In this episode, Sarah is joined by Sandra Whiles, a coach, mentor, and author. Sandra shares her journey from a long and successful career in public service, including twelve years as a Chief Executive of a council, to becoming a professional coach. She discusses the motivations behind this significant career transition, the importance of leaving a role well, and how she found a new way to make a difference. Sandra also talks about the process of writing her new book on coaching, The Coaching Tools Compendium.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding your core values, such as challenge and security, is crucial for navigating career crossroads and making decisions that feel aligned with who you are.

• A successful career transition involves practical planning. This can include getting qualified, seeking support from a coach or network, and giving yourself time and space to explore what comes next.

• When starting a new business, it is useful to focus on the activities that generate energy and connection, like meeting people, rather than getting distracted by perfecting things like a website early on.

• Building a support team is just as important in self-employment as it is in an organisation. Recognise what you are not good at, or get no energy from, and find others who can help.

Episode Highlights

03:20: What first drew Sandra to a career in the public sector.

05:35: The realisation of the impact a leader can have on culture and people, and the desire to become a Chief Executive.

11:30: The external prompts and internal realisations that led to the decision to train as a professional coach.

27:00: Lessons learned from starting a business, including avoiding "comparisonitis" and the distraction of shiny objects.

38:10: The philosophy behind Sandra's book – moving beyond a simple list of tools to help coaches develop their own practice and confidence.

About the Guest

You can connect with Sandra via her website and on social media:

• Website: sandrawhilescoaching.com
• LinkedIn: Sandra Whiles

Episode Links

• Peter Mosley's Books - details on his website - Pete Mosley
• Buy Sandra's new book: https://sandrawhilescoaching.com/the-book/ Use the code 2U2XJN

I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please find me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahfoxcoach/).

This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft (lucylucraft.co.uk)

If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!