The Coaching Lens

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What happens when coaching stops being about having the answers?

In this episode, Alan and Nick sit down with Dean Clark for a thoughtful conversation on coaching, self-awareness, relationships and the moments that shape us. From sport and leadership to grief, care and identity, Dean shares why great coaching starts with understanding yourself first.

A reflective, honest discussion about presence, vulnerability and meeting people where they are.

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In this episode, we sit down with Jacqui Lemaitre, an experienced education leader who has supported schools and senior leaders across the country. Together, we explore what it takes to lead with clarity in complex and often demanding environments.

Jacqui shares insights from her journey through teaching, headship, and executive leadership, offering a thoughtful perspective on how leaders can stay focused on what truly matters. From balancing coaching and direct advice to creating space for reflection, she highlights the importance of emotional intelligence, trust, and understanding the person behind the role.

With practical examples and honest reflections, this conversation offers a grounded look at how leaders can find clarity, manage pressure, and support others while continuing to grow themselves.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Matt Coldry, a coach and consultant specialising in neuro-inclusion, mental health, and equity. Together, we explore what it truly means to create environments where different minds can belong and thrive.

Matt brings together lived experience, academic insight, and coaching practice to challenge deficit-based thinking and highlight the power of kindness, self-reflection, and strength-led approaches — offering a thoughtful lens on neurodiversity, leadership, and what inclusive cultures really look like in practice.

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In this episode, we sit down with Anita Patel, a leading voice in neuro-inclusion and intersectionality. Together, we dive into what it really takes to create environments where individuals can thrive on their own terms.
Anita brings a rare blend of expertise, lived experience, and practical wisdom — offering a powerful lens into the world of neurodivergence and how we can better support, understand, and empower the people we work with.

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/edfirth/

A lively, no-fluff conversation with Ed Firth on cutting through noise to find the real performance levers. We unpack practical diagnostics, Kolb’s learning cycle in action, the (un)conscious competence ladder, and why EQ must be the bedrock of coaching, leadership—and recruitment.

4 key points (taster bullets)

1. Signal > noise:
   Stop treating symptoms. Use sharp questioning and targeted diagnostics to find root causes—so you deliver ROI and win repeat business.
2. Learn → reflect → explain → apply (Kolb):
   Design experiences that get people doing, then reflect, add theory, and convert insight into next-day behaviour change.
3. Keep tuning the engine:
   Teams drift from conscious competence to unconscious incompetence. Build regular “under-the-bonnet” pit stops to recalibrate before performance breaks.
4. Hire for how, not just what:
   Make EQ visible in recruitment and development—self-awareness, social awareness, and self-regulation—so culture delivers the commercial results.

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The Coaching Lens welcomes Danny Leeds, to the weirdly titled 'cheesy Behavioural Breadcrumbs'. We explore how behavioural insight and coaching intuition land in real time. We explore the new world of short-burst, 20-minute coaching sprints and what they do to focus both the coachee and the coach and how a series of sessions works for both parties. A couple of the takeaways - cut out the drama and put it into action; keep solutions future-focused; decrease the noise for everyone and make the next step unmistakably clear.

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In this episode of The Coaching Lens, we sit down with Rupert Newman — a seasoned business leader now channelling his decades of experience into the world of executive coaching through his work at Stronger Humans.

We dive into the heart of Rupert’s approach: building meaningful relationships and focusing on the person, not the position. From boardrooms to coaching conversations, Rupert shares how human connection underpins everything he does.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation about what it really means to coach the whole person.

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🎙️ Episode 4 – Brave Enough to Be Coached
This week, we’re joined by the brilliant Vicky Murphy from STEP Scotland – and we go deep.

We talk courage. We talk vulnerability. We talk about the real bravery it takes not just to coach… but to be coached.

From shifting gears to full throttle, to learning when to pause and actually rest – Vicky helps us unpack how to find rhythm in the chaos and energy in the stillness.

This one’s for anyone navigating change, chasing growth, or just trying to figure out when to hit the brakes and when to floor it.

🚦 Get ready for insight, inspiration, and a few unexpected truths about what it really means to lead and be led.

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🎙️ The Coaching Lens – Episode 4: Evolving with the System – A Conversation with Matt Gregory
In this episode, we’re joined by Matt Gregory, a highly experienced coach whose journey spans decades of work across leadership, systems, and transformation. We trace Matt’s path from his early coaching influences through to the models and methods that now underpin his evolving approach.

Matt reflects on how his coaching has adapted to the shifting demands of the system around him, from organisational change to people development and how his ability to “notice” has grown as a core coaching skill. We explore the frameworks that have stuck, the ones he’s left behind, and what he believes coaching needs to be in today’s world.

A thoughtful and grounded conversation, packed with insights on staying relevant, reflective, and impactful as a coach in complex environments.

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