In this episode, Anwen Bottois (your host and founder of Purple Sky Consulting) is joined by Donna Ward-Higgs, founder of Learning Partner Solutions, where the belief is simple: people drive performance. Donna brings a refreshingly human perspective to coaching skills in the workplace and makes a compelling case for why coaching shouldn't be a bolt-on certification programme, but a built-in way of leading every single day.

With a background forged on the operational front line rather than in traditional L&D roles, Donna has a rare ability to connect the theory of coaching with the realities of what managers and leaders actually face. This is a conversation packed with practical honesty about what's working, what isn't and what HR leaders need to think about before investing in a coaching culture.

The main topics include:

• Why human skills, not processes, are the real driver of workplace performance
• The difference between coaching and mentoring, and why the confusion matters
• The hidden costs of internal coaching programmes done as a bolt-on
• How the major coaching accreditation bodies differ
• Why a coaching culture won't stick if the system isn't ready for it
• The role of self-awareness in developing genuinely human leaders
• Why clear expectations set upfront are the most underused leadership tool

This episode is a timely reminder that coaching culture isn't something you can buy off the shelf. It starts with being honest about your system, clear about your outcomes and willing to role model the behaviours all the way from the top.

Resources & Links:

• Learning Partner Solutions: https://learningpartnersolutions.com/
• Connect with Donna Ward-Higgs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donna-ward-higgs-8194a969/
• EMCC (European Mentoring and Coaching Council): emccglobal.org
• ICF (International Coaching Federation): coachingfederation.org

Find out more about more about Anwen Bottois here: https://expertservicesdirectory.com/directory/anwen-bottois/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anwen-bottois-leadership-coach

Purple Sky Consulting Website: https://www.purpleskyconsulting.co.uk/