Lina Lo
PhD • ACC • CPCC • CPQC
Coaching Expat Leaders
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I’ve been living on the periphery as an expat since I first boarded the plane, over four decades ago, to leave Hong Kong, where I was born, to attend a boarding school in the UK. I came of age in the UK, grew up as a Third Culture Kid (TCK). I was a research scientist, management consultant, PhD student while working full-time, and have been working in the international development space since 2002.
I coach in the intersection of transitions, belonging, and purpose
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The expat life is one of constant transitions through roles, cultures and locales. Transitions bring uncertainty, but, if we develop our mental fitness, we can be anchored by an internal sense of belonging, focus on our purpose, and find clarity.
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I am passionate about clarity in the midst of uncertainty
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My clients are leaders in global transition, who are excited to learn about themselves, to be more resilient and agile, and at the same time empathetic and mindful in a rapidly evolving world.
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About Me​
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I’m a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and follow its coaching philosophy and globally established ethical standards. My approach grows directly from my formal coach training at the ICF-accredited Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) and over three decades of lived experience working in the academic, private and public sectors. I'm a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) Credential-holder. In addition, I’m a Certified Positive Intelligence Coach (CPQC), a PrinciplesYou Certified Coach, graduate of the Co-Active Leadership Program, and a trained practitioner of Organisation & Relationship Systems Coaching (ORSC).
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My first attempt at a Ph.D. on physical oceanography was to study some of the secrets of the ocean’s role in climate change. This ended, disappointingly, in an ABD – All But Dissertation – and gave me my first big lesson in recognizing and confronting obstacles to success. My second attempt at a Ph.D. was successful, but took 15 years while balancing that dissertation-work-life triangle. I ended not only with my Ph.D. in Information Systems studying the multi-dimensional paths through which knowledge flows, but also with a library of lessons learned from my own and others’ personal transformative experiences towards success.
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The years it took to finish my Ph.D. were filled with adventures. Building on an MS in Mathematics and a BA in Anthropology (I thought I would be another Margaret Mead), I became a research scientist for the US Navy and NASA, a management consultant for IBM and Arthur Andersen (before Arthur Andersen imploded!), and a program manager and advisor for The World Bank.
During those years, I honed my skills in designing projects, setting realistic goals and objectives, and laying out plans to achieve those objectives in research, academic, public, and private sectors. These are the skills that I now want to share with you to unleash your potential and enable you to leapfrog the obstacles that sabotage your paths and prevent you from being your best as leaders, as teams, and in your personal lives as happy and productive individuals. In all my work, I hold a future-oriented and borderless focus.
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Let’s co-create a space to clarify what matters now and identify what’s possible. I’m currently based in Oxford, UK.
"Lina is great, she was able to help me navigate my tricky scenario and organise my thoughts to better approach the challenges I'm facing."
Anonymous, Beam
"Lina had a really lovely approach to our session, I left feeling really motivated with a clear direction for my next steps"
Anonymous, The Trampery
"Lina is a great listener, she gave wonderful feedback and helped me think about things differently"
Anonymous, Media Defence