In this episode, Sarah is joined by Sandra Whiles, a coach, mentor, and author. Sandra shares her journey from a long and successful career in public service, including twelve years as a Chief Executive of a council, to becoming a professional coach. She discusses the motivations behind this significant career transition, the importance of leaving a role well, and how she found a new way to make a difference. Sandra also talks about the process of writing her new book on coaching, The Coaching Tools Compendium.
Key Takeaways
Understanding your core values, such as challenge and security, is crucial for navigating career crossroads and making decisions that feel aligned with who you are.
A successful career transition involves practical planning. This can include getting qualified, seeking support from a coach or network, and giving yourself time and space to explore what comes next.
When starting a new business, it is useful to focus on the activities that generate energy and connection, like meeting people, rather than getting distracted by perfecting things like a website early on.
Building a support team is just as important in self-employment as it is in an organisation. Recognise what you are not good at, or get no energy from, and find others who can help.
Episode Highlights
03:20: What first drew Sandra to a career in the public sector.
05:35: The realisation of the impact a leader can have on culture and people, and the desire to become a Chief Executive.
11:30: The external prompts and internal realisations that led to the decision to train as a professional coach.
27:00: Lessons learned from starting a business, including avoiding "comparisonitis" and the distraction of shiny objects.
38:10: The philosophy behind Sandra's book – moving beyond a simple list of tools to help coaches develop their own practice and confidence.
About the Guest
You can connect with Sandra via her website and on social media:
Episode Links
I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please find me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahfoxcoach/).
This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft (lucylucraft.co.uk)
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!
