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.
One plus one in not always two
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.
Support your clients
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.
Using reflective inquiry
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.
Are we better off?
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.
Unlocking the potential
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.
Questions are the key
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.
Machine learning vs. human
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?
Enjoy the process
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.
Focus on the person
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.
From fixer to coach
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.
Communicating your vision
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.
Performance coaching
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
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.
What does a good coach deliver?
I think a good coach consistently delivers self-belief, self-motivation, choice, clarity, commitment, awareness, responsibility, and action, whilst also holding the client accountable. While many of us may be capable of providing these qualities to others occasionally, a skilled coach delivers them reliably, empowering most people most of the time. Contact me via email to discuss your coaching requirements.
“A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.”
Mindset matters
What are the triggers that influence where we fall on the fixed versus growth mindset continuum?
Mindset is shaped by a set of beliefs, and those beliefs are influenced by the people around us and the environment we’re in. It's important to understand that mindset isn’t just about effort. Simply telling ourselves to "try harder" doesn’t lead to true growth. A genuine growth mindset involves putting in effective effort - understanding whether the work you're doing is moving you towards your goals. I think it also means being open to seeking help, guidance, or coaching from others and being willing to pivot or adapt to learn, grow, and achieve the goals you’ve set.
How is change created?
Key questions for change:
What specific change are we trying to make?
Who are we aiming to influence?
Given our agreed-upon constraints and goals, is there a better path forward to reach our destination?
To proceed, we need clarity on the following:
Constraints:
What are the limitations or boundaries we’re operating within?Objectives:
What are the precise goals we are working toward?Target Audience:
Who are we trying to affect or change?
Without alignment on these key points, productive conversation becomes difficult. If we’re not on the same page, we risk revealing that we’re metaphorically on different journeys (or buses), heading in different directions. Contact me via email for a confidential conversation about your journey.
It's lonely at the top
Our brains like to fix things, so when you tell me your story I subconsciously begin to strategise and think of solutions. I’m really good at problem solving and I really like people so coaching seemed like a natural progression. I became the catalyst when I ask questions and bring observations into our conversations. And one of the things I listen for is what makes this a problem for this person? It’s often a perspective, a mindset, an idea, assumption or a belief and that’s what I’m listening for. The details of the story then become fuzzy as I am homing in to the person in front of me.
- What’s really going on?
- Are you hurt and feeling betrayed?
- Are you thinking things should be different than they currently are?
- Do you have expectations that are just not happening?
- What are your fears?
- What’s making you anxious?
- What can’t you control?
You are not alone, there’s a lot going on for everyone.
Contact me via e-mail and let’s have a confidential conversation about what actions you think you should focus on.
““Quiet the ego and look for the lesson.””
Drop the ego
How do you connect with the younger generation?
I find it quite easy because the younger generation is also purpose-driven. Like them, I want to work with organisations that value human connection and prioritise human values. I want to engage on a personal level, sit down, have a conversation, and enjoy a cup of coffee (or tea), even if we eventually part ways professionally. It’s important for me to separate the business side from the human side, which can be challenging at times. But for me, the psychological aspect, I mean the human connection is what matters most.
In today’s digital world, where there is an obsession with smart devices and social media, everything is open and instant, which can add complexity. I focus on the emotional well-being of all employees, ensuring they are balanced. I think with social media, even small issues can escalate quickly, and criticism can spread widely, therefore, it's essential to stay emotionally resilient in such an environment. I’m there for you with a quiet ego and an open mind.
What is coaching?
c/o ELLE magazine
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.
We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we are striving to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.