The AC Podcast

In this episode of A Day in the Life Of, host Maxine Bell sits down with Selana Kong — coach, mediator, and music educator — whose life has woven together the cultures of Hong Kong, Canada, and the UK into something truly unique. Selana shares her refreshing perspective on embracing multiple passions without losing yourself in the process, reminding us that progress, not perfection, is the real measure of a life well lived. Her guiding philosophy — "one step at a time, one foot in front of the other" — is a quiet but powerful antidote to the pressure we all feel to have everything figured out.
 
From her work in elder mediation to her deep commitment to bridging generational divides in Chinese culture, Selana brings both personal and professional wisdom to the conversation. She reflects on Hong Kong's evolving identity through the lens of someone who has lived its changes firsthand and speaks movingly about how nature — particularly the landscapes along the border of Hong Kong and China — has been a constant source of grounding and solace throughout her journey. Her transition from music educator to coach and mediator is a story in itself: learning to step back, let go of the urge to lead, and instead create space for others to find their own way.
 
Music remains at the heart of who Selana is — and in this episode she shares a moving story about a village in North Wales and an international choir festival — one that has been bringing voices from across the world together since 1946 under a simple but radical theme: peace and reconciliation. It became a pivotal moment in Selana's life both professionally and personally, "That was my first experience, actually feeling that I am not Chinese. I'm not Welsh. I'm just me. I'm just who I am because I feel accepted."  It is, at its core, a story about what becomes possible when people choose connection over division Selana's parting message is, "You are who you are, and you are exactly who you're meant to be. That is perfect."
 
You will learn:
 
·       You don't have to choose just one path. Focus on forward momentum and let your unique combination of interests become your greatest asset.
·       Whether in her mediation work or within her own family, Selana highlights how vital it is to close the gap between generations — especially within cultures experiencing rapid change. Listening across difference is one of the most powerful things we can do.
·       Self-care means returning to what nourishes you. For Selana, that's music. Whatever your "first love" is, making intentional time for it isn't indulgent — it's essential to showing up fully in every other area of your life.
 
 
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For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit: 
https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel_day-in-the-life-of-coaches-culture-connection-identity

In the final episode of our inspiring series on Building Successful Coaching Cultures, host Rosie Nice is joined by CEO of HCG Strategic Solutions, facilitator and executive and leadership coach, Dr. Peter James for a rich conversation on the behaviours, mindsets, and leadership qualities that turn coaching from a buzzword into a business-critical culture. Drawing on his extensive consultancy experience, Peter offers a nuanced definition of coaching culture as a living set of behaviours and mindsets woven into everyday leadership and communication. Central to his philosophy is self-awareness — the foundation upon which trust, accountability, and psychological safety are built, creating environments where people feel genuinely safe to grow.
 
Peter makes a compelling business case for coaching cultures, from real life examples, as well as research showing significantly higher revenue growth, employee engagement, retention, and customer satisfaction in organisations that commit to the practice — with some studies reporting up to a 700% return on investment. He walks through the three pillars underpinning his work at HCG Strategic Solutions: executive and leadership coaching, structured leadership development, and transformational change initiatives. Together, these create the conditions for leaders to model coaching behaviours, work through resistance and scepticism, build emotional intelligence, and guide teams with greater confidence and adaptability.
 
The conversation closes with an encouraging message for organisations at the start of their coaching journey: start small, be intentional, and trust the process. Whether navigating scepticism, building psychological safety, or distinguishing between internal and external coaching roles, Peter offers practical, grounded guidance for leaders ready to invest in their people and culture.
 
You will learn
 
·       Why self-awareness in leaders is key to introducing coaching into teams and organizations.
·       Clear evidence that coaching cultures consistently outperform on revenue growth, employee engagement and customer satisfaction
·       Embedding a coaching culture a marathon, not a sprint – incremental, intentional steps
 
'An organization that leans into a coaching culture, you're not just benefitting or strengthening the individuals within the organization to include your leaders, but then you're having better outcomes and some studies are suggesting almost a 700% return on investment.'
 
Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.
 
For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit: 
https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-building-coaching-cultures-transformation-leadership
**Join us for the AC 2026 Global Conference: 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 - a two-day virtual event for leaders and coaches who want to build thriving, high-performing organizations.

In episode eight of our Building Successful Coaching Cultures, host Rosie Nice, interviews Sandra Cullen, Vice President of Training and Customer Experience at Air Astana, about the airline's inspiring 15-year journey in building a coaching culture. Sandra shares her extensive international experience in shifting organizational leadership from directive approaches to empowering employees through coaching. The conversation explores the strategic, patient work required to embed coaching at every level of an organization, offering practical insights for leaders and HR professionals seeking to foster a supportive, high-performance workplace.
 
Sandra details the challenges of implementing cultural change, including overcoming resistance from both managers and employees. She discusses how coaching has been integrated into daily management practices and leadership development, emphasizing the importance of understanding and adapting to local and organizational cultures. Sue reveals how Air Astana has sustained its coaching practices at all levels of leadership, as the organization has grown, including a focus on "coaching on the go"—informal coaching moments embedded in everyday work interactions rather than relying solely on formal programs.
 
Throughout the conversation, Sandra highlights the measurable impact of coaching culture on employee engagement, performance, and retention. She emphasizes that building a coaching culture requires patience, persistence, and clear demonstration of value, while also exploring practical strategies for leaders to develop coaching competencies within their teams and scale these practices sustainably.
 
You will learn:
 
·       Why cultural context is critical and successful coaching culture implementation must be adapted to local and organizational cultures.
·       Why 'Coaching on the Go' is as important as formal coaching programs embedding coaching into daily management interactions creates lasting behavioural change,  -  making coaching feel natural and accessible to all employees.
·       Patience and measurement drive long-term success – building a coaching culture is a long-term investment requiring consistency and persistence.
 
'I am convinced our engagement scores are the highest they've ever been because of the shift over the years in how departments work with their people through coaching.'
 
Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.
 
For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit: 
https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-building-coaching-cultures-organizational-employee-engagement
**Join us for the AC 2026 Global Conference: 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 - a two-day virtual event for leaders and coaches who want to build thriving, high-performing organizations

In episode seven of our Building Successful Coaching Cultures podcast series, host Rosie Nice interviews Sue Smith, Learning and Development Manager at East Lancashire Learning Group, about the transformative power of embedding coaching culture within large education organisations. Sue shares her experience of moving away from traditional, judgmental observation-based performance management toward a more supportive, developmental coaching approach. Through practical strategies including learning walks, professional learning conversations, and action learning sets, East Lancashire Learning Group has successfully fostered an environment where staff feel valued, psychologically safe, and engaged in their own professional growth.
 
Sue discusses how traditional observation and feedback methods, often perceived as judgmental and evaluative, can undermine staff morale and create a culture of fear rather than learning. By shifting to a coaching-led approach organisations can transform their performance management systems. Sue shares practical implementation strategies for embedding coaching into everyday practices, as well as the challenges faced. She emphasises the importance of ongoing learning and development support for staff in coaching practices, and the recognition that building a thriving coaching culture is a long-term journey requiring persistence, patience, and genuine organisational commitment.
 
Sue demonstrates how moving from a performance management mindset focused on judgment and evaluation to one centred on empowerment, curiosity, and collaborative growth can unlock significant benefits for both individuals and the organisation. The episode provides valuable insights for leaders and coaches working in educational settings, human resources professionals implementing coaching programmes, and any professional keen to understand how psychological safety and reflective practice can drive organisational change and improved staff engagement.
 
You will learn:
 
·       How moving from a judgemental observation model to a coaching approach learning and development model dramatically improves staff engagement and wellbeing
·       How to embed coaching into everyday conversations and practices as well as organizational strategy.
·       Why persistence and long-term planning is key to embedding a coaching culture
 
 
"Sometimes it takes time to develop a culture, and we want to see results really quickly. but we just need to just continue delivering training continuing to model practice. and then eventually more and more people will embed that culture and culture across the organization."
 
Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.
 
For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit: 
https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-building-coaching-cultures-education-development-performance 
**Join us for the AC 2026 Global Conference: 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 - a two-day virtual event for leaders and coaches who want to build thriving, high-performing organizations.

In the 6th episode of the Building Successful Coaching Cultures series, host Rosie Nice, is joined by Professor Jonathan Passmore to explore what it really takes to embed a coaching culture within organisations. Drawing on decades of research and practice, Jonathan unpacks how a coaching culture goes beyond individual interventions, becoming a default way of thinking, leading, and interacting. He highlights the value of aligning leadership intent with everyday behaviours, and the importance of extending coaching principles across all levels of an organisation—not just within formal leadership roles.
 
The conversation also tackles one of the field's biggest challenges: measuring impact. Jonathan discusses the current gaps in empirical evidence and offers practical suggestions for capturing meaningful metrics, alongside case study insights that demonstrate the tangible benefits of coaching cultures. The discussion reflects on the evolution of coaching, from a niche leadership tool to a broader organisational capability, encompassing internal, external, and increasingly AI-enabled approaches.
 
Looking ahead, Rosie and Jonathan explore the growing role of technology in democratizing access to coaching, while also addressing ethical considerations and the unique value of human connection. Jonathan shares his latest research into the differences between human and AI coaching, raising important questions about what makes coaching truly effective. The episode offers both strategic insight and practical guidance for organisations seeking to foster more collaborative, empowered, and high-performing cultures.
 
You Will Learn:
·       A coaching culture is not just about coaching programmes—it's about embedding coaching behaviours as a core organisational norm at every level.
·       Measuring impact remains complex, but combining qualitative insights, case studies, and targeted metrics can help demonstrate value.
·       AI is expanding access to coaching, but human coaches bring unique relational and embodied qualities that remain essential.
 
"For me, coaching culture is not the poster on the wall or what the annual report or the chief executive says that it is. It's the actual behaviours that employees each and every day display…It embodies all of this with all of the stakeholders across the wider system in a way that is about growing development and a win-win based culture for us collectively as well as for customers."
Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.
 
For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit: 
https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-building-coaching-cultures-research-AI-organizational
**Join us for the AC 2026 Global Conference: 𝘊𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 - a two-day virtual event for leaders and coaches who want to build thriving, high-performing organizations.