Elizabeth Holschuh
– Director of Children’s Ministry- Holy Cross Lutheran Church
I felt like I was stuck on a hamster wheel in life–running around and getting nowhere! I was constantly searching for the next thing. Maybe a new job would make me feel fulfilled. Maybe living in a new apartment. Perhaps a new city. Maybe new friends. Maybe a little more faith and a little more grit. I just kept searching and kept coming up empty.
I talked with Caroline and she suggested that I take Strength Finders. I was initially concerned that it would just be another test like so many other personality tests or identity tests that would reveal some lofty characteristics about me that would sort of make sense, but not really. I didn’t want to spend money on a test to be let down personally, and I especially didn’t want to let Caroline down if her suggestion didn’t help me out.
What I found was that the test revealed results that made sense to me. For the first time in a while, pieces began to fit and make sense. Ah ha moments were revealed to me about how my mind, soul, and personality work. All of the sudden I realized just how much I was fighting against myself internally and that was causing my unsettledness. The results I got revealed to me things like responsibility is important, but I long for adventure because the learner in me is always wanting to fill up my cup with new experiences. I woo people into my life because I want to learn about them and build relationship. Sometimes the yearning to learn and woo gets tangled with my tendency to be the responsible one.
I particularly loved the way Caroline and I talked like friends as she helped me learn more about myself. Her willingness to listen and just let me talk through my results made a huge difference. She knew how to unpack my strength results in a way that asked me the right questions. She asked me to notice where my strengths were getting used and where they were being challenged in my week. The introspection into my life accompanied by a trusted person who knew just what to ask made such a difference for me!
I would recommend this to anybody who might be wrestling with something in their life. It could be anything from feeling stuck on the hamster wheel of life to dealing with a difficult co-worker to going through a break up or divorce with a significant other. The more you can understand yourself and what you need to live your life to its fullest potential, the more you can pour into the lives of others around you to see their full potential!
Susie Maldonado
– Region Director- Camp Gladiator
I have been working with Caroline Pollard as my Strengths Coach and let me tell you, she is serving her time so well and helping people thrive and flourish. The small seeds she planted in me six weeks ago are harvesting and we have crops thriving!! (Had to toss a West Texas Funny).
We have been meeting weekly for the past six weeks and her knowledge and insight has helped me grow tremendously. She has given me a great foundation of Strengths and how mine work together. We are also looking to start working on the Strengths of my Area Directors and assistant and the little things we discovered make so much sense. She provides charts and graphs and it’s mind-blowing.
Through her coaching, I have learned that I am right where the good Lord has planned for me. Serving my people and teams. I love my RD role. I now realize and understand the power of living in my sweet spot. Where I’m passionate and proficient. I love what I do. It allows me to communicate with my trainers better by asking more questions which in turn allows me to be more open minded and look at situations with different lenses. Personally, it’s allowed me to GROW.
Caroline’s coaching style is what every leader/team can benefit from. Because of how much I’ve gotten from our one-on-one coaching, I am bringing her in to coach my team. I can’t wait to see this Strengths-based approach in action for all of my trainers.
Sharon Ogg
– Region Director- Camp Gladiator
This is one of the best trainings I have ever received as a Camp Gladiator trainer. Initially when Caroline approached me it was during a time where I felt like our team was REALLY ready to learn more about how we could help each other. We needed to get a deeper understanding of one another and ultimately how we could use our strengths to help the team.
Immediately after the first session we were so enlightened. The entire team could not get enough information about themselves. It was like peeling back the layers of the onion and we got real with each other. Ultimately, we got much closer together, built a lot of trust with one another, can now help one another with what we need and I truly believe that this will lead to much improved success.
To me, the most important thing we got out of this, was that we all have things we are good at, but also that we love, value and want to do more of. I want to help my team do what they love, what they are good at and ultimately have a lot of joy doing what they do. This has helped tremendously lay a foundation for all of that
I would recommend this to any leader new or veteran who is leading a new group of people. It’s so critical to know your people as individuals, to be able to extend grace, to be able to understand how their mind works and ultimately help them be successful. This would even be great for married couples as well.
carole holschuh
I was feeling stuck in my current work situation and was searching for opportunities to find fulfillment and purpose. Caroline helped me identify where my strengths lie. She spent time guiding me through the process of identifying those tasks that align best with my strengths, while also helping me to understand why some tasks are more difficult. That knowledge has helped me be more cognizant of situations and has allowed me permission to let go of those things that are truly a grind in favor of what provides joy. Caroline was knowledgeable, professional, and above all she was truly caring in her approach.