The Coaching Crowd® Podcast with Jo Wheatley & Zoe Hawkins

What if the biggest limitation on your coaching potential is not the number of models you know, but the parts of yourself you have yet to explore? In this episode, we talk about what it really means to unlock your potential as a coach, leader or manager. Developing coaching skills certainly involves learning and experience, but we explore why deeper growth often starts with an internal commitment to remain curious, continually develop and understand ourselves more fully.
We discuss the idea that our coaching ceiling can become our own psychological ceiling. When a client brings something that activates discomfort in us, perhaps emotions, confidence, imposter syndrome, difficult feedback or conflict, we may unconsciously steer the conversation towards territory that feels safer. Developing ourselves therefore expands the range and depth of conversations we are able to hold. Understanding ourselves becomes an important part of being more fully available to somebody else.
We also explore attention, presence and courage. Coaching potential does not necessarily come from finding increasingly clever questions. The quality of our attention, our silence, body language, breathing and presence can influence what becomes possible in the coaching space. Growth also asks us to move towards discomfort, whether that means seeking supervision, working with our own coach, exploring something that has activated us or stretching ourselves beyond our existing comfort zone.
Perhaps most importantly, we reflect on ego and the coaching relationship. Our clients do not need to leave impressed by us. We would rather see them become impressed by themselves and what they discover they are capable of. Coaching excellence exists within the relationship between coach and client, and our potential expands when we become less concerned with proving our value and more interested in what becomes possible when we are genuinely present, reflective and curious together.
Timestamps
00:07 What does it mean to unlock your coaching potential?
01:02 Commitment to continual development
02:23 Your psychological coaching ceiling
04:15 Recognising the conversations you avoid
06:48 Developing the quality of your attention
08:54 Coaching mastery as mastery of attention
09:17 Courage and personal development
11:37 The client does not need to be impressed by you
13:38 What meaningful client feedback can sound like
14:21 Ego and coach development
17:06 Coaching potential exists within the relationship
19:00 Reframing the idea of a difficult client
20:30 Skills, reflection and our humanity as coaches
Key Lessons Learned
Coaching potential is not unlocked through models and techniques alone.
The depth we can hold for clients is influenced by the depth of our own personal development.
Avoiding certain topics or conversations can reveal valuable areas for reflection and growth.
Self-awareness helps coaches bring less of their own material into the client's space.
Attention, silence, body language and presence can be as influential as the questions we ask.
Courage is required to move towards the areas of coaching and personal development that make us uncomfortable.
Clients do not need to be impressed by their coach. Powerful coaching can help them become impressed by themselves.
Reflecting honestly on ego can reveal where further professional development is needed.
The relationship between coach and client is itself a valuable source of information.
What we experience as a "difficult client" may reveal a limit or developmental edge in our own practice.
SEO Keywords
unlock coaching potential, coaching potential, coach development, coaching skills, coaching presence, reflective practice, coaching supervision, professional coaching, coaching mastery, self-awareness in coaching, leadership coaching, coach training
Links & Resources
In Good Company: www.igcompany.com 
Nancy Kline is referenced during the discussion in relation to listening and attention.

What if the problem your client brings to coaching is not actually the thing that needs coaching? In this episode, we explore what it really means to coach the person rather than becoming absorbed by the presenting issue. A client might arrive wanting help with time management, delegation, boundaries or another practical challenge, but if the solution were purely about strategies and actions, there is a good chance they would already have found one. This is where our curiosity as coaches needs to go deeper.
We explore the difference between transactional and transformational coaching, looking beyond the symptom towards the beliefs, values, identity, attitudes and patterns that may be shaping the client's experience. Using delegation as an example, we consider how a practical problem might actually be connected to fear of failure, responsibility, confidence, relationships at work or even a deeper misalignment between somebody's values and the life or career they are pursuing.
We also reflect on why coaches can become pulled towards solving problems. When a conversation feels stuck, offering ideas or moving rapidly towards actions can create an immediate sense of progress for both coach and client. Yet sustainable coaching is about developing the client's own resourcefulness rather than creating a cycle where they return with another problem to be fixed. There is still a place for actions and accountability, but they can become far more powerful once the person has developed greater insight into what is happening underneath the problem.
Ultimately, person-centred coaching is not about helping somebody create a life without challenges. It is about helping them develop a different relationship with themselves and the challenges they encounter. For us as coaches, that means noticing the internal pull towards solving and replacing the question, "How can I solve this with them?" with greater curiosity about who the client is, what they are learning and who they are becoming through the experience.
Timestamps
00:07 Coaching the person, not the problem
00:39 Looking beyond the presenting issue
01:29 Symptoms versus underlying causes
03:13 Transactional and transformational coaching
04:50 Why the problem still matters
05:51 The delegation example
07:02 When action becomes a sticking plaster
09:26 Identifying patterns in a client's experience
11:40 When the problem is not really the problem
13:41 Avoiding dependency and the fix-it mentality
15:29 When practical problem coaching has a place
17:10 Developing a different relationship with problems
19:12 How to recognise what you are coaching
21:36 Moving from solving to curiosity
22:08 Final reflections on person-centred coaching
Key Lessons Learned
The presenting problem is often a surface expression of something deeper.
Values, beliefs, mindset and identity can influence why a particular situation becomes a problem for one person and not another.
Transactional coaching can support action, but transformational coaching can create more sustainable change.
Practical questions become more useful after deeper barriers have been explored.
Moving too quickly towards solutions can lead coaches towards advising, suggesting or guiding.
Person-centred coaching helps clients build their own capability and reduces dependency on the coach.
Coaches need to notice their own desire to solve, especially when they recognise the client's problem from personal experience.
Great coaching can shift the focus from removing problems to helping clients become more resourceful in how they relate to them.
SEO Keywords
coach the person not the problem, person-centred coaching, transformational coaching, transactional coaching, coaching skills, coaching techniques, coaching clients, professional coaching, coaching questions, client resourcefulness, coaching development, coach training
Links & Resources
My Coaching Course: www.mycoachingcourse.com

What happens when a client does not achieve the results they expected from coaching, and how much responsibility should the coach carry?
Clients invest time, money, trust and emotional energy into coaching because they want something to change. Yet there is an important contradiction at the heart of coaching: clients seek results, but coaches cannot guarantee them.
In this episode, we explore where responsibility for coaching outcomes really sits. As coaches, we are responsible for the quality of the coaching process, the relationship we create and the skills we bring. The client remains responsible for their choices, actions and engagement with that process.
We discuss why client readiness, willingness and capacity matter, and how chemistry conversations can help us establish whether a coaching relationship is the right match. We also explore the importance of defining a realistic coaching goal, particularly when the outcome depends on decisions made by other people, such as receiving a promotion or securing a new role.
During our conversation, we reflect on what can happen when a coach becomes overly attached to the client's progress. We may begin working harder than the client, offering advice, trying to rescue them or steering the conversation towards the outcome we want for them. This can diminish our curiosity, weaken the coaching relationship and contribute to coach burnout.
Client results are not always immediate or easy to measure. Sometimes the most meaningful outcomes are internal: trusting yourself again, stepping away from people pleasing or recognising that a role no longer aligns with your values. These changes may not have been part of the original goal, but they can still represent significant progress.
Ultimately, effective coaching is a partnership. We cannot control the client's results, but we can create the conditions in which meaningful change becomes possible.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to coaching and client results
00:41 The contradiction between selling and guaranteeing results
02:47 Time, money, trust and emotional investment
05:02 Preparing clients to engage fully in coaching
06:06 Choosing clients who are the right match
08:08 Clarifying realistic coaching goals
10:23 Recognising unexpected and less visible results
11:27 Reframing outcomes outside the client's control
13:25 The risks of carrying responsibility for client progress
15:49 Ego, pride and the fear of not being good enough
17:09 Sharing client results ethically through stories and testimonials
17:42 Helping clients maximise the value of coaching
20:50 How high-quality coach training supports better outcomes
Key Lessons Learned:
Coaches are responsible for facilitating a high-quality coaching process, while clients retain ownership of their choices and actions.
Readiness, willingness and capacity are important indicators of whether a client is positioned to benefit from coaching.
Clear contracting helps clients understand what coaching requires and where responsibility sits.
Coaching goals should focus on elements the client can influence, rather than outcomes controlled by other people.
Regular progress reviews are more effective than waiting until the final session to evaluate results.
Meaningful coaching outcomes may be internal, gradual or different from the client's original goal.
Becoming overly attached to results can lead coaches to rescue, advise or work harder than their clients.
Coach supervision provides a valuable space to explore pressure, fear, ego and concerns about client progress.
Testimonials and client stories can communicate the possibilities of coaching without claiming ownership of the client's achievements.
High-quality coach training enables practitioners to challenge patterns, explore obstacles and create stronger conditions for change.
Keywords:
Coaching and client results, coaching outcomes, Client progress in coaching, Coaching goals, Coaching relationship, Coach responsibility, Client responsibility, Coaching supervision, Ethical coaching practice, Coach burnout, Effective coaching, Coach training, Client readiness, Coaching accountability, Professional coaching skills,
Links and Resources:
Coaching course information: mycoachingcourse.com

What becomes possible when the first question in a coaching session helps a client arrive more fully?
The way we open a coaching conversation matters because it can shape where a client places their attention, how present they become and what they feel able to explore. Yet it is easy to fall into familiar habits and rely on the same dependable opener without considering whether it is right for the person sitting in front of us.
In this episode, we explore a collection of powerful coaching questions designed to create greater focus, depth and possibility. Some help clients sort through competing priorities, while others connect them with what feels most alive, what they need to leave outside the room or where courage might take the conversation. We also consider how a coach can listen beyond the words, noticing shifts in energy, emotion, hesitation and body language.
We discuss questions that support progress when a client feels overwhelmed, as well as those that make space for uncertainty, unfinished business or challenges they have been trying to resolve alone. Questions such as "What part of you most needs a voice today?" and "What have we not explored yet together?" can help clients reconnect with overlooked parts of themselves and open areas they may now feel ready to discuss.
We also explore how to strengthen the coaching alliance by asking what the client needs from us in that moment, whether that is challenge, compassion, silence or help slowing down. These questions are not intended to be used mechanically. Our hope is that this episode helps you expand your coaching toolbox, move beyond habitual openers and choose questions that reflect the client, the purpose of the session and how they are arriving that day.
Coaching Questions Explored:
Of everything that is competing for your attention right now, what feels most important for our conversation today?
What feels most alive for you today?
Before we begin today, what do you need to leave outside the room so you can be fully present here?
If we were courageous today, where might this conversation take us?
If you could make progress on one thing today, where would we focus our conversation?
What feels uncertain, unfinished or unresolved at the moment?
What have you been trying to resolve yourself that remains unresolved?
What is unresolved that you have been working on alone?
What part of you most needs a voice today?
What have we not explored yet together that would be helpful for you?
What would you like me to be particularly mindful of as your coach today?
What is possible for you here today?
What conversation have you been avoiding with yourself or someone else?
Timestamps:
00:01 Why the opening question matters
01:47 Moving beyond habitual coaching openers
02:24 Sorting through competing priorities
03:22 What feels most alive today?
05:15 Leaving distractions outside the room
06:48 Inviting courage and vulnerability
08:29 Focusing on progress and momentum
09:43 Welcoming uncertainty and unfinished business
11:22 What has the client been resolving alone?
12:10 Giving different parts of the client a voice
14:10 Exploring what has not been discussed yet
15:04 The power of possibility
15:42 What should the coach be mindful of?
18:07 Holding silence and strengthening the coaching alliance
19:38 What is possible today?
20:31 The conversation the client may be avoiding
22:51 Choosing questions that support the coaching goal
23:56 Finding the right coach training programme
Key Lessons Learned:
The first question in a coaching session can shape the tone, direction and depth of the entire conversation.
Using the same opening question with every client can create stale coaching patterns.
A client's energy, hesitation, emotion and body language can provide as much information as their spoken answer.
Some clients need help sorting through competing priorities before they can identify a meaningful focus.
Coaching questions can invite courage and vulnerability without assuming the client already feels courageous.
Progress-focused questions can help overwhelmed clients move away from broad goals and towards achievable momentum.
Acknowledging uncertainty and unfinished business can help clients feel understood before attempting to create solutions.
Asking what a client has been handling alone can surface opportunities for support, connection and shared exploration.
Questions about different parts of the self can help clients reconnect with voices that have become quiet or overlooked.
Asking the client what they need from the coach strengthens the coaching alliance and supports effective re-contracting.
Powerful opening questions should remain connected to the client's wider coaching goals and the purpose of the session.
Coaches should ask questions with genuine curiosity rather than delivering them as scripted coaching techniques.
Keywords:
coaching conversations, coaching questions, opening coaching questions, powerful coaching questions, coaching session questions, coaching skills, coaching toolbox, coaching presence, coaching alliance, psychological safety in coaching, coach and client relationship, professional coach training, client self-awareness, coaching session openers, how to start a coaching conversation,
Links and Resources:
https://mycoachingcourse.com

What if retirement was not the end of your working life, but the beginning of a more meaningful way to contribute? Retirement planning often focuses on pensions, savings and when we can afford to stop working, but it also raises important questions about purpose, identity, connection and how we want to use the experience we have built throughout our careers.
In this episode, we explore coaching as a retirement strategy and how it can create a gradual, purposeful transition into the next chapter of life. Many experienced leaders and professionals are not ready to stop contributing. Instead, they want greater flexibility, autonomy and the opportunity to use their knowledge in work that feels personally meaningful.
Coaching can provide a bridge between full-time employment and retirement, but it takes time to build. Completing a rigorous coaching qualification, developing confidence, gaining experience and creating a trusted network can take several years. Starting early allows people to shape a retirement that feels exciting and sustainable, while creating the option of additional income through flexible, low-cost work.
Coaching can also form part of a wider portfolio that includes mentoring, consultancy, board advisory work, facilitation, training or volunteering. It offers a way to continue helping others grow, remain connected to a professional community and contribute on your own terms. Ultimately, coaching as a retirement strategy is about creating more choice, purpose and possibility for the future.
Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome and episode introduction
00:07 Why coaching can support retirement planning
01:37 Designing the next chapter of your career
03:59 Avoiding the retirement cliff edge
04:28 Coaching as purpose, income and insurance
06:51 Building experience, a niche and referral networks
07:22 When learning and helping others are your hobbies
09:43 Coaching as a vehicle for meaningful impact
10:35 Creating a portfolio retirement strategy
12:58 Connection, community and wellbeing after work
14:11 Giving back through coaching and volunteering
16:37 Creating options for an uncertain future
18:30 Coaching course quiz and next steps
Key Lessons Learned:
Retirement planning should include purpose, identity, wellbeing and connection, as well as financial preparation.
Coaching can create a gradual transition from full-time employment into more flexible and meaningful work.
Starting coach training several years before retirement provides time to qualify, practise and build professional credibility.
A clear coaching niche is often built around the experience, expertise and interests developed during a previous career.
Existing professional relationships can become valuable referral routes when building a coaching practice.
Coaching can provide an additional retirement income without the overheads associated with many other businesses.
A retirement coaching practice does not need to be entirely commercial. Coaching skills can also be used within mentoring, volunteering and community work.
Coaching can complement consultancy, facilitation, training, board advisory work and speaking as part of a portfolio career.
Professional supervision and coaching networks can provide valuable connection and support after leaving employment.
The objective is not to predict every detail of retirement. It is to create enough options to respond confidently as life changes.
Keywords:
coaching as a retirement strategy, retirement planning, purposeful retirement, coaching qualification, becoming a coach, retirement career options, portfolio retirement, portfolio career, executive coaching, career transition, coaching business, flexible retirement income, meaningful work after retirement, professional coaching accreditation, retirement wellbeing, coaching after a leadership career, planning for retirement, second career after retirement,
Links and Resources:
Coaching course quiz: www.mycachingcourse.com
Book a call: www.igcompany.com/ILMcall