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In this episode of She Leads Because She Can, Kathryn Hemming and I have an honest and frank conversation about coaching, talking about our experiences as two coaches who both experienced coaching ourselves before training to become leadership coaches.

Kathryn and I first met through the South East Asia WISE Women’s Book Group, which Kathryn established to bring together like minded women working in education. The group is part of WISE (Women in International Schools Empowerment), a women led initiative designed to inspire and empower both aspiring and established female educators and professionals in the international school community. Through opportunities to connect, share ideas and learn from one another, the network helps build relationships and supports women in their personal and professional development. It is a wonderful example of the power of women coming together to encourage, challenge and support one another.

We explore why coaching is so important, the difference between coaching and mentoring, and the value of working with a highly trained leadership coach who challenges you, supports you and helps you grow. If you have never had a coach, we hope this episode helps you gain greater insight into coaching and gives you a better understanding of the impact it can have on your leadership journey.

We talk about why coaching matters, whatever stage you are at in your career or how successful you may already be, and how it can help you become an even better leader. We also reflect on why some people are more open to coaching than others, why being challenged can be such a valuable part of the process, and why finding the right coach really matters.

We both loved having this conversation and hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording it.

Kathryn leaves us with some brilliant tips, including a reminder of just how important it is to ask for feedback if we want to keep learning, developing and growing as leaders.

As always, remember that you are very welcome to come on the podcast and have a chat with us!

If you enjoy the episode, please leave us a review and a five-star rating. It really does help us reach a wider audience and share these conversations with more women who are leading, growing and finding their way.

Thank you for listening!

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This week on the podcast, I am joined by Julie Keyes, founder of The Educational Coach.

Julie is originally a secondary school teacher and former deputy head who took the courageous step of setting up her own business in the UK. In 2024, she took another courageous step and moved her business to Dubai.

In this podcast, Julie talks openly and honestly about the challenges she has faced when things do not quite go according to plan, as well as the enriching experiences she has had along the way.

Julie shares how determination is key. She believes that confidence is 'built on receipts' as past experiences can remind us that we can do it. When she arrived in Dubai, she put that determination to the test by visiting thirty schools in thirty days. No mean feat! Her belief in what she can offer, combined with her determination to support schools, has certainly paid off.

Julie talks about the power of coaching to support us in the choices we make, and the importance of giving ourselves protected time to think things through and move forward, no matter how small the step.

She also reflects on the value of writing down or voice noting our thoughts and ideas, so that we can see patterns and have a better understanding of what is going on and what we need to do.

Julie shares her top tips with us, including:

· Write down your goals as though you have already achieved them.

· Focus on your strengths.

· Make use of your network and build deep connections with people throughout the world.

We hope this conversation benefits you and that you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed recording it.

If you would like to join me on the podcast, please let me know via social media.

Julie also ponders the question: Do men second-guess themselves as much as women?

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This is a podcast about female resilience, courage, strength, and knowing your own mind

In this episode, Mel Greenwood, a former international school leader, opens up honestly about returning to the UK and making one of the biggest decisions of her life: to have a baby on her own in her late 30s.

\Her story is incredibly honest and deeply human. It’s about taking a leap of faith, trusting yourself, and finding the courage to create the life and family you want, even when it does not look like the path you once imagined.

Mel talks candidly about:

🌱 Making the decision to become a mum on her own

❤️ The fears, doubts, excitement and emotions that came with that decision

🤰 Going through pregnancy and birth without a partner

👩‍👦 Becoming a single working mum and navigating the challenges that came with it

💪 Finding resilience when things don’t always go to plan

🌍 How society is changing and how women have more choices available to them

✨ Having the courage to reach out and create the life you want

🎧 Have a listen, and I hope Mel’s story inspires you as much as it inspired me.

If Mel’s story resonates with you, particularly if you’re considering embarking on a similar journey, Mel has very kindly offered to chat and share her experience. If you would like to connect with her, I would be delighted to put you in touch.

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Welcome back to the She Leads Because She Can Podcast, where we amplify the voices of female leaders around the world. The brand-new season starts with an honest and open conversation about leadership.

In this episode, Sue and Caz reflect on their own experiences of leading, the challenges, the lessons, the moments that have shaped them, and, perhaps most importantly, what they wish they had known earlier.

They revisit some of the comments, questions and insights shared by their guests in previous episodes and consider what they have shared about leadership, people and themselves.

This is a conversation about the reality of leadership, not just the successes, but the uncertainty, challenges and learning that happen along the way.

And there’s more…

They have some exciting news to share at the end of the episode, but you will need to listen all the way through to find out what it is!

We hope you enjoy the podcast and please let us know what resonates with you. If you would like to join us on the Podcast then please contact us through social media. Remember to give us a five star rating and leave a review so we can continue to amplify the voices of female leaders around the world.

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Aging Well — Redefining Careers Beyond 50

In this episode, Caz and Sue explore what it means to build a fulfilling career path into your 50s and beyond, especially for leaders who aren't ready to slow down. They challenge the assumption that later-career professionals should be scaling back, arguing instead that this stage of life often brings greater capacity, creativity, and value to contribute to the education sector.

The conversation doesn't shy away from the real barriers — both guests speak candidly about the embedded biases they've encountered toward older professionals within the system. But rather than dwelling on those obstacles, Caz and Sue share how they've carved out new, energizing paths forward: retraining in new areas, launching their own businesses, collaborating on school-based projects, and partnering with schools to support improvement efforts.

Their message is clear — a long career in school leadership doesn't have to end at a certain age. With the right mindset and opportunities, it can continue for as long as you want or need it to.

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In this episode, we sit down with Leisa Grace Wilson to explore the leaps of faith that have shaped her life and career. From her bold decision to relocate to the UAE, to stepping away from school leadership to pursue her passion for journalism, Leisa has consistently chosen courage over comfort — and she's refreshingly candid about how she does it.

Leisa opens up about her approach to self-doubt, sharing the self-talk strategies she uses to quiet her inner critics: facing negative thoughts head-on with facts, and making a deliberate, intentional choice to be brave. Her philosophy? Do it anyway — and if it doesn't work out, you'll figure it out from there.

She also gets honest about what truly challenges her in her work: people who aren't upfront about what's really happening on the ground. Authenticity and straight-talking matter deeply to her. Leisa also speaks passionately about women supporting women, framing it as a reciprocal relationship and urging listeners to be the person who gives someone else that important push when you can see their potential — even before they can.

Leisa leaves us with three pieces of advice to carry into our own lives:

1. Try lots of different things — you never know what will stick.
2. Everyone starts as an amateur — commit to consistent practice and you will improve.
3. Only what YOU think of yourself matters — the most important opinion is your own.

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In this episode, we sit down with Rachael Wilding, an experienced international school leader who has made the bold transition from working within school communities to forging her own path as an entrepreneur. In her most recent role as Director of Edsidera — a global extra-curricular awards company — Rachael is channelling her passion for education into something with worldwide reach and impact.

Rachael speaks candidly about what entrepreneurship really demands: self-motivation, grit, and the determination to keep going, even when the road gets tough. She emphasises the importance of building a strong support network and talks about the belief in herself that has been central to her journey. Her message to listeners is refreshingly direct — go for it.

Drawing on Joanna Povall's recently published book Kind Leadership, Rachael explores the many parallels she sees between its ideas and her own philosophy on leading schools and organisations. She believes the CHASE principles outlined in the book — modelled and actively taught — are essential for creating healthy environments where both students and adults can truly thrive.

Rachael closes the episode with three pieces of advice:

1. Build your network — the right people around you make all the difference.
2. Don't be afraid to talk about your struggles and failures — honesty and vulnerability are strengths, not weaknesses.
3. Enjoy the journey — say yes more, and back yourself.

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In this episode, we sit down with Mary Rose Connolly, founder and consultant at POSA Consulting, to explore her unique approach to school leadership and pastoral care. Mary describes her work as a “travelling pastoral system” — bringing tailored support, belief, and structure directly into schools. Her philosophy centres on one core conviction: that the right support for students and staff is not a luxury, but the very engine of school success.

Wellbeing as a Driver of Standards

Mary challenges the idea that wellbeing and high standards are in tension. For her, wellbeing is a driver of standards — it flourishes when an organisation knows its values, understands why it holds them, and can clearly articulate how those values translate into success. Crucially, she pushes back against vague wellbeing initiatives, arguing that lasting change requires clear, measurable outcomes. Without them, even well-intentioned efforts fade away.

Kind Leadership: Leading with Heart and Head

A central theme of the conversation is Mary’s advocacy for Kind Leadership — a philosophy of leading with your heart whilst holding yourself to account with your head. Far from being a soft option, she sees kindness as a genuine strength: something that can be woven into every interaction and every moment in the workplace and in life. Kind Leadership, in her view, is entirely compatible with being fiercely relentless in driving excellence — the two are not opposites, but partners.

Three Guiding Principles

Mary leaves listeners with three principles to carry into their schools and lives:

• Look out for each other — build a culture of genuine care and collective responsibility.

• Listen to each other — real listening is an act of leadership in itself.

• If you can’t change something, change how you see it — a quiet but powerful reminder that perspective is always within our control.