Coaching Minds

A huge thanks to for his opening session at our summit last week.

If you've missed it, you can catch the replay on all of our other Social Media channels.

🚀 Launching tomorrow... Episode 6, Season 2 of the CoachCast.

A huge thank you to our special guest, Joyceloy Kyompire and our cohosts, Ed and Jane.

How do you currently open your coaching sessions?

Are you spending too long talking about the weather? Rushing into progress since the last session? Giving the client too much space to chat about unnecessary topics?

Apply these 5 steps in your next coaching session for a better structure:

1. Create a space of psychological safety and presence.
2. Contract how you will work together.
3. Bring focus to the time you are spending together and how you can make it valuable.
4. If signs of distraction or anxiety, begin with a mindfulness exercise.
5. Start with the outcome and create something measurable.

Stay tuned for more Coachology videos.

Live tomorrow at 7pm UK.

Coachology in 20. Learn coaching concepts in 20 minutes. This upcoming week we will explore the 4 Cs of trust in coaching.

Bring your notebook, presence and open mind.

Edition 45 of Coachology in Practice: The Circles of Concern & Influence.

Learn two tools to manage worry and to help your clients focus on what they can control.

A snippet from our live session on Monday. Each week we teach coaching concepts in 20 minutes. This week we discussed the 5 key attributes of an impactful coach.

Find all full sessions on YT.

How is the coaching profession structured? Learn the different levels of coaching, the importance of ethics and contracting, and how EMCC and ICF accreditation builds credibility. Coaching Open Day.

In this third session of Coaching Open Day, Paul Smith explains how the coaching profession is structured – from entry-level certified coaches to accredited professionals.

Whether you're considering coach training or already practicing, this session gives you the roadmap to professional credibility.

� WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH:

• A clearer understanding of how the coaching profession operates
• The ability to distinguish between EMCC and ICF (including their different accreditation levels)
• Knowledge of why accreditation matters for your career and clients
• Understanding of ethics, contracting, and boundaries in coaching

� WHAT THIS SESSION COVERS:

• The different levels of coaching (certified → accredited → senior practitioner)
• Why ethics, contracting, and boundaries are non-negotiable
• EMCC vs. ICF: key differences and which path might suit you
• How accreditation builds credibility (with clients and employers)
• Practical steps to pursue professional recognition

� THIS SESSION IS FOR YOU IF:
• You're considering coach training and want to understand the professional landscape
• You're already coaching and wondering about accreditation
• You're confused by EMCC, ICF, and the different levels
• You want to build credibility as a coaching professional
• You care about ethics and professional standards

� ABOUT YOUR FACILITATOR:

Paul Smith is committed to making coaching affordable and accessible worldwide. As Managing Director of Coaching Minds, he leads programmes that develop coaches in transformational and organisational practice, supporting those pursuing EMCC accreditation.

He is an EMCC Senior Practitioner, ICF certified, ABM Business Mentor, and was recognised as Managing Director of the Year 2025. He holds these as milestones, not definitions.

Before coaching, Paul worked in legal services and account management within the UK water sector, alongside serving as a charity chairman of the Wear Surma Clinic (providing free healthcare to children in Bangladesh). He has also supported organisations including the Pipe Industries Guild, Institute of Water, and WaterAid.

Paul is an author of multiple coach education books, contributing to the development of the coaching profession.

His work is guided by fairness, service, and impact – supporting others in finding their own path.

� This session is part of Coaching Open Day 2026. Join us to explore coaching as a credible, structured profession.

� Watch the full Coaching Open Day series:
https://hub.coachingminds.co.uk

Thinking about becoming a coach? Learn what coaching really is (and what it's not), key skills every coach needs, and a practical tool you can use immediately. Coaching Open Day 2026.

Join this opening session to learn the basics of coaching – whether you're considering coaching as a profession or simply want to understand what coaches actually do.

Paul Smith will outline how coaching differs from teaching or consulting, and why listening skills matter as much as asking the right questions. Expect a mix of theory and short, practical exercises that you can try with a partner.

� WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH:

• A clear understanding of what coaching is (and what it is NOT)
• Key skills of a coach (practical, not just theoretical)
• A coaching tool you can explore and use immediately
• The difference between coaching, teaching, and consulting
• Why listening skills matter as much as questioning

� THIS SESSION IS FOR YOU IF:
• You're curious about becoming a coach
• You're not sure how coaching differs from other helping professions
• You want practical coaching tools, not just theory
• You're considering EMCC accreditation or coach training
• You want to learn from an experienced coach educator

� ABOUT YOUR FACILITATOR:

Paul Smith is committed to making coaching affordable and accessible worldwide. As Managing Director of Coaching Minds, he leads programmes that develop coaches in transformational and organisational practice, supporting those pursuing EMCC accreditation.

He is an EMCC Senior Practitioner, ICF certified, ABM Business Mentor, and was recognised as Managing Director of the Year 2025. He holds these as milestones, not definitions.

Before coaching, Paul worked in legal services and account management within the UK water sector, alongside serving as a charity chairman of the Wear Surma Clinic (providing free healthcare to children in Bangladesh). He has also supported organisations including the Pipe Industries Guild, Institute of Water, and WaterAid.

Paul is an author of multiple coach education books, contributing to the development of the coaching profession.

His work is guided by fairness, service, and impact – supporting others in finding their own path.

� This session is part of the Career Breakthrough Summit – Coaching Open Day 2026. Join us to explore coaching as a profession.

� Watch the full Career Breakthrough Summit series:
https://hub.coachingminds.co.uk

Join Paul Smith today for 6 sessions on coaching:

1. What is Coaching?
2. Coaching Demo
3. How the Coaching Profession is structured
4. AI in Coaching
5. An intro to CoachDog
6. Words from one of our graduates

Curious about coaching but don't have the funds to enrol on a programme?

Grab one of our books and learn from our Level 5 accredited programme.