Beaulah M. Chizimba

Limitless Nurses -

Interview

Beaulah, congratulations on being recognised in the CEO Today Executive Coaching Awards. Looking back at the beginning of your journey, what inspired you to venture into healthcare leadership and career development coaching and forming Limitless Nurses?

I’m honoured to be acknowledged by the CEO Today Executive Coaching Awards. This recognition is particularly special, as CEO Today was a resource I used in 2017 to understand boardroom dynamics. It validates my two-decade commitment to healthcare and the push for equitable career growth. A glaring absence of diversity in healthcare leadership roles catalysed the formation of Limitless Nurses. We aim to provide an inclusive ecosystem for diverse professionals to develop essential skills and advance their careers through tailored coaching, mentoring and facilitation. This award inspires me to continue this crucial work.

As you know, the executive coaching world is vast and diverse. What do you believe sets your approach apart, particularly within the healthcare sector?

Limitless Nurses stands out for its focus on equitable opportunities for diverse healthcare professionals, reflecting my own journey to senior management. Our holistic coaching addresses the entire ecosystem in which a healthcare professional operates, from clinical roles to leadership. We provide a 360-degree view of healthcare leadership tailored to unique challenges. Our collaborations with respected organisations like the NHS, Wiley and Maxwell Leadership add credibility, while our success stories authenticate our approach’s efficacy. Our grounding philosophy and holistic view uniquely equip us to address issues faced by minority professionals, often overlooked in traditional programs.

What are the unique challenges and opportunities that healthcare professionals, such as nurses, face in terms of their career progression, and how does your coaching address them?

Nurses face unique challenges like the Ôglass escalator’ and Ôimposter syndrome,’ which inhibit career progression. However, their clinical experience, patient interaction and insight into team dynamics offer valuable leadership assets. Limitless Nurses addresses these issues by targeting diverse talent and offering comprehensive, strengths and skills-based approaches. We foster an inclusive environment to combat imposter syndrome and emphasise networking and mentorship by partnering with established leaders. Our multifaceted approach equips nurses with the hard and soft skills to advance, fostering diversity and efficacy in healthcare leadership.

Could you share a transformative experience or success story that encapsulates the impact of your coaching on a healthcare leader or professional?

A mid-level manager came to us at Limitless Nurses on the verge of quitting the profession altogether due to stress and challenging managerial dynamics. We used effective coaching to transform their challenges into stepping stones for career growth. Understanding their manager’s behaviour and their own stress responses helped them create a strategic plan. This led to a transformative outcome: they stepped into a stretch role in a different organisation. This move eventually catapulted them into a C-suite position where they are now thriving.

The UK healthcare landscape is evolving rapidly, with challenges from technology integration, high staff turnover, recruitment issues, evolving government targets, and policy changes. How do you ensure your coaching methodology remains adaptive and relevant to these shifts?

In the ever-changing UK healthcare sector, Limitless Nurses offers dynamic, agile coaching tailored to current industry challenges. Our curriculum is continuously updated, benefitting from collaborations with stakeholders like the NHS, Wiley and Maxwell Leadership. We prioritise core leadership skillsÑadaptability, resilience, emotional intelligenceÑthat remain relevant despite external changes. Each coaching session is personalised to the client’s unique needs and goals. We also employ a feedback-driven model, ensuring our methodologies evolve based on real-world experiences.

Personalised coaching is often cited as a key to leadership success. How do you tailor your coaching strategies to cater to the individual needs of each nurse or healthcare professional you work with?

At Limitless Nurses, our personalised coaching begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand each healthcare professional’s unique strengths, skills, challenges, and aspirations. We tailor our curriculum to their specific needs, using diverse methods like
one-on-one coaching, group facilitation and online short courses to accommodate different learning styles and busy schedules. Regular feedback ensures real-time strategy adjustments, while ongoing support through mentorship and resources facilitates sustained career growth. Our approach is holistic and customised, far removed from a one-size-fits-all solution, setting healthcare professionals up for unparalleled career success.

As a woman at the forefront of executive coaching in the healthcare sector, have particular challenges or insights shaped your approach, especially when coaching other women in moving up the career ladder?

Being a woman in healthcare executive coaching has profoundly influenced my approach. I understand the unique hurdles women and, more so, women from minority backgrounds face, such as gender pay gaps, lack of representation, and unconscious bias. This informs my targeted coaching on assertiveness, negotiation, communication and personal branding. I prioritise mentorship and role models, connecting aspiring female leaders with established professionals for guidance and inspiration. My coaching sessions are inclusive, judgment-free zones addressing work-life balance and societal pressures. Lastly, my coaching recognises intersectionality, tailored to meet diverse experiences and challenges faced by women, making it both inclusive and effective.