Sun & Sky Coaching

Just what I needed on my walk today. A reminder to be just who I am l, it takes much less of my energy. Rose does this.

The joy of cutting flowers.

1. Grown organically
2. From and my garden too!

Pick your own at Grow today and I found some beauties. Calendula and cornflower and the most delightful chicory blue stems.

I added a few stems of crocosmia lucifer to set the blue and yellow ablaze. What a lovely way to brighten a dreary day.

I also bought some chicory plants to harvest for leaves and flowers.

Tiggy was the first dog in the polling station today.

Don’t be lazy - go put your cross ❌ in the box.

We are fortunate to be able to vote, millions are denied that right.

Leading a masterclass I coaching techniques today and making full use of the fabulous grounds.

The simplest of things can bring the most pleasure.

Today I am leading training for Integrity Coaching Ltd for a group of school leaders in Hounslow.

As I walked up to the venue, I was met by a blaze of flowers leading into the hotel. Not perfectly manicured borders but a swathe of wildflowers. Honestly, it stopped me in my tracks as I took in the colours and shapes of long tall grasses and spots of bright colour.

The border gave me a warm welcome to the centre and all the participants also commented on the colour and variety. The flowers provided much needed nectar and pollen to bees, butterflies and bugs.

Each flower was such a great starting point for our discussions this morning all around our preferred communication style which the group then took into coaching sessions with each other.

So what are you?

A bright red poppy standing proud in the group?
A daisy surrounded by a lot of others?
A cornflower, gifting your seeds to everyone in your group?
or
A wild sweetpea who pays real attention to the ground you grow in?

We need a variety of viewpoints in our teams, each perspective is necessary for the smooth running of any organisation. If you find yourself in a silo with similar viewpoints it may feel safe but can also get cosy and staid.

So the next time you are recruiting mix it up a bit, go for wildflower not manicured borders the rich wealth of perspectives will ensure you leave work buzzing with great ideas.

What a fun morning.

Photoshoot time with the amazing and Carl White. Carl is an associate coach with , husband and now business partner.

provided the perfect backdrop. Thank you to who allowed us to use the outside space of their beautiful building.

Note also the perfect match of my super glasses chain from and my shirt!

Love a bit of in my wardrobe.

Looking forward to using some of Sheena’s shots in a website refresh with .

Back on the Thames path today. Richmond to Hampton Court.

I’m really enjoying walking the in stages with and other likeminded women.

Great conversations, beautiful greenery and of course the constant companion of .

Courage.

It sits deep in our gut and learning to draw on our courage gets us into action.

How do you do that in the coaching space?

Well the simplest things are usually the best in my book.

I have been using a pack of strength cards for a number of years in my sessions. The first pack I bought from Ryan when she coached me back in the early 2000's.

I love these cards, there are so many ways to use them.

Last week with a senior leadership team, we used them in the following way: -

The team coached each other around an issue that the other was holding. The coaching session lasted for only 10 minutes. The first 5 was the opening of the conversation, identifying what they wanted to achieve and what difference it would make. The next 5 minutes was an action plan plus they pulled from the pack of strength cards, what they might use to get the job done.

10 minutes and what a great way to spend 10 minutes. Each of the participants then kept a photograph of their strengths to use as motivation in the weeks to come.

This is just one way I use these cards. What makes them special is that there are multiple ways that each coach training session brings up.

Do you use strength cards, or now will you use strength cards in your coaching sessions?

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝗺𝗼.

A favourite film of mine. I took my eldest son to see it as soon as it was in the cinema. It was the first feature length film he ever saw in a cinema. At that time he was just three years old. I honestly thought I was asking for trouble. A three year old watching a film of 1 hour and 40 minutes in length.

Well I need not have worried, he was transfixed.

He (and I) then watched it multiple times on DVD for many years after.

Nemo earned his place in the bathtub and my son spent many happy hours, losing him in the bubbles. One day he disappeared never to be seen again.

Until now 20 years later he appeared from under the bath during some much needed plumbing work.

A bit dusty and looking a bit dishevelled, he bought back many happy memories that the simplest of toys that could give such joy.

My love for the film was how Nemo found his courage to follow his path. It is a film all about growing up and parents letting go. It was also a story about the seeing the richness of your home as well.

I love it as it is a story line that I can apply to many of my coaching calls. Many of my clients feel lost on their life path. They lose sight of what they can do and for some stay lingering in one place much too long; a bit like those captured sea creatures in the dentist treatment room.

What Nemo found was a community of fish who got him back home safely and at the same time taught him that he was really very brave.

I'm looking for coaches who are feeling a bit dusty right now. Maybe you might benefit from a few sessions of coach mentoring with me. A chance to get a supportive coach mentor by your side highlighting your strengths and stretch areas.

I will help you find the inner courage to swim to new shores by developing your coach practice. Unless of course that you want to stay under the dusty bathtub for the next 20 years?

Book a discovery call here - https://calendly.com/sunskysam/15min

Hello people.

Happy Bank holiday weekend. (UK)

I have some new followers in my feed so I thought it was time to do a little introduction to what I do.

I'm a Leadership energy coach. My work supports people helping professionals find clarity, confidence and connection in all that they do in their personal and professional life.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁?

☀️ Group sessions with senior leadership teams
These take place online or in person in the London region. The aim of these sessions are to build capacity through a laser focus on resilience, so that you are better able to reach your goals as a team. There is a second strand of developing your coaching skills so that you can add them to the way you lead as a team.

☀️ 1-2-1 Coach mentoring sessions for coaches looking to develop their coaching practice. That might be in line with the ICF core competencies or more generally taking into account key coaching competencies that ensure you are coaching and not mentoring or counselling by default. The sessions last an hour and 3 session will need to be booked.

☀️ I am invited to talk on a range of subjects including my How to series.

How to develop curiosity as a leader?
How to be courageous in your life today?
How to be creative in your relationship with the world and others?
How to nurture and develop a community that helps you grow?
How to manage change effectively in your professional life?

The 'How to', series of talks can be adapted to fit your organisation or team needs. I use the themes from my book The Change Flywheel to support my talks.
I can talk on a range of subjects, my talks are interactive, thought provoking and fun. Just what you need to energise your team.

If you are interested in finding out more about how I can support you or your team, book a call here.

https://calendly.com/sunskysam/virtual1-2-1

☀️ I also send out a monthly newsletter which is full of tips on how to manage change effectively. Keeping in mind the busyness of my client's lives, if you subscribe to my newsletter you won't be bombarded with extraneous extra emails.

Subscribe here - https://www.subscribepage.com/herecomesthesunnewsletter

☀️ I have recently published The Change Flywheel. A book for people helping professionals - you can buy a copy here: - https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=the+change+flywheel&crid=VIZ4QIJ31IQT&sprefix=%2Caps%2C765&ref=nb_sb_ss_recent_8_0_recent

If I haven't answered a question, please post in the comments below.

Today is the day, I start walking on part of the Camino Way.

I am writing this post in advance.

It has been a dream for the past 6 years to do part of this walk. My father in law did some of the Camino Way when he was alive and I was very impressed that he took up the challenge after he turned 70. Camping along the way with his best mate Sid.

I'm joining waring on the walk, a seasoned Camino way walker and looking forward to being guided by her.

Honestly, I don't know how far I am going to get.

What I do know, is that I am going to be as fully present as I possibly can be every minute of the time I am walking. Taking in the new landscapes, big skies, chatting to other walkers on the way.

I know I will also be thinking about the future, what the next five years of my life will bring. My work as a coach mentor and a coach trainer will develop I am sure. My work as a coach will also continue. My life as Sam will be as creative as I can possibly make it as I know the benefits of creating has for me. These future possibilities are there to be discovered like the sun and clouds in the sky.

I also know that I will be thinking about the past. With each step, I will be letting go of negative thoughts, relationships that no longer support me and old internal wounds that hold me back.

Walking can do all, help me be present, future think and let go of past trials.

Enjoying the moment one step at a time.

Wish me luck and if you are interested in finding out more about my trip, sign up to my newsletter either here - https://www.subscribepage.com/herecomesthesunnewsletter or on Linkedin here - https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/here-comes-the-sun-%E2%98%80%EF%B8%8F-6879015074556612608

The second month of spring is drawing to a close. I'm curious to find out how your spring is going right now?

Have your new shoots of projects and ideas been battered by the March winds and the many April showers? Or have you provided some care and protection from the ups and downs of life?

The last month of spring May is beckoning, what steps can you take to really develop those new shoots to get established and thrive?

My new growth is into the world of coach mentoring. My plan is to support as a coach mentor some of many coaches who are now appearing in my life.

The way I will be working is in this way: -

Offering three sessions of coach mentoring of an hour in length. These hours can be put towards the 10 hours of coach mentoring hours if you plan to be accredited with the ICF.

If you are not looking for accreditation but know you want to ensure that your are coaching is of a high quality, the time will be spent listening and discussing a recording of a coaching session. We will unpick what went well and where you might want to stretch and grow. Just as in any coaching session, you lead the way.

Growth is essential at all stages of our work as a coach. If we just do the training and never shine a light on our coaching, then we might be falling into bad habits and to stick with the spring analogy - leaving ourselves open to the elements which leave us feeling deflated after our sessions not elated.

If you are interested in having a chat and finding out more about how I work. Please book a discovery call.

https://calendly.com/sunskysam/15min

As we finish up this week on a sunny day in London. I want to share a post about the wonderful networking group that I belong to.

I have been a member of Athena for a number of years in different regions. I am currently part of the North London region working with Fleming the regional director.

Yesterday we had our monthly meeting with 16 women in business fulfilling the aims of Athena to support, train and collaborate with each other in order to build our business.

Around the virtual table yesterday, I was sitting with Lawyers, AI specialists, photographers, designers, nutritionists, massage therapists and more. Each of these women have a different business to mine and at the same time we work with each other. The sharing of wisdom is given generously and with an open heart.

What more could you want from a networking group?

I'm taking a well earned break this week ( - this post has been pre-written), to take some time to boost my creative energy.

And honestly, I really need it right now. The recent book launch has been exhilarating and with that level of excitement, I really need some grounding.

What better way than to visit another country for a short break. So I'm off to Barcelona for a few days to sample the tapas, take in the sights and sounds of a new city and explore on foot. By the time you read this post, I will have walked my way around Park Guell that you can see in the photo.

I will be living my own coaching system and being curious, courageous, creative, developing a new community to bring about change so my energy will be just right.

photo credit - https://unsplash.com/

Today, I want to send a huge thank you to a relatively new business in High Barnet.



Arta and her sister Blerta have created a wonderful warm and welcoming space that offers a wealth of opportunities for my local community.

Working together in partnership, I was fortunate to be able to host my recent book launch in the cafe.

Arta and Blerta, hosted so beautifully, supporting me so that the launch went smoothly without any hiccups.

The cafe bar is so well suited to events like these and they even have a beautiful space downstairs to host private events. The food and drink was perfect.

I am definitely going to use this space again for events and maybe even for a future book launch!

Thank you to the team at the Ora Coffee Bar, I with you every success for your lovely cafe.

I've got some very exciting news and no this is not an April Fools joke!

Carl - my husband is joining me as an associate coach, under Sun & Sky Coaching to offer Executive coaching to busy professionals.

We have worked very hard on our partnership over the past 20+ years of marriage and re-created it to suit what was going on in our lives. Parenthood, work changes, home changes etc.

As a creative partnership, we will continue to innovate in the field of coaching and we are both very excited to be starting out on this new path.

Coincidentally, it was in April 2018, that I read a wonderful book called
The Power of Two by Joseph Wolf Shenk which focussed on the power of creative pairs. His book set out that -

“…Complex interdependence—one with real room for idiosyncratic individuality and enmeshed identities—is characteristic of the best collaborations…The conditions required for human beings to thrive in one another’s company are…a function of balance.”

So keep connected to both Carl and I and of course to see how we remain curious, courageous, creative, support each other to bring about positive change for our clients.

And importantly, how we do that in our own distinctive ways.

☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️

To book a discovery call follow this link - https://calendly.com/sunskysam/15min

To buy The Change Flywheel -https://amzn.eu/d/6iQ9fq7

Leaders face such dichotomies:

Autonomy 🆚 Collaboration
Innovation 🆚 Stability
Risk-taking 🆚 Caution
Visionary Leadership 🆚 Operational Management
Flexibility 🆚 Consistency

One of the biggest challenges I see in leaders are the valid and often conflicting priorities they come up against.

Balancing these is crucial.

Leaders need to be empowered to stand strong in their decision-making.

In my eyes, this is achieved in two ways:
1. Skills Training
2. Self-care

Skills training equips leaders with the tools and knowledge to make informed decisions, while self-care means they maintain the resilience and wellbeing necessary to lead with clarity and empathy – ultimately fostering a successful AND sustainable leadership style.

I'm thrilled to hear from coach Reshma Jobanputra that my book, The Change Flywheel, has equipped her in both of these areas. Thank you for the heart-warming testimonial ☺️

____

I'm Sam ☀️ a Leadership Energy Coach & Author working with business and education leaders to empower, energise and support them to use their strengths to excel at what they do.

My book 'The Change Flywheel: maximise energy, minimise chaos and create momentum for meaningful change' is now available on Amazon and my website! 📚 Linked in the comments.

I love living in London, it has so many riches as a city and quite a few that you can experience for free.

Walking from Tower Bridge to Putney Bridge was a joy on Saturday.

I was able to use my camera as a third eye, to capture the river in all its glory as well as some of the flora that caught my eye.

The river was a constant companion on the trip with the trees that reached out to the water.

We listened to bird song, watched the rain clouds gather and pass and the sun as it hit the waves. Glorious.

The wall of hearts that represented the many who lost their lives to COVID was particularly poignant and I truly loved the young band who belted out an Artic monkey's track by Blackfriars bridge. Joyful and so keen and at 10.30a.m. I loved their energy.

Thank you to a wonderful group of women who shared the journey and to the lovely for organising and leading the walk.

If you are a people helping professional, then this post may interest you.

This week I launched my book The Change Flywheel into the wide world via Amazon, it has already been out since February via my website.

This book supports the people who I most love to work with. People who always put others first and put themselves last. In doing so, they can leave themselves feeling overwhelmed, disconnected and suffering with a lack of confidence. These are my people, I’m one of these too and have formulated over my life a particular way of engaging with the world that keeps my life in harmony - The Change Flywheel. You can read about it in the book.

To make this book accessible for busy professionals I have written it so that it can be consumed in bite sized chunks. And it will leave you with something lovely to digest that will create new thoughts, feelings and sensations in your body. It might also leave a sense inside that something has to change for you. In the book you will find self coaching activities with space to write, interviews and takeaways that will feed that desire for change.

To celebrate I hosted an in person launch in my local community. A community that has supported me so well for many years.

I was joined by friends, family and so many more. Children who are now adults that I taught as a teacher. Members of my swimming club who I swim with on Wednesday lunchtime, battling our collective fear of water. Dog walking partners who tramp with me through mud and rain, through all seasons, sharing our collective love of nature and trees. Members of the Athena networking group who have championed me and provided crucial business support to help me get this book off the ground. Fellow coaches in the ontological field who already dial into the wisdom of their body who bought the book to add tools to their tool kit so that they can further support their clients.

Sharing the love of writing and the content of my book made me very proud. Proud of my journey in declaring myself as a writer, coach, mentor and so much more. A lovely moment was when my two wonderful boys and husband shared their respect and admiration for the way I engaged with the audience on the night. And I’m taking their love for me into my whole body.

I was also joined on the night by people who have never been to a book launch, who walked off the street into the cafe, sat down and joined in. They were so welcome and I had a lot of wonderful conversations with them over the course of the evening. As always in my life, a warm welcome is extended to those people who are brave and courageous to do something different.

So if this post has interested you - people helping professional or brave soul, then I would encourage you to check out my book, either via my website or on Amazon. If you are cash strapped right now but have Kindle unlimited you can download it for free!

Once you have read it ACT
A = Take action - please leave a review
C = Change - make one small change as a result of the book
T = Tell, teach or transfer the information to other people helping professionals and change someone’s life for the better.

Happy Friday

It's no coincidence that International Day of Happiness falls on the Spring Equinox 🌷

If you are familiar with my work, you know that I'm greatly influenced by the seasons.

The awakening of nature, longer days, warmer weather and Easter festivities symbolise positive change.

Unlike nature though, it takes work for us mere humans to create change, it doesn't 'just happen' like it appears to out there.

We need support.

Guidance.

If you're a leader reading this, in order to catalyse positive change you'll need:

1. Empowerment through leadership skills
2. A renewed perspective and confidence
3. Clarity, calm and control

Have you ever fallen into the trap of wanting to make change but not having the right support in place?

I certainly have – especially in the 'new year new me' mindset that so often creeps in in January.

Now's a better time for change. The season is on our side.

What else do you need on your side? What would you add to my positive change list?

____

I'm Sam ☀️ a Leadership Energy Coach & Author working with business and education leaders to empower, energise and support them to use their strengths to excel at what they do.

P.S. My book 'The Change Flywheel: maximise energy, minimise chaos and create momentum for meaningful change' is now available on Amazon! 📚 Linked in the comments.

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/mar/18/david-hampton-artist-98-a-colourful-perspective-pencil-tree-gallery

Creativity - my definition

'the consistent process of learning through failure in the pursuit of extraordinary results from ordinary processes.'

Painting, drawing, writing, sewing, woodturning, bookbinding. There has an acceptance of failing in order to learn. I saw this recently at Rembrandts house in Amsterdam and at the Van Gogh museum. Artists who tried, tried and tried again. Never giving up despite their own financial and mental health challenges. This wonderful article in the Guardian today shares the work if David Hampton who at 97 is having an exhibition of his work. What a joy to see his colourful expressions of the world around him.

I see that creative endeavour and passion in my son's bedroom - photo below. The drawings and scribblings, the teaching of self to use egg tempera in this work - a challenge to self to try, try and try again.

I am gearing up for my in person launch of my book this Wednesday. A whole chapter is dedicated to creativity. If you feel as if this is lacking in your life, I suggest a read of the book and going straight to chapter 3!

Delighted to find a voice note on my phone today as one of my books landed in the home of Soo Strong a fellow somatic coach.

Her words touched me as she knew how hard I have worked on ensuring that my book design is as good as the words inside.

My book had to have a positive energetic feel to it, it has to draw the reader in. It has to feel good in your hands and the quality of the typesetting had to be just right. My publisher have worked with me to do just that.

Reader - your words mean a lot to me and I as the writer truly appreciate the effort you put into sending me verbal or written feedback.

Waiting impatiently for the books to continue to drop on doormats around the country. I know that the content may not resonate with everyone but that's okay. Even with dissent, something in the reader has been challenged and that's what this book is all about. Challenging the views we hold about ourselves and being open to a new possibility.

If any of this post has piqued your interest and you want an energetic book to read, please follow this link and buy a book.
https://sunskycoaching.co.uk/the-change-flywheel-book/

It will be out on Amazon on the 20th March, currently there is a e-book available which is free is you have Kindle unlimited.

This image is one on my office wall.

It sits behind me and supports me in all of my work.

It reminds me of the power of all people - women and men. We all rise together.

I did this to celebrate 100 years of women getting the vote in 2018 at a workshop called Make some noise! The phrase was co-created with an author whose great aunt was a suffragette artist at the turn of the century, who used my word of that year and elevated it.

a time to take stock and look for the joy and have hopeful conversations with each other about the good things that are happening.

This afternoon I end my week with a facilitated conversation with two leaders, one woman, one man. The woman is senior to the man in the organisation hierarchy. Already this week she has celebrated his work with her team in a very public way. She has taken the time to set up these conversations that will support his growth. He recognises her strengths and is keen to learn from her. In his one to one conversations with me, he has had the space to reflect on his strengths and use those to fill some spaces.

These hopeful conversations make my job very very satisfying and fulfilling.

Well halfway through yesterday, I got some good news.

My ICF PCC has been reaccredited for another 3 years.

I have worked to ensure that I keep up to date with enhancing the coaching profession supported by the ethical standards and markers set by the International Coaching Federation.

Why is this important to me?

Well sadly coaching is an unregulated industry. Anyone can set themselves up with the title coach without any support, supervision, experience etc.

As I wouldn't get an unregulated electrical engineer to do my house electrics similar goes when I am working on myself. When I am working with people, I must take care in the way I work. Certifying and staying true to some good boundaries really helps me to stay in the field of coaching.

Life long learning is a pre-requisite to working with people. Otherwise we can get stale and set in our ways.

So when you choose a coach ask some questions.

How to find the right coach for you

- As well as checking the ethical boundaries of your coach:

1. Always have an initial conversation – chemistry is key, if you do not feel comfortable don't engage.

2. Ask questions about their training – check that they are accredited, ask when they did their last piece of training and what they took out of it, ask if they have supervision and how often.

3. Reflect on how your whole body is feeling – once you have completed a call, do you have any reservations in your head, heart, or gut?

4. Talk to two or three before you choose – if this is the first time you have worked with a coach.

5. Compare the price of a session against a common spending item – price is often a block for people. Ask yourself questions like; how much do I spend a month on eating out versus how much for one session? How long do the effects of the meal last versus the lifelong effects of one intuitive coaching session?

6. Ask them how they chose their coach – yes, in my book every coach should be coached. If they truly believe in the art of coaching then it will be a very regular feature in their life.

For some of you, coaching may not be in your power. So instead, have a look at my new book that launched yesterday. It is packed with self coaching ideas and exercises that might just help you get clarity on a particular pain point in your life.

I'm coming down from the excitement of the launch with outdoor supervision today. Bringing in the joys of spring as I tramp around Brockwell Park with my supervision group in the rain.
It's a tough life for authors and coaches.

Happy Friday everyone.