Secrets From a Coach - Debbie Green & Laura Thomson's Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In these noisy complicated times,  we're prompted to ask an essential question: What does it mean to be compassionate? And does it mean being overly soft? Throughout this mini-series, we explore the world of quality human thinking in our ever evolving world of work.  In this second episode, we explore why compassionate thinking is the companion to accountability - and require...

Send us Fan Mail In this dawning age of AI, we're prompted to ask an essential question: What kind of thinking is uniquely human? Throughout this mini-series, we explore the world of quality human thinking in an AI-ready world. This isn't about resisting AI - it's about developing the human capabilities that become even more valuable alongside it. In this first episode, we explore w...

Send us Fan Mail In this final episode of our 4-part mini-series well about Working Parents we focus on the big topic of confidence. Confidence doesn’t usually disappear overnight, but parenthood can make it feel that way. One day you’re the organised, high-performing version of yourself who can handle anything, and the next you’re running on broken sleep, new responsibilities, and a brain that fe...

Send us Fan Mail Returning to work after parental leave can feel like stepping onto a moving treadmill while everyone else acts like nothing changed. We hear that quiet panic all the time: Can I still do this? Will people see me differently now? What happens when childcare falls apart and my kid gets sick again? We go straight into the invisible worries returning parents carry, and how the identit...

Send us Fan Mail In this second in our Working Parent mini-series we explore how to navigate the move from colleague to parent. Because…  you can love your job and love your kid and still feel like you’re failing both by lunchtime!  We get honest about the working parent reality behind the scenes: the mental load, the guilt that points in every direction, and that split-second “work home switch” w...

Send us Fan Mail In this first in our 4-part focus on Working Parents - Making The Balance Work, we explore how to navigate the shift in identity when first becoming a parent. Debs has been a parent coach for many years, working with organisations to help people navigate new parenthood so they can return to work and thrive.  Returning to work after having a child is about much more than just logis...

Send us Fan Mail In our final of our 5-part focus on Healthy Coping Mechanisms, David Stokes, Network Delivery Manager for Network Rail’s control centre, shares how teams cope in a high-pressure operational environment where they never know what will happen next. A major theme is how much attitudes have shifted around mental health and coping. David reflects that people are now more comfortable sa...

Send us Fan Mail In this fourth in our 5-part focus on healthy coping mechanisms, we explore how to cope in the moment when things get stressful. We explore the impact of our physiological response and instinct in these moments: You can’t “time manage” your way out of a crisis shift. When the pressure hits and the moving parts won’t stop moving, the difference often comes down to one thing: whethe...

Send us Fan Mail In the third episode of our Healthy Coping Mechanisms mini-series, Debs is joined by railway operations professional and radio presenter Lee Everest to explore how hobbies can help us cope, recover and reconnect with ourselves. Lee works in a high-pressure rail environment where clear decisions, safety and service all matter. He shares how, after years of bringing work home in his...

Send us Fan Mail Content note: This episode includes references to suicide bereavement and grief . In the second episode of our Healthy Coping Mechanisms mini-series, we are joined by rail incident controller Tom Curcher for a powerful and honest conversation about coping under pressure, building trust, and recovering after difficult experiences. Tom shares a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight...

Send us Fan Mail In this first in our 5 part mini-series looking at healthy coping mechanisms, we explore a practical proactive wellness toolkit for coping in the moment, recognising stress and making sensible choices under pressure. 

Send us Fan Mail In this third episode in our miniseries looking at Powerful Presence we are thrilled to be joined by performance coach Tony McAllister who unusually, was the coach for both the Olympic and Paralympic Skiing Teams.   He shares his perspective and advice for enabling a team to perform under pressure. Mindset, preparation and a one-team attitude. 

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to our second episode in our Powerful Performance mini-series and this one is all about staying calm, getting into flow (not fluster) state and shifting from anxiety into anticipation. We share simple tools for keeping on the front foot including situations like performance reviews and creating a sense of readiness that balances presence with preparation. 

Send us Fan Mail Confidence isn’t about being louder, bolder or more polished. It’s about being so rooted in who you are that your presence speaks before you do. As Lau works in Montreal for the week, in this episode Debs is joined by Karl for a rich and honest conversation about what confidence really looks like. Beyond performance, perfection or simply looking the part. Together, they explore th...

Send us Fan Mail In a world of constant notifications, endless scrolling and AI-generated everything… what makes someone truly stand out? In this episode, we kick off our Powerful Presence mini-series by exploring what it really means to 'lock in' -  to be fully present, intentional and impactful in the moments that matter. We explore why presence isn’t about being the loudest voice in t...

Send us Fan Mail In the final in our 4-part focus on Mentoring, we dig into why mentoring is a serious advantage in a world where roles are changing fast and teams need to adapt without losing hard-won practical wisdom.  We share how mentoring builds confidence, transfers knowledge across generations, and turns culture into a real engine for collaboration and growth.  Hearing from an incredible ra...

Send us Fan Mail As part of our focus on mentoring, we explore what separates an extraordinary mentor from someone who simply gives advice. We hear from real voices and practical tips from people who have mentored and been mentored.  We keep coming back to mentoring as a relationship built on curiosity, listening, and consistent commitment that benefits both people and future-proofs the way we wor...

Send us Fan Mail In the second episode of our Extraordinary Mentors mini-series, we explore how early-career mentoring turns talent into traction by building confidence, clarity, and judgment. We hear real stories and practical insights from a range of contributors about the powerful role a mentor can play in kickstarting a career. Guests share how mentors open doors, normalise struggles, and bala...

Send us Fan Mail In this first episode in our 4-part focus on the Magic of Mentoring, we unpack why mentoring is the fastest, most human way to close skills gaps, transfer culture, and build confidence in a time-poor, AI-shaped workplace.  We define mentoring against training and coaching, set boundaries, and share practical ways to start and sustain great partnerships.  Sharing tips for working a...

Send us Fan Mail In our fourth and final episode of our Incredible Teams mini-series we explore how to inspire a team to perform - and most importantly maintain high standards of excellence as the default. 

Send us Fan Mail What if the real unlock for high performance isn’t a big idea… but a steady beat? This 4-part mini-series is all about Incredible Teams, using the Tuckman Team Dynamics model as inspiration for creating or sustaining great teamwork. In this episode, we explore the Norming stage of team development- the quiet but crucial phase where discipline, awareness and consistency turn ‘getti...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when tension rises in a team? Do you address it directly, or hope it blows over? This 4-part mini-series is all about Incredible Teams, using the Tuckman Team Dynamics model as inspiration for creating or sustaining great teamwork. In this episode, we explore the Storming stage of team development and why conflict isn’t a setback - it’s a signal. When differences surf...

Send us Fan Mail How quickly do you trust new colleagues? Do you start at 100% trust and let it erode, or at zero and build it over time? This 4-part mini-series is all about Incredible Teams. Using the Tuckman Team Dynamics model as inspiration for creating or sustaining great teamwork. In this episode, we explore the Forming stage of team development and why clarity -not chemistry- is the true f...

Send us Fan Mail How do we motivate ourselves in a healthy, sustainable way: and is pushing harder really the answer? In this final episode of our Fresh Starts mini-series, we’re joined by sports scientist Danielle Peters, who shares insights from working with amateur and professional athletes, people in rehabilitation, and those seeking better all-round health through understanding their bodies....

Send us Fan Mail What does balance really look like when life feels busy, full and always 'on'? In this third episode of our Fresh Starts mini-series, we reframe work–life balance as life–work balance: because life comes first. Using the reality of our finite 168 hours a week, we explore how time and energy are limited resources, and why constant stretch is often a sign that the give has...