NLP Trainer and Coach - Francois Coetzee
Francois Coetzee holds a B. Sc degree from the University of the Northwest (Formerly Potchefstroom University for CHE). He has been active in the enterprise architecture, information technology and management consulting industries working in the banking, government, insurance, health, retail, telecommunication, manufacturing and IT services sectors.
He is an experienced trainer, facilitator, and coach having worked in and with teams across all layers of enterprises, from front-line workers to senior leaders in the executive suite.
He is an NLP/HNLP accredited trainer and coach, a Master Practitioner of Ericksonian Hypnosis, an ICF (International Coaching Federation) accredited coach, and has completed Applied Neuroscience and Practitioner in Brain and Behaviour Change certificates.
His coaching expertise extends to assignments with senior leaders, business professionals, entrepreneurs creative thinkers and driven individuals. He specializes in helping high performers work on coaching topics aligned with productivity, performance efficiency, personal and career growth, leadership, purpose and strategy, creative thinking and creative problem-solving.
He has delivered NLP and other leadership development training courses to individuals and delegates from top corporate companies from South Africa and international companies, including adidas and Microsoft.
He has trained and worked with some of the best NLP trainers in the world, including L. Michael Hall, Robert Dilts, Judith Delozier, Suzi Smith, Ian McDermott, Tim and Kris Halbom, Connirae Andreas. Stephen Gilligan, and John Overdurf.
He is a popular speaker on the international creative thinking conference circuit exploring topics related to understanding and solving unique organizational and personal challenges through innovative solutions using NLP, coaching techniques, creative thinking, creative problem solving and technology applications.
His speaking engagements included ACRE (South Africa), Mindcamp (Canada), The New Zealand Creativity Conference, The Next Idea Retreat (USA) and the United Nation’s World Creativity and Innovation Week. He also presented virtually at the International Association for Generative Change conference (IAGC), The ICF Coaching Week and the NLP Masters Summit where he spoke on the topic of finding and integrating purpose in your life and business.
Testimonials
During the period that I was coached by Francois, I found him, at all times to be a total professional and true to his vocation. I was able to develop a very genuine relationship with him due to the fact that at all times he created a very safe space which resulted in the building of real trust and mutual respect.
He challenged me, was at times very direct and asked those difficult questions. He made me think, he made me see things differently, and he encouraged me. All this was done in such a way that I was always comfortable sharing thoughts and information that I would not normally have done.
I came away from each session having gained fresh insights, clear actions and a motivation to move forward in areas of both my personal and business life that I had previously struggled with.
In short, you haven’t been coached until you’ve been coached by Francois!
Lyle English, CEO – CCS Training, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
You did an amazing job of coaching. It was a light-years jump in just 30 minutes, and thanks for spending the extra time on the business model canvas. It seems I am finally ready to be a bit more solution-focused.
I also really appreciate that you shared your own journey from statistics and computer science. You said those experiences were your “school fees” and that is how I’ve been thinking about these last couple of years. Now I see that my 15+ years in manufacturing and engineering were also school fees 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Emily Nichols, Ideator in Residence, Toronto, Canada
Francois was very easy to work with. His relaxed, open style instantly makes you feel at ease and encourages you to open up and share – something is of vital importance when undertaking any coaching experience.
My discussions with Francoise really encouraged me to see the bigger picture, think differently and realise that obstacles which I saw were only obstacles in my mind. Francois provided me with some very practical skills and strategies to apply in a wide range of circumstances and ones which I have continued to apply, having felt the positive impact these made both in a personal and work capacity.
Whilst I am still very much a work in progress I did come away from my coaching sessions with a lot more clarity as to what I wanted from my career, and when, and steps to achieve this.
One of the most important things I learnt was acceptance – of who I am, of my leadership style, where I am, where I want to go to and when, both in my personal life and my career. Thank you Francois!
Caroline Hobson, Financial Professional, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
I first had the pleasure of coming across Francois and his work in the International Coach week. I personally found his work on purpose very impactful. Since then Francois has facilitated sessions for our Australian and APAC teams at Asurion. His sessions were incredibly insightful.
Francois brings a warm and uniquely therapeutic manner to the sessions. I would highly recommend Francois for any coaching, consulting or facilitation work required to help set others for success.
Ashley Ferris - HR Director at Asurion, Australia
Working with Francois completely revolutionized my life. I had been in a hole of severe depression for years. Francois didn’t just pull me out of that hole, he taught me how to pull myself out of that hole.
He helped me understand what is important in life. He helped me figure out what my purpose is in life - and he taught me how to pursue it. People spend their lives searching for their purpose and sometimes never find it. They need Francois.
He is the epitome of tough love. The sessions can be hard sometimes as he pushes you and holds you accountable, he doesn’t let you get away with anything…. but you can also see this man has a heart of gold, you can see how much he truly cares about helping people, and that’s why he pushes you. He truly helped me move to be the best possible version of myself, I feel so much more in control of my life. I truly never believed I could ever feel this good. I’m eternally grateful to him. I highly recommend working with him.
Nina Lieske – Artist, Johannesburg, South Africa
I have had the pleasure of being coached by Francois over some months on various topics, ranging from strategic goal setting, overcoming personal challenges, exploring new career options and managing relationship dynamics. Francois brings a wealth of personal, business and life experience into a robust and well-rounded approach, based on reality and stretching thinking into what might be possible, to allow for the emergence of workable solutions.
Francois is a good listener and has an authentic, heart-based approach, adding new perspectives, creative ideation, neurolinguistics and reframing the ways of handling the challenges at hand. Francois always brings in something extra, adding value far beyond the coaching session and continues in his support long afterwards.
Marlies Grindlay, PhD student, Vancouver, Canada
I recently had the privilege of being assigned to Francois for coaching as part of a leadership programme. I instantly warmed to Francois, his insightful, honest, and friendly approach made him incredibly interesting and easy to talk to. (As a result, I found myself sharing a lot more during the sessions than I had anticipated).
Francois introduced me to a lot of really useful techniques such as mindfulness meditation, visualisations and timelines. I have benefitted greatly from these techniques - they have helped in my career and my personal life.
The coaching experience has made me feel much stronger and resilient and has helped me to focus on what really matters most to me. I am very grateful to Francois and would thoroughly recommend him as a coach.
Suzanne Walsh, Director, Northern Ireland Audit Office, Belfast, United Kingdom
Francois is very respectful and considerate coach. He believes in the process he follows and does not compromise on the outcome. He consistently asks the right (sometimes uncomfortable) questions that challenge your thinking and pushes you forward to personal growth. As a result, I developed a better insight into who I am and where I am going.
Bert Rossouw, Business Process Improvement Principal, Anglo American, South Africa
Francois’ coaching style has helped me not only develop who I am, but also who I can be, what I need to change and what is my purpose. This motivates and drives me to challenge myself, serve my purpose, take decisive action and in turn be a better coach challenging those I coach to push forward and take the decisive action required to do their greatest work.
I can honestly say it has been a profound, transformative and a hugely enjoyable experience his professional and authentic style has made my journey full of learning and I leave each session fuelled with continual Aha moments!!
Brian Armstrong – Executive Coach, Belfast, Northern Ireland
I was coached by Francois with regards to the VISION I set for myself after our NLP/HNLP Practitioners Course.
The sessions were facilitated in a relaxed manner and I felt completely safe to share my dreams and how I interpreted the training – especially with regards to the unfolding of my VISION for the next three years.
Francois has a way of asking the most crucial, direct, yet thought-provoking questions – and this caused me to think much deeper to discover my own voice within. He doesn’t lead the conversation, and he doesn’t urge you to find the answers. Francois is an expert in listening. He listens with the intention to understand.
I am grateful to have found a Business and Life Coach who is more than able to help, assist, guide, inspire and motivate me in a way that fits my own character and belief system.
I am recommending his sessions to anyone who knows a lot, has read a lot, has attended and participated in many courses – because Francois has a way to make you think DEEPER and get to the root of your uncertainties, insecurities and doubts.
Annie Coetzee – Author, Professional speaker, Pretoria, South Africa
I thoroughly enjoyed my coaching journey with Francois. I found Francois to be very authentic and open and when I needed encouragement he wasn’t afraid to share his personal experiences. This provided a safe space and gave me the confidence to open up and fully engage in the sessions. I trusted Francois from the beginning and I eagerly looked forward to the next date in the diary.
Francois cultivated a curiosity in me that I had never taken time to develop or properly consider before. I discovered pathways that have allowed me to flourish in my personal life and in the workplace and I am excited to continue this learning throughout my life.
Francois was passionate about helping me find my ‘purpose’. I now have tools to enable me to find solutions to barriers (especially barriers that I may have created in the past) and I have the courage to look at my life and take decisions without the complications of the past or fears for the future.
Louise Johnston, Finance Manager, Strategic Investment Board Ltd, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Francois is one of the speakers in our APAC learning series, his passion for helping people discover their purpose is truly inspiring. Throughout the planning process, Francois showed remarkable flexibility, even with the time difference, he was accommodating to make sure that our audience received the best experience possible. I'm grateful for his contributions to our program.
Lee Michelle - HR Director at Asurion Taiwan