Kathryn M O'Connell Edu

Writing this newsletter is its own kind of practice. Each month I reflect on the themes I have been noticing and share them here; it is equal parts vulnerable and liberating.

A theme coming through my thoughts in this issue: the language we use with ourselves and the emotional intelligence we bring to others. Leadership is, stubbornly and reliably, an inside-out practice.

As leaders, are we tending to our inner world with the same care we give to everything else? Walking across a street in Malaysia, I experienced a mindset shift, mid-crosswalk. I was there to celebrate my daughter's graduation, travelling with her and her two best friends.

Hiring an instructional coach is not the same as building a coaching culture.

I believe every teacher should have a coach, and every school leader should be one. That is how we humanize education in the face of AI.

The schools that invite me to do this work are on that journey. Building something where coaching is not occasional, not reserved for those flagged for development, not dependent on one coordinator's energy. Where it becomes the everyday language of how a school grows. Together.

Vulnerably, I am sharing Version 1.0 of the Coaching Maturity Framework I have been building to map that journey. Seven levels. From coaching as absence to coaching as a school's social DNA.

This is a collaboration between my thinking, ChatGPT design, Dr. Shiny Burcu Unsal, ICF MCC, NLPT, PhD, M.PsyD Mindset, Coaching Skills AI refinement, and Anthropic's Claude review and research. (hashtag Academic Integrity is so important!)

The descriptors come from what I have observed in schools over 30+ years. What I see and what I hear...

Where is your school on the framework? Let me know in the comments.

And if you want to talk about what moving along it could look like for your school, send me a DM.

If you have advice or guidance on the framework, I would love to geek out on coaching in schools with you. Let me know in the comments.

If you want to explore what this journey could look like for your school, book an appointment. Link in the comments.

With care and compassion from Cambodia.

#iben #edsplorer #fellowedsplorer | Kate O'Connell, MA.Ed, ICF PCC, IBEN Hiring an instructional coach is not the same as building a coaching culture. I believe every teacher should have a coach, and every school leader should be one. That is how we humanize education in the face of AI. The schools that invite me to do this work are on that journey. Building something wh...

This month's Human Advantage is the most personal one I've written — it starts on a staircase, ends with my dog Benji, and somewhere in the middle asks a question I think every leader in education needs to sit with. Read it, and let me know what lands for you.

Are we working hard because the work calls us or because the habit of proving ourselves never quite lets go? There were two moments when I stopped being a school leader. The first was during COVID.

In moments of uncertainty, I pay close attention to where I choose to place my energy.

Today, I am celebrating the start of my second cohort of Neuro-Shine Technology™ Level 1 and focusing my energy on the possibility that coaching brings to the world.

After class; I felt that familiar excitement signal in my body that says...
This work matters!

As my heart breaks for the oppressed, teaching others through an ICF-accredited course feels like taking action to make the world a better place.

My heart can see how coaching can humanize our communities and, hopefully, as is my goal: to humanize education.

I care about creating space and time for humans to develop the skills to sit with complexity, hold emotional truth, and create the conditions for a client’s inner truth to emerge without force, performance, or fixing.

Neuro-Shine Technology™ does this by integrating NLP and neuroscience, emotional intelligence and heart-science, and leadership communication with advanced coaching skills.

This is why I teach coaching:
When the mind, heart, language, and nervous system are working together, influence becomes natural.

If you’re feeling the pull to coach or to deepen how you lead, there is still time to join one of our cohorts.

For many, these are hard times, and coaching can help.

There is space for you. PM me.

With care and compassion,
Kate

is now live, and we’re currently shaping our very first event in Cambodia.

WomenEd began as a simple idea: that women in education thrive when they are seen, supported, and connected, not in competition, but in community.

If you’re a woman working in education in Cambodia (or connected to the region) and you’re curious about leadership, growth, community, this space is for you. PM me to join our Telegram Group.

More details coming very soon.
For now, I just wanted to say: we’re here: Lex Hamilton, Takayo Kajino, Natasha Hilton, Hackett

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

hashtag បានចាប់ផ្តើមដំណើរការហើយ ហើយពេលនេះយើងកំពុងរៀបចំ ព្រឹត្តិការណ៍ដំបូងរបស់យើងនៅកម្ពុជា។

WomenEd ចាប់ផ្តើមពីគំនិតសាមញ្ញមួយ៖ ស្ត្រីក្នុងវិស័យអប់រំរីកចម្រើនបានល្អបំផុត នៅពេលពួកគេត្រូវបានមើលឃើញ គាំទ្រ និងភ្ជាប់គ្នា — មិនមែនក្នុងការប្រកួតប្រជែងទេ ប៉ុន្តែក្នុងសហគមន៍។

ប្រសិនបើអ្នកជាស្ត្រីដែលកំពុងធ្វើការក្នុងវិស័យអប់រំនៅកម្ពុជា (ឬមានការភ្ជាប់ជាមួយតំបន់នេះ) ហើយអ្នកមានការចាប់អារម្មណ៍លើភាពជាអ្នកដឹកនាំ ការរីកចម្រើន សហគមន៍ ឬជំហានបន្ទាប់ក្នុងដំណើររបស់អ្នក — កន្លែងនេះគឺសម្រាប់អ្នក។

ព័ត៌មានលម្អិតបន្ថែមនឹងមកដល់ក្នុងពេលឆាប់ៗនេះ។

សម្រាប់ពេលនេះ យើងគ្រាន់តែចង់ប្រាប់ថា៖ យើងនៅទីនេះហើយ។

hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

Many people wonder about coaching until they hear someone describe how it shifted their clarity, confidence, or direction.

The Luminary Launch Webinar introduces an integrated approach combining NLP, ICF core concepts, Neuro-Shine Technology™, and live, hands-on learning.

If you’d like to understand coaching through lived experience, these stories are a powerful place to start.

Luminary Launch Webinar Join the NeuroShine Technology (NST) Faculty discuss the success story from joining the NST Level 1 Coaching Education course to become an ICF Certified Coach.

Educators, Teachers and Leaders!

TIES 2026 is coming! February 7, 2026!

A new year is a great opportunity to refresh your approach to learning. I have to admit, I haven't missed a TIES yet.

This year’s focus is on practical, hands-on inquiry grounded in the realities of teaching in the age of AI.

TIES is where educators come to:
• spark new ideas
• learn from people doing the work (think Trevor MacKenzie, Kimberly L. Mitchell and Guy Claxton)
• and leave with approaches you can use immediately

It’s always energizing.

If you’re looking for professional learning that gets you excited, for FREE, this is it!

You don't have to ask your school for permission or find funding; you just need to clear Saturday, February 7th, and register. Link in the comments!

Hope to see many of you there.

With care and compassion from Cambodia,
Kate

It was the morning of my birthday recently. My kids and I were heading to my favourite hotel for a long, indulgent breakfast. The kind with good coffee, sunlight, and nowhere to rush to. In the tuk tuk on the way there, my son asked me a question I didn’t expect.

"So mom, in all your 53 years, what is the most important thing you have learned?"

The question actually choked me up, and once I gained composure. I answered,

"We think the hardest things we’ll ever do are outside of us. We think we have to: Work harder. Get the job. Earn more. Prove something.

But the hardest work is the inner work. Noticing our patterns. Taking responsibility for our reactions. Changing behaviours that once protected us… but now limit us. That inner work is the hardest of all."

It’s also the work I keep returning to — personally and professionally.

So this year, I am deciding to write it down.

I’ve started a monthly newsletter with three sections:
• What I’m thinking
• What I’m doing
• How I can help

It’s called The Human Advantage on LinkedIn. If we are connected on LinkedIn - I would love your thoughts.

If we aren't, I have the extended version, or expanded version on Substack of the 'What I’m thinking' section.

Finding Flow... When Working Harder Isn’t the Answer

Happy New Year! 💫
As we create goals for 2026, what do you wish for your leadership? Do you feel pulled to grow your leadership in new and inspiring ways - that maximize your professional and personal potential?

Over time, I’ve come to see that the deepest shifts in leadership come from how we listen, how we hold space, and how we stay grounded when the work is complex or humanly tender. That’s the heart of coaching.

It is my belief that coaching, when practiced with depth and integrity, has the capacity to humanize education.

On January 27, 2026, I’ll be teaching the Neuro-Shine Technology™ Coaching Certification – ICF Level 1 (ACC Path) with the Academy of Neuro-Shine Technology. https://lnkd.in/gQ5CAtYS

This pathway supports leaders and educators to develop presence, discernment, and ethical practice; foundations that quietly shape trust and long-term impact.

If this resonates with where you are right now, I’d love to welcome you into this cohort.

Happy New Year!

✨ Happy Holidays! ✨

A small invitation as we head into the new year…

I’ll be facilitating the International Baccalaureate workshop Leading the Learning (Category 1) in Singapore, and we’re one participant away from running the workshop.

If you are or know IB Leaders :

at a candidate school's beginning their IB leadership journey
or
at a school interested in exploring IB leadership and learning more deeply

This could be a wonderful opportunity to pass along.

📍 Location: UWCSEA, Singapore
📅 Dates: 30 January – 1 February 2026

Leading the Learning is a powerful starting point for leaders who want to align vision, culture, and learning—grounded in IB philosophy and real-world practice.

If someone comes to mind, I’d be grateful if you shared this with them—or feel free to reach out with questions.

🔗 Workshop details & registration:
https://www.ibo.org/en/event/205087?wsid=974efc1a-ece7-4424-9ebb-ab7004e6775f

Warmly,
Kate
Thanks in advance!

www.ibo.org