HR

The referral business

Why would a colleague recommend your coaching business to an HR leader?
I think they will only do so if it enhances their own credibility and expands their influence in shaping people and culture outcomes. HR professionals are often seen as trusted advisors within an organisation. When they introduce a coach to a leader or team, it’s not just a referral, it’s a reflection of their ability to identify meaningful, high-impact development solutions.

To earn that level of trust, you need to build a coaching practice that delivers real transformation. One that helps leaders grow, creates space for honest reflection, and aligns with business outcomes. HR leaders are far more likely to recommend a coach who addresses the challenges they care about most: inclusive leadership, resilience, emotional intelligence, and sustainable performance. When your coaching creates value at this level, HR leaders won’t just refer you, they will advocate for you because your success reinforces theirs.

““The more you practice your work, the better it will be. Practice opens channels of possibility in the brain.””
— Rick Rubin
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Managing relationships

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I recently came across the concept of relational intelligence, described as the ability to understand, navigate, and effectively manage interpersonal relationships. I think this is how trust is built, inclusion is felt, and where safety becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Perhaps it’s time for leaders to turn to their HR partners and ask the deeper, more human questions:
- Do my team members, especially those with less positional power, feel seen, heard, and valued?
- How do I react when someone gives me hard feedback?
- Have I made space lately for challenge, dissent, or alternative viewpoints?
- Am I showing people I care about who they are, not just what they produce?

These are not just performance questions, they are relational ones, and they might be the key to unlocking safer, stronger teams.

Face the facts

Organisations navigating change need to slow down, examine their assumptions and avoid snap judgments that can alienate employees. I think building shared psychological safety means ensuring everyone feels heard and considered, not just the loudest or most senior voices. Leaders need to be willing to sit with discomfort, recognising that genuine transformation often challenges their own perspectives. Too often, the emotional burden of change is outsourced to middle managers or HR teams, who are expected to absorb employees’ fears and frustrations without adequate support themselves. While HR typically serves the strategic interests of the organisation, it’s crucial to balance this role with a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing and ethical practices.

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Belonging at work

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DEI in the workplace and what it really means is a constantly evolving topic that you can’t learn from a book. I think both the personal and legal insights is what matters when trying to truly understand the position of underrepresented groups in the workplace through listening to their first-hand experiences. I have been guiding HR teams about the pressing issues they face and the right language to use when referring to a particular issue. When you don’t know what it’s like first hand to be part of an underrepresented group in the workplace then it’s worth taking time to understand how you can gain this insight.

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Finding the right candidates

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There is an immense potential in leveraging diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a competitive advantage. The technological advancement within recruitment is a massive opportunity to access different talent pools and foster a more inclusive environment within HR departments. Approaching candidate evaluation with fresh perspectives not only brings about diverse viewpoints but also highlights the value of varied identities and opinions. Numerous studies emphasise the correlation between DEI and enhanced business performance. For example, Forbes research claims, “Inclusive teams make better business decisions up to 87% of the time.” I think it's crucial to acknowledge that DEI initiatives will only produce meaningful results if they are backed by a truly inclusive organisational culture. And without such a culture, DEI efforts risk being mere lip service. Contact me here or via e-mail when you are ready to upscale and develop your leadership, culture, and people to truly have inclusive behaviours.

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Integrity issues

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As a sales professional I think that we should always focus on the buyers needs and how we can solve them. How we can guide the buyers through the decision making process, and if we authentically succeed in this task, we will more than likely close the deal.


Recently, I wrote about how HR hire sales persons, perhaps HR would be better served by writing sales job descriptions from the buyers’ perspective. No one wants to be sold to, everyone wants to be guided through the process - therefore, sales persons do not need to be hunters, closers or extroverts.


I think the buying experience is the most crucial function as in the mind of so many buyers, sales is not necessary. The role of the sales person is to guide the buyer through this process:
1. Identify the needs.
2. Explore the potential solutions for the needs.
3. Define the requirements.
4. Select the potential suppliers.
Remember, influence always wins over persuasion.

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The truth is a good enough story

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It is well understood by the human resources community that engagement translates into profit. We have all seen or heard about people around us that have been dreadfully treated by business people, whether it’s #MeToo, exploitation or psychopathic bullying. I think that organisations’ who create an environment where their people can thrive and achieve will see increased profits, sales, greater customer experience, etc.

How can we help individuals and departments develop to match the future challenges your organisation will face? What motivates them to get excited about what isn’t yet known? Send me an e-mail and let’s arrange a physical or virtual meeting to discuss a workshop for your organisation.