The AC Podcast

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."
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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.

In the fourth episode of our Building Successful Coaching Cultures series, host, Rosie Nice talks to Charlotte Hurst to reflect on her time leading Farsight Consulting and how a simple intention - to build a great place to work and deliver outstanding client outcomes - evolved into a deeply embedded coaching culture. Despite not starting with a grand design, the company expanded from a small tight-knit team into an organisation of more than 140 people, where coaching became the backbone of how quality, learning and growth were sustained.
 
'We realized more and more over time that using coaching almost as the like the micro process would enable us to provide high performing people who could work with clients at scale and in a in a cost-effective way.'
 
Charlotte shares how giving everyone a coach who wasn't their line manager created space for honest reflection, stronger ownership and real psychological safety. Rather than sitting on the sidelines, coaching became woven into recruitment, project delivery, feedback and career progression. Regular, structured conversations ensured that development kept pace with rapid scaling, while experienced coaches mentored new ones to create a powerful multiplier effect across the business.
 
From navigating hyper-growth to adapting through the pandemic, Charlotte explains why a coaching culture is never the end goal in itself. It's the mechanism that enables people to thrive, supports consistent performance and results, and helps an organisation stay resilient when circumstances change. Listeners will come away with practical ideas for embedding coaching into the everyday rhythm of work and for aligning it with values, learning and long-term strategy.
 
You will learn
·       The significance of embedding coaching as a skill within the broader organizational framework.
·       The four principles Farsight Consulting maintained all through their growth
·       Recruitment strategies focused on potential and core capabilities rather than just experience.
 
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-people-first-business-success
 
**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.

How do you move from telling your team what to do to truly empowering them? In this episode host, Rosie Nice sits down with Jan Doyle, a specialist in leadership coaching and organizational development, to explore what it really takes to embed coaching into teams and organizations. Jan demystifies the idea of a coaching culture, drawing a clear distinction between professional, 'pure' coaching and the everyday coaching approaches leaders and managers can use to unlock performance. At the heart of the conversation is a powerful mindset shift: moving from telling people what to do to asking the kinds of questions that help them think, learn and take ownership.
 
Jan highlights the conditions that allow coaching to thrive, particularly psychological safety, empathy and a genuine commitment to growth. She explains that when leaders take a coaching approach, feedback lands differently: people are not only more open to hearing it, but they also understand its purpose and see its value for their own development.
 
Jan shares common challenges such as securing senior management buy-in and overcoming resistance to change and illustrates her points with real-world examples. She also highlights practical strategies and ongoing support that help coaching habits stick, reinforcing her key advice: ask, don't tell. This approach empowers teams, drives growth, and demonstrates that coaching skills have value not just at work, but in personal and professional relationships more broadly.
 
You will learn:
 
·       Why building a coaching culture starts with a shift from directive leadership to curiosity and questions.
·       How psychological safety, empathy and a coaching style help people recognise the value of feedback for their growth.
·       Simple, practical ways to embed coaching habits into everyday management and overcome resistance to change.
 
"It's shifting from telling to asking and applying the principles of coaching without being a true coach: about using that coaching approach in the workplace."
 
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-practical-tips-insights-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 the third episode of Building Successful Coaching Cultures, host Rosie Nice, speaks with Felix Karl Gaehwiler, an adaptable and pragmatic leader driving Business Transformation for DMC Europe at Kuoni Tumlare. Felix shares a candid look at life inside a blame-driven sales culture—where responsibility was always pushed outward, energy was low, and while people were functioning, they weren't thriving. The team was stuck, unhappy, and disconnected.
 
Change began when a new Head of Sales, Tim, introduced a coaching-led approach. Rather than giving solutions, Tim first listened—to frustrations, complaints, and concerns—and then asked different questions that challenged individuals and teams to take ownership: "What ideas do you have to solve that?" Felix recalls how challenging this felt at first and how it took him on his own journey, confronting his resistance until he could see the approach working and eventually train as a coach himself.
 
The conversation explores how coaching shifted accountability, relationships, and performance over time, while also highlighting the ongoing effort required to sustain a coaching mindset amid leadership changes, cross-cultural teams, and hybrid working. This episode is a grounded, human exploration of what coaching really looks like inside organisations—messy, challenging, and ultimately transformative.
 
You will learn:
 
·       Blame cultures can appear functional while masking stagnation, disengagement, and low accountability.
·       Listening and curiosity are a key part of building a coaching culture
·       The powerful shifts that occur over time when a coaching culture is built into organizations
 
 
'I think a coaching culture exists when people feel safe to develop new ideas, but even more, when they feel safe to give and accept feedback, irrespective of position or title.'
 
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-blame-culture-coaching-organizations
 
**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.

The second episode of Building Successful Coaching Cultures explores what it really takes to embed a coaching culture inside a high-performance sales environment. Host Rosie Nice is joined by Jo Richards, Head of Education at L'Oréal Dermatological Beauty, who shares her first-hand experience of shifting sales leadership from a traditional, directive management style to a sustainable coaching-led approach. Together, they unpack the realities of introducing coaching within fast-paced, target-driven teams—without compromising commercial results.
 
Jo discussed the cultural and practical challenges faced when embedding coaching at scale, from gaining senior stakeholder buy-in to supporting middle managers as they develop new coaching capabilities. She explains how a clear vision and the MAGIC coaching model helped them weave coaching conversations into everyday sales practice, performance management, and team leadership. The conversation highlights how engaging every level of the organisation is critical to building trust, accountability, and long-term career development.
 
This episode is packed with practical insights for leaders, coaches, and organisations looking to build a strong coaching culture that drives both people development and business performance. Jo shares actionable advice on training managers, sustaining momentum through ongoing learning, and balancing coaching with ambitious sales targets—demonstrating how coaching can enhance team dynamics, strengthen relationships, and support consistent high performance over time.
 
You will learn:
 
·       How to successfully transition from directive management to a coaching-based leadership approach in high-performance sales teams
·       The business and people benefit of introducing a coaching culture in the workplace
·       Practical ways to integrate coaching into everyday leadership and performance conversations
   
"The goal is still the same. You need to hit your sales targets—nothing changes, just your approach."
 
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-high-performance-sales-teams
 
**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.