Coaching Conversations with the AoEC
Welcome to the AoEC podcast series where we explore some of the latest trends and topical issues facing the workplace, coaching, leadership, and people development fields. Coaching skills are a new currency for the 21st century workplace and are increasingly crucial in unlocking potential, supporting wellbeing, and making businesses more viable and sustainable. Join us as we highlight how coaching can help individuals, teams and organisations scale the complex and fast paced change facing the world of work as we delve into topics including wellbeing, job design, talent management, engagement, L&D, management, change management and working with teams .If you have a subject you would like us to highlight, or want to share your thoughts on our podcasts, please use the hashtag #AoECPodcasts.
Coaching Conversations with the AoEC
Episode 17 – The Strength Report: Why coaching shouldn’t be a perk
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
In this episode, we sit down with Sam Heighway, founder of Be Business Fit and author of The Strength Report 2025, to unpack what 170 UK leaders and professionals told her about coaching in their organisations. The findings reveal a clear appetite for coaching, but also persistent barriers that keep it out of reach for many.
We discuss:
- Why coaching is a necessity for confident leadership, not a luxury for the few
- The gap between perception and reality: “coaching is for anyone” vs who actually gets it
- The hidden costs of not coaching and how to make the ROI case
- Practical steps to normalise coaching access across all levels
Whether you’re a senior leader, HR decision-maker or simply curious about how coaching strengthens culture and performance, this conversation offers insight, evidence and actionable ideas.
You can link with the speakers here:
- Karen Smart, faculty, the AoEC – host
- Sam Heighway, director and founder Be Business Fit - guest panellist