The Coaching Crowd® Podcast with Jo Wheatley & Zoe Hawkins

When does a coaching model help us stay present with a client, and when does it start to get in the way? In this episode, we explore the relationship between coaching models, confidence and the conversations our clients need. Drawing on our experiences as coaches and coach educators, we discuss why coaching frameworks can be so reassuring when we are starting out. Clients rarely arrive with a neatly packaged goal. Their thoughts, emotions and competing priorities can take us in several directions, and models such as GROW, CLEAR and OSCAR can help us find a useful focus. We reflect on the importance of understanding why we ask a question, rather than concentrating only on which question comes next. We also share how structure continues to support our coaching practice as we gain experience. A framework held in the background can help us notice a missing goal, an unexplored emotion or a conversation that has lost its direction. Sometimes, explaining a structured activity and asking whether it would be helpful gives the client a clearer sense of what we are offering. We reflect on how this transparency can build trust and reduce cognitive load for both people. Referring to notes can be part of thoughtful, effective coaching, and we do not need to perform expertise by pretending that support is unnecessary. The tension emerges when completing the model becomes more important than responding to the person. We explore what happens when a client discovers something significant, such as recognising that their career has been shaped by a desire to please a parent. Moving immediately to options or actions could miss their need to pause and understand that discovery. This brings us back to the wider coaching skills that make a difference: listening, silence, intuition, ethics, safeguarding and contracting. For us, coaching mastery involves developing the judgement to stay with a structure, adapt it or step away, according to the client and the moment. We finish by reflecting on how coach development moves from learning models to choosing, adapting and integrating their principles into our own coaching style. Our IKEA furniture metaphor reminds us that skipping the learning process is not the same as mastering it. We also explore why models are never neutral: every framework directs attention towards particular aspects of a client's experience. Whether we are using emotions coaching tools or another approach, we hold responsibility for what we introduce. This conversation invites us to become more deliberate about how we use structure, while remaining curious and responsive to the person in front of us. Timestamps: ·         00:00 Welcome and the coaching models question ·         01:14 Why frameworks help new coaches ·         02:57 GROW, CLEAR and OSCAR ·         04:31 Using models to refocus a conversation ·         05:29 Offering structured activities to clients ·         06:50 Transparency, trust and cognitive load ·         07:45 Learning and integrating a model ·         09:50 Helpful structure and knowing when to step away ·         11:18 Responding to significant discoveries ·         13:19 Coaching skills beyond models ·         14:31 The journey towards coaching mastery ·         15:58 The IKEA furniture metaphor ·         18:03 Why coaching models are not neutral ·         19:44 Exploring further coach training Key Lessons Learned: ·         Understand the purpose behind the question. A model becomes more useful when we understand what its questions invite the client to explore. ·         Structure can serve the client as well as the coach. Explaining an activity and checking whether it would help can create clarity, trust and a sense of direction. ·         Using notes does not undermine credibility. How we introduce a framework matters more than whether we remember every step. ·         A discovery may need space before action. The next question in a model may be less useful than pausing with what the client has recognised. ·         Models are one part of effective coaching. Listening, silence, intuition, ethics, safeguarding and contracting all shape the conversation. ·         Mastery includes choice. Developing as a coach means learning when to follow a framework, adapt it or work more emergently. ·         Every model directs attention. We need to consider what our chosen approach brings into focus and what it may leave unexplored. ·         Learn before letting go. Practising and understanding a model gives us a stronger foundation for integrating its principles into our own style. Keywords: Coaching models, coaching frameworks, GROW, CLEAR, OSCAR, coaching practice, effective coaching, coaching skills, coaching mastery, coach development, coaching style, emotions coaching, cognitive load, coach training, The Coaching Crowd, Links & Resources https://igcompany.com/

What if finding your purpose is less about discovering one perfect career and more about understanding what makes you feel alive? People often come to coaching at a crossroads. From the outside, life may look successful: a career is progressing, responsibilities are being met, and there is no obvious reason to change course. Yet there can be a persistent feeling that something is missing. In this episode, we explore why that feeling deserves attention and how coaching can help us make sense of it. Our own experiences gave us two ways to look at purpose. For Jo, coaching became deeply connected to the contribution she wanted to make. For Zoe, coaching is an expression of a broader purpose: being part of a journey that helps someone feel more fulfilled. That distinction matters. If purpose can take more than one form, we do not have to put pressure on ourselves to find the single job that will make everything fall into place. We talk about the clues that can help when the answer is unclear. When do we feel most like ourselves? What kind of contribution matters to us? Who do we most enjoy working with, and where in their journey do we want to help? Zoe reflects on exploring other people-focused careers before finding that coaching offered the kind of conversations and relationships she was looking for. We also reflect on how our needs change through different stages of life. Work that once felt fulfilling may no longer fit around family, freedom or the person we are becoming. That does not make the years we spent doing it a mistake. Those experiences can help us recognise our strengths, values and priorities more clearly. For some people, coach training leads to a new career. For others, it changes how they lead, volunteer, parent or relate to the people around them. Finding meaningful work does not mean finding work that is always easy. Building our coaching business brought uncertainty alongside the conversations and contribution we loved. Perhaps a more useful question than "What would make me happy all the time?" is "What matters enough to me that I am willing to work through the difficult parts?" If you are considering a career change, exploring coach training or wondering what purpose means for you, we hope this conversation gives you space to notice what already matters. You may find that coaching is your next step, or that it helps you see another path more clearly. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome and finding your purpose through coaching 00:37 Why career crossroads raise questions about purpose 02:24 When success on paper does not feel meaningful 04:53 Coaching as an expression of purpose 07:30 The many ways we can make a difference 08:50 Finding the people and work that fit 10:32 Meaning, independence and building something of your own 12:07 How purpose takes different forms through life 16:09 Why coach training does not require a career change 18:32 Training as a bridge to different possibilities 20:51 Why purposeful work can still be difficult 23:09 Exploring your own next chapter Key Lessons Learned: Purpose does not have to point to one perfect job. It can be expressed through different kinds of work and relationships. A career crossroads can be a sign that your needs and priorities have evolved. The work that makes you feel most alive offers clues about the contribution you want to make. Understanding who you want to help can be as useful as deciding how you want to help. Coach training can support self-discovery even if you do not plan to become an independent coach. Skills learned through coaching can shape leadership, volunteering, parenting and everyday conversations. Meaningful work may involve risk, uncertainty and discomfort. Those challenges do not make it less meaningful. Keywords: Finding your purpose, purpose through coaching, coach training, career change, meaningful work, career crossroads, becoming a coach, coaching skills, personal fulfilment,   Links & Resources https://igcompany.com/

Who supports the coach when a client conversation stays with them long after the session has ended? In this episode, we explore why every coach needs supervision and why it is far more than a professional requirement. Every coaching conversation brings together different histories, identities, beliefs and emotional experiences. As coaches, we carry our own stories into the room too. Supervision gives us a confidential reflective space to explore what may be influencing our work, particularly when a client interaction leaves us feeling stuck, uncertain or unable to stop thinking about the conversation. We also reflect on the isolation that can exist within coaching. Confidentiality means that few people witness our client conversations, making it easy to carry questions or concerns alone. Coaching supervision provides a professional support structure where we can think clearly, protect our wellbeing and continue to serve our clients effectively. It helps us recognise patterns, explore blind spots and close some of the mental tabs that might otherwise remain open. At the heart of the episode are the three purposes of supervision: normative, formative and restorative. Normative supervision supports safe and ethical practice, helping us navigate complex situations without expecting someone else to make the decision for us. Formative supervision develops our confidence, flexibility and reflective practice beyond our initial training. Restorative supervision helps us process the emotional demands of coaching, separate our experiences from those of our clients and resist the urge to rescue, fix or take responsibility for their outcomes. Ultimately, supervision helps us become less reactive, more patient and more comfortable with uncertainty. It can strengthen our ethical awareness, deepen our reflective practice and give us greater courage to challenge, experiment and trust the coaching process. Supervision is not surveillance or a judgement on our capability. It is an essential professional space that supports the wellbeing of the coach, protects the quality of the work and helps us become the thoughtful, ethical and responsive coaches our clients deserve. Timestamps: 00:01 Welcome and why every coach needs supervision 00:58 Professional expectations and accreditation 01:44 Blind spots, emotional reactions and open mental tabs 03:55 Helping fatigue and coach wellbeing 05:18 The three purposes of coaching supervision 05:35 Normative supervision and ethical practice 07:08 When an ethical dilemma becomes high stakes 09:30 Formative supervision and coach development 11:15 Why better-supported coaches serve clients better 12:45 Reflective practice as a core coaching skill 13:31 Restorative supervision and emotional demands 14:59 Responsibility, rescuing and the urge to fix 16:53 How supervision changes coaching practice 19:41 Supervision is not surveillance 20:10 Invitation to supervision training   Key Lessons Learned: Supervision is a core professional support structure, not a judgement on whether a coach is capable. Strong reactions, recurring thoughts and feelings of being stuck can be useful signals that deserve reflective attention. Normative supervision helps coaches navigate ethical complexity, safeguarding, confidentiality and conflicts of interest without expecting a supervisor to provide a simple answer. Formative supervision supports continuing professional development, helping coaches move from reliance on models towards a more fluent and flexible coaching approach. Reflective practice strengthens every other coaching skill by helping us notice what is happening within the coach, the client, the relationship and the wider system. Restorative supervision helps prevent helping fatigue by giving coaches somewhere to process the emotional weight of client work. The desire to help can become an urge to fix, rescue or take responsibility for a client's outcomes. Supervision helps us recognise and release that pattern. Well-supported coaches are often less reactive, more patient, more courageous and more comfortable with uncertainty. Looking after ourselves as coaches directly supports client safety, the quality of the coaching relationship and the sustainability of our practice. Keywords: coaching supervision; why coaches need supervision; coach supervisor; reflective practice for coaches; ethical coaching practice; coach wellbeing; coaching CPD; normative formative restorative supervision; professional coaching development; coaching ethics; accredited coach supervision; helping fatigue in coaching; supervision training for coaches, Links and Resources International Group for Coaching, Supervision Training: https://igcompany.com/supervisiontraining EMCC Global: https://emccglobal.org/ Association for Coaching: https://www.associationforcoaching.com/ International Coaching Federation: https://coachingfederation.org/ Global Code of Ethics: https://www.globalcodeofethics.org/

What changes when the person sitting in front of you is not a coachee, but another coach? In this episode, we explore the difference between coaching and coaching supervision. Although the two practices share many skills, the purpose, focus and dynamics of each relationship are distinct. Coaching usually supports a client to move towards a goal or desired outcome, while coaching supervision turns the attention towards the coach and the quality of their practice. As supervisors, we create a reflective space in which coaches can examine how they are working, what may be influencing them and what could help them practise more effectively, ethically and sustainably. Supervision can therefore feel more exploratory than coaching, allowing us to remain curious about what is emerging rather than moving immediately towards a solution. We discuss how supervision can help coaches look beneath the questions they initially bring. A request for reassurance about whether a session was handled correctly might become an exploration of why that reassurance is needed. Through reflection, the coach can develop greater self-awareness, strengthen their professional judgement and find confidence from within. We also explore the expanded field of coaching supervision. Coaches bring their own identity, history and professional context, alongside the influence of their clients and the wider systems surrounding them. The supervisor's observations and responses also become part of the work. Holding this complexity requires an awareness of relationships, professional ethics, safeguarding, competence and the sustainability of coaching practice. Although coaching and supervision remain distinct, learning to become a coaching supervisor can deepen how we coach. It develops our ability to notice patterns, relational dynamics and what may be communicated beyond words. For experienced coaches, supervision offers an opportunity to develop their practice, support other coaches and contribute to the future of the coaching profession. Timestamps: 00:00 The difference between coaching and supervision 00:29 Why coaching supervision matters 00:56 Becoming a coaching supervisor 01:25 The ethical commitment of a coach 01:55 Client goals and coach development 03:18 Why supervision is more exploratory 04:11 Looking beneath a request for reassurance 05:04 The distinctive focus of supervision 06:01 Understanding the expanded field 07:26 Ethics and professional responsibility 08:20 The systems surrounding coaches and clients 09:38 The supervisor as an instrument 11:30 Supporting reflective practitioners 12:52 Experience and the pedestal dynamic 14:12 Relationships and group supervision 15:57 How supervision develops your coaching 16:55 Visibility and professional identity 17:54 Power dynamics for internal coaches 19:49 Competence, ethics and sustainability 20:19 Discovery rather than destination 21:43 Developing as a coaching supervisor 22:11 Diploma in Coaching Supervision Key Lessons Learned: Coaching usually supports a client to move towards a goal, outcome or desired change. Coaching supervision focuses on how the coach is practising and what will help them work ethically, effectively and sustainably. Supervision creates space to explore uncertainty without immediately searching for a solution. A request for reassurance may reveal a deeper opportunity for reflection and professional development. The supervisory field includes the coach, their clients, the systems surrounding those clients and the supervisor's own observations. Coaching supervisors help coaches reflect on safeguarding, professional ethics, competence and their responsibility to clients. A supervisor can bring significant coaching experience without becoming the person expected to provide every answer. Group coaching supervision requires awareness of several relationships, client systems and interpersonal dynamics at the same time. Training as a coaching supervisor can deepen a coach's ability to recognise patterns and relational dynamics. Coaching and supervision may explore similar topics, but supervision views them through the lenses of professional identity, ethics, competence and sustainability. Keywords: difference between coaching and coaching supervision, coaching supervision, what is coaching supervision, coaching versus supervision, coaching supervisor, coaching supervision training, reflective coaching practice, ethical coaching practice, professional development for coaches, coach supervision, group coaching supervision, coaching ethics, Diploma in Coaching Supervision, becoming a coaching supervisor, sustainable coaching practice, Links and Resources: Diploma in Coaching Supervision: https://www.igcompany.com/supervisiontraining In Good Company: https://www.igcompany.com

Who supports the coach when they are holding complexity, navigating ethical questions and helping other people create meaningful change? In this episode, we explore a significant development for the coaching profession: the introduction of the International Coaching Federation's Coaching Supervisor Specialization, known as the CSS. Coaching can ask a great deal of us. We hold complex client experiences, make ethical decisions and remain present through uncertainty. Coaching supervision creates a confidential and reflective space where coaches can examine their work, protect their wellbeing and continue developing their professional practice. Until now, the ICF has placed greater emphasis on mentor coaching, which focuses primarily on coaching skills and the ICF Core Competencies. Coaching supervision has been more firmly established within organisations such as the European Mentoring and Coaching Council and the Association for Coaching. The new ICF Coaching Supervisor Specialization signals a major shift, bringing supervision closer to the centre of ethical coaching practice and establishing clearer global standards. We discuss how supervision differs from mentor coaching and why both can play an important role in coach development. Supervision reaches beyond technical competence. It provides space to explore ethical challenges, client relationships, emotional responses, professional boundaries and the coach's own wellbeing. For us, this is one of the most important aspects of the announcement. Coaches continually give their attention and energy to others, and supervision can help make that work sustainable. The CSS also creates a valuable opportunity for experienced coaches who are considering becoming coaching supervisors. ICF requirements include holding a PCC or MCC credential, completing at least 41 hours of coaching supervision training, with at least 50% delivered synchronously, and undertaking education aligned with the ICF Coaching Supervision Competencies. The forthcoming ICF Coaching Supervisor Registry is also expected to give qualified supervisors greater visibility while helping coaches identify people who meet recognised professional standards. We reflect on what this development means for the wider coaching industry. When professional bodies move towards a shared understanding of supervision, they send a clearer message about ethical practice, reflective learning and professional accountability. The CSS is not simply another badge. It represents a growing recognition that good coaches need structured support too. Finally, we share the story behind our Diploma in Coaching Supervision. The programme grew from our own desire to deepen our practice, challenge ourselves and explore the next expression of who we wanted to become as coaches. It is designed for experienced practitioners who want to develop the skills, maturity and confidence required to supervise other coaches while continuing their own personal and professional evolution. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to the ICF supervision development 00:28 Why coaches need professional support 00:58 Introducing the Coaching Supervisor Specialization 01:55 The opportunity for experienced coaches 02:25 Why this matters to the coaching profession 04:15 Supervision and ICF credential renewal 05:34 The supervisor registry and ACTC requirements 06:31 Coaching supervision competency frameworks 07:20 Supervision, ethics and coach wellbeing 08:40 Choosing a qualified coaching supervisor 09:39 CSS eligibility and training requirements 10:28 What supervision training needs to cover 11:42 Introducing our Coaching Supervision Diploma 12:36 How the programme began 13:26 Professional evolution and the future of coaching 14:23 How to find out more Key Lessons Learned: Coaching supervision supports ethical decision making, reflective practice, professional development and coach wellbeing. Mentor coaching and coaching supervision have different purposes, although both can contribute to a coach's development. The ICF Coaching Supervisor Specialization creates a clearer global benchmark for coaching supervision. Qualified coaching supervisors are likely to become more visible through the forthcoming ICF Coaching Supervisor Registry. Experienced coaches can use supervision training to deepen their practice and develop an additional professional service. Professional credentials help coaches make more informed decisions when choosing a supervisor. Supervision can reduce professional isolation and help coaches manage the emotional and relational complexity of client work. The increasing alignment between the ICF, EMCC and Association for Coaching strengthens the profession's focus on quality and ethics. Coaching supervision training is not solely about acquiring techniques. It can reshape how a coach understands themselves, their clients and their practice. Keywords: Coaching supervision, coaching supervisor training, ICF Coaching Supervisor Specialization, ICF CSS, coaching supervision course, Coaching Supervision Diploma, become a coaching supervisor, professional coach development, reflective coaching practice, ethical coaching practice, coaching supervisor accreditation, ICF coaching supervision competencies, mentor coaching versus supervision, coaching supervision for coaches, coach wellbeing, advanced coaching skills. Links and Resources Diploma in Coaching Supervision In Good Company ICF Coaching Supervisor Specialization ICF Coaching Supervision