Dancing in the Dark

This final conversation in the Season 3 is a study in vulnerability and courage for my guest. David Clutterbuck, Jonathon Passmore, Liz Hall and Fenella Trevillion all show up for a conversation about race, whiteness and ally ship. Enjoy.

I have chosen to mark the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by inviting back to the podcast four young women who helped me to find my bearings after he was killed on the 25th of May 2020. The emotional tone of our second meeting as a group is very different from last year. I find myself taken off guard by the emotions of my guests, muted, wary, and worn from the effort that has produced small the steps forward on the long the road that remains to make real progress in racial justice.

I met Anita and Andra when they volunteered to contribute to the Anti-racism in Coaching research project that I am currently working on in collaboration with a global team. This extension of that conversation begins with an exploration of the challenges that face humanity in a broad sweep that takes in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the myth of a post racial world and Megan and Harry’s challenge to the British Monarchy. We explore the complexity of Identity,  the concept of Dunamis, and social psychology as a tool for understanding power in coaching. Coaching as an investment in protecting and nurturing agency for the benefit of personal flourishing, to the benefit of society and social change. I have learnt so much from them. I hope that you gain some insights too.

Coaching for Social Justice needs new paradigms and Liberation Psychology has drawn me as part of evolving coaching to serve social change. So it was a pleasure to meet another coach with a similar interest. In this conversation with Amina Aitsi-Selmi we explore her genesis as from medical doctor to coach and discuss the role of liberation psychology in her work.

Rosemary Campbell-Stephens and I tackle the complexity of the paradigm shift of moving toward the concept of Global Majority to replace the terms BAME or ethnic minority as a way of stepping into our power and responsibility toward humanising systems on our planet.

Bayo Akomolafe is a visionary and soul guide whose wisdom comes from a place of quiet defiance of Modernity and a dance with the preposterous. He refuses to be boxed or othered or bound. Where do we go when the current limits of the struggle for justice and equity have been breached? Listen in!

End of season podcast with a stellar panel made of of season one and two podcast guests. Our panel of thought leaders from the coaching world debate three questions of importance: Q1: Does coaching have a role to play in healing the social and political divides threatening the health of our democracies? Q2: Does the rise of the 'activist coach as in the Climate Coaching Alliance benefit or harm coaching as an 'impartial' helping profession. Q3: Do we need a similar movement as the Climate Coaching Alliance to champion gender and racial equality in the workplace?  

Dion Johnson is a coach, speaker, facilitator and author. Dion and I talk intimately about her new book, Influential Woman, and her mission to help women step into their power as leaders. Her unique combination of candour and her 'faith walk' show up as she lives out what she aims to inspire in others.

Are we forfeiting our right to be part of the eco-system we call earth? join me for this conversation with Katherine Long and Max Girardeau to explore what Living Systems Thinking has to offer us as we dance in the dark.

Together my guests Hetty Einzig and Naomi Ward, I discuss both the  creative and destructive power of disruption  and the role it can come to play  coaching as it evolves to meet current and future challenges.