Sarah Bramall PCC, Senior Prac EMCC

The strongest coaching conversations often begin long before we speak. They start with a gentle turning toward ourselves and others, with curiosity first and then with compassion. In our latest podcast episode, we had the joy of speaking with Polly Walker, coach, mediator and valued member of our Supervision Collective. Polly shared about the power of the two C’s: curiosity and compassion, and how they shape not only the way we coach and supervise but the way we move through the world. Curiosity is something we come back to again and again. It is the anchor of reflective practice, the heartbeat of psychological safety and the reason coaching feels spacious rather than transactional. Curiosity helps us notice what sits just beneath the surface. It helps us stay open, rather than rush to meaning or resolution. And yet, we often forget that curiosity belongs just as much in supervision. Being curious about our own practice, our patterns, our assumptions and our edges is what helps us learn rather than repeat. Then there is compassion. Not a soft add-on but an essential skill. Compassion strengthens wellbeing, deepens trust and creates the honesty that real growth requires. So many coaches offer compassion so generously to others while rarely extending it to themselves. But compassion is what steadies us. It is what allows us to bring our full humanity to the work. It creates the conditions where clients and supervisees can show up as their whole selves. And it is what sustains us through the messiness and beauty of both practice and life. 🎧 Listen in, take a moment to pause with us, and reconnect with the practitioner and the person you are becoming. GENERAL LINK: https://lnkd.in/eY_Psa4C APPLE: https://lnkd.in/eFmP539V SPOTIFY: https://lnkd.in/eGeYwzy8 #thecoachingcatalysts #thecoachingcatalystspodcast #newpodcastepisode #podcastforcoaches #coachingtips #curiouscoaching #coachingcompassion #coachsupervision

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My latest “Coaching Capers” cartoon for the Association for Coaching’s “Coaching Perspectives” magazine is now out. This edition of the magazine focuses on the vital topic of neurodiversity in coaching. It’s full of great thinking and practical approaches related to working effectively with the vast array of clients we coaches and supervisors encounter. Neurodiversity is an essential consideration in the practice of all coaches - whatever our own, or our clients’, neurotypes. The magazine is always a great read so be sure to check it out here: bit.ly/CPShare. Joanna Williams James Bridgeman Association for Coaching (AC) #coaching #neurodiversity #artbasedcoaching #artincoaching #supervision

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Growing an ethical practice means aligning your business model with your values and purpose. For me, this meant designing a practice that: • Creates deep transformation rather than dependency • Remains accessible to those I most want to serve • Allows space for my own wellbeing and development • Generates sustainable rather than maximum income • Evolves organically rather than through aggressive growth Your business model isn't just about revenue, it's a reflection of your coaching philosophy and personal values.

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Some interesting new research here from Jonathan Passmore on the value of 'homework' between coaching sessions. I often explore with clients what small experiments they might do between our sessions. It's a bit like having permission to try clothes on that you wouldn't normally wear. What's your experience (as coach or coachee) of homework between coaching sessions?

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Insight is only as valuable as the action it informs. Many organisations invest in psychometric assessments and gain rich, evidence-based insights into their people. However, a common challenge is translating those insights into practical, day-to-day development actions. Without a clear link between insight and behaviour, reports can quickly become underutilised despite their potential. The real value emerges when insights are: -Clearly understood by both individuals and managers -Translated into specific, relevant development goals -Embedded into ongoing conversations and performance discussions This doesn’t require complex systems, just a structured approach and consistency. When insight is actively used, it becomes a powerful tool for improving performance, guiding development, and supporting better talent decisions over time. #EvidenceBasedHR #TalentManagement #LeadershipGrowth #EmployeeDevelopment #OrganisationalSuccess

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There is so much more to successful learning journeys than the workshops themselves. Building connections with each individual and the group beforehand. Establishing genuine needs and levels of motivation. Sharing of resources and programme schedules. Setting up of Practice groups, coaching opportunities and reflection sessions. Then there are all the opportunities to nudge them between workshops, accountability groups, feedback sessions, practical activities. And of course the transfer stage....they've finished your programme of workshops and are now embedding their new skills and performing for real. Coaching, deep reflection, feedback, continued real practice. Genuinely impactful learning journeys. Exactly what #GiraffePad was designed to host. To make it easy for facilitators to manage all the moving parts in one intuitive space. If you are facilitating longer learning journeys we'd love to have a chat about how GiraffePad could be right up your street!

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TCD is delighted to welcome Executive Coach Jonathan Lipitch. Jonathan works with ambitious professionals, leaders, and entrepreneurs who are highly capable yet experience challenges related to ADHD or other forms of neurodiversity. Many of his clients are successful in demanding roles but find traditional productivity or leadership approaches do not fully support how they think and work. As a Master Certified Coach (MCC) with the International Coaching Federation and a certified leadership coach, Jonathan helps clients develop ways of working, leading, and performing that align with their cognitive strengths. Alongside his coaching practice, Jonathan works with a specialist psychiatric clinic on Harley Street as a specialist in ADHD and neurodiversity, and his coaching is informed by a strong grounding in psychology. Jonathan's coaching focuses on helping high-performing professionals turn neurodivergent traits into sustainable advantages - strengthening focus, reducing overwhelm, and enabling consistent high performance without burnout, as a recent client highlights: "Jonathan provides practical, tailored support for neurodiverse professionals, taking the time to understand how their roles and thinking styles interact under pressure. His coaching builds real confidence and clarity, helping people make sense of how they operate and equipping them to push into new challenges with far greater self-belief." https://buff.ly/1GHvNAt

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Contemplating mentor coaching for ICF accreditation and renewal can feel daunting. Whilst there is some overlap between mentor coaching and coaching supervision, mentor coaching is different. A mentor coach is observing your live coaching sessions or recordings to give specific feedback on your coaching practice. The fear of feeling judged as a coach can be very real for some coaches. Coaches often have a positive stance on the value of feedback and how it can inform and improve our coaching practice. Even so, mentor coaching can still make even the most confident of coaches feel vulnerable. As a mentor coach who is ICF PCC accredited and subject to the same requirements, I appreciate how real that fear and discomfort can be. While I am empathetic, coaches receive honest and open feedback from me. A coach's reflections sit alongside my feedback and we discuss them together. Creating a safe, inclusive, creative, joyful and warm space is important to me as it is conducive to my mentor coaching style. In my world, mentor coaching isn't only about focusing on the knowledge and skills required to meet ICF's professional standards and core competencies. Keeping a coach's unique style of coaching in mind is also important, especially while inspiring them to explore how they would like to develop as a coach. Maybe a conversation with me will give you clarity about what is required of you then you choose how you would like to go about it - with or without me. Drop me a direct message or email me at ailsa@happykaleidoscope.com to have a 'no strings attached' conversation about what you need from mentor coaching.

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Just attended an excellent webinar by Cian Mc Enroe from NeuroLeadership Institute on the neuroscience of how we learn. The AGES model was very useful. We try to incorporate these four principles into our online courses: ATTENTION: If we are flitting around or multi-tasking we can't learn. So we ensure people are focused up front by welcoming them individually and ensuring they have their cameras on. GENERATION: We need to do something with what we are learning. So we ask participants to think of real situations and share examples of how they have practised or experienced what we're discussing. EMOTION: Interestingly, we learn best when we experience slightly negative or positive emotions. We do this by inviting people to contribute to discussions and through quizzes. Note: This arousal should be slight - not too much! SPACING: We need to continuously come back and revisit important points. We do this at FRI by chunking courses into 2 hr sessions and revising key ideas at the start of each session. Thanks Cian for this. You guys do great work!

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In 2026, all coaches should be aware of neurological diversity. We are offering a half-day online course ‘Neuro-Inclusive Coaching’ designed to equip you with the insight, confidence and practical tools to support neurodivergent clients. The course, delivered by Liv Blaney will help you to: -      Recognise key neurodivergent traits in professional contexts -      Adapt your coaching style to foster safety -      Apply techniques that honour cognitive diversity The session will focus on practical tools and techniques that you can implement and a selection of frameworks. Liv Blaney is a PCC-accredited executive and neurodiversity coach with over 16 years of senior experience at Goldman Sachs leading global operations and strategic change. She holds an MSc in Coaching for Behaviour Change, is an ICF Associate Board Member and has published research and a recent book in the field of neurodiversity. Join us on Monday 20 April, 2-5pm online and foster the confidence to work more effectively with neurodivergent clients – this half-day session is just £50. Book now - link in comments. #ExploringNeurodivergence #ExecutiveCoaching #EnablingPerformance #NeuroInclusiveCoaching

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Coaching Tip: Start each coaching session with a brief mindfulness exercise to help your client centre themselves and build this skill over time. Read more 👉 https://lttr.ai/ApMMf #Confidence #WomenInLeadership #WomenLeaders #SovereignArchetype #WomenSLeaderArchetypes

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The Hidden Trap of Self-Deprecating Humour In a client speaking coaching session this week, we discussed the impact of self-deprecating humour. On stage, self-deprecating humour feels like a shortcut to connection, it gets the audience laughing, it softens edges. But it can just as quickly become a mask, hiding confidence behind a joke. While it can momentarily endear you to others, it dims your brilliance. Instead of amplifying your voice, it reduces your authority. Every self-deprecating remark is a withdrawal from the credibility bank. One or two might slip past unnoticed, but a pattern begins to define how the audience measures your worth. Audiences may laugh, but they also listen. And what they hear is you telling them not to take you seriously. Particularly for women, those words can reinforce cultural narratives that already undervalue their authority. True growth as a speaker is about learning to own your story without apology. Humour can uplift without undercutting your intelligence or presence. Ask yourself: is this joke connecting, or is it covering? Is it an intentional choice, or an unconscious habit that keeps you small? Over time, the impact compounds. Audiences remember the tone as much as the content. If your humour consistently points the arrow back at your flaws, that’s the brand that lingers. The shift comes when you move from self-deprecating to self-aware. From mocking yourself to laughing with others. That’s when humour empowers rather than diminishes. Your voice carries authority, resonance, and wit. Use it to lift yourself and your message higher, not to chip away at your own foundations. Cut the habit of putting yourself down. Edit your humour so it supports your story rather than sabotages it. Especially for women, this matters. Because every word shapes how the room holds you. Choose humour that builds, not breaks. This is the work I do: helping speakers and leaders strip away habits that shrink them and step into choices that amplify their brilliance. If you want to explore how to bring more presence, authority, and impact to your leadership voice, let’s connect. #LeadershipVoice #LeadershipPresence #credibility #authenticity #trust #speakingcoaching

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This is an opportunity to dial down the noise and distractions for what really matters to surface - about you as a coach, your coaching clients, your business, and our coaching ecosystem... #Intention #Identity #Agency #Business #CoachingCommunity

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How do you choose the right leadership coach for your business? Here are some guidelines to help you 👇🏻 https://lnkd.in/eGe5XxYf #CoachingPsychologist #CoachingPsychology #Leadership #Coaching #LWC #LucyWhitehallCoaching

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When pressure rises at work, how we respond matters most. Tension is natural - deadlines, miscommunication, stress - but escalation isn’t inevitable. Emotional intelligence starts with the pause: slow your tone, listen actively, and shift from blame to solution. At Intentional Steps, our DAWWN programme equips teams with the self-awareness and regulation skills to handle high-stress moments calmly and constructively. Because conflict will happen. What matters is how you move through it. Let’s turn tension into teamwork. #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #TeamCoaching #DAWWNProgramme #PsychologicalSafety #IntentionalLeadership #ConflictResolution #CultureChange #CalmUnderPressure

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If you want #learning or #change to stick, structure the session differently. #Neuroscience shows we retrieve memories backwards. We recall the concept first, then application, then detail. So a more brain‑aligned structure is: Concept → Application → Detail What that looks like: ☑️Training: Start with the core idea, apply it to real work, then introduce tools or steps ☑️Change or strategy updates: Lead with meaning, clarify implications, finish with detail ☑️Status or exec updates: What it means, what it affects, then the data ☑️Facilitated sessions: Name the concept, let people apply it, use detail to sharpen thinking This makes learning easier to retrieve and change easier to adopt when pressure hits. If you’re interested in how we apply neuroscience to learning, change, and adoption strategies, let’s connect and share what’s working. Learn more here https://lnkd.in/g2ndnEcE

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This week on The Noise Of Life Podcast, I’m joined by Mellini Monique - Founder and Principal Vocal Culturist of Vocal Culture Garden, communication strategist, drama therapist and specialist in voice, presence and attuned expression. This episode explores something rarely spoken about in leadership and communication circles: You do not need to raise your volume to be heard - you need to raise your attunement. Mellini and I dive into: • The link between self-awareness and effective communication • How understanding what you truly feel improves clarity and resonance • Why confidence is often communicated through tone, not force • The power of speaking from certainty • How meaningful relationships - romantic, platonic and professional - grow when we learn to listen, understand and hold space • Why lowering your volume can actually increase engagement • And what happens when you reclaim the part of your voice that’s been silenced or softened This conversation is for leaders, partners, teammates and anyone wanting to communicate with greater clarity, connection and impact. 🎧 Episode available now - “The Art of Communication: Finding Your Voice.”

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When coaching neurodivergent individuals, the way we communicate can either open doors or build barriers. At UACC, we are proud to be developing a new coaching and mentoring framework designed to make every session tailor-made, empathetic, and impactful, ensuring every individual is supported in the way that best suits their strengths and needs. Thank you Nancy Alhyari and for inviting me and discussing such an important conversation. 🎧 Listen to the full episode on our YouTube channel - UACC Channel. Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share to join the conversation. #Neurodiversity #InclusiveLeadership #Coaching #UACC #EmpowerThroughUnderstanding

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