From Childhood to Leadership: How Pixar's Inside Out 2 Inspired Coaching Conversations
Recently, I was on a flight and watched the latest Pixar Movie – *Inside Out 2*. It’s an animated movie that really made me reflect on my role as a coach. The movie is all about the emotions of adolescence – a time when we begin to shape our values and beliefs based on our experiences. It introduces new emotions that emerge as we grow older, including Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui, alongside the core emotions we know – Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger.
What stood out to me was how the movie depicted how our values and beliefs – formed when we were younger – are often shaped by the experiences we have during our teens and early adulthood. But here’s the thing: as we go through life, gain more experience, and face new challenges, those values may no longer hold true for the person we’ve become. And when that happens, we’re often faced with a sense of anxiety or doubt, because it forces us to confront the possibility that the things we once believed in aren’t necessarily aligned with the life we want to lead now.
The role of coaching
That’s where coaching comes in. It’s about helping people uncover those values and beliefs, bringing them to the surface, and allowing them to see that just because they no longer serve us doesn’t mean they were wrong. It’s not about breaking what’s old – it’s about recognising that the systems that once served us may no longer align with who we are today.
Coaching is about helping people redesign their belief systems, realigning them with who they are today and who they want to become. It’s about evolving into a new version of ourselves and addressing those feelings of doubt and anxiety in the process.
When I watched the movie, I was sitting in business class, completely engrossed in it. The cabin crew even noticed how deeply I was watching it, but in that moment, I realised two things. First, I needed that time to unwind and just let my mind wander – it was a reminder of the importance of disconnecting and reflecting. But more importantly, it gave me a new way of helping clients who are thinking of coaching, to see how it can be beneficial by drawing parallels with aspects of their life they might not realise.
Testing in real scenarios
I decided to test this concept recently on two occasions, once with a prospective client and again with an existing one. My prospective client approached me because she wanted to explore coaching, but she was a bit sceptical. She had the impression that coaching was too “emotional” and “touchy-feely,” as she put it. I asked her how she had arrived at that conclusion, helping her examine her own biases towards coaching and what might be stopping her from committing. After some reflection, she admitted, “I guess I just don’t want to be seen as unable to do my role as a leader if I need coaching.”
She had mentioned juggling the roles of mother, wife, and career woman, so I shared a recent personal experience of mine. I told her about watching *Inside Out 2* on a flight, and immediately she responded, telling me that she had watched it with her son. She shared how much the movie had helped her as a parent, giving her new insight into what her 12-year-old son was experiencing and would continue to face in his teenage years. She expressed how important it was for him to find himself and his own beliefs, even though it was quite scary as a parent.
I then asked her a poignant question: “But aren’t you going through something similar right now? A new promotion, a new team, juggling mother, wife, and career, and thinking that coaching is a weakness? Which of the emotions – Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, Ennui – do you think are driving your thinking?” She paused for a moment before exclaiming, “Oh my god! Embarrassment, Anxiety, and even Fear?”
I probed further: “And why are those emotions showing up?”
She replied, “Because deep down, I have this fundamental belief that I should be able to do it all without help.”
In that moment, she realised how coaching could really benefit her.
The second occasion was slightly different. An existing client had been questioning his place in the company where he’d been working for the past 10 years. He was wondering if the company had outgrown him and whether he should leave to explore something new. Having worked with him for 18 months, I knew him well enough to ask if he’d watched *Inside Out 2* with his children. He said he hadn’t, but his wife had raved about it, and they were planning to watch it with the kids.
I said, “It might be helpful to watch it before our next session. Can I share an observation with you?” He agreed, and I continued. “You’re focused on the idea that maybe you don’t belong at the company anymore, but have you asked yourself whether you’ve outgrown the business? What if you’ve evolved, and what you now need and desire, the business can no longer provide?”
He stopped, reflecting, and admitted that he hadn’t considered that. “Watch the movie before our next session and think about how it applies to your current dilemma,” I suggested.
A week later, he called and asked if we could meet for an impromptu session. His first words were, “I watched the movie, and I’ve outgrown the business, you’re point about the business meeting my needs was a valid one.”
Of course, coaching isn’t about the coach being right; our role is to help clients explore all perspectives.
That’s why at Mindshift, we say our approach is based on accountability and holding up the mirror. Not to reveal what's broken, but to reveal what’s possible. It’s about recognising that the values and beliefs we once held dear might just need updating – they’re not broken; they’ve simply become outdated. We need to redefine them to align with the world we live in now, and the future we want to create.
And if you are struggling to see the need for realignment, perhaps it’s time for you to watch *Inside Out 2*. Who knows? It might help you realise what needs updating and why. We would love to embark on that journey with you.