The Coach's Journey - build a coaching business with integrity

Growing up with a father and brother who were “never wrong” left Yannick Jacob seeking a life that wasn’t about right answers. That led him to coaching, and more specifically to existential coaching, a space where humanity’s oldest and most profound questions – and the plethora of answers to them – can be explored at a deeper level.Yannick is an existential life and leadership coach, a positive psychologist, and the programme director of the Accredited Certificate in Integrative Coaching (ACIC) at the School of Positive Transformation. In this episode of The Coach’s Journey, he shares what he learned about himself in order to hear his calling and live his truth as someone driven to explore the whole spectrum of what life has to offer.Host Neil Mackinnon helps Yannick to illuminate the links between his many passions, such as existential philosphy and DJing, and to demonstrate how integrating his variety of interests enriches his all areas of his work.Yannick also discusses his groundbreaking Coaching Lab, which offers the chance to witness highly experienced coaches live at work, and Rocket Supervision, which provides coaches with the support they need to practice at the top of their game.This episode will resonate with anyone who wants to feel empowered to shake up traditional coaching paradigms and create a practice that feels authentic and energising, as Yannick brings his remarkable breadth of experience and expertise to bear on some of the most fundamental questions we face as coaches and as human beings.In this episode, Yannick and Neil Mackinnon also talk about:Courageous choices, and how embracing discomfort can help to build meaningEnlarging your sphere of influence to enable people to connect with youThe power of being financially committed to something, and the benefits to your clients of raising your feesWhen we should be brave enough to challenge the traditional frame and share more of ourselves with our clientsYannick issues a rallying cry to everyone in the coaching space to frame their space, sculpt the approach that works for them, and lean into their passion for their own way of doing things.THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN:Rocket Supervision www.RocketSupervision.com Coaching Lab www.GoCoachingLab.com Yannick’s Nuggets (mailing list) https://gocoachinglab.com/nuggetsDr Nash Popovich https://www.personalwellbeingcentre.org/nash-popovicMartin Seligman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_SeligmanRS Lazarus on the Positive Psychology movement https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232977091_Does_the_Positive_Psychology_Movement_Have_LegsSoren Kierkegaard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%B8ren_KierkegaardJean-Paul Sartre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Paul_SartreNew School of Psychotherapy and Counselling https://nspc.org.uk/Christopher Neubert https://human-edge.com/team/christian-neubert/The Academy of Executive Coaching https://www.aoec.com/An Introduction to Existential Coaching: How Philosophy Can Help Your Clients https://www.aoec.com/Yannick’s book, An Introduction to Existential Coaching: How Philosophy Can Help Your Clients Live with Greater Awareness, Courage and Ownership https://www.amazon.co.uk/Introduction-Existential-Coaching-Philosophy-Awareness/dp/0367139995Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory https://www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.htmlCoaching Starter Kit https://rocketsupervision.com/coaching-starter-kit/Erik de Haan http://www.erikdehaan.com/Peter Hawkins https://thoughtleadership.org/staff-member/peter-hawkins/Montessori https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_educationThe Coach’s Journey Flywheel https://www.animascoaching.com/about-animas/our-team/nick-bolton/Nick Bolton, Animas https://www.animascoaching.com/about-animas/our-team/nick-bolton/Heron’s six categories of intervention https://challengingcoaching.co.uk/herons-six-categories-of-intervention/Nancy Kline https://www.timetothink.com/nancy-kline/ICF https://coachingfederation.org/

How do our surroundings affect our ability to think? And can we connect with our sense of place and purpose by immersing ourselves in nature?In this episode of the Coach’s Journey Podcast, walking coach Rebecca Norton brings her combined expertise in coaching and mountain leadership to bear on these questions and many more, in conversation with host Alex Swallow.Rebecca and Alex explore the lasting impact that access to the natural world has on our lives, from infancy through to adulthood, and how the coaching walks that Rebecca offers her clients help them to navigate new pathways – both in the physical environment and their internal worlds.Rebecca, who delivers workshop facilitation and social prescribing alongside her coaching and “wonder walks”, describes how she carefully built up her coaching business while continually developing her skills and experience as an outdoor activities instructor.She links the idea of being a tourist in your own city and developing curiosity about new perspectives with the importance of getting alongside coaching clients and seeing the world through their eyes.The many twists, turns, ups and downs of Rebecca’s adventures in the hills act as a powerful metaphor for journeys through the challenges of careers, relationships, families and life decisions. Just as her clients gain new perspective on their lives as they ascend into the hills with Rebecca, so do we as she reflects on her unique, brilliant approach to coaching conversations and many other aspects of her work.In this episode, Rebecca and Alex also talk about:The power of experiencing coaching techniques from both sidesHow to integrate experiences as we train and gain qualificationsThe barriers we place between ourselves and our own fulfillmentSeeing who we need to become in order to achieve our goalsHow to lower the importance of gaining a client when building your coaching businessRebecca also reminds us that personal development can be a grueling expedition, and that if we fail to interrogate our deeper purpose and connect the ‘why’ that guides us, we can be at risk of losing our way. She generously ends this episode with an array of tips to help coaches stay at their best.THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN:The Coaching Academy https://www.the-coaching-academy.com/Skill Force https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkillForceWonder Walks https://senseofdirection.life/wonder-walk/Peter Sage https://petersage.com/The Life Coach Directory https://www.lifecoach-directory.org.uk/ The Self-Love Journal: https://senseofdirection.life/product/self-love-journal/

GiveDirectly is an extraordinary organisation, working to end extreme poverty through an idea that is simple but revolutionary: give cash directly to people in extreme poverty and let them decide what they need most. Research shows this approach is not only effective but also deeply empowering.Since I (Robbie) first read about GiveDirectly in 2017, it has been the focus of almost all my charitable giving: I find the research-backed practices and incredibly meaningful recipient stories so compelling that almost every time I have thought in detail about the organisation and what they do, I have increased my regular giving.In this special Podcasthon episode of The Coach’s Journey Podcast, Stephanie Hill, the VP, People at GiveDirectly, joins me to explore the connections between teaching, coaching, and leadership, and to outline the transformational work that GiveDirectly does.From her days working to recruit and develop thousands of teachers in New York City to her role in helping a rapidly scaling global nonprofit build strong teams, Stephanie shares deep insights into learning, growth, and the power of trusting people to know what they need.In this episode, we discuss, on GiveDirectly:Why giving cash directly to the poorest people in the world works!Common misconceptions about cash transfers as a form of philanthropy.Amazing stories from GiveDirectly’s recipients.The Power of Trust – why both great coaching and effective philanthropy start from the belief that people know what they need.And on learning, coaching, culture and more:The Gradual Release Model – how great teaching (and coaching) helps people build confidence and autonomy over time.Lessons from Scaling – what it takes to grow an organization quickly while keeping core values intact.Building a Culture of Learning – how GiveDirectly fosters ongoing development among its globally distributed team.Leading with Values - how has GiveDirectly taken its company values and actually brought them to life.Stephanie’s personal leadership journey – what she learned from recruiting and training 5,000 teachers a year and how those lessons apply to coaching, leadership and organizational growth today.This episode is packed with wisdom for coaches, leaders, and anyone passionate about learning, development, and making a meaningful impact.I can’t wait to share GiveDirectly’s amazing work with you, but it’s not just that this is an amazing charity that made me want to feature GiveDirectly on the show; it’s that it’s a charity whose work closely aligns with the philosophy of coaching.At its heart, coaching is about trusting people, believing they have the answers within them, and supporting them to make the best choices for their own lives.GiveDirectly operates on the same principle. Rather than imposing solutions, it hands people the resources to create their own change. For coaches who want to make a difference in the world beyond their work, I can’t think of a better organization to support: if you’ve never quite found a focus for your charitable giving that really resonates, or if you’ve ever wondered how you can contribute in a way that aligns with the values of coaching — courage, trust, empowerment, and belief in human potential — GiveDirectly could be a powerful answer.If you have a few pounds or dollars to spare this month or every month, consider giving to GiveDirectly. They will send it to someone for whom those few pounds or dollars will go further than you can possibly imagine, as part of a story of courage, empowerment and trust in the beauty of human nature.For more information about GiveDirectly, visit: https://www.givedirectly.org/ or https://www.linkedin.com/company/givedirectlyTo donate to GiveDirectly, visit: https://www.givedirectly.org/donate/For more information about Stephanie, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-hill-1232028For more information about Robbie Swale, visit https://www.robbieswale.com/.Read more about The Coach's Journey at www.thecoachsjourney.com.Music by My Good Man William: listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KmeQUcTbeE31uFynHQLQgTo support the Coach's Journey, visit www.patreon.com/thecoachsjourney and to join the Coach's Journey Community visit www.thecoachsjourney.com/community.THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN:Rutger Bregman: https://www.rutgerbregman.com/Bregman on tax at Davos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8ijiLqfXP0Bregman’s TED Talk - "Poverty isn't a lack of character; it's a lack of cash": https://www.ted.com/talks/rutger_bregman_poverty_isn_t_a_lack_of_character_it_s_a_lack_of_cash/ Utopia for Realists: https://www.rutgerbregman.com/books/utopia-for-realists GiveDirectly Live: https://live.givedirectly.org/ GiveDirectly’s Research: https://www.givedirectly.org/research-at-give-directly/ Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs GiveDirectly Donation Link for the US: https://www.givedirectly.org/donate/ GiveDirectly Donation Link for the UK: https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/5197#!/DonationDetailsHow to donate to GiveDirectly from other countries: https://www.givedirectly.org/giving-internationally Teach for America: https://www.teachforamerica.org/TeachFirst: https://www.teachfirst.org.uk/The GROW Model: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GROW_model Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inner-Game-Tennis-ultimate-performance/dp/1035047926 GiveDirectly NPR Article: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/12/02/781152563/researchers-find-a-remarkable-ripple-effect-when-you-give-cash-to-poor-families Carol Dweck and Growth Mindset: https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322Elena Aguilar and "Mind the Gap": https://www.edweek.org/education/opinion-the-key-to-working-with-adult-learners-mind-the-gap/2018/02 Fred Kofman: https://www.fredkofman.org/The GiveDirectly Values: https://www.givedirectly.org/givedirectly-values/ The Leadership Pipeline (book): https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Pipeline-Second-Edition-Developing/dp/0470894563How to Help GiveDirectly: https://www.givedirectly.org/how-to-help/Work at GiveDirectly: https://www.givedirectly.org/careers/ Podcasthon: https://podcasthon.org/ Book your place at Robbie and Claire Pedrick’s event in Malvern in 2025: The Artful Coach and the Soulful Coaching Business. Read more here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/3dcoaching/1504338 FULL BIOGRAPHY FROM STEPHANIE Stephanie began her career as an educator. After university, she joined Teach For America in New York City and taught English Literature to low-income High School students in The Bronx while getting her Master’s degree in teaching. She then worked for Teach For America as a coach to cohorts of new teachers.After a brief stint as a recruiter, she joined the New York City Department of Education to build a new model for teacher preparation - one that would integrate theory and practice and include a longer, more intentional gradual release of responsibility for new recruits. The program also created a new career-ladder position for the supervisors of these aspiring teachers - experienced educators who were selected and trained to not just share their classroom, but also provide targeted, actionable modeling and feedback that would accelerate the learning process.Stephanie worked to scale that program to prepare over 500 new teachers for NYC’s hardest to staff schools each year, while eventually taking on leadership of the city’s overall teacher recruitment and preparation - where she led a team to recruit and place over 5,000 new teachers each year.In April of 2020, she joined the international non-profit organization GiveDirectly as their first VP, People, just as the organization was going through a period of rapid growth, with ~75% headcount increase year over year. GiveDirectly takes an innovative approach to aid by giving unconditional cash to people living in extreme poverty, often using a technology-forward approach to maximize efficiency (and therefore dollars to recipients). Stephanie is proud to have led the People function for the past 5 years - building and defining recruitment, people operations, learning and development, talent planning and employee engagement for the organization.

The hosts reflect on their top practical insights gained from over 90 discussions. They dive into the power of flexible coaching engagements and the importance of making each session feel like a gift. Neuroscience's role in sales is explored, alongside a whimsical idea of creating clients using a napkin. The trio emphasizes the human aspect of coaching, shares personal stories of inspiration, and discusses the connection between community and growth. Get ready for a mix of valuable tools and heartfelt moments!

Exploring the pitfalls of comparison, the discussion reveals how it can warp our sense of identity and self-worth. Jennifer shares a powerful metaphor to help coaches gain perspective and break free from the cycle of feeling inadequate. This insightful commentary emphasizes the need for a reevaluation of self-perception, enabling growth and more empowered choices. Ultimately, it's a conversation about overcoming pressures and nurturing authenticity in personal and professional journeys.

In a delightful crossover, two passionate hosts dive into the concept of the Artful Coach, emphasizing creativity and connection in coaching. They highlight the importance of authenticity and personal values when building a soulful coaching business. Anecdotes showcase how confronting fears can lead to fulfilling transformations. Excitement builds for their upcoming workshop, aimed at turning Worcestershire into a coaching hub, and they extend an invitation for community engagement through a coaches' walk.

Discover the vital role of crafting transformative endings in coaching engagements. Learn how celebrating client accomplishments can foster deeper relationships and open doors for future referrals. Explore strategies for thoughtful conclusions that spark personal transformation. Dive into the art of meaningful endings and how personal scripts influence the client's experience. This episode offers insights from experienced coaches, emphasizing the significance of paying attention to the last moments of your coaching journey.

Lindsey Lewis, a professional life and business coach, shares her expertise on building a successful coaching business. She highlights six essential skills such as mastering client interactions and navigating proposals. Lindsey emphasizes the importance of fostering genuine connections and a service-oriented mindset. The discussion also touches on transforming relationships with money and persistence within the coaching community, all aimed at enhancing personal growth and client commitment.

This short episode contains the answer to one of the questions Robbie gets asked the most, a question that is really hard to answer as you set out on your journey as a coach: how do I choose a coaching training programme?There are links to most of the people Robbie mentioned, as well as the article about changing careers, below.Download Robbie’s ebook, An Introduction to The Coaching Business Flywheel, here.For more information about Robbie, visit https://www.robbieswale.com/Read more about The Coach's Journey at www.thecoachsjourney.com.Music by My Good Man William: listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KmeQUcTbeE31uFynHQLQgTo support the Coach's Journey, visit www.patreon.com/thecoachsjourney and to join the Coach's Journey Community visit www.thecoachsjourney.com/community.THINGS ROBBIE MENTIONED THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN- Robbie’s article about how to find work you love (look at The Lean Career Change section - skip to number 9): https://www.robbieswale.com/writing/2020/9/11/10-step-process-to-find-work-you-love Episodes on The Coach's Journey Podcast from people who train/have trained at: Barefoot Coaching: Kim Morgan: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-25-kim-morgan Alex Swallow: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-62-alex-swallow-life-is-better-when-we-choose Ruth Saville: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-66-ruth-saville-how-to-be-a-rebel-misbehave-more-and-set-your-sights-on-being-a-master-coach Animas: Robert Stephenson: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-27-robert-stephenson-animas-how-to-say-yes-and-become-a-conduit-for-change The Academy of Executive Coaching: Neil Mackinnon: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-57-neil-mackinnon-when-you-step-into-the-hallowed-ground-of-coaching-show-up John Monks: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-39-john-monks-closing-the-circle-and-becoming-closer-apart MOE: Catriona Horey: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-4-catriona-horey-too-far-away-from-the-joy Jeffrey Wotherspoon: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-24-jeffrey-wotherspoon Mark Bixter: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/74-mark-bixter-to-see-the-true-value-of-coaching-look-beyond-the-fees Alex Whitton: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-64-alex-whitton-balancing-the-being-and-the-doing Chloe Garland: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-65-chloe-garland-the-jam-donut-principle-quarter-life-crises-and-the-philosophy-of-coaching But those are just four options - the key thing is to try them out and see what gives you a great feel.

Can coaching teach us to love ourselves more? Can it help us come to terms with injustice and pain? Does it offer a route towards peace?Executive coach, consultant and facilitator Philip Crocker explores all of these questions in this episode of The Coach’s Journey Podcast, and shares the wisdom and insights he uses in his work with senior leaders from some of the world’s most innovative organisations.Philip tells host Alex Whitton what he learned from launching several successful businesses before training as a coach and coach supervisor – an experience he describes as “a brilliant illumination”. Weaving together threads from physics and human relationships, Philip describes ways to increase the flow of energy between people in coaching conversations, utilising conductivity in much the same way as electrical circuits do.Philip says his purpose is to help people who feel written off to live a whole life. He is an expert in strategic facilitation and his own podcast, Alongsider, brings people from all walks of life into alignment with each other, allowing them to find their place and also take it.In this episode, Philip and Alex also talk about:- How to grow a coaching client base full of the people you need to help you learn and develop.- Slowing down when finding your niche, and how to navigate towards it.- The theories and relationships that underpin successful business growth.- The power of coaching to help people fall in love with themselves more.- The particular quality of connection that creates influence between people in coaching conversations.Philip also illuminates the shift we all have to make when we move from the separateness of our education system into the complexity of the world, and how coaching offers a space of integrity that can help us grapple with and utilise that complexity.Things and people we mentioned (that you might be interested in):Clare Pedrick https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairepedrick/?originalSubdomain=uk; https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-55-claire-pedrick-and-lucia-baldelli-the-human-behind-the-coach Clare’s books Simplifying Coaching and The Human Behind The Coach https://www.3dcoaching.com/shop/book-bundle-human-behind-the-coach-simplifying-coaching-signed-copies/  Robin Yourston https://www.linkedin.com/in/gandrprobin/?originalSubdomain=uk Dr. David Rock, Quiet Leadership: Six Steps to Transforming Performance at Work https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2602650-quiet-leadershipDr. David Rock's SCARF model https://modelthinkers.com/mental-model/scarf-modelDr Sally Vanson and the Performance Solution https://theperformancesolution.com/the-coaches/dr-sally-vanson/ NLP https://anlp.org/knowledge-base/definition-of-nlp Carl Jung typology test https://jung.test.typologycentral.com/ ILM Level 7 Leadership and Management https://www.i-l-m.com/learning-and-development/management/management-and-leadership-generic/8617-level-7-leadership-and-management Human Conductivity https://www.humanconductivity.com/ Debra Green https://roc.uk.com/about/team/debra-green-obe/ Measure What Matters by John Doerr https://www.whatmatters.com/the-book Jung's personality types https://www.thesap.org.uk/articles-on-jungian-psychology-2/about-analysis-and-therapy/typology/DISC theory, which employ Jung's personality types  https://discboulevard.com/en/theory-behind-disc/