Season One Finale

In this heartfelt season finale, host Melissa Hague reflects on the journey of the Courageous Coach podcast's first season. She revisits key insights from her conversations with remarkable coaches who shared their personal experiences with courage in coaching.

Episode Highlights:

• Different Faces of Courage: Jessie Buscombe revealed that courage often feels like discomfort rather than bravery, and sometimes others recognize your courage before you do
• The Power of Vulnerability: Mark Townsend emphasized that "the courage to not know" and exploring answers together with clients can be transformative
• Authenticity in Coaching: Jane Gilham stressed that showing up as our whole selves creates safety for clients to do the same
• Small Acts of Courage: June Hogan defined courageous coaching as "bringing my whole self into the space—not just my coach self, my human self"
• The Ripple Effect: Gayle Tong shared how "when I see someone else taking a courageous step, I think, if they can do that, why not me?"
• Beyond Models: Kerry Laker-Fry observed that coaching maturity isn't about collecting more tools but "trusting yourself enough to put them down and just be present"

Listener Challenge:

Melissa invites listeners to reflect on how their courage has grown throughout the season and identify where they might still be playing small. She encourages everyone to take one courageous action this week, reminding us that "courage grows with practice."

What's Next:

• Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn or via email at melissa@melissahague.com
• Coming in autumn 2025: The Courageous Coach Program, for coaches ready to go beyond techniques and embody courage in their work
• Season Two is in development and will bring more conversations about courage in coaching

"This isn't goodbye. It's just a pause. And I can't wait to bring you more conversations, more insights and more courage when we return for season two."

About the Jane Gilham:

Jane is an experienced HR leader and coach, who is passionate about people, understands how they drive business performance and most importantly what support they need to thrive.

Working at board level for 20+ years in Human Resourcing, her support of C-suite and leadership teams to achieve rapid business growth through MBO and PE investment has been a significant feature of her career to date, underpinned by leading, establishing, and growing HR teams to develop and implement the People Strategy.

She combines her skills as a consultant, interim and coach to nurture growth with individuals or team, and at the heart of her coaching practice is ability to work with others to have meaningful and hard conversations, that drives growth and have a lasting impact in the personal and professional lives. She is also a volunteer youth coach.

Jane is CIPD certified, a member of the Association of Coaching, Dare to Lead™ Trained and part of the Henley School for Coaching Alumni.

Links:

www.awarenesscoachinghr.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-gilham-8765a32b/

About the episode:

In this conversation, Melissa and Jane explore the themes of courageous coaching, the importance of vulnerability, active listening, self-care, and the ongoing journey of personal growth. Jane shares her experiences transitioning from a corporate HR career to coaching, emphasizing the significance of being authentic and present with clients.

They discuss the challenges of self-compassion, the emotional aspects of coaching, and the process of rebranding and redefining identity in the coaching space. In this conversation, Jane Gilham shares her journey of self-discovery, courage, and personal growth. She discusses the importance of finding purpose, the challenges of transitioning from a corporate career, and the value of reflection and journaling.

Jane emphasizes the significance of courageous conversations in both personal and professional relationships, and how embracing vulnerability has led to a more meaningful life. The discussion highlights the transformative power of courage and the impact it can have on coaching and personal connections.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

05:51 - The Importance of Active Listening

12:00 - Facing Change: Rebranding and Identity

15:00 - The Ongoing Journey of Courage Building

22:40 - Finding Purpose and Value in Life

29:32 - The Power of Reflection and Journaling

36:11 - Courageous Conversations and Relationships

39:04 - Embracing Vulnerability and Meaningful Living

You can find out more about the work I do to help coaches be more courageous with their clients, their business and their lives by:

Visiting my website - https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with me on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/melissa-hague

Sign up to my mailing list here - https://mailinglistsignup.melissahague.com/landing-page-8347

Or, If you’d like chat about all thing’s courage, then you can book a chat with me here - https://calendly.com/melissahague/let-s-talk

About the Mark Townsend:

I help leaders step into their full potential with courage, clarity, and confidence.

With over 25 years of experience in the education sector, I specialise in empowering professionals to lead with authenticity, navigate challenges with resilience, and create lasting impact in their organisations. I have worked closely with many head teachers, deputy head teachers, SENCOs, Phase Leaders, Heads of Year, and class teachers, as well as professionals from other industries.

As an Executive Coach, I take a client-centred, non-directive, and non-judgmental approach, ensuring that your unique journey remains at the heart of our conversations.

I truly believe that people are capable of incredible growth, and nothing excites me more than being a part of that transformation. I am also Dare to LeadTM trained—an experience that was both transformative and life-changing. Inspired by Brené Brown’s work on courage and vulnerability in leadership, I integrate these powerful principles into my coaching, helping clients build confidence, foster meaningful connections, and lead with integrity.

Whether you're an aspiring leader looking to elevate your career or a seasoned executive seeking a fresh perspective, I provide a space for deep reflection, strategi action, and transformational growth.

Links:

Website - https://marktownsendcoaching.com/

About the episode:

In this episode of the Courageous Coach podcast, Melissa and Mark Townsend explore the themes of courageous coaching, vulnerability, self-awareness, and self-love. Mark shares his journey from being a primary school teacher to a leadership development coach, emphasizing the importance of embracing vulnerability in coaching.

They discuss the difference between transformational and transactional coaching, the significance of self-compassion, and the challenges of leaning into discomfort. Mark reflects on his personal growth and the courage it takes to navigate change in both his professional and personal life. In this conversation, Mark Townsend discusses his journey of navigating change in his professional life, emphasizing the importance of support systems and the courage to ask for help.

He reflects on the transformative learning experiences he has had in building courage, setting boundaries, and extending generosity towards others. The dialogue highlights the significance of continuous growth and self-awareness in both personal and professional contexts, ultimately fostering resilience and connection.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction to Courageous Coaching

02:51 - Mark's Journey in Education and Coaching

08:47 - The Power of Self-Awareness and Self-Love

12:03 - Transformational vs. Transactional Coaching

14:49 - The Importance of Self-Compassion

21:00 - Mark's Call to Courage and Embracing Change

28:07 - The Power of Support and Connection

31:30 - The Courage to Ask for Help

39:08 - Living Big: Boundaries, Integrity, and Generosity

You can find out more about the work I do to help coaches be more courageous with their clients, their business and their lives by:

Visiting my website - https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with me on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/melissa-hague

Sign up to my mailing list here - https://mailinglistsignup.melissahague.com/landing-page-8347

Or, If you’d like chat about all thing’s courage, then you can book a chat with me here - https://calendly.com/melissahague/let-s-talk