In this episode, the conversation centers on coaching within educational environments, emphasizing how coaching techniques align with and support both personal growth and community development. Our guest, Mai Mahmoud, shares her journey from initial skepticism to embracing coaching as a way of life, deeply integrated with her Islamic faith. The discussion explores the impact of cultural and linguistic context on the adoption of coaching practices and highlights the importance of listening, empowerment, and creating authentic relationships in educational settings.

00:00 Welcome to Inter Being

02:01 Introducing Our Guest: Mai Mahmoud

03:46 Mai's Journey into Coaching

07:39 The Impact of Coaching on Faith and Teaching

23:09 Creating a Coaching Culture in Schools

27:36 Reflections and Future Directions

39:48 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell

Mai Mahmoud is Head of Islamic and Social Studies in The British School Abu Dhabi. She holds a master’s degree in Teaching Methodology, and is passionate about nurturing young learners through faith-based education that emphasizes character, compassion, and connection. One of the most transformative experiences in her journey has been learning to coach, which helped her truly understand and respect the quality of listening — not just as a skill, but as a core value in human development. She blends her love of coaching deeply with Islamic principles that honor empathy, growth, and the dignity of every individual. Through her work, she aims to create spaces where children feel spiritually grounded and inspired to live with purpose.

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/

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/