Fredrik Sydnes Coaching
‒ The power of change

By Maria Sødal Vole Photos: Irina Bileanschi

Fredrik Sydnes is a versatile coach dedicated to helping others find their passion and facilitating business growth. Alongside targeted coaching for business leaders, teams, and individuals, Sydnes delivers courses, workshops, and tailored development processes that create positive change.

Now a DNCF-certified coach who has worked with countless entrepreneurs and business owners, Sydnes has a diverse and interesting background. Following a degree in Business Studies, he built a successful career in sales and business administration. Ever eager to learn and gain new experiences, Sydnes threw himself into a range of exciting projects.

Among the highlights of his career was the establishment of The Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology, a tech university and training arena in Ghana focused on developing future software entrepreneurs. Almost two decades on, the nonprofit project continues to thrive.

“A key aim of the project was to show that anyone can achieve anything with the right training and support. As human beings, we’re very similar no matter where we’re from,” Sydnes says. “Most of us have visions and goals we want to achieve, and our ability to dream and create connects us all.”

While his work was rewarding, a new career path attracted his interest. Through his work, Sydnes identified a unique ability – helping others recognise and achieve their potential and guiding businesses in transforming vague goals and ambitions into reality through actionable steps. “I discovered the magic of helping others achieve results by becoming aware of their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviours and identifying what provides the desired results and what doesn’t,” he says.

Change is an inevitable fact of life, and being aware of and accepting change is necessary to grow and evolve in the right direction. This belief is key to Sydnes’ philosophy. He stresses the importance of not only embracing the change constantly taking place around and within us but of actively creating it.

“People who resist change have it forced upon them anyway. Accepting the circumstances you’re in and consciously creating the change you want to see in your life or within your business is how you move forward,” he says. “I always tell people they are exactly where they need to be. If someone has realised they’re stuck in a job they don’t like, that’s great – it’s an excellent starting point for figuring out where they want to go from there.”

With over 10 years of experience as a certified coach trained in Neurolinguistic Programming, Sydnes is committed to helping others discover their true passion and giving them the tools to achieve their goals. “The greatest power we have is to take action in the direction of what we believe in,” he says. “Don’t give your power away – it’s never too late to make positive changes. You’re always in the perfect place to create the life you want.”

Guiding business leaders to meaningful change

Specialising in business leaders eager to drive meaningful change, Sydnes creates custom programs designed to address the specific ambitions and challenges of both individuals and organisations, helping them reach new heights. He also delivers courses and guidance aimed at individuals, who are motivated to create change in their lives. People who want to find their authentic selves and work consciously towards the goals that matter to them.

Sydnes’ extensive experience with a range of distinct business ventures has given him a deep understanding of the myriad of challenges organisations and leaders are faced with – as well as the many opportunities. According to Sydnes, a positive work culture that is conducive to expansion begins with leaders. When business owners and managers tell him they want change in their organisation, he often challenges them by asking what they are doing to facilitate it.

“As a leader, change starts with you. If you want something different tomorrow than what you have today, you must create that change, starting with yourself,” he says. “Business leaders are role models for others. What are you willing to change? What kind of leadership is necessary to bring about the changes you want to see in your department?”

Sydnes highlights the need for identifying what the organisation stands for and believes in and using this strong foundation of values to inform leadership at every level. Bad leaders can be very destructive for people and organisations, and holding value-based discussions at the point of hiring is integral. Throwing around words like openness, honesty, transparency, growth and development is easy; actively using these values in every facet of the business every day is harder.

“The key for a lot of businesses is finding the right people with the right attitude and putting them in the right positions,” Sydnes explains. “The leaders creating the company culture have to have a thorough understanding of the business values and motivation to uphold those values at every turn.’

Fredrik Sydnes - Coaching ‒ The power of change