My Approach to Coaching and Facilitation
Good coaching and facilitation start with creating the right conditions: honesty, clarity, and the kind of thinking that leads to real change.
My role is to hold a safe and confidential space, to respond with professional skill and warmth, and to support you or the group in achieving the goals, dreams, success you want. I bring non-judgment to every conversation, and I bring high expectations. Those two things work together. They’re what make the work meaningful.
A Whole-Person Approach
Leadership doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens inside a whole human being, someone with a history, a set of values, competing pressures, relationships that matter, and a life that extends well beyond their job title.
That’s why my coaching is whole-person coaching. We look at the fuller picture: who you are, what you believe about yourself and your work, what patterns keep showing up, and what becomes possible when those patterns shift.
This approach takes more time and more honesty than a checklist or a framework. It also produces deeper, more lasting change, the kind that doesn’t evaporate when the next difficult situation arrives.
As the Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki said:
“Each of you is perfect the way you are . . . and you can use a little improvement.”
That tension, accepting yourself fully while growing into something more, is where the most rewarding coaching work gets done. I hold both sides of it, always.
What You Can Count On
Everything you share with me stays with me. Full stop. The coaching relationship only works if you can be completely honest, and that requires knowing that what you say in our sessions goes no further.
I believe that every person brings experiences, strengths, wounds, resilience, and beauty to their life and work. You will not be assessed, categorized, or evaluated. You will be met where you are.
Non-judgment doesn’t mean I won’t challenge you. I will ask the questions that matter, including the ones that are uncomfortable. I will offer perspective when it’s useful and push back when I think something deserves a second look. I do that because I care about where you’re going.
After every coaching session, I send you a personalized follow-up that includes commitment work: strategies, reflections, and activities designed specifically for where you are and what you’re working toward. Real growth requires real effort between sessions, and I’ll make sure you have what you need to do that work.
My approach to coaching is aligned with the ICF Core Competencies of the International Coaching Federation. My facilitation practice is endorsed by the International Association of Facilitators. I pursue ongoing professional development because I hold myself to the same standard of growth I invite in the people I work with.
My Facilitation
When I’m facilitating a leadership retreat, a governance workshop, a strategic planning session, or a conference talk, the same principles apply, scaled to the group.
My job is to design and hold a process that allows the group’s best thinking to surface, where every voice has a place, where meaningful conversations can happen, and where the outcome belongs to the people in the room.
I read rooms carefully and adapt in real time. I bring warmth to make the experience human and rigour to make it productive.
“Babs has energy and calmness, knows how to read and manage the room, and expertly facilitates ideas, participation, and respect. In my experience, this is a rare combination and Babs is a rare being.”
— M., City Councillor, Metro Vancouver
“Our weekend retreat with Babs was magical. We had been through a tough time and were struggling with trust and safety. Babs held space and guided us through the conversations and healing in a way that was more than we could have imagined and exactly what we needed.”
— G., Executive Director and D., Board Chair, Non-profit Organization
Always Learning
I’m a librarian by training and a learner by disposition. I read widely, pursue ongoing certification, and share what I’m thinking about through the Courageous Leaders Project newsletter, a regular dispatch of leadership reflections, reading recommendations, and courageous conversations.
The thinkers whose work most shapes my practice include Brené Brown, Christina Feldman, Edgar Schein, Simon Sinek, and Margaret Wheatley. You can read more about how their ideas inform my work on the About page.
Start with a Conversation
I offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation, a chance to get to know each other, talk through what’s on your mind, and explore whether working together makes sense. No commitment, no pressure.