Diving into the core of coaching, the episode explores its values and impact on individuals and organisations, particularly schools. Our guest, Rob Kemp, shares insights on measuring the impact of coaching, the role of authenticity, and the emerging relationship between AI and coaching. The conversation also touches on the readiness of organisations for coaching and the broader implications of these practices on human connectedness and organizational culture.

00:00 Welcome to Interbeing: A New Season Begins

02:01 Introducing Today's Guest: Rob Kemp

03:34 What Does Being Human Mean to You?

03:59 Authenticity and Relational Coaching

07:54 Deficit vs. Strengths-Based Models in Education

13:36 The Future of Coaching: Revolution or Evolution?

22:35 AI and the Democratization of Coaching

23:40 Six Criteria for Organizational Coaching

25:38 AI's Limitations in Coaching

30:08 Challenges and Misconceptions in Coaching

31:57 Ensuring Organisational Readiness for Coaching

42:42 The Importance of Trust in Coaching

43:19 Final Thoughts and Reflections

A qualified and experienced Coach, Rob Kemp is a Doctor of Coaching & Mentoring, (2021) holding an MSc in Coaching & Mentoring (2013), and a post-graduate certificate in coaching (2005).

He has coaching experience in the public sector, commercial organisations, education, not-for-profit and voluntary organisations. Sector experience in creative and digital industries, life sciences, new technology, low carbon and clean technology, with extensive experience of senior management and directorships in varied organisations, and specific responsibility for performance, learning and development. Rob was previously the large organisation liaison person (LOLP) for the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, and coordinator for East Midlands Regional Network.

You can find Rob’s paper on AI and coaching, written with Tatiana Bachkirova, at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17521882.2024.2368598#abstract

You can find us on Linkedin at

Matt Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hall-msb/

Naomi Ward: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-ward-098a1535/

Interbeing is made by Making Stuff Better https://makingstuffbetter.com/ and produced by Emily Crosby Media https://emilycrosbymedia.com/

In the fourth series of the MSB podcast, now rebranded as 'Interbeing', the focus returns to coaching and its values in supporting both self-reflection and cultivating generative relationships within educational environments. The term 'inter being,' coined by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, frames this season’s exploration of interconnectedness.

Hosts Matt and Naomi introduce guest Emma Sheppard, a passionate advocate for family-friendly schools, to discuss the impact of coaching on personal growth and professional development. Emma shares her experiences with coaching, her transition into motherhood, and founding the Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project. The episode delves into the challenges and opportunities for educational institutions to support their staff as multifaceted human beings, emphasizing the importance of listening, presence, and personal fulfillment in fostering a positive and thriving school environment.

00:00 Welcome to Series Four: Exploring Interbeing

02:03 Introducing Emma Shepherd: Advocate for Family Friendly Schools

03:18 The Power of Coaching: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

08:20 Emma's Journey: From Hopelessness to Empowerment

16:39 Balancing Motherhood and Career: The MTPT Project

26:01 The Role of Coaching in Supporting Parents

30:46 Creating Family Friendly Work Environments

40:59 Concluding Thoughts: The Human Experience in Education

Emma Sheppard founded The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project, the UK's charity for parent-teachers, whilst on maternity leave with her son in 2016. Having trained through Teach First as an English teacher in 2010, she continued to teach in the British International School, Ho Chi Minh, acting as Head of House, before returning to the UK as Lead Practitioner at an academy in South London. Here, she held responsibility for ITT provision, teaching and learning, and line managed the EAL department. In 2020, Emma began training as a coach with The Coaching Academy, and then relocated to the south of France with her family in 2021 to coach and run The MTPT Project full time.

The MTPT Project is the UK's charity for parent-teachers. From humble beginnings as a blog and a Twitter handle, inspiring, empowering and connecting teachers choosing to complete personal and professional development whilst on parental leave, The MTPT Project has grown into the voice of parent-teachers in the UK.

The charity runs training and networking events, provides 1:1 and group coaching to teachers on leave, and is the only organisation completing research into women aged 30-39 - the largest demographic to leave teaching every year. Since 2016, The MTPT Project has worked to tackle the motherhood penalty in education, to transform education into a sustainable and "life-friendly" career choice for all.

Find out more about MTPT at https://www.mtpt.org.uk/

You can find us on Linkedin at

Matt Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hall-msb/

Naomi Ward: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-ward-098a1535/

Interbeing is made by Making Stuff Better https://makingstuffbetter.com/ and produced by Emily Crosby Media https://emilycrosbymedia.com/

Welcome to the fourth series of the MSB podcast, now titled Interbeing. This season focuses on how coaching values can support school communities by encouraging inward reflection and outward, generative relationships. Inspired by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s concept of 'inter-being', this series explores the interconnectedness of all things. We engage in conversations with coaches and educators, dissecting where coaching succeeds and where it doesn't.

This episode, a bonus beginning to our new series, takes us back to our Re:Sourcing Yourself in Uncertain Times online conference in June. We hosted the inimitable Claire Pedrick, founder of 3D coaching and The Coaching Inn podcast, to have a “keynote conversation” with Naomi Ward, our Head of Learning.

It wasn’t at all rehearsed. Naomi and Claire opened the day – not with a speech and cue cards, but with a pause.

In a warm, unhurried conversation, they explored what it means to lead as the human you are, not just the role you play. Claire reminded us that presence often matters more than speed, and that resourcing ourselves is not indulgence but responsibility. Together, they modelled the quiet courage of listening well, noticing what keeps us steady, and letting go of doing more in favour of doing what matters.

For school leaders holding so much for others, it was a gentle provocation: Who – or what – is holding you?

In this episode, Matt begins with a recitation of Mickey ScottBey Jones's poem about creating 'brave spaces' and discusses the importance of honesty, vulnerability, and simplicity in dialogues. Claire Pedrick and Naomi Ward then lead an in-depth discussion on fostering meaningful conversations in school environments.

00:00 Welcome to Inter Being: Introduction and New Name

02:02 Setting the Tone: Creating a Brave Space

04:29 Introducing Claire: A Journey of Identity and Roles

05:56 The Essence of Conversations: Simplicity and Vulnerability

09:56 Navigating Transformational Conversations

18:51 The Power of Vulnerability in Leadership

24:35 Practical Tips for Effective Communication

38:36 Resourcing and Support: Personal Insights

40:55 Conclusion: Reflecting on the Dialogue

You can find us on Linkedin at

Claire Pedrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairepedrick/

Matt Hall: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hall-msb/

Naomi Ward: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-ward-098a1535/

Re:Sourcing Yourself in Uncertain Times: https://makingstuffbetter.com/resourcing-yourself-in-a-time-of-uncertainty/

Interbeing 2026:https://makingstuffbetter.com/interbeing/

Interbeing is made by Making Stuff Better https://makingstuffbetter.com/ and produced by Emily Crosby Media https://emilycrosbymedia.com/ and Kyra Kellawan