Iris Kuhnert, an ICF-accredited Professional Certified Coach (PCC), facilitator, and trainer for Enlightened Leadership, provides thought-provoking coaching and helps clients safely move beyond their own perceived boundaries and explore their challenges and opportunities from various perspectives in order to enhance cooperation competencies, especially across cultures and geographic borders. Her systemic and action-oriented approach supports leaders in achieving positive and lasting change for themselves and their teams.
Iris specializes in executive coaching, team coaching, international leadership transition, valuing diversity, and onboarding newly appointed leaders. With more than 20 years of international business experience, her previous roles include consulting, executive management, and supporting Western organizations in extending their business across Asia. She has coached clients primarily in the chemical, automotive, financial, and information technology sectors throughout EMEA, Asia, Mexico, and the United States. Since 2011, she has been successfully coaching construction industry leaders and IT specialists in the United Arab Emirates, focusing on cross-cultural challenges and change initiatives by local government institutions. Iris has authored numerous articles on global HR and leadership challenges, and a book, Business with the Japanese, a practical guide.
Iris lectures and holds a master’s degree in international management and Japanese, University of Applied Sciences, Bremen, and a master’s degree in organizational development and education, University of Rostock. She is a Certified Professional Coach by the International Coach Academy and a certified leadership transition coach by Fischer Group International.
Iris is qualified to interpret a wide variety of feedback instruments including FIRO-B, Lominger’s Voices® 360, Booth 360 Task Cycle® Survey, DiSC®, TalentQ, the Intercultural Readiness Check, the Cultural Orientation Indicator, and Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. She is also a certified master trainer for Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership® and for “Valuing Diversity and Practicing Inclusive Leadership” (AMEX).
Iris’ native language is German, and she also coaches in English and Japanese. She enjoys hiking, skiing, and equestrian dressage.
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