‘How do I know whether coaching is right for me?’ is a question we have been asked many times over the past 30 years, and the answer will be different for everyone. So, in true coaching style, here are some thoughts and practical exercises to help you decide for yourself. As Barefoot’s founder, I have […]
It’s a question we often hear at Barefoot, and often closely followed by: “Can I become a coach without experience?” and “Is coaching actually a good career?” The short answer to all of these questions is yes. You can become a professional coach. You don’t need previous coaching experience to start. And for many people, […]
Deciding to train as a coach can be the start of an exciting new chapter – new learning, new skills and, for some people, a whole new career. The next step is choosing the coach training programme that is right for you. A well-designed coach training programme should give you three things: credible professional standards, […]
Coaching is a word that is frequently used: life coaching, executive coaching, team coaching, career coaching, burnout coaching, managers being told to “coach” their people, and organisations building a “coaching culture”. Sometimes people expect coaching to be advice, mentoring, therapy, consulting, motivation, or a neat five-step plan for sorting life out. But coaching, at its […]
The honest answer is that it depends on many different factors. What are you going to do with your coaching qualification? Will coaching become your primary income or form part of a wider portfolio career? Will you join an existing coaching organisation as an associate or set up your own coaching business? Have you come […]
Picture this: you’re in the shower. For a few quiet minutes, no one needs anything from you. Then your knees buckle. Your chest tightens. You can’t breathe. Your vision blurs. You feel sick. This is what parental burnout felt like for me. I was one of many women carrying what Professor Leah Ruppanner describes as […]
“As Director of Workplace Coaching, I have the privilege of working with organisations that want to create environments where people can grow, perform and thrive. Coaching has the power to transform not only individual development, but also the way people lead, collaborate and learn across an organisation. Many organisations aspire to build a coaching culture. […]
In recent years, many parents, educators and coaches have found themselves asking a quiet but unsettling question: What is happening to our boys? Online spaces often described as the manosphere have become increasingly visible in mainstream culture. They promise clarity, confidence and control to boys and young men navigating a world that can feel uncertain […]
At Barefoot Coaching we’ve been coaching senior female leaders and high potential women across the globe for over two decades. To mark International Women’s Day 2026, here are five lessons we’ve learned about the challenges women in leadership face today, and how organisations can help women overcome them. Authentic Leadership: Women Leaders Want to Be […]
While girls outperform boys at school and college, upon entering the workforce the balance tips against women. This downwards slide continues over a women’s career: for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women (including 77 women of colour) are promoted. Published this year, The Broken Rung delves into this phenomenon to explore why […]