Stepping In

In this insightful episode of the Stepping In Podcast, New Ventures West managing partner Adam Klein engages in a profound dialogue with Joel Monk from Coaches Rising, exploring the evolving landscape of coaching, its shadows, and its future possibilities.

The conversation begins with both hosts sharing their personal journeys into coaching. Joel describes his transformation from a hedonistic lifestyle as a community artist and DJ to a spiritual seeker who discovered coaching through Ken Wilber's work after an existential crisis. Adam shares his parallel path, moving from engineering to founding an intentional community called Reimagine, eventually finding his way to New Ventures West through his interest in the Enneagram.

Together, they examine fundamental questions about coaching's foundations. They discuss how coaching often emphasizes success and improvement, potentially perpetuating a sense of lack in clients. Adam notes that New Ventures West's approach has evolved to be mindful of this shadow, recognizing that not everything needs to be about performance enhancement.

The conversation explores coaching's relationship with wisdom rather than success, questioning whether coaches should be provocateurs who challenge the status quo rather than simply helping clients adjust to unsustainable systems. Joel emphasizes the importance of recognizing our interconnectedness, moving beyond the hyper-individualistic approach that has dominated coaching.

A significant portion of the discussion examines AI's impact on coaching. While acknowledging AI might democratize access to coaching, both hosts agree that the human-to-human connection remains irreplaceable. They suggest AI might actually reveal what makes coaching truly powerful: the aliveness that emerges between human beings in authentic relationship.

Adam describes New Ventures West's approach as helping people "be in contact with their own aliveness," highlighting that coaching isn't merely about frameworks but about helping people connect with their unique life expression.

The hosts explore what it means for coaches to remain at their developmental edges. Joel describes the thrilling state of working at one's edge, where coaching feels alive and fresh rather than habituated. They agree that being part of a community of coaches who can offer refined feedback is essential for continued growth—something New Ventures West fosters in its cohort-based training model.

The conversation concludes with a brief mention of ethics in coaching, leaving listeners with questions about how the field might evolve while maintaining its integrity.

Throughout the dialogue, the New Ventures West philosophy shines through: an emphasis on the whole person, the importance of practice, the value of community, and a commitment to helping clients discover their unique aliveness. This conversation exemplifies the depth that New Ventures West brings to the coaching profession, inviting coaches to consider how they might continually evolve their practice.

In this thought-provoking episode of Stepping In, host Adam Klein engages with DEIB experts Dr. Kevin Sansberry and Fran about the evolving landscape of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Their conversation explores the delicate balance between individual identity and collective transformation in today's increasingly divided world.

Personal Journeys (00:07:43)Kevin shares his path of self-reclamation as a Black man in systems not designed for him, while Fran describes evolving from seeking personal safety as "a super weird queer kid" to seeing their "liberation tied up in that of someone else." These contrasting yet complementary journeys illuminate how both self-knowledge and collective responsibility serve the same goal.

The Art of Deep Listening (00:21:31)The guests explore transformative listening that pauses, suspends judgment, and creates space for change. As Kevin explains, effective leaders must "suspend preconceived judgments" to be genuinely changed by what they hear. Fran adds that we must retrain ourselves to hear perspectives different from our own equally.

Listening to the Margins (00:28:25)Fran emphasizes the importance of attending to voices "at the margins," sharing how a CEO dismissed concerns from a small group of Black women employees as "just a few people." Their powerful response: "The nature of this perspective is that it comes from a minority of your people, and that is why you should listen to it."

Equity: The Surprisingly Taboo Conversation (00:34:02)Kevin expresses surprise at how "taboo equity is" in many contexts. Using the example of a wheelchair ramp, he illustrates how equity creates access rather than unfair advantage. The conversation directly confronts the myth of meritocracy, revealing how career advancement often depends on "pre-existing relationships" rather than performance alone.

Building Bridges Through Human Connection (00:59:22)As DEIB faces political headwinds, both guests emphasize authentic connection across differences. Fran notes that "our remit headed into this new calendar year is to bring folks closer," while Kevin observes that many divisions stem from "narratives and not real-life experiences."

Collective Actualization (01:08:40)The conversation concludes with a vision of "collective actualization"—evolving beyond individual self-actualization toward systemic transformation. Kevin brings things full circle: "If you don't even know who you are in this space... it's gonna be hard for you to join the collective."

Adam Klein is an Integral Coach, facilitator, and educator dedicated to creating spaces for transformative learning. As faculty with New Ventures West, Adam brings deep expertise in Integral Coaching to his work with individuals and organizations.

New Ventures West is a premier coaching organization founded in 1987, dedicated to developing coaches who can meet complex challenges with wisdom and compassion through their innovative Integral Coaching® methodology.

In this special podcast episode of Stepping In we review three previous conversations about transformative journeys, purpose and calling, hosted by Adam Klein Managing Partner of New Ventures West. Adam weaves together conversations with three guests - Amiel Handelsman, Mo Edjlali, and Lizzie Azzolino - exploring four key themes about finding one's purpose in life. The themes include: how external life events can awaken inner awareness, how to productively engage with difficulty, how to recognize subtle internal signals about one's calling, and how to sustain commitment to one's purpose over time. Each guest shares personal stories of transformation, from Mo's experience with business failure leading to deep mindfulness work, to Lizzie's journey and profound awakening through illness, to Amiel's shifting relationship with coaching as he ages. The episode concludes with a poem about embracing life's mysteries and continuing forward despite uncertainty. Throughout, Adam emphasizes that while there may be common themes in finding purpose, each person's path is unique to becoming who they're meant to be - the importance is staying present to life's unfolding.

Join Stepping In Podcast host Adam Klein in an open and honest conversation with Lizzie Azzolino about what it truly means to keep evolving throughout our lives. After graduating from New Ventures West years ago, Lizzie has walked a winding path from corporate strategy to a profound awakening that began in a hospital room with her mother and led through cancer, healing, and a transformative "dark night of the soul" in New York City.

In this intimate discussion, Lizzie shares how she learned to let go of the illusion of control and embrace a deeper truth: that we're constantly being invited to expand beyond who we think we are. She opens up about selling everything she owned and landing in Santa Monica with just two suitcases, discovering that sometimes our greatest moments of loss can lead to unexpected homecomings.

Whether you're facing your own crossroads or simply curious about what it means to live with greater authenticity, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on how we can say yes to life's openings - even when they ask us to change in ways we never imagined. Through stories of personal transformation and practical wisdom, Lizzie reminds us that our dreams aren't waiting for some perfect moment - they're calling us right now.

In this episode of Stepping In, host Adam Klein of New Ventures West speaks with Mo, founder of Mindful Leader, exploring how integral coaching principles shape authentic leadership and personal transformation. Key themes include:

• Mo's transformative journey from tech CEO to mindfulness leader, sparked by his company's collapse and subsequent period of profound questioning
• The value of staying attuned to life's guidance, even when it comes through challenging experiences
• The influential role of integral coaching in
•  - Embracing discomfort as a catalyst for growth
•   - Integrating diverse perspectives, even critics
•   - Balancing action with reflection
• How Mo's immigrant background shaped his desire to understand and be understood, influencing his inclusive approach to mindful leadership
• The importance of engaging with divergent voices and critics in the mindfulness community, finding value in discord rather than seeking only harmony
•  Key elements of New Ventures West's approach to
•   - Creating inclusive dialogue in the mindfulness community
•   - "Pulling the rug out" when things get too comfortable
•   - Finding aliveness in challenge and growth

The conversation illustrates how integral coaching provides a framework for both personal transformation and organizational leadership, while remaining responsive to life's deeper invitations for growth and understanding.

How do you navigate the challenging journey of finding your authentic vocation amid the pressures of success and expectations? In this intimate conversation, Adam Klein & Amiel Handelsman discuss Amiel's evolving path from leadership development coach to podcaster and writer, exploring the internal tensions between pragmatism and spirituality that shaped his work. Through candid discussion of his practices, fears, and transformations, Amiel reveals how listening deeply to life's calling requires both fierce dedication and humble surrender. This episode offers profound insights for anyone grappling with their own vocational evolution, highlighting how true purpose emerges through patient attention to what wants to be expressed through us.

In this episode of Stepping In, Adam speaks with Christy McClendon, a New Ventures West graduate and President/CEO of New Pathways for Youth (NPFY), an organization serving youth living in extreme adversity. NPFY programs aim to break through self-destructive thinking and develop essential skills, empowering youth to achieve their desired future.

In our conversation, Christy explains how NPFY’s youth, mentors, and staff engage in ongoing self-development, whic

It’s difficult for me to throw away pictures of people. People I love are the hardest, not really surprising at all. But a close second are the people pictured on packaging, especially if their faces are meant to evoke the workforce that brought the product to me.

Of these, one of the most difficult is the man pictured on the back of the Equal Exchange 72% Cacao chocolate bar wrapper. His shoulder shrugged slightly, his head tipped to one side, and his smile a beam of innocent joy. Another is the Sari-wrapped woman on the Tulsi Raspberry-Peach tea box. (You and I know that this is a tisane, not tea. Tea comes from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, white, green, oolong, or black. All those other things are infused herbs, flowers, spices, etc. Tulsi, Ocimum sanctum, a.k.a. holy basil, is a medicinal herb and it is indeed holy, because when caffeine’s had the better of me and I want something warm, this is what I have.)

None of this explains how these people’s images have become pasted to my heart, like decoupage. Perhaps it’s the gratitude I feel for having received the products from some far off equatorial land. I imagine the labor of picking leaves or cacao berries, the drying process, all those hands and souls touching these Earth-given items – the whole of all it took for me to find them on the other side of the continent or world.

Perhaps it’s that I believe these images contain fragments of people’s souls. If I save one and put it on my vision board, it might spare all the other little images covering the planet in far flung landfills or recycling bins. Then maybe on my vision board I can wish for them all the deep abiding richness I’ve found in life. A richness and prosperity that comes from having found profound love and belonging. Yes, that’s what I want for them. Yes, I really do.

Jan coaches high-performing individuals and leaders seeking a deeper sense of integration. She serves on NVW’s faculty as a Mentor Coach.

Photo by Riza Rifshandya on Unsplash

The post Fragments of Souls appeared first on New Ventures West.

This time Adam speaks with Christy McClendon, a NVW graduate and President/CEO of New Pathways for Youth, an organization serving youth living in extreme adversity. NPFY’s programs aim to break through self-destructive thinking and develop essential skills to empower youth to achieve the future they desire.

In this conversation, Christy explains how NPFY’s youth, mentors and staff engage in ongoing self development, which in many ways is at the root of the organization’s impact. It is a fascinating exploration of the intersection of service and skillful means, and a powerful glimpse into how Integral Coaching can support this most essential work.

How does Integral Coaching, a method that works at a deep developmental level, translate to working with leaders and corporations?

This is a common question and elusive territory for potential coaches.

To help illuminate the topic, Adam Klein spoke with Andrea Garfield, founder and CEO of the Awesome Institute, a company that offers executive leadership and team coaching inside organizations.

Andrea shares plenty of examples of how Integral Coaching can