I Believe In Coaching

When I first encountered coaching, it wasn’t through a formal qualification or a structured development programme. It was a conversation. A moment of being truly heard. A question asked not to fix me, but to help me find clarity. And that moment changed everything.

Back then, I didn’t yet have the language of “coaching.” I just knew what it felt like to be met with curiosity instead of judgement, challenge instead of criticism, and space instead of solutions. As someone who has always thought fast, felt deeply, and sometimes struggled to translate those inner complexities into external calm, this was transformative. Coaching offered me a mirror and a map. It helped me slow down, zoom out, and ask better questions, not just of others, but of myself. Over time, coaching became more than a helpful tool; it became a lens. A way of seeing people as whole, resourceful, and capable. A way of leading that prioritised presence over performance, development over direction, and relationship over role.

Why Coaching Matters in Organisations

We live in an age of complexity. Systems are fast-moving, interdependent, and constantly evolving. Hierarchies are flattening. Expectations are rising. And wellbeing - emotional, mental, organisational - is under strain. In that context, coaching is not a luxury. It’s a leadership imperative.

A coach-first culture does not mean replacing strategy with softness or letting go of accountability. It means embedding a way of working that is reflective, relational, and regenerative. It means asking not just “What are we doing?” but “Why are we doing it?”, “How are we doing it?”, and “What does that reveal?”

Here’s what I’ve learned through bringing coaching into my own leadership, teaching, and organisational development:

• Coaching creates psychological safety. When people know they will be listened to without fear of judgment, they take more risks, admit more mistakes, and offer more ideas.

• Coaching improves performance. Not through micromanagement, but through clarity, ownership, and continuous reflection.

• Coaching strengthens teams. It moves communication from transactional to transformational, allowing for deeper understanding, conflict resolution, and alignment.

• Coaching supports wellbeing. Because being seen, heard, and empowered is not just good practice, it’s good for people.

  
  

My Journey: From Practice to Philosophy

Today, I’m a qualified coach. I use coaching in my classroom, in strategic planning, in leadership development, and in safeguarding. I’ve led coaching training for teachers and created coaching frameworks for students. I’m even building a school-wide system rooted in coaching principles. But at its core, coaching is still, for me, about a belief:

That every person has untapped brilliance within them. And that with the right questions, right environment, and right support, that brilliance can shine.

I’ve seen coaching change individuals and I’ve seen it shift cultures. When coaching is no longer an intervention, but a default mode of operating, things start to change. Meetings become more purposeful. Performance reviews become growth conversations. Feedback becomes dialogue. Even difficult conversations become spaces for connection and insight.

A Call to Action

If you’re a leader, ask yourself: Am I empowering people or instructing them? Am I solving problems or cultivating problem-solvers?

If you’re a teacher: Am I delivering knowledge or developing thinkers?

If you’re in any kind of team: Are we talking at each other or thinking with each other?

And if the answer to those questions leaves you uncomfortable, good. That’s where the work begins. That’s where coaching lives. It’s not a silver bullet, and it’s not always easy. But if we want organisations that are not only high-performing but also human, where people thrive, not just survive, then a coach-first culture is not optional. It’s essential.