Coaching with Confidence and Care

Rethinking Marketing for Coaches: From Avoidance to Inspiration

If the word "marketing" makes you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed, you're definitely not alone. Many coaches struggle with visibility, self-promotion, consistency, or the belief that marketing somehow requires them to become someone they are not.
In this episode, I share some personal reflections on how my relationship with marketing has evolved over the years and what helped me approach it in a way that feels more authentic, sustainable, and aligned with how I want to show up as a coach.
I'm not a marketing expert, and this is not an episode about strategies, funnels, or hacks. Rather, it's an invitation to view marketing through a relational lens and to see it as an extension of the same qualities we bring into coaching: curiosity, care, empathy, and genuine interest in people.
You'll hear about:
Why many coaches struggle with marketing and why I don't see those struggles as personal flaws;
How viewing marketing as relationship-building changed the way I approach visibility and consistency;
Why getting clearer about who benefits most from working with you can make articulating your value much easier;
How thoughtful marketing can normalize clients' experiences and help them feel seen and understood;
How visibility can become a developmental practice and an opportunity to cultivate the same capacities we often help our clients develop.
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with another coach who may be trying to find a more human and authentic way to approach marketing.
And if you haven't already, subscribe so you don't miss future episodes, especially if you're interested in the deeper, relational, and emotionally informed side of coaching.Coming up next:Preparing for the ICF Credentialing Exam. Don't miss it if the exam is part of your development plan in the coming months.
Let’s connect!
Want to bring more presence, confidence, and clarity to your coaching? I am here for that.
DM me on LinkedIn or visit upthinkcoaching.com to explore supervision, mentor coaching, or our accredited coach training programs.
Our next PCC Path (Level 2) - "Beyond the Tools: Advanced Coaching in Emotional, Intercultural & Relational Spaces"- begins in September, and the ACC Path (Level 1) opens in November.
Looking forward to supporting you on your journey.

Working with Resistant, Reluctant or Disengaged Clients

In this episode, I’m talking about one of the more uncomfortable dynamics in coaching: working with disengaged, resistant, or uncooperative clients.
Many coaches take client disengagement personally or immediately assume something is “wrong” with the coaching process. But very often, resistance communicates something important about the client’s experience, the organizational context, the coaching relationship, or the way change itself is being perceived. My perspective is that disengagement should be treated as process information rather than personal failure.
I wanted to approach this topic with more nuance and compassion, especially in organizational coaching where sponsorship dynamics, psychological safety, performance pressure, and lack of choice can significantly influence engagement.
I talk about:
Why clients may resist or disengage in coaching sessions, especially in organizational settings;
Why over-functioning as a coach can unintentionally increase client passivity;
The importance of rapport, transparency, and clarifying coaching expectations early on;
How coaches may unknowingly contribute to resistance;
What relational dynamics may actually be communicating;
How to address ruptures in the coaching relationship instead of avoiding them.
I share reflections from my own coaching practice, including situations where clients openly questioned the value of coaching, struggled to trust the process, or participated without genuine buy-in. These moments can feel uncomfortable, but they often contain valuable information about how people experience support, authority, vulnerability, and change.
This episode is also an invitation to approach resistance with more curiosity instead of defensiveness. Sometimes the most productive thing a coach can do is slow down, acknowledge what is happening relationally, and create space for an honest conversation about the process itself.
If you work with leaders, organizational clients, or simply want to develop a more relational approach to coaching, this episode will give you practical ideas for navigating disengagement without collapsing into rescuing, over-control, or self-doubt.
In the next episode, we’ll continue the theme of resistance from a different angle. We’ll talk about coaches’ relationship with marketing and why so many well trained and highly skilled practitioners still struggle to talk about their work openly. I’ll share some reflections on how marketing often becomes emotionally loaded, what helped me rethink it in a healthier way, and how to communicate your value without feeling fake, pushy, or transactional.
Enjoy other free materials:
Free Coaching Course for People Leaders:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/basic-coaching-skills-for-new-leaders
Mock ICF Credentialing Exam (PCC, MCC) from UpThink Coaching:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/mock-icf-credentialing-exam-pcc-mcc
PCC Marker Demo:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/pcc-marker-demo-session
Next ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs (for coaches who want to work at depth):
ACC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/become-a-coach/
PCC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/the-path-to-excellence-for-certified-coaches/

Working with Energy Shifts in Coaching

In this episode, I’m talking about energy shifts in coaching and what it actually means to work with them in a grounded, non-mystical way. For many coaches, this can feel unclear or even a bit uncomfortable. You might notice something change in the session, but then question yourself: did something really shift, is it relevant, or am I overinterpreting?
Let’s bring more precision to this.
Energy shifts are not about guessing or intuition in a vague sense. They are part of process information — observable changes in how the client is engaging in the moment. This can show up in pacing, tone, pauses, level of engagement, or emotional activation.
I talk about:
What energy shifts actually are and how to recognize them through observable, in-the-moment cues;
Why process information matters just as much as content for coaching outcomes;
How working with shifts supports deeper awareness and emotional processing;
The link between noticing shifts and strengthening the coaching relationship;
What happens when shifts are missed or ignored in a session.
I share a few practical principles and also walk through real examples of how subtle changes in a client’s energy can open up deeper, more meaningful work, if you stay with them.
If you want to move beyond content-focused coaching and develop more precision in how you work with what is happening in the session itself, this episode will give you a clear and practical way to approach it.
In the next episode, we’ll look at a different challenge: working with uncooperative or disengaged clients. Stay tuned.
 
Enjoy other free materials:
Free Coaching Course for People Leaders:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/basic-coaching-skills-for-new-leaders
Mock ICF Credentialing Exam (PCC, MCC) from UpThink Coaching:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/mock-icf-credentialing-exam-pcc-mcc
PCC Marker Demo:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/pcc-marker-demo-session
Next ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs (for coaches who want to work at depth):
ACC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/become-a-coach/
PCC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/the-path-to-excellence-for-certified-coaches/
 

Coaching Effectiveness: Key Factors and Measurement

In this episode, I’m talking about measuring coaching results and how to know if your work is actually effective.
If you’re newer, this can be especially tricky. You don’t yet have a long track record, and it’s not always clear what you can confidently say about outcomes. So you hesitate or default to vague language, which does not sound convincing.
Let’s look at what actually drives coaching effectiveness. It’s not just what the coach does. It’s a combination of client readiness, coach capability, the quality of the relationship, and the client’s real-life context.
I talk about:
What “ready for coaching” really means and how to recognise it during discovery calls;
A range of factors that make a difference to results;
The role of the working alliance (the coaching relationship);
How context (timing, environment, support) can either support or block change;
What levels of results you can observe.
And I touch on how to use pre–post comparisons without turning coaching into evaluation, so you can track progress without losing the quality of the relationship.
If you want a clearer way to talk about results and to understand what’s really changing for your clients, this episode will give you a practical structure to work with.
In the next episode, we’ll talk about “energy shifts” in coaching: what that actually means and how to work with it.
Enjoy other free materials:
Free Coaching Course for People Leaders:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/basic-coaching-skills-for-new-leaders
Mock ICF Credentialing Exam (PCC, MCC) from UpThink Coaching:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/mock-icf-credentialing-exam-pcc-mcc
PCC Marker Demo:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/pcc-marker-demo-session
Next ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs (for coaches who want to work at depth):
ACC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/become-a-coach/
PCC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/the-path-to-excellence-for-certified-coaches/

Working with Metaphors

In this episode, I am talking about working with metaphors in coaching — one of the most powerful ways to deepen awareness in a session.
Metaphors show up naturally in how clients speak. We look at how to notice metaphors that actually matter, how to stay with them in a way that supports the client’s thinking, and how to use them to create meaningful shifts without turning the session into something abstract or disconnected from the client’s goal.
I talk about:
How to recognize which metaphors are worth exploring
What makes a metaphor “alive” and useful in the moment
How to explore a metaphor through simple, clean questions without leading the client
Ways to deepen the metaphor using sensory detail and embodiment
How to create shifts inside the metaphor and then connect them back to real action
And where coaches may take a less effective path.
I also share real question examples that support the metaphor work in different ways.
If you’re a coach who wants to work at more depth without adding unnecessary complexity, this episode will give you a practical way to start using metaphors more intentionally and more effectively.
In the next episode, we’ll shift the angle a bit and talk about the conditions that actually make coaching effective. I’ll bring in both research and field experience to explore what really drives impact in coaching conversations.If you want to watch an interview with an experienced Clean Language coach and watch a coaching demo that only uses metaphors, we have one on our YouTube Channel. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/V-rf5oZtdcE?si=7JbzWVUw0wB7eons
Let's connect!Connect with me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/luba-diasamidze/) or send an email at info@upthinkcoaching.comEnjoy other free materials:
Free Coaching Course for People Leaders:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/basic-coaching-skills-for-new-leaders
Mock ICF Credentialing Exam (PCC, MCC) from UpThink Coaching:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/mock-icf-credentialing-exam-pcc-mcc
PCC Marker Demo:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/pcc-marker-demo-session
Next ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs (for coaches who want to work at depth):
ACC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/become-a-coach/
PCC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/the-path-to-excellence-for-certified-coaches/

When and How to Interrupt in Coaching Sessions

In this episode, I talk about interruptions in coaching — a topic that brings up a lot of questions and uncertainty for coaches. Many coaches were taught that good coaching means letting the client speak without interruption. So when a client talks for a long time, goes in circles, or drifts away from the goal of the session, coaches often hesitate. They wonder: Am I allowed to interrupt? Does that mean I’m not listening well enough? Will it damage the relationship?
This episode looks at interruptions from the perspective of professional coaching competencies and real coaching practice. Interruption is not automatically a mistake. When it is done with a clear coaching purpose and in service of the client’s process, it can become a useful intervention.
In this episode, I talk about:
What core coaching competencies say about interruptions;
What “a clear coaching purpose” for interruption actually means;
How to contract with clients around interruptions so they understand when and why you might step in;
How to navigate the relational side of interruptions, including fears about breaking rapport and why repair is a normal part of a strong coaching relationship;
How to check your own internal motives before stepping in, so the intervention truly serves the client.
I briefly walk through the most common questions I hear from coaches about interruptions: ethical concerns, fears about power dynamics, worries about damaging the relationship, and uncertainty about when the timing is right.
If you’ve ever wondered whether interrupting a client is appropriate in coaching  and how to do it in a way that supports awareness and forward movement this episode will give you a clearer way to think about it.
In the next episode, we’ll talk about metaphors in coaching. When a client says something like “I feel stuck” or “It’s like I’m carrying the whole company on my back,” what do you actually do with that? How do metaphors open insight, and when can they take the conversation off track?
 
Enjoy other free materials:
Free Coaching Course for People Leaders:podia.com/basic-coaching-skills-for-new-leaders
Mock ICF Credentialing Exam (PCC, MCC) from UpThink Coaching:podia.com/mock-icf-credentialing-exam-pcc-mcc
PCC Marker Demo:podia.com/pcc-marker-demo-session
Next ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs (for coaches who want to work at depth):
ACC Path: https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/become-a-coach/
PCC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/the-path-to-excellence-for-certified-coaches/

Leader as Coach: Laser Coaching. Effective 15-minute Sessions

In this episode, I am talking about laser coaching sessions: those short, 15–20-minute conversations that can create a shift when done well.
Most leaders don’t have an hour per team member every week. And even if they want to coach more, they often don’t know how to make a short conversation meaningful. So they either avoid coaching altogether or they end up giving advice because it feels faster.
This episode is about doing it differently.
We look at how to make short conversations intentional, focused, and actually developmental (not disguised micromanagement). Not every topic belongs in a 15-minute space.
I talk about:
Why shorter sessions require a narrower goal and how to define it
How to contract explicitly so people understand what you’re doing
How to create momentum so the conversation doesn’t just circle around the problem
How to check whether the options feel complete before moving to action
And how ending with reflection helps people build independent problem-solving capacity
I will also address the risk of going too deep when you don’t have enough time to integrate what you’ve unpacked.
If you’re a leader experimenting with coaching, this episode will give you a simple structure you can try immediately and a way to hold the conversation so it actually moves somewhere.
In the next episode, we’ll talk about something many coaches struggle with: talkative clients who go off on tangents and fill the entire space. How do you hold the space for them without shutting them down? How do you interrupt respectfully? Let’s talk about that.
Enjoy other free materials:
Free Coaching Course for People Leaders:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/basic-coaching-skills-for-new-leaders
Mock ICF Credentialing Exam (PCC, MCC) from UpThink Coaching:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/mock-icf-credentialing-exam-pcc-mcc
PCC Marker Demo:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/pcc-marker-demo-session
Next ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs (for coaches who want to work at depth):
ACC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/become-a-coach/
PCC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/the-path-to-excellence-for-certified-coaches/
 

Leader as Coach: Key Coaching Moments at Work

In this episode, we explore what it really means for a leader to act as a coach and when it actually makes sense to do so.
Many leaders want to incorporate coaching into their leadership style, yet struggle with the practical question: When should I coach, and when should I simply lead, direct, or mentor? This episode brings clarity to that distinction and offers a structured way to recognize real coaching opportunities in everyday leadership contexts.
We explore:
The most common trigger situations that signal a coaching opportunity
Four core coaching intentions you can hold as a leader
Coaching mindset qualities to cultivate as a leader
How to “step out of coaching mode” ethically when expertise is needed.
If you are a leader who wants to empower your people without giving up your expertise, this episode offers some real-world examples and practical guidelines.
Coming up next:
In the next episode, we move into laser coaching: how to design and deliver high-impact 15–20 minute conversations that create focus, ownership, and forward movement without turning into surface-level check-ins.
Enjoy other free materials:
Free Coaching Course for People Leaders:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/basic-coaching-skills-for-new-leaders
Mock ICF Credentialing Exam (PCC, MCC) from UpThink Coaching:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/mock-icf-credentialing-exam-pcc-mcc
PCC Marker Demo:upthinkcoaching.podia.com/pcc-marker-demo-session
Next ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs (for coaches who want to work at depth):
ACC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/become-a-coach/
PCC Path:https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/the-path-to-excellence-for-certified-coaches/

How to Ask More Powerful Questions

In this episode, we explore what makes a coaching question truly powerful and why lists of powerful questions are useless.
I see powerful questions as an emergent outcome of a coach’s presence, listening, relational attunement, and capacity to stay with uncertainty. Powerful questions do not come from performance or preparation; they arise when the right internal and relational conditions are in place.
Much of the difficulty coaches experience with asking impactful questions has little to do with not knowing what to ask, and much more to do with how they listen, how attached they are to outcomes, and how comfortable they are with ambiguity, discomfort, and vulnerability, both their own and the client’s.
In this episode, I explore:
What defines a powerful question and how it differs from content-deepening or information-gathering questions
How trust, relational presence, and generative listening create the conditions for impactful questions to emerge
The role of timing, attunement, and emotional readiness in whether a question lands or falls flat
How noticing what is not being said (somatic cues, emotional shifts, gaps, or contradictions) can lead to deeper inquiry
Practical ways to work with frames of reference, assumptions, and systemic patterns in a client’s thinking
Why powerful questions are closely linked to the coach’s own tolerance for ambiguity, complexity, and not knowing.
If you find yourself searching for the “right” question, worrying about sounding “insightful enough”, or feeling pressure to perform as a coach, this episode offers a grounded, relational, and psychologically informed way to rethink what powerful questions really are and where they come from.
Coming up next:
In the next episode, we shift to a more practical focus on laser coaching: how to work effectively and with depth in short, focused conversations, particularly relevant for leaders and coaches working within tight time constraints.
Enjoy Other Free Materials:
Free Coaching Course for People Leaders: upthinkcoaching.podia.com/basic-coaching-skills-for-new-leaders
Mock ICF Credentialing Exam (PCC, MCC) from UpThink Coaching: podia.com/mock-icf-credentialing-exam-pcc-mcc
PCC Marker Demo: upthinkcoaching.podia.com/pcc-marker-demo-session
Next ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs (designed for coaches who want to work at depth):
ACC Path: https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/become-a-coach/
PCC Path: https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/the-path-to-excellence-for-certified-coaches/

Establishing Measures of Success: How Do We Know a Session Worked

In this episode, let’s explore one of the most common questions that comes up in coach training and mentor coaching: how to establish clear and meaningful measures of success for a coaching session.
Rather than treating measures of success as a technical requirement or a box to tick during contracting, let’s look at them as a relational practice that serves the client first. Measures of success are not there to help the coach manage the session; they help the client clarify what would make the conversation truly useful, satisfying, or complete for them.
Much of the difficulty coaches experience with measures of success has little to do with not knowing how to ask the question, and much more to do with presence, listening, and the ability to stay with uncertainty. Working with measures of success often mirrors a coach’s own relationship with uncertainty, time, and results.
In this episode, I explore:
Common patterns that make measures of success feel elusive or “hard to get”
How presence, deep listening, and curiosity allow success criteria to emerge naturally
Different ways clients define success, including internal shifts, emotional resolution, learning, clarity, or a felt sense of completion
Practical ways to recognize and co-create measures of success using the client’s own language
If you find yourself unsure whether you are “doing contracting right,” or if measures of success sometimes feel awkward, forced, or overly formal, this episode offers a grounded and relational way to think about them.
Coming up next:
In the next episode, we shift to a very practical focus on the art of asking powerful questions by looking at what makes a question impactful, deep, and capable of opening something new in the client’s thinking.
 
Enjoy Other Free Materials:
Free Coaching Course for People Leaders: upthinkcoaching.podia.com/basic-coaching-skills-for-new-leaders
Mock ICF Credentialing Exam (PCC, MCC) from UpThink Coaching: podia.com/mock-icf-credentialing-exam-pcc-mcc
PCC Marker Demo: upthinkcoaching.podia.com/pcc-marker-demo-session
Next ICF-Accredited Coach Training Programs (designed for coaches who want to work at depth):
ACC Path: https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/become-a-coach/
PCC Path: https://upthinkcoaching.com/coach-training-development/the-path-to-excellence-for-certified-coaches/