The AC Podcast 285: From Judgment to Growth: Building Sustainable Coaching Culture in Education with Sue Smith
In episode seven of our Building Successful Coaching Cultures podcast series, host Rosie Nice interviews Sue Smith, Learning and Development Manager at East Lancashire Learning Group, about the transformative power of embedding coaching culture within large education organisations. Sue shares her experience of moving away from traditional, judgmental observation-based performance management toward a more supportive, developmental coaching approach. Through practical strategies including learning walks, professional learning conversations, and action learning sets, East Lancashire Learning Group has successfully fostered an environment where staff feel valued, psychologically safe, and engaged in their own professional growth.
Sue discusses how traditional observation and feedback methods, often perceived as judgmental and evaluative, can undermine staff morale and create a culture of fear rather than learning. By shifting to a coaching-led approach organisations can transform their performance management systems. Sue shares practical implementation strategies for embedding coaching into everyday practices, as well as the challenges faced. She emphasises the importance of ongoing learning and development support for staff in coaching practices, and the recognition that building a thriving coaching culture is a long-term journey requiring persistence, patience, and genuine organisational commitment.
Sue demonstrates how moving from a performance management mindset focused on judgment and evaluation to one centred on empowerment, curiosity, and collaborative growth can unlock significant benefits for both individuals and the organisation. The episode provides valuable insights for leaders and coaches working in educational settings, human resources professionals implementing coaching programmes, and any professional keen to understand how psychological safety and reflective practice can drive organisational change and improved staff engagement.
You will learn:
Β· How moving from a judgemental observation model to a coaching approach learning and development model dramatically improves staff engagement and wellbeing
Β· How to embed coaching into everyday conversations and practices as well as organizational strategy.
Β· Why persistence and long-term planning is key to embedding a coaching culture
"Sometimes it takes time to develop a culture, and we want to see results really quickly. but we just need to just continue delivering training continuing to model practice. and then eventually more and more people will embed that culture and culture across the organization."
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