STaR Coach Show

Today’s episode will change what you think about leadership and shift how you see yourself as a coach. We are exploring the framework of 3D, 4D, and 5D leadership, specifically how leaders can move from survival-mode stress (3D) through self-awareness (4D) to soul-aligned, vision-driven leadership (5D). You’ll also learn how my guest’s unique 7-7-7 retreat model helps high performers make lasting transformation. Join us!

Grace Najean is a Korean-French-Australian leadership strategist, former Tony Robbins Master Coach, current PCC ICF coach, and founder of the Soulfluence Method ®. She helps high achievers align mind, body, and energy to lead with clarity, purpose, and magnetic presence. Her method brilliantly bridges and blends spiritual and scientific concepts in ways all leaders can embrace. The Soulfluence Awakening is a coaching model focusing on energy mastery and intuitive leadership, and The Soulfluence Retreat in Lombok, Indonesia, is an immersive reset for ambitious leaders.

Show Highlights:

1. The Soulfluence Method ® is based on the integration of spirituality and neuroscience.
2. Understanding 3D, 4D, and 5D leadership:
3. 3D: Survival mode–driven by stress, pressure, materialism, and reactive behavior
4. 4D: Awakening mode–driven by self-awareness and emotional intelligence, but leaders may stay stuck in “the knowledge trap.”
5. 5D: Integration mode–where mind, body, and soul are aligned, and vision creates results
6. Bridging the gap to develop 5D leadership
7. The value of 7-day retreats to bring transformation and align the mind, body, and soul
8. Using emotions as a GPS
9. Understanding the coach’s role: shining the light and showing the way—not “saving” them
10. Knowing what clients need vs. what clients want
11. The 7-7-7 structure of Grace’s retreats and coaching offerings (7 days, 7 weeks, and 7 months)
12. Making the transition from 3D to 4D to 5D leadership begins with self-awareness and self-leadership.
13. Key takeaways from Grace about morning routines, including movement, breathing, gratitude, and visualizations

Resources:

Connect with Grace Najean: Website

Connect with Meg:

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Mentioned in this episode:

Mentor Program

If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten.

We learn best when we are actively building and creating. Think Legos! All coaching is fundamentally play, and purposeful play transforms leadership development. Today’s guest is a certified hands-on thinking coach who brings Lego bricks into executive coaching sessions. He shares the neuroscience and learning theory behind why play isn’t frivolous but is essential for discovery, practice, and innovation. Learn how to integrate object play and constructionism into your coaching practice to help clients move from abstract thinking to concrete insights, particularly with neurodiverse populations and leaders who live too much in their heads. Are you ready to discover new techniques that might transform your work with your clients? Join us to learn more!

Paul Sanbar is an Ingenuity + Leadership Coach, certified coach supervisor, and hands-on visual thinking facilitator. He has dedicated himself to the field of self-development and to effecting positive change through purposeful play, storytelling, and powerful conversations. He was a humanistic-Gestalt psychotherapist and is now an ICF-accredited Master Certified Coach, EMCC-accredited coach supervisor, and senior practitioner.

Show Highlights:

1. Play and coaching: How are they related?
2. “Coaching gives clients a chance to suspend reality and just play.”
3. Understanding “purposeful play” (also called “serious play”) in executive coaching, as it relates to how we played as children
4. The value of attunement play
5. Constructivism and constructionism
6. Paul’s method of introducing object play into organizational coaching (Understanding the liminal space between “what is” and “what if”)
7. Multi-modal learning helps us use multiple intelligences.
8. Metaphors allow us to relate to and understand the world.
9. Using Legos (and mini-figures) to build our thoughts and ascribe meaning to them
10. The hands-on thinking coach methodology
11. Feedback from coaches who are learning Paul’s play techniques as an enhancement to other coaching techniques
12. Modern consequences of play deprivation—for kids and adults
13. The truth: “We are all still kids.”
14. Paul’s key takeaway about play methodology

Resources:

Connect with Paul Sanbar

Linktree

LinkedIn

Connect with Meg:

Explore the STaR Coach Show Mentor Program. We are enrolling NOW for this spring!

Subscribe to the STaR Coach Show YouTube Channel!

Explore over 480 past episodes and other helpful resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com.

Explore the STaR Coach Community and see what’s available there for you!

Mentioned in this episode:

Mentor Program

If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten.

Trust is everything in the coach-client relationship. In this solo episode, Meg explores “The Trust Triangle,” a three-dimensional framework that reframes trust in coaching beyond simply the coach-client relationship. Drawing on client stories and 17+ years of teaching coaches, Meg breaks down the three interconnected dimensions of trust that determine whether coaching truly creates transformation: the relational trust between coach and client, the client’s trust in themselves, and the client’s trust in the coaching process. You’ll learn practical strategies for assessing, strengthening, and protecting each dimension, along with an understanding of how these strategies provide coaches with a powerful diagnostic tool when sessions feel stuck. Join us to learn more!

Show Highlights:

1. Understanding three dimensions of trust:
2. The trust between coach and client
3. Mutual respect and trust are built with presence, consistency, confidentiality, appropriate boundaries, and honest authenticity.
4. Things that erode trust: breaking confidentiality, being inconsistent, focusing on our own needs, defensiveness, trying to fix or rescue a client, overfunctioning
5. Meg’s tips for applying these principles to build trust
6. The client’s trust in themselves
7. Fully stepping into the coaching process and moving from insight into action requires the client to trust themselves.
8. Building self-trust in your client happens when they fully access their inner knowledge, hold space to celebrate micro-wins, reframe failures as data, and normalize the “messy middle.”
9. Things that erode self-trust: a coach who gives advice, rescues a client from discomfort, and is too attached to the client’s success
10. Meg’s tips for building the client’s self-trust
11. Trust in the coaching process
12. It’s a challenge to leave our expertise at the door and let the client be the expert in their life.
13. Building process-trust depends on how we set the stage with clear expectations, help create early wins, make the “invisible” become visible, and be transparent about the process.
14. Things that erode a client’s trust in the process: meandering sessions, abstract/philosophical coaching full of promises that can’t be kept, and having no structure or clear coaching agreement
15. Meg’s tips for building trust in the coaching process (Begin with a clear coaching agreement!)
16. The trust triangle gives the coach a new perspective (a measuring stick) to explore and be curious about what’s going on with the client. Meg explains how to use the triangle as a diagnostic tool.
17. Hear Meg’s practical strategies for leaning into each leg of the trust triangle through rapport-building, reflecting wisdom, and connecting insights to action.
18. Today’s key takeaway: “Trust isn’t singular in coaching—it’s triangular. Your job is to pay attention to all three dimensions.”

Resources:

Mentioned in this episode: STaR Coach Show, Episode 124 and STaR Coach Show, Episode 131

Connect with Meg

Explore the STaR Coach Show Mentor Program. We are enrolling NOW for this spring!

Subscribe to the STaR Coach Show YouTube Channel!

Explore over 480 past episodes and other helpful resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com.

Explore the STaR Coach Community and see what’s available there for you!

Mentioned in this episode:

Mentor Program

If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten.

Today’s conversation will transform your thinking about emotions. Instead of viewing emotions as negative experiences to push away or control, our guest helps us understand them as our body’s guidance system, much like a compass that helps us navigate. Fear and anger, often thought of as negative emotions, are the body’s survival mechanisms that are designed to protect our lives. You’ll discover practical insights on recognizing physical sensations, befriending your feelings, and using emotional intelligence to become a better coach and leader. Want to know more about relating to your own emotions and showing up as your best for your clients? Join us to learn more!

Joie Seldon, MA, is the founder of the Emotional Evolution Institute and the author of Emotions: An Owner's Manual. An innovator in emotional intelligence, she is a life and professional success coach and EQ trainer. She has worked with clients at NASA, AT&T, Wells Fargo, Blue Shield, Dolby, and others. Her clients range from tech professionals and healthcare workers to C-suite executives. With 25 years of experience as an actor and acting teacher, 10 years as a somatic psychology therapist, and a lifetime of personal growth engagement, Joie has developed an innovative approach to teaching people how to release limiting behaviors and use their emotions as the powerful guidance system they are meant to be.

Show Highlights:

1. Misconceptions, judgments, and misunderstandings about emotions
2. Growing the relationship with your emotions, especially fear and anger, by recognizing and tolerating the sensations you experience
3. Our feelings and thinking have to work together.
4. The message of fear is “pay attention.”
5. The results when people shift their perspective on emotions
6. Dealing with emotions that arise in coaching conversations
7. Understanding the difference between stress tears and sad tears
8. The value of taking private time to process your grief and effectively giving others space for their grief and discomfort
9. A coach’s job is not to rescue or “fix”; everyone just wants to be seen and heard.
10. Joie’s top “Aha moments” with clients
11. What coaches should understand about emotions being used as a compass
12. “Emotions are energy in motion.” (Be curious about emotions.)
13. Joie’s key takeaway for listeners: “Emotions are the link between the tangible and intangible. Pay attention to how you feel, and listen to what information emotions give you. Feeling your emotions will ultimately bring you more joy.”

Resources:

Connect with Joie Seldon

Website, YouTube, and Emotions Owner's Manual (Kindle Edition)

Connect with Meg

Explore the STaR Coach Show Mentor Program. We are enrolling NOW for this spring!

Subscribe to the STaR Coach Show YouTube Channel!

Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com.

Explore the STaR Coach Community and see what’s available there for you!

Mentioned in this episode:

Mentor Program

If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten.

Today’s episode features a fascinating, transformational story of death–and a second chance at life. You’ll discover how purpose-driven leadership creates both personal fulfillment and organizational success. You’ll hear practical wisdom for leaders seeking significance over success and learn how generosity transforms leadership. This conversation will challenge your ideas about success, significance, and what truly matters in life, while also showing why having an “elevator person” might be the most important leadership skill you never learned in business school. Whatever your leadership role, this episode will motivate you to stop waiting and start living with real intention. Join us now!

Bill Goodwin has over 30 years of leadership experience in developing individuals and teams, backed by proven leadership training and dynamic speaking for growth. As a Maxwell Leadership Executive Team Member, Bill is a speaker, leadership coach, and author. He is the founder of the Priority Living Consulting Group. His new book, Priority Living: 7 Pillars to Make Your Life Count, is derived from the backstory of Bill’s November 23, 1999, experience of acute respiratory failure. Being given a second chance has changed his life, and his wisdom could change yours, too.

Show Highlights:

1. The story of Bill’s death on November 23, 1999
2. “How do I make my life count?” (Bill’s Priority Living Framework)
3. An overview of Bill’s book, Priority Living
4. 7 Pillars to Make Your Life Count:
5. Purpose–Turn your passion into impact.
6. Growth–Be better today than you were yesterday.
7. Impact–Do small things to create big waves.
8. Rhythm–Build a life, not a schedule.
9. Explore–Chase wonder and adventure.
10. Connect–Relationships matter most.
11. Give–The more you give, the more you grow. Live generously.
12. People are hungry for professional development that invests in people.
13. Bill’s gift to SCS listeners: a free chapter of his book (Click here.)
14. Words of wisdom from Bill: “Be an ‘elevator person’ today.”

Resources:

Connect with Bill Goodwin: Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Priority Living: 7 Pillars to Make Your Life Count, and get a FREE CHAPTER of Bill’s book.

Connect with Meg

Explore the STaR Coach Show Mentor Program. We are enrolling NOW for this spring!

Subscribe to the STaR Coach Show YouTube Channel!

Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com.

Explore the STaR Coach Community and see what’s available there for you!

Mentioned in this episode:

Mentor Program

If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten.

Mentoring is a topic many coaches misunderstand, as they approach it reluctantly as another requirement in their credentialing process. In truth, mentoring is an opportunity, a gift, and a chance to sharpen our skills, break free from old habits, and continue our evolution as coaches. Mentoring is a valuable, transformational process that helps us identify our blind spots and expand our capacity. In this episode, you’ll hear insights about coaching presence in the mentoring process, along with how to approach your coaching growth with humility and curiosity. Join us to learn more!

Carly Anderson is a Master Certified Coach who has been continuously active as an ICF assessor for MCC, PCC, and ACC since 2005. She has carried this heavy load as an assessor, giving back to our profession and helping numerous coaches advance in the field. She has personally mentored over 200 coaches who have earned their MCC credential.

Show Highlights:

1. Carly’s perspective on 20 years as an ICF assessor, which she calls “the greatest joy of my life.”
2. The value of mentor coaching
3. Key takeaways from Carly’s mentor coaching role
4. Being present in mentoring without judgment
5. Using “practices” to stay focused in mentoring: something tactile to hold, breathing exercises, hot yoga, chiropractic, massage, etc.
6. The benefits of both group and individual mentoring
7. Differences between mentor coaching and supervised coaching
8. Helping coaches develop their own style
9. The value of listening to your own coaching recordings to help you be the best you can be
10. Carly’s tips for getting the most out of your recordings and using reflection without judgment
11. The #1 takeaway from today’s episode for being the most present as a mentor coach

Resources:

Connect with Carly Anderson: Website

Connect with Meg

Get Meg’s FREE download, Finding Your Perfect Match: A Coach's Self-Reflection Guide.

Explore the STaR Coach Show Mentor Program. New dates have been added for 2026!

Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com.

Explore the STaR Coach Community and see what’s available there for you!

Visit the STaR Coach Show YouTube Channel! Subscribe today! Join our live show taping on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 1 pm CT.

Mentioned in this episode:

Join Mentoring Program!

If you’re a coach who wants to grow—not just check a box—this is for you.

Mentor Program

If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten.

How are your “artful interruption” skills? This is a challenging yet essential skill for countering advice-giving patterns when facilitating coaching circles, peer learning groups, or team meetings. Inspired by a former student’s question about redirecting well-intentioned advice-givers without disrupting group dynamics, Meg provides practical strategies for facilitators who want to cultivate curiosity over knowing in group settings. By introducing the “two muscle framework,” along with specific techniques, visual cues, and verbal redirects, Meg demonstrates how to protect the coaching space and help people discover their own solutions. Learn how you can help safeguard space for learning and discovery! Join us to learn more!

Show Highlights:

1. The challenge of incorporating polite, thoughtful interruptions into a coaching culture: Why is this an essential and highly relevant topic in today’s coaching space?
2. Understanding the two-muscle framework: the “knowing muscle” and the “curiosity muscle” (We short-circuit the creative process when we rush in with answers and advice)
3. Advice-giving in groups is problematic in several specific ways.
4. Setting the stage before the first session with non-negotiables:
5. Pre-frame the purpose and agreements.
6. Explain the “muscle” metaphor.
7. Model what “good” looks like.
8. Create psychological safety around interruption.
9. Address the elephant in the room by naming what makes this challenging to do.
10. The Facilitator’s Toolkit, Six Specific Strategies for Interrupting Skillfully:
11. The Appreciative Redirect (Acknowledge, redirect, and teach)
12. The Pause and Pivot (Put your idea in the “parking lot” to give them time to think through and explore.)
13. Visual Cues and Signals (These can be fun with card signals, the “muscle-flex” gesture, and a “parking lot” for ideas. Meg even has suggestions for using these with virtual meetings.)
14. The Pattern Interrupt with Choice (Give agency while redirecting behavior.)
15. Reflection Break (This is where the deepest learning happens.)
16. The Question Upgrade (This is teaching in real-time.)
17. Understanding when stepping in with advice and expertise is valuable (Use both/and thinking about coaching vs. advising.)
18. A measuring stick question: “What creates more lasting impact, being told or discovering?”
19. Practical tips for implementation:
20. Start with shorter rounds.
21. Pick 1-2 visual cues that work well with your group.
22. Have a co-facilitator.
23. Debrief after every session.
24. Celebrate improvement.
25. Track progress tangibly.
26. Rotate the facilitator role when your group gains experience.
27. Create a question bank resource.
28. Build in application.
29. Be patient with yourself and the group.
30. Meg’s important takeaways about artful interruption
31. Meg’s challenge for you this week

Resources:

Connect with Meg

Get Meg’s FREE download, Finding Your Perfect Match: A Coach's Self-Reflection Guide.

Explore the STaR Coach Show Mentor Program. New dates have been added for 2026!

Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com.

Explore the STaR Coach Community and see what’s available there for you!

Visit the STaR Coach Show YouTube Channel! Subscribe today! Join our live show taping on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 1 pm CT.

Mentioned in this episode:

Mentor Program

If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten.

Join Mentoring Program!

If you’re a coach who wants to grow—not just check a box—this is for you.

Today’s episode tackles one of the most common workplace challenges: How do you lead effectively when people don’t report to you? My expert guest, a former coaching student of mine, reveals the hard-won lessons that transformed her approach to organizational change and unpacks practical strategies for motivating teams, navigating resistance, and creating real impact through influence rather than authority. Whether you’re a project manager, change leader, coach, or anyone tasked with getting things done across organizational silos, this conversation offers actionable frameworks for building collaboration instead of confrontation. In addition, my guest pulls back the curtain on the writing process and shares helpful tips for aspiring writers. Join us to learn more!

Michelle Pauk is the author of Build a Golden Bridge: How to Lead Change When You're Not in Charge, and the founder of Streamside Coaching, a boutique coaching and consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations lead change and build collaborative cultures. Her clients include executives and change agents at Fortune 100s, non-profits, and fast-growing startups. A Professional Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation, Michelle holds a master’s degree in leadership and organizational development.

Show Highlights:

1. Filtering through the chatter when deciding to write a book: how Michelle brought her ideas and vision to life in Build a Golden Bridge
2. Michelle’s writing process: how she began to create content and structure for the first draft
3. Decisions around publishing (“Finishing the writing process means you’re about ⅓ of the way through.”)
4. Michelle’s vision and goals in writing her book
5. Three gaps in the way we navigate change:
6. Self-awareness
7. Empathy
8. Communication
9. Letting go of assumptions to bridge the communication gap
10. Looking for commonality over confrontation and ways to preserve dignity (Michelle explains the metaphor of “the golden bridge.”)
11. Michelle’s takeaway thoughts

Resources:

Connect with Michelle Pauk: Website, LinkedIn, and Build a Golden Bridge

Connect with Meg

Get Meg’s FREE download, Finding Your Perfect Match: A Coach's Self-Reflection Guide.

Explore the STaR Coach Show Mentor Program. New dates have been added for 2026!

Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com.

Explore the STaR Coach Community and see what’s available there for you!

Visit the STaR Coach Show YouTube Channel! Subscribe today! Join our live show taping on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 1 pm CT.

Mentioned in this episode:

Join Mentoring Program!

If you’re a coach who wants to grow—not just check a box—this is for you.

Mentor Program

If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten.

The message in today’s episode is clear: leaders need new skills for navigating complexity, change, and the human aspects of work in modern times. The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, and leaders must change with the times. Instead of “having all the answers,” leaders should leverage coaching competencies to transform their leadership effectiveness and become collaborative problem-solvers with their teams. In today’s compelling conversation, you’ll discover how curiosity beats assumption, how presence creates connection, and why collaboration might be THE most under-utilized leadership tool out there. Join us for practical insights you can use immediately!

Dr. Damian Goldvarg, MCC, has 35 years of experience providing executive coaching, leadership training, and facilitation in more than 50 countries. As an esteemed coaching expert and the recipient of numerous accolades, he has been an ICF Assessor for 10 years and was the 2013-2014 International Coach Federation Global President. He has published multiple books on coaching-related topics, including his 2025 release, Lead with a Coaching Mindset: How the Best Leaders Unlock Potential.

Show Highlights:

1. After so many books, why this one NOW?
2. The book’s alignment with the ICF’s coaching competencies
3. A coaching mindset defined
4. The sad facts about engagement at work: How can we change this?
5. The benefits of leading with a coaching mindset–for leaders, teams, and the workplace culture
6. The 8 ICF Core Competencies translated into practical leadership skills:
7. Demonstrating Ethical Practice: Building trust through integrity and confidentiality
8. Embodying a Coaching Mindset: Maintaining curiosity and development focus
9. Establishing and Maintaining Agreements: Clarifying expectations and contracting
10. Cultivating Trust and Safety: Creating psychological safety in relationships
11. Maintaining Presence: Being fully present rather than distracted by past or future
12. Listening Actively: Paying attention to what’s said and unsaid, embracing silence
13. Evoking Awareness: Asking questions to uncover what’s in people’s way
14. Facilitating Growth: Supporting actionable plans with deadlines and accountability
15. Advice for struggling leaders who aren’t sure where (or how) to begin
16. Collaboration is the key! It’s more important than “having all the answers.”
17. Recognize when coaching or mentoring is best.
18. Leading teams vs. individuals
19. Dr. Damian’s key message to leaders

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Damian Goldvarg: Website, LinkedIn, and Lead with a Coaching Mindset: How the Best Leaders Unlock Potential

Connect with Meg:

Get Meg’s FREE download, Finding Your Perfect Match: A Coach's Self-Reflection Guide.

Explore the STaR Coach Show Mentor Program. New dates have been added for 2026!

Explore past episodes and other resources at www.STaRcoachshow.com.

Explore the STaR Coach Community and see what’s available there for you!

Visit the STaR Coach Show YouTube Channel! Subscribe today! Join our live show taping on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 1 pm CT.

Mentioned in this episode:

Mentor Program

If you're working toward your ACC or PCC credential, or if it's time to recertify your ACC mentor, coaching isn't just a requirement on a checklist. It's one of the most transformative investments you can make in yourself and your coaching. I've taught or mentored over 2000 coaches, and I hear the same thing again and again. I came because I had to, and I am so glad that I did. Coaches tell me they walk away with renewed energy, deeper confidence and a community of peers who genuinely support each other. Here's what you need to know right now. Mentor coaching must span a minimum of three months, so the time to start is not when your credential is just about to expire. And if you complete your hours in 2026, you get ahead of the upcoming ICF changes, which means peace of mind along with skill development. My fall cohort is already filling up. Every group is capped at ten.

Join Mentoring Program!

If you’re a coach who wants to grow—not just check a box—this is for you.

Welcome to 2026! I hope you’ve had time to reflect and recharge over the holidays, but I’m happy to be back with you for a new year of informative shows and amazing expert guests.

Can you improve your performance and resilience through neuroscience-based strategies? The answer is YES! Today’s conversation covers mental toughness, managing negative thoughts, and creating positive change from the inside out. You’ll discover practical tools for navigating the constant “noise” of your thoughts and letting your mind direct which thoughts deserve your energy and attention. Are you ready to think differently about the way you think? Join us!

Kevin Stacey is an effectiveness expert and former brain imaging specialist who helps individuals and organizations enhance performance, resilience, and results by utilizing neuroscience-based strategies. As the founder of TrainRight, Kevin has trained over 80,000 people across 48 states and four countries to break mental barriers, achieve peak performance, and navigate challenges with confidence. His diverse background blends military service, healthcare expertise, and corporate leadership. As the author of MindRight and TimeRight and a featured guest on major media outlets, Kevin delivers engaging keynotes, workshops, and coaching on mental toughness, time mastery, and high-performance strategies to clients such as Ford, IBM, The New York Times, and the Federal Reserve.

Show Highlights:

1. Overthinking is the #1 cause of unhappiness! (“Is my overthinking becoming counterproductive to the goals I want to accomplish?”)
2. Kevin’s tips for “navigating the noise”: sometimes we need to ignore it, listen to it, or quiet it.
3. Creating your own noise by controlling what you think about
4. Kevin’s tips for developing mental toughness:
5. Separate the brain (the creator of thoughts) and the mind (the director of your thoughts).
6. Use your mind to keep your brain in check.
7. Develop a different relationship with your “scary” thoughts.
8. How our brains harm our happiness
9. Change the subject to change your thinking. (“Thoughts are not facts.”)
10. Applying neuroscience to organizations by reducing insecurity and managing focus
11. Noticing and changing your thoughts interrupts the pattern of your thinking.
12. “What you think, you become; what you feel, you attract; what you imagine, you create.”
13. The “noise” will always be there, but we don’t have to focus on it. (Like when you’re on a train, notice you’re on the “wrong track,” and get off at the “next station.”)
14. Coaches can practice using a “pattern interrupt” technique with clients.
15. Thought-changing techniques using ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) and CBT (cognitive behavior therapy)
16. The value of gratitude in managing our negative thoughts and reframing our perspective
17. Be careful of “outrage addiction.”
18. “Life is a journey, not a destination.”
19. Use a daily reminder: “I’m grateful, I’m happy, how do I want this day to go?”

Resources:

Connect with Kevin Stacey

Website, X, LinkedIn, MindRight, and TimeRight

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