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Stu Barnes Coaching
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stubarnescoaching

Executive Coach | Empowering growth and transformation in Mid-Career Professionals through Career, Leadership and Personal Development
ARE YOU PLAYING TO YOUR STRENGTHS? In our drive t ARE YOU PLAYING TO YOUR STRENGTHS? In our drive to grow and succeed, we can often focus on fixing our weaknesses. But what if the key to unlocking your true potential wasn’t in fixing gaps but in amplifying your strengths? Strengths are our inherent and innate qualities or attributes that come to us naturally, that we enjoy using and feel energised by. AMPLIFYING YOUR STRENGTHS Understanding your strengths and amplifying them effectively can make you better equipped to navigate challenge, build resilience, and thrive: ⬆️ Well-being: Research shows that people who thrive at what they do strongly agree that they have the chance to play to their strengths everyday – reporting lower levels of stress, more energy, and better mental and physical health ⬆️ Fulfilment: Using strengths contributes to greater job satisfaction and sense of meaning – with research showing that people who strongly agreed they were excited to work every day were more likely to succeed at what they were doing ⬆️ Confidence: Understanding and amplifying strengths boosts self-acceptance, self-esteem, productivity, and self-confidence ⬆️ Growth: Building self-awareness of strengths can help when learning something new and experiencing things outside of the comfort zone, facilitating deeper personal and professional development ⬆️ Resilience: Developing strengths supports adaptation to change and embracing uncertainty, building resilience and the ability to bounce back from life’s challenges EXPLORING YOUR STRENGTHS Try these self-reflective questions: 💡 What are 3 strengths you can think of right away? 💡 When do you feel most energised? 💡 What do you get asked to help with by friends and colleagues? 💡 Think about the challenges you have faced – what strengths shine through? If you would like to explore how you can play more to your strengths to increase your confidence, performance, and fulfilment, I’d love to hear from you. What’s one strength that you can start to amplify right now? #coaching #midcareer #professional #strengths #powers #growth #learning #development #transformation #leadership #career #stubarnescoaching
SILENCE ISN’T A STRATEGY “If you think having SILENCE ISN’T A STRATEGY “If you think having uncomfortable conversations is hard, wait until you see the results of not having them” – Ignacio Carcavallo Avoiding difficult conversations might feel easier in the moment, but the long-term impact? Frustration, misunderstandings, disengagement, and missed opportunities. Challenging conversations come in many forms: 💬 Giving tough feedback – balancing honesty with empathy 💬 Asking for what you need – advocating for resources, promotions, or boundaries 💬 Addressing conflict – handling tension within a team or with stakeholders 💬 Navigating change – communicating difficult decisions with clarity and conviction Many mid-career professionals I coach find these moments challenging – not because they lack the ability, but because they fear the discomfort, the reaction, or the risk of getting it wrong. But silence isn’t a strategy and getting comfortable with uncomfortable conversations, it’s part and parcel of leadership. Through my coaching I create the space to explore these challenges, shift perspectives, and build confidence, helping leaders: ➡️ Understand what holds them back from speaking up ➡️ Develop clarity and conviction in their message ➡️ Practice and refine communication skills in a safe space ➡️ Build resilience to handle emotional or high-stakes discussions When my clients learn to embrace these conversations, they unlock better relationships, stronger teams, and greater influence. How do you approach tough conversations? #coaching #midcareer #professionals #communication #leadership #conversations #clarity #conviction #resilience #conflict #feedback #change #stubarnescoaching
A PATHWAY TO CLARITY Whilst out on a morning dog A PATHWAY TO CLARITY Whilst out on a morning dog walk, I found myself surrounded by a blanket of fog.  It made me reflect on the phrase ‘to clear the fog’ – a shift from one state (fog) to another (clarity) – and how this mirrors the challenges many of my coaching clients take on their career journeys. As a mid-career professional, navigating your career can sometimes feel like walking through a dense fog.  The challenge of evolving organisations, shifting market conditions, new technologies, and the complexities of balancing professional growth with personal priorities. These factors can lead to stress, indecision, and a lack of focus, making clarity hard to come by.  Yet, this stage of your career offers a unique opportunity: the chance to recalibrate, grow, and take the lead in shaping your future. As an executive coach, I help accomplished leaders and senior professionals clear the fog and step forward with clarity and purpose by: ⚛️ Creating a safe, confidential space – to pause, reflect, and process your thoughts ⚛️ Untangling challenges – breaking down complex situations and competing priorities to identify what truly matters ⚛️ Exploring possibilities – reframing your thinking to discover opportunities and align them with your goals ⚛️ Making informed, intentional decisions – shifting from overwhelm to focused action ⚛️ Building confidence to act – even when the path ahead isn’t perfectly clear If you’re navigating uncertainty and complexity in your career, I’d love to help you create space to regain focus and find your pathway to clarity. How are you creating clarity and purpose in your mid-career journey? #coaching #midcareer #careerclarity #leadership #growth #focus #development #change #uncertainty #transformation #clarity #stubarnescoaching
VALUES – YOUR GUIDING LIGHTS What matters most VALUES – YOUR GUIDING LIGHTS What matters most to you in your life? It’s a pretty big question to tackle, but it’s an important one. Understanding our values and living life with them in mind influences the decisions we make and in turn, how we choose to live our lives. Our values are our guiding principles – when we are aware of them they light our way. A value is something you believe to be important in the way you live your life. Everyone’s personal values will be different and yours will very much depend on who you are. Although they tend not to change at our core, our values may change over time as our context changes.  Pause for a moment of reflection: ➡️ How far do you understand your values?   ➡️ Where are you honouring these in your life?   ➡️ Where are your values not being served? 6 STEPS TO UNDERSTANDING YOUR VALUES  Now try the steps in the 2nd image!  This will allow you to start to understand your values and how they impact on your life and goals – where you feel at your best and most energised, or where you feel stress and need to realign and make some changes. COACHING & VALUES  I work with my clients to enable them to: 💡 Understand the things in their life that matter the most to them 💡 Build self-awareness and self-acceptance 💡 Review how far their goals are aligned with their values 💡 Foster willingness and commitment to change 💡 Reflect on their values to keep on track   If you’d like to deepen your understanding of your values and how they are showing up in your life, I’d love to work with you. Where do you feel you are truly honouring your values? #coaching #midcareer #professionals #values #growth #guide #goals #change #transformation #learning #development #stubarnescoaching
FINDING BALANCE  There are so many ways to descr FINDING BALANCE  There are so many ways to describe the elusive goal of achieving balance across our personal and professional lives:  💬 Work-life balance 💬 Work-life integration 💬 Work-life harmony …the list goes on… Call it what you will; I know from personal experience and as a professional coach that this challenge is deeply felt, especially for mid-career professionals.   Competing demands can lead to stress, burnout, reduced satisfaction, and strained relationships – all of which impact physical and mental health. That’s why finding the right balance across your whole life is so crucial. HOW COACHING CAN HELP Coaching can support mid-career professionals in managing their work-life balance and boundaries while achieving their goals across all aspects of their lives. In my coaching, I recognise clients as whole individuals – a unique blend of their experiences, values, and goals – and I support them in taking a holistic view of their priorities.  Together, we create space for reflection and action through: 👉🏼 Goals: Identifying core values and setting achievable goals that align with personal and professional aspirations 👉🏼 Prioritisation: Allocating time and energy effectively, focusing on what truly matters 👉🏼 Productivity: Building a toolkit of time management strategies to boost productivity without overwhelm 👉🏼 Stress Management: Developing techniques like mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation to navigate stress 👉🏼 Boundaries: Establishing and maintaining boundaries to protect time and energy 👉🏼 Resilience: Strengthening the ability to adapt to challenges and setbacks 👉🏼 Support Systems: Building networks of support at work and home The result? 🔄 Clients leave our sessions with intentional approaches that integrate their personal and professional lives, leading to improved wellbeing, greater satisfaction, and a stronger sense of fulfilment How do you find balance across your life? #coaching #midcareer #worklife #balance #synergy #integration #harmony #development #growth #wellebing #personal #professional #learning #stubarnescoaching
CURIOSITY, COMMUNITY & COACH DEVELOPMENT Last wee CURIOSITY, COMMUNITY & COACH DEVELOPMENT Last week was International Coaching Week 2025. I celebrated this with an inspiring post each day and the gift of coaching. At the same time, I celebrated being a coach by gifting myself with the time for continuing professional development and connecting with the coaching community. It reminded me that credibility as a professional coach isn’t claimed — it’s demonstrated.  That’s why I prioritise continuing professional development and actively engaging in professional networks and communities.  These aren’t just boxes to tick – they’re how I keep raising the bar in my practice and showing up at my best for clients. This is what CPD looks like for me: 📚 Lifelong learner – I invest in training, supervision, and reflection to deepen my skills and stay sharp 🔍 Curious and evidence-informed – I stay up to date with coaching research and industry insights 🛠️ Tried and tested tools – I refine and evolve the frameworks I use to deliver real impact 🎯 Focused on outcomes – CPD helps me tailor my approach to client needs with clarity and confidence 🔄 Always evolving – The best coaches never stop growing and evolving I benefit from professional networks and communities through:  🗣️ Shared wisdom – Learning from peers keeps my thinking fresh and grounded 🌍 Diverse perspectives – A strong network expands my lens and challenges my assumptions 💬 Supervision & support – Trusted spaces to reflect, be challenged, and grow 🤗 Giving back – I share experience and support others in the coaching community 📈 Raising standards – Great coaches lift each other up — and the whole profession with them Here’s a screenshot of one of the sessions last week. Can you spot me?! 👋🏼 What does CPD look like for you? #coaching #ICW #ICW25 #ICW2025 #internationalcoachingweek #CPD #CCE #professional #networks #communities #growth #learning #development #transformation #celebration #stubarnescoaching
ICW 2025 – IT’S A WRAP! It’s the final day ICW 2025 – IT’S A WRAP! It’s the final day of International Coaching Week 2025!  Here is a recap of the themes I explored this week and one last chance to access my ICW 2025 offer. ICW 2025 THEMES 📚 Tuesday: A client success story – ‘what next?’ The story focused on supporting a client to gain clarity on their career direction to find more meaning, purpose, and fulfilment 🚧 Wednesday: What’s the biggest barrier at this stage in your career? An interactive poll on the biggest barrier holding you back in your career, with implementable tips and advice from me 📈 Thursday: The Career Growth Workbook Access to a free resource – my Career Growth Workbook – to help you reflect, plan and take action on your career development ♻️ Friday: Leveraging skills & values for a fulfilling career My personal experience and insights on how understanding your transferable skills and core values can help you create a more fulfilling and purpose-driven career 🍃 Saturday: Coaching in nature – the benefits of being outdoors The benefits of coaching outdoors and how being in nature can help you reset, refocus and recharge ICW 2025 OFFER 🍃 Do you know someone who could benefit from my coaching? Perhaps a friend or colleague who feels stuck, wants to kick-start their career development, elevate their leadership impact, or invest in their personal growth?  ➡️ This is a chance for you to gift them a free 1-hour session with me. Simply email me at stu@stubarnescoaching.com to access the offer. THANK YOU Thank you for all your interaction and engagement this week, I’m truly grateful for your engagement and making ICW 2025 so much fun!  If my posts have resonated with you this week and you’d like to explore how coaching with me could support you in your career, leadership, or personal goals then I’d love to hear from you.   We start with a free 90-minute introductory session where we can get to know each other, explore your goals, and discuss how I can support you. You can book this via my bio. #coaching #ICW #ICW25 #ICW2025 #internationalcoachingweek #growth #learning #development #transformation #celebration #stubarnescoaching
COACHING IN NATURE – THE BENEFITS OF BEING OUTDO COACHING IN NATURE – THE BENEFITS OF BEING OUTDOORS It’s International Coaching Week 2025! To honour this celebration and contribute to the week’s goal, I’m sharing an inspiring post each day on the power of coaching and offering the gift of experiencing professional coaching with me For today’s post I’m sharing the benefits of coaching outdoors.  RESET, REFOCUS, RECHARGE In the midst of busy careers, family commitments, and the never-ending to-do lists, it’s easy to let our own wellbeing slip to the bottom of the pile.  For many mid-career professionals, work deadlines, family responsibilities, and the feeling of “not enough hours in the day” can push self-care to the back burner. But here’s the thing – stepping outside for a walk, even for just 15-30 minutes, can be one of the most effective ways to reset, refocus, and recharge.  Spending time being active outdoors isn’t just a ‘nice to have’, it can be a powerful tool for boosting mental clarity, reducing stress, and enhancing overall wellbeing.  This is why I love coaching outdoors – some of my clients most powerful breakthroughs come when we are outdoors, walking and talking in nature.  But why can it be so effective in coaching?  COACHING IN NATURE – THE BENEFITS Check out the video to hear about the benefits of being outdoors and my challenge to you this week! ICW 2025 OFFER 🍃 Do you know someone who could benefit from my coaching? Perhaps a friend or colleague who feels stuck, wants to kick-start their career development, elevate their leadership impact, or invest in their personal growth?  ➡️ This is a chance for you to gift them a free 1-hour session with me. Simply email me at stu@stubarnescoaching.com to access the offer. Check out Sunday’s post which wraps up the themes and key learning from ICW 2025.  #coaching #ICW #ICW25 #ICW2025 #internationalcoachingweek #growth #learning #development #transformation #celebration #stubarnescoaching
LEVERAGING SKILLS & VALUES FOR A FULFILLING CAREER LEVERAGING SKILLS & VALUES FOR A FULFILLING CAREER It’s International Coaching Week 2025! To honour this celebration and contribute to the week’s goal, I’m sharing an inspiring post each day on the power of coaching and offering the gift of experiencing professional coaching with me. For today’s post I’m sharing my personal experience and insights on navigating to a fulfilling career. Understanding your transferable skills and core values is vital in creating a more fulfilling and purpose-driven career:  ❓ How are you making the most of your skills and honouring your values in your working life? 🍃 Aligning your skills with your core values isn’t just a strategy; it’s the pathway to a fulfilling career. 🎧 Here’s my take on making it happen – take a listen to this extract from a recent podcast appearance. See my bio for full podcast. ICW 2025 OFFER 🍃 Do you know someone who could benefit from my coaching? Perhaps a friend or colleague who feels stuck, wants to kick-start their career development, elevate their leadership impact, or invest in their personal growth?  ➡️ This is a chance for you to gift them a free 1-hour session with me. Simply email me at stu@stubarnescoaching.com to access the offer. Check out Saturday’s post to learn about the benefits of coaching outdoors and how being in nature can help you reset, refocus and recharge. #coaching #ICW #ICW25 #ICW2025 #internationalcoachingweek #growth #learning #development #transformation #celebration #stubarnescoaching
FREE CAREER GROWTH WORKBOOK It’s International FREE CAREER GROWTH WORKBOOK It’s International Coaching Week 2025! To honour this celebration and contribute to the week’s goal, I’m sharing an inspiring post each day on the power of coaching and offering the gift of experiencing professional coaching with me. For today’s post I’m sharing a free resource – the Career Growth Workbook. As we navigate our careers, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and lose sight of the bigger picture… ❓ Where are we headed?  ❓ What truly matters to us?  ❓ How do we take meaningful steps toward the career we want? To support mid-career professionals in reflecting, planning, and taking action, I’ve created a Career Growth Workbook.  This self-coaching resource will help you: ✅ Assess where you are in your career ✅ Clarify your core values and priorities ✅ Envision your ideal future role ✅ Build a roadmap for action Whether you’re considering a career transition, seeking more fulfilment, or investing in your leadership capability, this workbook will guide you through the process. 🔼 Get your free copy via the link in my bio. 👇🏼 Share your insights – What’s one takeaway or action step you’ve identified from this resource? Drop it in the comments!  ICW 2025 OFFER 🍃 Do you know someone who could benefit from my coaching? Perhaps a friend or colleague who feels stuck, wants to kick-start their career development, elevate their leadership impact, or invest in their personal growth?  ➡️ This is a chance for you to gift them a free 1-hour session with me. Simply email me at stu@stubarnescoaching.com to access the offer. Check out Friday’s post for my personal experience and insights on how understanding your transferable skills and core values can help you create a more fulfilling and purpose-driven career. #coaching #ICW #ICW25 #ICW2025 #internationalcoachingweek #growth #learning #development #transformation #celebration #stubarnescoaching
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ICF Associate Certified Coach and Qualified ILM level 7 Executive Coach

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