you? So you just explained that you are actually doing that. You're working as leader. You're connecting with people. You feel fulfillment, and you have a paycheck. But more important is, like, the purpose and fulfillment. What changed? What was the thing in there in between those two states? Like Antonio frustrated and almost depressed, and Antonio fulfilled with what happens in between?

I think that there are several things. First of all, that I think the values that you say it and preach it, they are very original. That's like, when we talk, it's a trust between me and leadership at heart. We trust each other. I trust in what you are saying. It takes time because you need to build up this relationship. Of course, in the beginning, it's like, okay, let's see how it's going on. I like this thing. And. And then you are a little skeptical. But then you started to know the coaches and how they talk to you, how they guide you, mentoring you. It's just amazing because you feel this. This calm and this peace and everything what they do. Don't worry. You're gonna be there. You have it in you. They reinforce confidence is very important because I think most of the things that we don't do is because we are lacking of confidence. And sometimes you need this. This person next to you that you can do it. Don't worry. Believe in yourself. Just be patient. You will get there. So I think the entire process to become a coach with the tools, with the mentoring, with the. With meeting other people like me or even in situations that were harder than me. I mean, I just started to appreciate how lucky am I to. To share time with all the coaches. And to be honest, I think I don't need some very famous idols. I said, I follow the Dalai Lama, because blah, blah, blah. No, I follow. I can tell you I can follow some of the coaches on this program that for me, their inspiration. They are Truly inspiration, because what they have achieved in life, so. And the energy that they projected is like, oh, my God, yes, I. I want this kind of thing. So, so you get a little bit excited about it and yeah, it's all that, basically.

So you're saying that the confidence that shines true from the confidence that shines true from the coaches and from other people in the program, and it changes something. And you see some energy, some values, some way of being that you want, and, and that affects your confidence and your certainty. So how else has it affected you and impacted other people?

I think, for instance, at home, it's very interesting because I'm talking in a different way to the kids, of course. Latino, a lot of fashion and feelings all the time, you know, please don't do that. Stop, don't do that. And then I just need to go, okay, what do you want to do? What, what. What do you intend to do? So you, you go to that kind of calm down and say, okay, what do you intend to achieve? So at home, I think I. I'm a little bit more calm. Meditation is something that, that I never did before and it was hard for me to do it, but I. I call it. I. I changed the name. Sorry about that. But for me it's. I call it intention. I don't call it meditation. I call it intention.

Yes.

Because when I just calmed down and started to. To just try to contact myself, I just try to say, okay, what is going to be my day today, how it's going to be my day today, how I want to be. My date is going to turn and you know, I don't use 15 minutes. I just maybe five minutes. And, and my intention today is everything's going to be okay. I'm going to smile. And whatever it happens, I gonna smile. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna Anything let me down. So, So I take it with a smile. And probably this is one of the things most of the people will tell you when I work, you will not see me angry or frustrated. Maybe a little too worried. Yes. But most of the time, 99% of the time, I'm smiling. And I think it's good.

Me too. So I'm curious how since when you came into us, into your program, you were in this position where you felt unfulfilled, and now you told me you're in a position where you are fulfilled. Did you change job? Did you change yourself? Did something happen? What happened?

Yeah, yeah. First of all, I changed job. The last four years, I've Been doing my kind, my own company consultancy in finance improvement processes and it says cultural awareness and kind of leadership. So that's why I'm a potato. I do different things, you know. So yeah, it changed when I came to to to a different organization. It changed when, when the expectations from the new organizations were very clear. So I know what I need to do and I know what they, they need from me. And I pushed those guys to tell me what do you expect? To me I'm really. The interview was. I think I interviewed those guys because I was saying can you tell me what are your expectations? I just really need to know because if I gonna perform, I mean I know that you want to be the greatest, I don't know company in your sector and you want to duplicate your earnings. But what you expect from me, what do you need? And those guys were like a little bit, yeah, well, I need that you report. No, but what more what else? What is really what you need. And then I started to use the coach in there. You know, what you really need from me. So I just turn a little bit the situation. So it works for interviews. I mean it works in everything. You don't, I mean it's just. You just need to sit a little bit and say how I can use my coaching in this situation. I need to make a, a decision or are going to an interview or, or I have a goal next year. I want to, to ride my bike seven days in the, in. In France. I want to do the Alps through the France stages. How I gonna do this man? And so, so you, you can, you can do coaching by your. On yourself to older. So. So I think our life basically is a coaching. You culture your life, you coach your kids, you coach even your parents. So it's natural. I mean I don't feel that coaching is unnatural. I feel that this is something natural. And what I give, what you give me sorry is order, structure, you give me tools, you give me, you know, this is the things you need to see and to do become you are you, you are not giving advice. This kind of things help me and mold me for become a coach. It's a little bit more higher if you can see it than the normal day by day coaching.

This is, this is cool. I just want to add something to your amazing energy when you talk about this because you, you basically told us you didn't feel fulfilled very well. You got this offer for a new position and as you're interviewing, instead of just going through the ordinary interview process, you used your natural coaching Ability and the skills that you've been trained to like. Yeah, I know that you want me to report and be in this position, but you want to double your income and your revenue and you want me to go in and be in this position, but what do you really want from me? What do you need from me? What is expectation? What is needed for this position to step up and lead the way. And you turned the dynamics in that interview from you being there and, oh, I want the job. Okay, I can report to. Yeah, but let's challenge this thing. Let's. Let's push this wagon. And then there's not a question if they want to hire you. It's a question, what do they want from you? And then you get to decide. So you turn around that and. Yeah. Does that sound like what happened?

Perfect. Yeah, it's what happens and basically is that I just try to turn the table and say, it's not me who wants the job, it's the job who wants me.

Yes, exactly. And that is the big turnaround. Because one thing is to know it, but one other thing is to actually go through a process where you learn questions, you ask questions, and then you have the other person ask you those questions. And it changes. So it is changing something inside of us when we start to understand that, oh, this is how this question works. So we have like different structures of coaching sessions and coaching situations. And when you practice them, then you feel how it is to actually be the coach. But then when the other person is practicing on you, it's like, wow, that is opening this thing. And this thing, you understand the dynamic and then you suddenly have a secret tool. And that tool can change everything around you all the time. Yeah. Does that sound like reality?

That's correct. That's reality. It's changing in a positive way. So, you know, it's like, it's like I'm started to see this wave, as we call it, the leadership by heart wave. And I'm surfing and I saw the wave and I say, I'm going to take it. I'm not going to take it. And then I made the decision to take it, you know, and then I just go into the wave and then I say, I don't understand. This wave is a little bit weird. And then I just started to ride the wave and then, oh, my God, I'm going to turn to the right or to the left, what I going to do? And the wave started to. To be bigger and bigger and says, I'm running this wave and it's huge.

And.

And there was the. That was the kind of emotion says, I'm doing it. I'm really doing it. And that feeling is, is when you realize, yeah, I'm. I'm on the right place. I'm. I'm doing the things I'm supposed to do.

Yeah, yeah, that's. That's when. Because people around you are now reporting that you have this calm. You are very calm, very loving and very peaceful. And you feel like you're in the right place and doing what you're supposed to do. And a lot of people have that longing for that and for you, like catching the wave. Understanding that what is the real momentum? And this is not only us, you.

Know.

This is a combination of what you call intention. I'll get back to that. And also, like, Google actually did an internal study about what makes their most most successful people become managers and leaders in the company. And it is so that it was eight skills. And out of those eight skills, it is coaching. Be a good listener, ask proper questions, support your teams, hold the vision. It is stuff which is all falling under the umbrella of coaching. The last one, or the eight traits, is understand the competencies needed to happen so you can coach people better. So of all of this, it is coaching. And then we have this. We call it meditation, but you renamed it to intention, because that is really what it is. Because you are, instead of just using your mind, you're using all your programming, all your momentum, all parts of yourself to say, what am I intending? What do I really want for today? To what do I want to happen in this next segment, this meeting, this seminar, this day, this evening with my kids, whatever it is, this morning with my kids, what is my intention? What is it that I really want? And then when you get in alignment with that, you allow the flow which. The wave inside of you which makes you wake up, which has all this energy. And instead of it being unconscious, you utilizing it and you're utilizing your inner wave with, like a community wave that we have in leadership part. And then the skills, the coaching skills to know how you actually turn every situation like you did in a job interview that landed that job, you're just turning everything because you're looking to improve and lift and make a difference. And what is the potential? What is. What is possible here in this situation? So that was a long, long thing. Thing for me. But how. How does that show up in your life, Antonio?

Wow. I. I mean, that's. That's a good question. I feel, you know, right now I feel happy. I Feel happy to share because I. That's. That's what. Also something of. Of. One of the goals of the leadership at heart is to share experience and learn and share is very important for me because people can see, I see a lot of people that they are in the same situation I was before I start this course. And you don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. You are just going in the loop, you know, and trying to what I going to do, what I going to do. And you don't take action. And you just need a small, small world. I mean just a small thing. And. And then that's okay, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna jump. It's. And I. In this kind of a wave now that I'm. I'm feeling that I have too many. I have so much energy right now that they think, okay, I do this job. But. And I like it. But this. That's it. I. And what is that? So my situation right now is like I'm working in my own company and it's going to be coaching definitely into that company. So I'm so excited. I mean, I've been working the last couple of weeks with this and just like, Jesus, yes, this is going to work. And I'm just going through a process there and. And maybe I just gonna say I gonna just, you know, it's gonna be weird, but maybe I'm gonna end with the finance part because I feel it. That is a little bit boring, you know, and then I gonna follow more what I feel is more excited. It's a bit of scary. This is scary. I mean, I don't say I'm a little bit like it's scary and I have doubts. But now I have the tools to. To manage the st. This fear. So I take this fear as a positive fear. Like it gave me this. This adrenaline that I need. Oh, yeah, I need to do this. I need to do it. But what happened if I fail? Well, I did it. I tried. So. So I'm in this wave right now. So it's not. It's on the making. So that's. That's what is going right now with Antonio. Antonio is just trying to take the next step in all this journey that I don't know what it's going to end, really. I don't know what's going to end, but I will try it.

See, trusting the wave. And that is internally what you did when you saw the ad and the webinar and you booked a call with us, you talked to us and found out. Okay, so I feel unfulfilled. I want to feel fulfilled and happy and on purpose and calm and joyful. And you did the jump. It was a little strange wave. And then you started surfing it. And now that those tools and your momentum changed into this new job with this possibility and where you're there to connect with people not just for the salary, but also for the fulfillment and purpose, and now you feel that the wave is moving you to the next level. And always when we move to the next level, we're starting to shivering a little bit and it's an invitation to step up. And you're stepping up and you're deciding to be calm and. And you're opening the next chapter to include all these skills and go into like consultancy mode. Being there and serving people greater from a great place. Yeah.

Yeah, that's correct. I think it's. I feel that this. What is what I'm supposed to do? I mean, I remember when I was in school and they told us all our lives through the entire school that you, you need to. To become a better person to serve better to people. So you need to get better in order to give back something better. And then these words are, now I finally has a meaning. You know, it's. I got it like 11 years in the school and I didn't understand that this is a nice motto, you know, be better to serve better. And then says, okay, whatever. But now I'm. Now I got it after 35 years or something like that. So it's, it's like, whoa, when happened this? And then why I didn't see it before is it every day something amazing happens, something small thing happens. So I just need to. To see it properly. What is the amazing thing and treasure it. And then this, okay, this is going to be my positive, my positive energy today. I'm gonna go around this positive energy and then I'm just gonna try to. To give it away too. So. So that's the thing. I. You need to be passionate about what you want to do and what you like to do.

Yeah.

So you can see now when I talk to you, I'm very like, oh, I'm excited because I like to talk to you and I like to share this with you because I think it's important.

It is. And that is in the ordinary world around us, people are hiding so much inside. So when people coming out like you, shining and be exciting and leaning in and saying, hey, what's possible now? How can I create this? How can I support you, where are you going? What's holding you back?

Huh?

What do you need? Let's do that.

Yeah.

Now what's possible now like using the coaching ability and your natural, which is a natural ability of caring and loving and being calm and enthusiastic like that you make difference around you all the time and that is a rare thing. And for those of us who deeply care about other people and want to see other people succeed and be joyful and calm and also then we get more of that ourselves. For us, this is a game changer. It is changing everything. So wow, thank you for exemplifying that, Antonio.

Now thank you to you for the opportunity to have gaming. You have opened millions of doors now for me. So it's eternal gratitude to you guys. Definitely.

Yeah. And it goes both way and we are building each other up. So if there's anyone watching this, it's like, oh, I want to talk to these guys as well because I also want to use this in my professional life to, to find my purpose and live my purpose and find fulfillment and spread it and make a difference for other people. If they go to peterswenning.com talk then they actually get to book a call with me or my team and we'll talk to you where you are and where you want to be and what's holding you back and what is your plan forward. And to be honest, we don't know if your plan and what we do is, is a match. But whatever serves you best, we'll tell you that and stare it to whatever that that is. Even if it's not us. Don't stare to whatever because we want to serve you into living your life. And Antonio, if anyone is considering actually click on, clicking on that link and going to peterson.com talk and booking call. What would you say to them? Because you just did that.

Yeah, I think you, you need to listen. Your heart. You need to listen. You listen pretty good. Your heart and, and don't be afraid. I mean if you don't try it, you don't know if it's going to work. What is the worst thing that can happen? True.

If you don't try it, you don't know if it's going to work. What's the worst thing that can happen? Nothing to lose. So is there any, any last famous words you want to say? Maybe not so famous. Do you want to like add on something before we end this broadcast?

No, I, I just want to say that follow your heart, follow your, follow your instincts and be yourself. Don't try to be other, other person. Just be who you are. And if everything's going to be okay.

Yeah, that, that's, that's, that's two really good, powerful messages. Everyone else is taken. Be yourself and it's all going to be okay. Thank you, Antonio. Thank you. And thank you for everyone who's been watching. If you liked it, that's cool. If you like it and you want to take action and do something with your life to actually have more fulfillment and joy, love and peace and freedom and make a greater difference around you, make a change around you, then go to petersoning.com talk and let's talk. So thank you.

Thank you, guys. Thank you, Peter.