A Coach Who Wants You To Excel

Paula ([00:00]):
Hi everyone. Paula Okonneh here, the host of Chatting with the Experts, .Chatting with the Experts is a podcast for immigrant women from Africa and the Caribbean who have migrated to Europe or North America, the UK or Australia and today I have another amazing sister who’s going to talk about her journey to the US. Her name is Maggie Jean, and she lives in Texas. In Houston, Texas exactly. And Maggie, thank you for coming to Chatting With the Experts, and please let my listeners know all about you because I haven’t even given your Bio. I’m waiting for you to do that
Maggie ([00:50]):
. Oh, how sweet. Thank you so much, Paula, for inviting me on your podcast, Chatting With the Experts. Wow. I feel elevated and I feel most honored to be invited to share my journey, who I am with your listeners. And in the hope that perhaps someone would hear something, would find a connection and make a decision that, ” Hey, you know what? I can be on Paula’s podcast or I can become whoever it is that I choose to be. ” So thank you so much, Paula, for giving me this opportunity. I appreciate you.
Paula ([01:32]):
Absolutely. So what Maggie hasn’t told you is that she’s a well respected coach , leader, and these are things that she learned from a very prestigious organization. So Maggie, can you tell us how you got into your profession?
Maggie ([01:58]):
Absolutely. Thank you for asking Paula. And just because I did not share with the audience that I am from the island of Saint Lucia.
([02:08]):
Oh yes.
([02:09]):
You did ask me. You did ask me. But somehow that slipped me. So let me go back and let everybody know that I am from the island of Saint Lucia and migrated to the USA and was it 2003? Yes, 2003! And that has been an exciting, very interesting journey. And look where I am today as a licensed and certified Maxwell leadership coach, speaker, team trainer. So in 2015, whilst working a very, very tough retail job as a senior executive, I knew for me to continue that journey of winning at that time because one of my values at that time was competition. I was very competitive at that time, because of the environment. And I knew that I wanted to grow a lot more and to lead my team effectively.
([03:11]):
I wanted something to help me continue that journey. So Paula, somehow I found the John Maxwell team, and that was in December of 2015. So immediately upon finding them, I took the steps as to how can I be part of something like that. I didn’t know the full details, but you don’t have to see the full details for you to make a decision. And so I found out whatever it is that I could, and I made the decision and I joined the John Maxwell team. And I didn’t only join the John Maxwell team. There is a part of the John Maxwell team who caters for people who really want to grow and explode. It’s called Mentorship. I decided I wanted to do that too, because I wanted to be mentored by people who have gone before me, who have tested and tried and who have the results that I was looking for. And so up to a day , like today, I am still a member, an active member of the Maxwell Leadership Team. I love coaching. It’s my passion. And also apart from coaching people, men and women, I do team training also to develop and equip accountable teams. Paula, so thank you so much for asking.
Paula ([04:34]):
Wow, that’s impressive. I told you guys that she works, she serves. That’s more of what I think about her. She serves, she serves people. She serves people through her coaching, her executive coaching, as she said, leadership and coaching teams. So I know that having left that, you said stressful, but executive job prior to joining the Maxwell team, there must have been something that prompted you to decide to do that. Why did you choose John Maxwell’s certifications or joining the John Maxwell team as opposed to some other team?
Maggie ([05:13]):
The John I found after joining the John Maxwell team, two, three months after joining the John Maxwell team, Paula, I recognized in myself my desire to serve others at the highest level. And I recognized also that the John Maxwell team shared those very same values, developing servant equipping leaders with a great attitude and going out there and multiplying other leaders that really spoke to my heart and to who I was. So I made a decision in 2017 that I would eventually leave my really wonderful job. It was so, it was indeed a wonderful job. And I worked with some really great people, but I knew that there were people out there waiting for me to serve them. And I knew I could impact and influence many more lives if I went out there as opposed to staying in an environment where I was boxed in. And I would have to follow just, Hey, these are the principles of this organizations, these are our values.
([06:26]):
We gotta do things this way and that way. And don’t get me wrong, the organization that I work with had great values. It was a very structured organization, but I wanted to bring more out into the world. And I know I was chosen to do a job of work, which is coaching, which is training and developing accountable teams. Paula, there’s nothing more transformative on the face of the earth like coaching. And I knew I wanted to share that with the world. I had to take a step out. And that’s the reason why I decided that I was going all in to do what I love,
Paula ([07:10]):
All in to do what she love. And this is an audio podcast. So you guys cannot see her face when she’s made that statement all in to do what I love her face, lit up, smile from one ear to the next. I was beaming from air to air. And you can see that this is authentic. Authentic because she has a servant’s heart. But in order to serve, she’s gotta have the people want to be served to want to get better. Like she said, she chose John Maxwell because she felt she could be a servant to the people and with great values that she was getting from the John Maxwell team. So that was in 2017 that you left your executive job to join the John Maxwell team. And obviously in 2020 the whole world shut down because of the pandemic. I was wondered how that affected you, if at all.
Maggie ([08:11]):
, in everything, Paula, there are lessons to be learned. I mean, everything we get affected somehow or the other. No one was expecting a pandemic. No one ever knew what it is to be locked up in your home for months, not socializing with people. No one knows anything like that. However, the difference was I was already used to doing virtual trainings. I was already used to doing virtual coaching. I was already used to doing virtual speaking because I was already able to serve people all across the globe. What it did for me is it’s really gave me an opportunity to serve many more people because now people more were more open to be served virtually what they didn’t like, what they didn’t want. Oh no, I don’t wanna do that on Zoom. I don’t wanna do that on the phone. I wanna meet with you face to face.
([09:16]):
Then to realize, well, we can’t meet face to face, but I need something. I need someone to talk to me. I need to take this opportunity that the pandemic has given me because we can’t look at it as something that was a spec or spot on our growth. The pandemic actually gave us an opportunity for growth, those who wanted it. So those who wanted it, they were in search, they were online looking for people, , They want to know how can I do this and how can I do that? So Paula, it actually gave me a boost in my business because people were looking, people were looking, People will look at, people were looking for any and everything. And I was ready, , I was ready. That’s a difference. Yes.
Paula ([10:02]):
Wow. Well, you were ready. You had been trained, you had been working in that environment and now you were ready to beat people who were hungry, who were looking and Oh my gosh. And so as we talked about earlier, the server taught came through in what you were doing at that time.
Maggie ([10:21]):
Absolutely. Absolutely. Wow. Absolutely. You wanna make a difference with people who want to make a difference at the time to make a difference. And those are John Maxwell’s words. Gotta make a difference.
Paula ([10:38]):
Say that again. Those are powerful words.
Maggie ([10:42]):
I wanna make a difference with people who want to make a difference at a time to make a difference. And the pandemic gave us that great opportunity to impart these values in PE because people were hungry for a change that some of them didn’t even recognize that’s what they were hungry for, . So I was just prepared , . I didn’t know what I was being prepared for, but to a certain extent, I got that opportunity when we were on the lockdown. Yes.
Paula ([11:21]):
Wow. And now that well pandemic is some, well, it’s over. I mean, we are still hearing about new strains coming out, but it’s not to the extent that it was two years ago. How have you found people in terms of how is their reception to the virtual coaching, the virtual training? Would you say that you’ve noticed a shift to the hybrid or people wanna go back into in person training? In person coaching? Would you noticed
Maggie ([11:55]):
Anything? Yes, Paula, and I’m glad you mentioned that there is a hybrid. I’m very happy you mentioned that because there are two ways you can look at this. There’s some people who have gotten an opportunity to work from home , and there are some companies who’ve recognized that, Hey, you know what? It’s less costly for me to have my people or some of my people working from home and still getting good quality productivity. And you have some people who may work full time at home, full time back in the office and a split. Cuz I am working with this company right now, I’m doing coaching with 11 of the top leaders and most of them are working a split two days in the office or three days in the office and two days at home or three days at home. Now what you find, Paula, we have to admit, there are some people who don’t share that level of responsibility working on their own.
([13:00]):
Alright? It’s for them, it’s something new, but they wanna do it. They wanna try their best to do it. and the companies knowing that, you know what? This is not as costly as it would be to have this person in the office. I wanna do that. But what is happening, companies are now hiring coaches to sort help with growing this individuals to a high level of accountability. And that’s why I’ve always called myself an accountability coach or developing accountable team members. My business name is mjs Coaching and Business Solution. So when I talk about business solutions, Paula, that’s where it includes team training, helping people learn how to be assertive. Because there’s some people who are in leadership positions and they’re still kind of timid for whatever reason, they were given a leadership position and they just go. They were told go out there and just do it without the training. So you have some companies who hire people like me, coaches like me, people who have been in leadership, people who have held leadership executive roles that can help develop these people for them. So it works smaller, it does work. The hybrid is here to stay because it is beneficial to both the company and to other human beings, other people, other workers who want to explore that. Parents, you have small babies, they can do that. So yes, it works, Paula, it really does work.
Paula ([14:49]):
I love that phrase. Hybrid is here to stay because the workforce, I mean, has changed considerably over the past two years. But what I do love is the fact that you said that some companies, executives are realizing that they have been put into these leadership positions and they’re not quite ready for it. And that in turn has given you the opportunity to go, I would like to see it one by one, hold their hands and walk them through that. Your accountability. Coaching is something that is really needed because a lot of people are thrown in or have been thrown into positions at their work that they’re not quite comfortable with. And growth cups gradually. So we need each other. We need someone sometimes to just take us by the hand and say, you can do it and implement and put things into place so that the best you can show up at work.
Maggie ([15:52]):
Right? The best you. Because sometimes within ourselves, we don’t even see how far we can go, what our potential is. It’s just like you and I are sitting right here, Paula, and me speaking with you. I am sure you’re seeing more of me that I haven’t even seen myself. Absolutely. So yeah, they’ll those, And we want these people who are in this positions, whether by defaults or you earned it or Yeah. Well, I’m a leader now. So now what we want them to know that there is help out there for you. not alone. You’re not the first one that this has happened to. So don’t be shy to raise your hand and ask for help. And what I’m gonna say to the business owners, also, you’ve got to help them too. got to give them the tools and equip them so that they can perform to the expected level.
([16:49]):
You can’t just throw them in a position or give them a position and say, Well, you’re getting paid. You gotta do it. You’ve got to equip them. So I’m one of the leaders out there, the business owners, the managers, the HR leaders. There is help out there. There are people who are capable of growing your people, people who have the experiences, people who learned, because their journey was tough. My journey was tough. I didn’t just get hair, Paula, I fell on my face so many times. I had leaders around me who themselves didn’t even know, didn’t want to lend a hand. And I said, No, I’m not gonna just sit back and think that this is it. So I learned, and I have a lot to share with the experience that I gathered. So what I want the leaders out there to know that there is help both the managers, the owners of the businesses and the people in the positions. I want ’em to know that there is help.
Paula ([17:52]):
What you’ve said is very impactful that many times we look at people and how well they’ve done professionally, but you don’t know their journey. And as you are saying, you co got to where you were, but it wasn’t an easy journey. You fell on your face many at times. We all need to know that none of us are perfect, none of us. We all struggle with something and we all need each other. And what better help to get, when you are in a leadership position up and a job, what better help to get that a coach who has been through the same road or similar experiences as you have, because they get it. They know how it is. There’s no condemnation. They’re not condemning you. They instead, they’re there to help to walk alongside with you. That’s what I’m hearing from you, Maggie.
Maggie ([18:47]):
Absolutely. Absolutely. A coach who believes in you every step of the way. A coach who wants you to excel, to, who wants you to grow, who wants you to perform at a level that you never expected. A coach who will remind you that there’s nothing called perfection, but there is progression every day, every step of the way, step by step, we are gonna get there. That’s what we do as coaches.
Paula ([19:21]):
Wow, that’s impactful. And now talking about journeys, we kinda touched on the fact that you are originally from St. Lucia that’s in the Caribbean. What inspired you? What made you decide to come to the United States? You had other options. I know, because, And the Caribbean being that it was, some of the countries in the Caribbean were colonized by Britain traditionally, earlier on in the early 19, early 20th century, quite a lot of us would look to England before we look to America. But you chose America. Any reason
Maggie ([20:10]):
You see in the past Paula, we know our parents, yes, would go to England, the United Kingdom. It was a traditional thing. But along the way that changed because we began har a lot more about America. And when you think of America, you think of growth, you think of success. You think of rebranding yourself, , you think of opportunities, you think of no limits. When you think of America, that’s what you think about. And I wanted almost every one of those
Paula ([20:50]):
.
Maggie ([20:50]):
I know there’s no limits to me or what I can do or who I am. My age does not limit me. My color does not limit me. How coarse or how fine is my hair does not limit me. And I wanted that. I wanted to taste just a little bit of that. And I, I’m well on my way. Oh, that doesn’t mean that the journey is easy, . That doesn’t mean that. And you know what? If it was easy, then you wouldn’t be learning anything to share your experiences with other people or to inspire and to give hope to someone else. And that’s what I see of America. The people who have gone and who have done a lot of things and come back to share, whether it’s through a book, whether it’s through a podcast like you and I are having right now, whether it’s on a talk show, they inspire with the stories and they let you know that there is hope.
([21:53]):
So I wanted some of that. Paula, I wanted some of that. And that is the reason why I took that journey. I could tell you, yeah, my daughters came to university here and I wanted to be close to my children. I wanted to, I can’t say that. But then they’re grown adults. Do I still yes, follow my grown adults or do I carve a life for myself because I can still serve. There’s still something inside of me that is valuable and I can share with somebody else. This is America. This is what I see of America. Hope, inspiration. And if you wanna do it, you will do it.
Paula ([22:40]):
Love it. That hope, inspiration. And if you wanna do it, you can do it. You can
Maggie ([22:46]):
Do it. You can circle.
Paula ([22:50]):
Well, those are great ways to kind of wrap up this. Thank you. But before we do go, we coming back again to your roots St. Lucia in the Caribbean. Is there anything you’d like to, any fun facts about St. Lucia? Oh, any facts at all That doesn’t necessarily have to be fun. Facts about St. Lucia that you can share with our audience. Because many a times when I say to people, Oh, my mom’s from the Caribbean they’re like, Where is that? Did you get that question? ?
Maggie ([23:22]):
Of course we get that question. And the other question is, why did you leave? People love to task you. Why did you leave? Yeah, why did I leave the beautiful crystal waters? Why did I leave the two Peans? That twin peak we have in solution that everybody want to climb is so beautiful. Why did I leave all the fresh fruits that you can walk and just pick from the trees? Why did you leave? Why did you leave the food ? Why did you leave? Most of all the love of the people. My island, we all from the islands have different little cultures. Not so far fetched, but different little things. So be, I would love to say that my island is the best, but I know somebody else from a different island will phone me and say, What did you say? ? Right?
Paula ([24:21]):
You’re speaking the one right now. .
Maggie ([24:23]):
So I, I’m going say I love my island. I love my island. And we also speak a broken French Paula, because St. Lucia, there was a 14 year battle between the French and the English. French will win next time the English will win. So , we speak that broken French, which is just so beautiful too. It’s Mylan is very, very small. Everybody knows everybody. So these are lovely fun facts. It’s like everybody, you walk down the street and well, I know Paula and I know almost everything about Paula because it’s just such a small island. Very green, very, It’s justs. It’s beautiful. It’s beautiful. I miss it. I want the listeners to that. I do miss it. But life goes on guys. Life goes on. It’s just, it’s not that you don’t, I don’t go back home. I go back home. But life goes on. It depends on where you are and what you want. I can’t just decide, well, this is all I’m going to know. I’ve got to explore, I’ve got to expand, I’ve got to grow.
Paula ([25:33]):
I’ve got to explore. You’ve gotta grow. And that’s why you came to the us You said the US inspired hope and inspiration and an opportunity to grow. Yes. And many times what we don’t realize is that we can take some of that back home when we visit a different mindset. Education never ends, never stops. And so even what we’ve learned here, take back and tell someone, you know, could do this a little differently. You could talk to your child a little differently. Because I know that our generation was sought that children have seen but not heard . And even then when they were heard, you had to, They knew when you got a certain look, you better. You’re better. Stop. So there’s some things now that I know from living here, it’s like, okay, I talk to my young people a little differently from how I was spoken to and say, Let’s hear what’s going on. Tell me that in another way. All right. I’m here to listen some things that I heard, but were said in a different way when I was growing up. So
Maggie ([26:34]):
Absolutely,
Paula ([26:35]):
We learn.
Maggie ([26:36]):
Absolutely. Absolutely.
Paula ([26:39]):
So tell my listeners, please, where you can be found online, because I know that you have given us such wonderful insights into why you are in leadership, why you coach executive teams, and why you coach teams. If anyone wanted to not just find out more about you, but to do business with you, where can they find you online?
Maggie ([27:04]):
Absolutely. Thank you for asking me that question, Paul. I appreciate you. So my website is maggie jean coaching.com. Maggie jean coaching.com. I’m on LinkedIn as Maggie Jean. I am also on Facebook and I’m on YouTube. I don’t have much over there, but I am on YouTube . And I’m also on the John Maxwell team website, which is the John Maxwell group slash magazine, John Maxwell Group slash Maggie. So go out there, check me out and on my website, which is maggie gene.com, cogen coaching.com, There is a form where you can send your information to me. If you want me to reach back out to you, feel free to do that. But I would love to hear from our listeners. I’d love to hear from someone who probably would just like to have a conversation with me because I do that. I do discovery calls, 15 minutes to 30 minutes, and it’s practically complimentary. There’s no cost to a discovery call and just let’s have a conversation. I’d like that. Thank you for asking me that question, Paula,
Paula ([28:27]):
Thank you, Thank you, thank you. I mean, as you said in this podcast, you have a servant’s heart. You’re here to serve and you can’t serve if you don’t have people to serve. So yes. And for my listeners, if you enjoyed what you just heard, Maggie, Jean, you can reach out to me on my website, which is www.chattingwiththeexperts.com, and send me a note and you can also be a guest. And if you really would like to be a guest, just fill out the form there on the website. I speak to women, immigrant women from Africa and the Caribbean who have migrated to North America, Europe, the UK or Australia. And if you fit into that category or you un a daughter whose parents came from Africa and the Caribbean and now are living in the US or Canada or any of those other places I mentioned, I would love to talk with you. Thank you, Maggie, for being such an
Maggie ([29:37]):
Amazing guest. Thank you for what you’re doing for us women in the world. So thank you.