Here are three key myths busted:
Coaching is about growth and performance, not problem-solving. It’s designed to help you reach your potential, not to address issues.
Coaching is often mistaken for consulting or mentoring. The difference is in the approach: consulting and mentoring rely on external expertise, while coaching helps you tap into your own insights as the expert in your journey.
Coaching is confidential, even when it's sponsored by your employer.
I work with C-suite executives, business owners, and senior managers to unlock their full potential. I think meaningful change starts with transforming the way we think. To act differently and develop new behaviours, we first need to shift our thoughts. Rather than teaching new skills, I help my clients recognise and leverage the abilities they already possess. By gaining new perspectives, they can use these skills in more effective ways. My approach focuses on enhancing self-awareness, clarifying goals, and developing leadership and management skills, equipping my clients with the tools to solve their challenges confidently and effectively.
Interested? Contact me via email and let’s have a meeting.
The core model of coaching focuses on raising awareness and setting clear, positive goals. To do this effectively, it is crucial to establish a genuine connection with the client, demonstrating care for both the client and the process we are engaged in. A key responsibility of the coach is to help the client gain clarity—about what they want, their current situation, their goals, and the factors that will support them throughout the process. Curiosity is a powerful motivator for a coach; being genuinely curious about the client’s journey enhances your ability to guide and support them effectively.
Challenging the client’s thoughts and holding them accountable as they make progress is also essential. Confidence in the coaching process, belief in the client’s potential, and a guarantee of confidentiality are all critical to a successful coaching relationship. Both the coach and the client must be committed to the process and the desired outcomes. With this foundation, not only can clear goals be set, but they can also be achieved.
Coaching focuses on asking impactful questions rather than knowing all the answers. The strength of these questions comes from intentional preparation, but it’s essential for coaches to avoid overpreparing and relying on an overload of information. Instead, they need to be guided by genuine curiosity to uncover the client’s unique worldview. I aim to understand the coachees perspective before jumping in with solutions, using curiosity-driven questions to foster meaningful exploration and breakthroughs.
I think simplifying coaching by prioritising humanity and curiosity will create transformational change. Identifying clear outcomes helps guide coachees through initial steps toward their goals, considering the wider influence coaching can have on their surroundings. I also think by focusing on understanding and thoughtful inquiry, coaches can amplify their impact, empowering clients effectively.
Beliefs, whether based on fact or fiction, are human inventions that help us make sense of ourselves and the world. Neuroscience research demonstrates that training and positive reinforcement can change people’s minds and behaviours. When we tell people what to do, we engage only their short-term cognitive memory, and as a result, they often forget much of the information, and it rarely leads to meaningful behavioural change. For instance, consider how many things you know you should be doing but haven’t acted on. Knowledge alone doesn’t transform our perception of ourselves or the world. Coaching is different. It facilitates long-term behavioural change by helping the brain rewire. I think as a person’s neural pathways evolve, their self-image and worldview shift, which in turn drives new behaviours. This lasting transformation is something that simple instructions cannot achieve.
““It’s hard to learn when you already know.””
People vary in their level of coachability, so when clients come to me, I look for any sign of willingness. While it’s great when someone is enthusiastic about learning and growth, that isn’t always the case. Coaching provides a safe space where people can fully be themselves, allowing them to see through the fog of fear, doubt, and anger. Through meaningful conversations, clients discover new pathways to achieve their goals. In essence, coaching is often less about behaviour change and more about identity, exploring who someone believes they are and who they aspire to become.
When working with leaders, my approach revolves around a single guiding question:
“Is there one thing you’d like to improve or enhance that we could work on together?”
“Would you be open to learning just one new thing that could make you better?”
“Can you think of one area where you’d really appreciate some support in developing?”
Once clients identify that one thing and experience the benefits of coaching, they often become more open to the process. They realise how valuable coaching is and that it never makes them feel inadequate.
““Where we have strong emotions, we’re liable to fool ourselves.””
I had a thought-provoking conversation with a friend recently. She asked me about the top five qualities I admire in the people I most enjoy supporting. My answer was clear: they are exceptional at creatively solving problems, prioritise people, make a significant impact in Denmark, and are driven by a strong mission.
Then, she challenged me: Who exemplifies these qualities more than anyone you know? You immediately came to mind. Would you be open to a quick 10-minute call to catch up? Alternatively, we could schedule a 15-minute discovery session, where I'll ask five questions to get a sense of where you are in your professional journey. If you read this post, send me an email for a confidential discovery meeting.
I always hold a discovery session with each client and during these session’s I ask questions like:
Where do you come from?
What’s it like in your world?
Who are you?
What traditions and values are important to you?
What might be holding you back?
I think it’s important to understand their cultural background and values. While we may never fully understand someone else’s culture, we can approach it with genuine curiosity and empathy, inviting clients to bring their whole selves into the conversation.
Stay curious about who your clients are and what truly matters to them. It’s important to enter a space of openness, journeying together to explore what it’s like to live their experiences. By building a foundation of trust and rapport, you can support your clients on a path of self-discovery, reflection, and transformation, helping them trust in new experiences and outcomes.
Have you ever thought about the role culture plays in coaching?
As a coach who was born and raised in London with Jamaican heritage, I developed a deep appreciation for cross-cultural understanding and respect from birth. This background has shaped how I approach my sessions, with both curiosity and an open mind. I’m always focused on what’s most important to my clients, often asking, “What can we bring into this session to support your journey of deep reflection?” I encourage clients to incorporate any cultural or traditional elements that help them feel more connected and grounded to ensure each conversation is a powerful and meaningful experience.
c/o LinkedIn
One of the most remarkable things about the human brain is its ability to process the same situation in multiple ways. In contrast, mathematical models are not capable of this flexibility. These models, particularly those related to time and algorithms, inherently assume that faster is always better. In his 2013 book, “Social Acceleration: A New Theory of Modernity”, Hartmut Rosa traces the origins of social acceleration back to the Industrial Revolution. This acceleration, however, has contributed to our collective discontent. With an overwhelming increase in choices, we no longer feel we can fully achieve everything we desire. This relentless pace and the explosion of options have left us feeling perpetually unsatisfied or under-optimised.
If you're seeking clarity in this fast-paced world, book a confidential 30-minute discovery call with me via email to explore how you can optimise your leadership and career trajectory.
How do we guide clients to realise their inner potential?
There's greatness inside each one of our clients, and it’s our role is to help them shine in all areas of their lives. The beauty of the human journey lies in its imperfection, and it is this imperfection that gives rise to true beauty. I think ultimately, coaching is not about the coach; it’s all about the client. It’s about partnering with them on their journey toward a meaningful destination, a destination that aligns with their destiny.
When was the last time a question changed your life? When was the last time a single word made a profound impact? I think words carry immense power and life and death are in the tongue. As coaches, how we speak to ourselves and what we say to our clients truly matters. Our clients look to us as beacons of hope, a place where they can authentically be themselves and where possibilities are ignited. It’s vital to help our clients recognise the greatness within them.
The future of coaching is likely to be influenced by the rise of AI and automation. Imagine AI taking the lead in a coaching session, asking questions like, "What's on your mind?" or "You spoke about this two weeks ago, but what feels like the real challenge here for you?" With enough context, AI could analyse conversations, follow decision trees, and offer thoughtful prompts like, "What else?" repeatedly, drawing out deeper insights. This kind of interaction could effectively simulate human coaching, potentially achieving similar outcomes a significant portion of the time. As a coach, this raises an important question: Where do you offer unique value in the coaching experience that someone can't get from chatting with their AI assistant?
Coaching conversations have the power to change lives, one session at a time. I think that transformation occurs after each interaction. As a coach, my role is to guide clients closer to their goals by helping them turn setbacks into comebacks and disappointments into opportunities for growth. The insights and lessons we gather along the way are valuable tools that support clients throughout their journey. If you are ready to explore how coaching can help you, contact me via email to schedule a free 30-minute discovery meeting.
When coaching, being fully present in the conversation with the client is essential. It's about having natural, authentic, and meaningful interactions that truly make an impact. Coaching isn’t about asking the most clever questions or simply helping the client find a solution, it’s about focusing on the person, not the problem. The goal isn’t to "fix" a problem but to engage in a co-creative process that empowers the client to discover their own path forward. By partnering with the client in a thought-provoking and creative dialogue, we inspire change and help them maximise their potential.
Models and frameworks don’t change lives; coaching does. Transformation happens one conversation at a time, and the real value lies in the coaching process itself. It’s not about showcasing expertise or using impressive tactics and techniques. I think true coaching is about having a genuine, authentic conversation in the moment, letting go of preconceived judgments and ideas to create a space for meaningful, human-to-human interaction. Ultimately, we are coaching the person, not the problem. Do you have a coach? Contact me via email for a “free” 30-minute confidential discovery meeting, and let’s explore how coaching can help you reach your full potential.
As a trained coach, I’ve had to unlearn the habit of entering conversations with a fixer or problem-solver mindset. I'm still in the process of letting go of that tendency in favour of embracing genuine curiosity. I now actively practice asking questions that I don’t, and couldn’t possibly know the answers to. My role as a coach is to help uncover the root of any fears and support my clients in a safe environment, guiding them to decide what they truly want and how to address those fears.
What territory are we exploring in this session?
Personal? Professional? Community? Family? Friendships?
It doesn’t matter where we begin as these areas are all interconnected. My goal is to understand the whole person and help them explore whatever territory they wish to focus on in the session. What's useful for them is what truly matters. Contact me via e-mail for a free confidential 30 minute discovery.
As your coach, I serve as the compass to help you "land the plane," so to speak. I act as a deep listener, helping you stay connected to the goals you set. So, let’s think about whether this is the next step you want to take. Here are a few questions to help you reflect:
What do you need to do?
How will you do it?
By when?
With whom?
What will success look like, and how will you measure it?
Contact me via email if you have any other considerations.
Our tailor-made coaching for performance solutions aims to foster a culture of respect and inclusivity. Creating a positive work environment boosts productivity, promotes teamwork, reduces turnover, and enhances employee satisfaction. We have found this approach to be ideal for retaining top talent, driving innovation, and achieving long-term growth and success. I think by investing in coaching for performance, you empower your employees to develop the skills they need to perform at their best and contribute to your organisation’s overall success.
“When you really listen to another person from their point of view, and reflect back to them that understanding, it’s like giving them emotional oxygen.”
The STAR coaching model, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result, is an effective tool for guiding structured and meaningful conversations. It is commonly used in coaching to help individuals reflect on their past experiences and behaviour, making it easier to identify goals and develop actionable plans for the future.
The process begins by discussing the situation, the specific context or challenge that created difficulty. From there, the conversation moves to the task, where the client is encouraged to think about what they believe they should do to address the issue. The next step involves reflecting on their actions, or how they typically respond to such situations, allowing them to examine their thought patterns and behaviour. Finally, the coach and client assess the result of those actions, exploring both the outcome and how the individual feels about it. I think this reflective process allows for accountability and promotes collaborative problem-solving, making it a valuable framework for personal growth and goal setting.
Contact me via email for 1:1 or group coaching.
