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Meet The Iconic Carolyn Warren

Impactful Growth: Coaching Women to Success

What does Iconic mean to you?

"Iconic" refers to embracing our distinctive talents, strengths, and gifts and utilizing them to the fullest extent to become influential women, living a life of significance. It results from discovering our voice and refusing to keep our light hidden. Each of us is a unique and original creation, akin to our fingerprints; hence, we should always strive to be true to ourselves rather than imitate someone else. When we embrace, develop, and put the best of who we are into action, we become a symbol or a catalyst for change.

Can you elaborate on your philosophy of 'living well' and how it encompasses nurturing the spirit, soul, and body?

I am passionate about helping women to live well. ""Living Well"" encompasses our journey towards wholeness, well-being, and harmony. By strengthening the whole woman, we increase her potential for success and her ability to become a valued leader in her community.

Living well means achieving balance, which I like to call harmony. When we think of balance, we often believe everything should be equal. However, this is not always possible and can put unnecessary pressure on women to strive for perfection, leading to self-doubt, anxiety, and a lack of confidence. Instead, we should focus on what requires our attention to find a place of harmony. That means we nurture our physical, emotional, and spiritual lives to thrive.. With the right tools and support systems in place, every woman can design her path and prioritize success.

"I am passionate about helping women to live well. ""Living Well"" encompasses our journey towards wholeness, well-being, and harmony. By strengthening the whole woman, we increase her potential for success and her ability to become a valued leader in her community".

How do you feel your business and non-profit background has shaped your approach to coaching and mentoring?

My background has given me many experiences I can share with others. These include failures and successes and both are a part of becoming a leader. Some lessons I learned the hard way: I missed opportunities and made decisions without all the details, but I succeeded because I learned from my mistakes. I didn't give up.  Sharing my journey gives women hope that they can achieve success with perseverance. So, I share my story to encourage them, and help them achieve their career and personal goals sooner. It also allows me to be a point of contact so they can ask questions, brainstorm, and receive feedback in a safe environment.

What unique insights have you gained from your diverse experience that you bring to your training programs?

One of the most significant insights I bring to executive women is helping them identify what success looks like for them. How would they define it? It's an individual process that is different for everyone. Answering the following questions gives them insight into what strategies to implement. What innate and learned skills do I have to work with? What will I do to develop my skill set? Am I willing to be mentored or work with a leadership coach? And how will I add value to others? The business culture wants to put everyone, male and female, on the same career track. But what brings us fulfillment and our leadership style may differ from men. We want greater flexibility in our career pursuits, and our motivations differ. I aim to help women embrace their journey, find their voice, and become a catalyst for their growth.

Your programs focus on developing women's leadership abilities and growth mindsets. How do you tailor these programs to address the specific challenges women face in leadership roles?

Every woman’s growth journey begins with an assessment identifying their Power Strengths In Leadership. This assessment evaluates them in seven critical areas of leadership. When we lead with our strengths, we automatically exude greater confidence and seek to address areas where growth needs to occur. I aim to help the client understand their starting point, identify what they desire to achieve, and develop an action plan to reach their goals.

What advice do you have for women who want to speak up with boldness and lead with confidence?

I would advise women to find their power and refuse to hide their brilliance. Finding your voice requires you to settle the issue of what value you bring. I encourage women to lean into what makes them the unique person that they are. Each of us is as unique as individual fingerprints. Knowing and recognizing our “worth” encourages us to speak up, raise our hand, share our perspective, and be vulnerable enough to fail.

"Each of us is as unique as individual fingerprints. Knowing and recognizing our “worth” encourages us to speak up, raise our hand, share our perspective, and be vulnerable enough to fail."

Can you provide some insights into how setting appropriate boundaries contributes to personal and professional growth when coaching women?

Setting boundaries and establishing a value system is critical to accomplishing goals. In ‘The Women at the Table,’ I share that ‘Our value system serves us as a guide and reminder for the predetermined vision of our expectations and the boundaries significant to us.’ Without boundaries, we lose focus and become distracted by the vision or goals of others. Boundaries are part of our actional steps to become and live our best lives. It’s our focus that determines our goals, but it’s our predetermined boundaries that help us achieve them.

What are common barriers you see women facing in their growth journey, and how do you guide them to overcome these barriers?

Comparing themselves to others is a significant barrier for women in their growth journey. When we use comparison to indicate how well we are doing or not doing, we miss the opportunity to focus on our goals and don't address the issues that hinder our success. The current one-size-fits-all success track needs to be updated. Women must design their path and prioritize their strengths, abilities, and opportunities to succeed. Coaching becomes a valuable tool in helping women create a plan that suits them, allowing them to create an individualized system that motivates and utilizes their talents.

What piece of advice would you give to women seeking to achieve their professional dreams?

Love who you are, build on your strengths, be kind to yourself, remain humble, and share what you know with others.

"Love who you are, build on your strengths, be kind to yourself, remain humble, and share what you know with others".

How do you encourage women to navigate setbacks and disappointments with
confidence?

When raising our three girls, I always told them I worried less about their mistakes and was more concerned about what they had learned. Mistakes that do not result in acquired wisdom are soon to be repeated. As we discussed their latest mishap, I always asked, ‘What did you learn?’ This philosophy is foundational to how I view life. I’m an optimist who sees the glass half-full and chooses to believe that life is what we make it. Setbacks and disappointments are a part of life, and we must learn that when we make a mistake, it does not diminish our worth; we must use it as a learning tool.

What are your aspirations for Destined for Success Coaching?

My goal for Destined for Success Coaching is to build an executive and leadership coaching team that helps women unleash their potential, build confidence, and increase their visibility for next-level success.

Follow at:
Instagram: @3037.carolyn
Facebook: Carolyn A. Warren
LinkedIn: Carolyna Warren

Photographer: Yaeko Photography