Every community we are part of will, by its nature, provide a sense of belonging.

Coaching and Community

Coaching can be isolating. While creating a safe space for myself and my clients is rewarding, it can also be lonely. Client confidentiality and the personal nature of coaching add to this feeling, especially when working individually rather than in a collective coaching business. Supervisors help, but the focus remains individual.

The Meyler Campbell community has been invaluable in addressing this isolation. As a member of the learning syndicate, alums, and now faculty, I find solidarity in a group of like-minded individuals who believe in helping others perform better by accessing their internal and external resources. This commonality is refreshing in a world where many prefer to tell rather than listen. It fosters connections with people from diverse backgrounds, allowing open discussions on behavioural change, psychology, and leadership. As a result, I am a better coach.

The learning aspect is another significant benefit. It’s easy to connect with colleagues or alums to discuss coaching issues. For example, hearing how alums use AI in their practice is fascinating. I value the learning aspect of being part of a community, constantly pushing myself to try new methods and techniques. I incorporated AI-generated images into my practice after seeing an example at a Meyler Campbell event. This playful, creative, and non-corporate method helps unlock thinking. Asking a client, “What does that feeling/blocker/limitation look like?” now has a whole new meaning.

One aspect of mental health that I see coming up regularly is resilience, especially among minorities. Reviewing their ‘life story’ and highlighting their agency in professional and personal lives brings a renewed sense of power and optimism. Coaching can illuminate how they have shown up for themselves in ways they may not have considered or dismissed as ‘just me’.  In that regard, I feel coaches can support our clients’ mental health, allowing them to see themselves in a new light and providing a renewed sense of possibilities and power.

Addressing exclusion in professional communities is crucial. There is a misguided belief that networks centred on care, empathy, and listening are free from exclusionary practices. Sharing professional interests does not eliminate social differences or structural barriers affecting minorities and marginalised groups. Exclusionary behaviours can induce stress and contribute to mental health challenges for those expecting these communities to be more enlightened. We must work to make these communities more inclusive by welcoming diverse voices and perspectives. Failing to do so can foster stress and disconnect among minority groups.

I also think it is vital to ensure that, as individuals, we try to access as wide a range of ‘communities’ as possible.  Every community we are part of will, by its nature, provide a sense of belonging to parts of us – not all of us. My tennis community offers something very different from Meyler Campbell, but they are both essential to my well-being. We must actively seek out groups and communities that allow us to fully be ourselves and be realistic about our expectations from any one community.  

Sheldon Daniel 

Sheldon forges new thinking and drives change in companies and individuals by tackling thorny issues in leadership and communications, particularly across countries, cultures, and corporate functional spaces.