Who are you, Hugh Levenbach as a coach?

I'll split my answer into three sections: attitudes, knowledge and skills.

Attitudes:

I am a human being, just like you. Just like you I have fallen down a few times, gotten up, dusted myself off and carried on.

One of the things that equip me as a coach is the pleasure I get from seeing people overcome difficulties and grow. I love effective cooperation. For instance when I play or watch rugby, soccer or basketball the thing that most delights me is a clever pass, an “assist” that sets another player clear for an easy goal or a basket.

I have always been fascinated by grace – the way some people have of getting things done effortlessly.

The first time I came across this was when I practiced Aikido. I remember Eitan Ben Meir, my first Aikido coach saying to me: “Hughie, you’re working too hard. The movement is already there. All you need to do is to join it.” For me Aikido, just like coaching is all about getting maximum results out of minimum effort.

I next came across this concept with Natalie Ben David at “Emotion, School for Coaching Excellence” where I learned coaching and worked as a coach for 15 months, assisting in the school’s training programs.

Here I became exposed to meditation and to the Satya method of coaching which focuses on “being and becoming”.

Knowledge:

I have more curiosity than knowledge.

I am fascinated and full of wonder about how the mind works, how we create our reality, the intricacy of life, the enormity of the universe and what beauty means. The list keeps on growing. This is a wonderful time to be on the earth. There is so much amazing information available.

Here is a list of some of the guides I have chosen for myself: Deepak Chopra M.D.; Sogyal Rinpoche; Mathieu Ricard; Pierre Teilhard de Chardin; Pema Chodron; The Dalai Lama; Rachel Naomi Remen M.D.; Jon Kabat-Zinn; Stephen Covey; Jay Abraham; Martin Seligman; Heartmath; Ecclesiastes; Natalie Goldberg; Milton Erickson M.D.; The Song of Songs.

Skills:

The most important skill that qualifies me as a coach is the ability to listen. I learned this from Natalie Ben David at Emotion, in Aikido practice and from many years of working with people in project teams.

Here is a bit more about me:

I’ve been a father since 1979. I have been married for a total of 32 years (20 + 12). I have three kids, Ella, Benjamin and Emilie.

I successfully completed the MBA programme at the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town in 1974 and I have twenty-three years of consulting and coaching experience in prominent Israeli and international companies.  

I was born in Cape Town (the most beautiful city in the world) in 1944. I love swimming, writing, making and tasting wine, cooking, music, dancing, playing ball games, being with people, being with hills, rivers, trees, buildings and being at and in the sea.