COVID-19 - Executive and Leadership Coaching

Where can physicians go for help?

“In the two decades since starting at medical school, I have never heard the word ‘identity’ spoken. Grand rounds, the very heartbeat of medical learning, are not a place for philosophical musings or profound emotional questions. Diagnostic labels gathered there speak more to the patient and less to the person. We talk about loss of blood and loss of lung function but we do not contemplate the loss of person and the loss of self.”
― Jules Montague, Lost and Found: Memory, Identity and Who We Become When We’re No Longer Ourselves.

Being married to a physician, who is also a son of a physician; having helped him transition to private practice, and being around physicians as close friends for years, I have learned a lot about them. I understand the magnitude of stress and burnout they face in their professional and personal lives. Looking back through our lives, many of us will remember at least one moment when we experienced their healing touch.

But where do doctors go when they need emotional or professional support? After an exhaustive search on how and where physicians can get help, I was a little surprised as to how little resources there are for physicians struggling with stress, anxiety, and/or burnout. I realize that physicians often choose not to get help for their emotional problems or challenges with their personal and professional lives. Physician healing thyself seems to be a popular theme and self-help apparently, is truly the best help for these professionals. Despite having good healthcare insurance and the knowledge to access it, they often put their physical and emotional needs on the backburner, always prioritizing the needs of their patients and families above their own. I have many friends who are physicians who have barely done an annual physical. This precedence for patient well-being may even sabotage their emotional well-being.

There are several factors that make a physician aground in today’s world. An exhaustive need for comprehensive record-keeping and administrative work superimposed on ever-increasing numbers of patient encounters and procedures push the physician to the limits. HIPAA compliance and patient satisfaction are another significant causes of stress. In this digital age, the stress of a patient adversely reviewing their practice online can have substantial negative effects. All these factors may be discordant with their “why” of being a physician who took an oath to save lives and make a positive impact in the world. It is probably heart-breaking for some who feel they are being dragged into this morass of revenue generation and bureaucracy, overlooking the raison d’être of why they started this journey in the first place.

The notion that physicians must be the experts and the end-all leads to a self-sabotaging culture. Physicians are simply humans who can experience self-doubt, anxiety, depression, burnout, and may struggle to juggle their personal and professional lives. It is unreasonable to expect them to live a seamless, whole life without predicaments. The challenges of the American healthcare system have led to criticism of physicians and their integrity. They are not seen as protagonists as in years past, especially if the patients had an unpleasant experience with the healthcare system during their time of need or illness.

On many occasions during this pandemic, I have been contacted by physicians pouring their hearts out about their struggles. I have learned through research and networking with my peers that physicians are not a regular clientele for many. I am still perplexed as to the cause of this hesitation among physicians to get help and follow through with getting help. I have had senior physicians and surgeons as well as residents in training who are lacking motivation and having self-doubts about their choice of profession or struggling to cope with their demanding residency program requirements. Perceived lack of time is a common excuse although research clearly shows that this may not be the case.

How can I help physicians? I can help rekindle the fire you once had for your profession. If you are a resident, I understand how demanding the program usually is. I can help you critically analyze your needs and enhance your performance acquiring the skills to cope and exceed the demands of your program.

If you are an established attending physician, I can help you prioritize your management decision(s), optimize time management, and handling your emotional needs better. I can help create better relationships with your physician and non-physician colleagues. I can help improve your rapport with your technical staff, administration, and nurses to help function smoothly. We, as humans, have blind spots where we do not see our failings and flaws, but we know how dangerous blind spots can be and how they can affect our goal of reaching our destination. We must evolve as humans and being obstinate in your ways and conduct can be a hindrance to your development.

The first step towards your personal development is acceptance. Accepting the fact that everyone needs help at different points in life and that we do not have all the answers to all our problems. Accepting that we all have self-doubts, moments of fear, and sometimes, just simply bad days. Coaching is not as time-consuming as most people think. Even as little as two 45-minute sessions a month can bring amazing results on how you manage your stress and live a happier, more balanced life. My coaching sessions are tailor-made to fit professionals who are busy, and I offer flexible sessions to work around your schedules.

I would suggest all physicians to consider prioritizing their emotional and physical health and get back to your “why”.

I am happy to help. All you have to do is reach out and commit. As the saying goes, the graveyard is everyman’s resting place, isn’t it wise to live your life to the fullest before we rest, even if you are a physician?

Hamna Siddique is a career and leadership coach focusing on confidence and personal development.

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Small Business Owners During a Pandemic

Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes a picture-perfect life falls apart and leaves us in bewilderment on how to survive in this world. Life definitely brings us to a halt sometimes but you have to remember that you are not the only one going through this turmoil. Life is never a straight line and we all experience ups and downs. It breaks my heart to learn that unemployment in the US alone amounts to more than 26 million which is 15% of the US workforce. We have to fall apart to create a new and meaningful life – a life that makes us even more strong and robust. The truth is we may look back at our life and someday talk about the strength and wisdom we achieved living in the time of the pandemic called COVID-19. We will have to wait and see how many different types of businesses boom at this time. There have been too many articles on how the COVID-19 has seen many blessings in nature. But since my focus is on people and organizations, I will stick to my forte.
1. If you are a small business owner and have delayed taking your business online in the past, now is the best time to do so. If your business is not online, you do not exist in the market at this point. Social networking and connecting should be a priority even if you do not appreciate it.
2. Change is difficult especially for some more than others. If you feel you are this person, acknowledge this weakness in you. This particular weakness may set you back years in your business in terms of success. Identify how you feel about change and ask yourself if this is a valid claim.
3. Your business must be evolving and if you practice the same customs for years without change, your business will suffer. If your natural market does not require your products, you cannot keep selling it, no matter how good your customer service or product is. The best example of this is Blockbuster.
4. Business owners are good at identifying their opportunities and threats but when making decisions on how to grow and implement ideas, it is important to list as many ways as possible and consider the wild factors. There is a human tendency of hesitation or avoiding actions that have not been taken before in an organization. Business owners and top management prefer to stick to ideas generated that are close to the organizational culture. This is true when it comes to private practices as well such as lawyers’ or physicians’ offices.
5. Be aware of your company culture. Be innovative and instigate change even if you think it is very different from your previous habits. You may bring a completely new and different perspective to your organization that will help your business evolve.

As a coach, I would like to support you if your business is suffering and you would like to bring some change or have had difficulty coping with your new work situation, or you just need someone to find your strengths to divert it to a new passion or business idea. I would like to help broaden your horizon to help generate some extra income through my coaching sessions, wherever you are in the world.

Hamna Siddique is a career and leadership coach focusing on confidence and personal development.

Change and mindset

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I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!

I have been approached by a few business owners and professionals since the pandemic outbreak. I feel and understand the panic in the air for business owners who are earning way below their usual profit margin and have had to let go of a few of their employees; professionals who have had to take a pay cut in their jobs because of the current COVID 19 situation and is in a panic on whether they will have a job or not.

It is important to stay positive. Our mindset is magic and if you truly believe in yourself, your skills and instigate change in your life towards your goal, you will be successful. It is not an easy task and we do need a lot of motivation to attain our goals in times like this.
If you have more time in your hands, isn’t it a good time to get to know the skills of your employees and initiate other business ideas that have always been at the back of your mind. I would not recommend jumping into any new venture without proper research but do explore your possibilities.
Do not see this pandemic as a haul to your business endeavors, but an opportunity to divert into something new, something exciting.
If you are a professional hired by someone, isn’t it time to see what you can do for yourself. You can always start your side hustle without quitting your job. You will be amazed at how much you can achieve and the potential you possess if you really dig deep!

I had a full-time job when I started my coaching business. It was various challenges, a motivating coach/coaches and the right mindset that made me the business owner that I am today. It is time business owners take Organizational Change Management seriously and invest in the ‘soft costs’ that are equally important in bringing your profit margin high. At times, the low return on investment for the soft costs are the people and their mindsets with unrealistic expectations, guidance or lack of proper communication. It is imperative that organizations keep a check on their culture, values and see their success rise in the coming years by initiating a mindful approach while taking decisions pertaining to their business.

I am a business and leadership coach and I am happy to help in every way I can if you feel your business is suffering or you are unable to cope with the business pressures due to the pandemic or you have completely lost the balance between your professional and personal life.

Hamna Siddique is a career and leadership coach focusing on confidence and personal development.

The effects of COVID-19 on small business owners

Small business owners have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of people who contacted me for help were also small business owners. I would like to reach as many of you as possible through this post if you are going through anxiety and financial crunch due to the current situation. Here are a few things that will help:

Embrace the uncertainty: Uncertainty is part of running a business. It is a fact that uncertainty gets worse in times of a pandemic. Even businesspeople that are established and experienced go through anxiety not knowing what their financial situation would be. It is imperative that you understand that during a pandemic not everything is under your control and we must let go of the things that are out of your control.

Be cautious: Learn to prioritize your projects that generate higher income. Stop and think for a moment before you jump into various projects, on whether the project will give you the revenue that you are looking for. It may have generated a high income for you in the past but it may not do so in a pandemic. I have been contacted by various clients who just needed some help organizing their projects and balance their personal and professional life.

Join your community: Join a community that is going through a similar experience as you are. If you are already a member be active in the community and be a leader by organizing various events and activities that will keep you distracted from the anxiety.

Keep a check on your emotions: Your emotions can take over at times like this. It is important to keep a check on them to avoid any activity triggered by your emotions. People sometimes buy and sell investments during a pandemic and regret the decision later. It is a good idea to write down your new ideas, ask what emotion triggered this idea, and the consequences of executing this idea in a pandemic.

Fun fact: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has a funding pool of $50 billion in response to the virus.

Hamna Siddique is a career and leadership coach focusing on confidence and personal development.

The effect of COVID-19

We are a couple weeks into the COVID-19 and I hear around me a lot of nervousness and frustration. My home, Houston that dominates Oil and Gas industry is hit severely due to the current climate. In the midst of this despondency, I would like to stimulate some reassurance and inspiration. My goal is not to pour down some unacquainted cheerfulness to spread oblivious hope. I would instead, like to talk a little about what people around me are going through.

Many have already lost their jobs; wondering how to get another job while being trapped in their house. If you are one of them, I would like to assure you not to lose hope and take this time to analyze your passion and interests. Make use of your internet connections and network like you have never before. You will be surprised by who you meet and what you learn. I have had numerous clients who had lost hope completely after losing their job only to find new passions that led them to a completely new field and independence. Yes, there are numerous possibilities if you put your heart and soul into it. Use a fresh pair of eyes and find your strengths. It takes a lot of perseverance but you will get there.
For those of you who had to take pay cuts, had to terminate your employees or subordinates, with a heavy heart, please do not blame yourself. It is a fact that the economy does not move in a straight line and we often see fluctuations in the economy where some lose their jobs, and some lose their incentives. Consider this a transition period and reflect on what you learned from life that you can use later. Yes, do some research and increase your knowledge.
The world has come to a standstill. We are seeing a decline in polarization and agreeing collectively to one thing – end this epidemic. Can we, for a minute, embrace this unity and discard all the hatred and racial loathing? Can we create a new culture of harmony and logical political choices?
We have new enemies now. Surprise! They are not humans. A virus is our new enemy that decided to pose a threat to our safety and our mere existence in this world. Needless to say, we need protection from this. Can we give the same respect and love for our healthcare workers like we give our soldiers? These are our heroes who fight for us in the forefront while we sit comfortably in our homes.

As a coach, I would like to support you if you have lost your job, have had difficulty coping with your new work situation, or are a small business owner who is a little lost, or you just need someone to find your strengths to divert it to a new passion or business idea. I would like to help broaden your horizon to generate some extra income through my coaching sessions, wherever you are in the world.

Health at the time of COVID-19

How are you taking care of your family and friends? And most importantly, how are you taking care of yourself? What changes have you made to your health routine this week due to the COVID-19?

Most of my content on my blog and Facebook posts have been psychology/emotional health-related. To be more specific, it is about behavior patterns and personality blocks that may be affecting my clients’ professional and personal life. But today I would like to talk a little about your physical health with your emotional health. Most of us have heard of the saying ‘Sound body, sound mind’. Although the 17th-century Western world differentiated the mind and the body, the 20th-century gradually saw a change in this view and today we completely understand that the mind affects the body and the body affects the mind.

We have all experienced some changes this week and I would like to offer some tips on how to cope with these:

One can easily experience boredom, exhaustion and a general feeling of lethargy and loss of hope during times. It is not unusual but it is important to keep a check on your emotions and seek help if you feel an overwhelming feeling of desperateness.
The time for social distancing is unknown and for those of us who are planners, uncertainty is a trigger for stress and so try to keep your focus on certain projects and ventures that you had in mind and have been avoiding due to lack of time.
If your business is suffering, seek help. You may have handled your business issues yourself but there is no harm in getting help at the time of need and who knows you may venture into something new and exciting.
Your physical health is as important as your emotional health and vice-versa. Now is a good time to kick start a workout routine if you have not been doing so. Get some cardio by doing some step-ups, try some lunges around your house, maybe squats or make use of those dumbbells. You could also try the various youtube channels to get inspired.

As a coach, I love to challenge people to do things they have been afraid of doing and see them thrive in their newfound strength and freedom by supporting them. If you feel you are going through a rough patch, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am happy to help.

Hamna Siddique is a career and leadership coach focusing on confidence and personal development.

Finding beauty in chaos COVID-19

The last few days have caused extreme anxiety for most of us because of the fear of COVID -19. The fear-mongering happening on the internet did not help much either. The internet showcased some hilarious memes on the hoarding of antibacterial gel and toilet roll. Although I laughed at some of them, the thought did occur in my mind ‘does hoarding all the purell and toilet paper really make one secure from this virus?’

It is true that we all have different personalities and I am not recommending altruistic behavior here. You may also ask what do I gain by giving my supplies to others? Nothing tangible other than a good name or prayers maybe. It is true that people don’t hoard because of malicious intent but because of a mere desire to protect themselves. Money can buy hand sanitizers and with that some peace and stability but more sanitizers and masks do not guarantee extreme protection and immortality.

Here are a few things we can do in this time of chaos:
1. Discover your Entropy, the second law of thermodynamics, a degree of the disorder of the universe. In this case, we are witnessing people transforming their lives into a more chaotic and disorderly one. Does our life really need to be this chaotic? Can we stop and think for a second before we flow with negative thoughts?
2. Find structure in strategy: You know the things you have to do this week. You may also need to work from home with children around you as the school is out. Plan this week ahead of time to reduce chaos and frustration. Yes, you can do it!
3. Enjoy some idle time: Most of us don’t get idle time because of our busy schedules. Let us dig our creative side by putting our feet up and thinking about stuff we haven’t thought about in a while. Spend time with your family and enjoy these precious moments.
4. Use technology to socialize: Most of you may have hundreds of friends on social media but have you thought about getting to really know some of these people. Some of their work or quotes may have inspired you in many ways, let them know that they have inspired you. Have a virtual coffee with a friend you have not talked in a while.
5. Find the meaning of your life? What does life mean to you? Prioritize. Find your new life goals.
6. Show gratitude: Let us appreciate the people around us. Let us be grateful for our family. Let us show our sincere gratitude to the healthcare workers working round the clock. Let us lend our support to these heroes in any way we can, be it child support, caring for their elderly, etc.

To those who are living in fear or are feeling extreme anxiety especially over their career or business, I extend my sincere support. I am a career and leadership coach and I am happy to help in any way I can.

Hamna Siddique is a career and leadership coach focusing on confidence and personal development.

Re-branding at the time of COVID-19

I am happy to announce the re-branding of my business. I have realized over time that my skills, educational background, and experience are the biggest asset that I have to offer to my clients and hence my new website https://hamnasiddique.com/ is named after me.

I welcome every one of you to subscribe and as a complimentary gift from me receive some information on your intelligence/emotional intelligence guide to discover and learn more about your intelligence. This can be used to advance your career/business further and strengthened to improve your expertise in your career/business.

My blog on behavior patterns, blocks, and biases we face as humans is a huge part of this website. I started this coaching business to have a career in which I feel fulfilled by helping people who need expertise while also helping me with my financial independence. I saw this niche in the market, where I felt people are suffering in silence when it comes to their career and business, without getting any help from an expert. Needless to say, the chances of business or your career surviving are much higher with the help of an expert than without one, especially in the current climate due to COVID-19.

For those of you, who are business owners, I can help in managing various projects by getting yourself organized and prioritize your higher income-generating project or help in finding the mindset blocks that have been putting you off various business ideas and projects.

For executives and leaders, especially from the corporate world, I was there and I know how it is. I am happy to help you with your leadership skills, motivate you by finding your strengths and passion. You will be happy to discover a new ‘you’. You will learn how to communicate with your employers and colleagues effectively by enhancing your strengths. This will also help in guarding yourself against any damaging effects on your career and health. If you have catalysts in your personal life that is affecting your functioning at your workplace, we can discuss that too.

Several healthcare workers, especially physicians had reached out to me due to the current situation. I have also seen various posts and articles on the unrealistic expectation of bravery and emotional detachment from physicians. Physicians have every right to be intimidated by the current situation that created an environment of chaos and disorderliness. Prioritizing patient care and working long hours in a disruptive environment can lead to burnout over the long term. I would like to emphasize the wellness of these clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide my full support and a medium to vent through my coaching sessions.

Hamna Siddique is a career and leadership coach focusing on confidence and personal development.