Edgy Ideas

<div> <strong>Show Notes<br> </strong>In this episode Simon speaks with Tatiana Bachkirova, a leading scholar in coaching psychology. They explore how AI is impacting on the field of coaching and what it means to remain human in a world increasingly driven by algorithms. The discussion moves fluidly between neuroscience, pseudo-science, identity, belonging, and ethics, reflecting on the tensions between performance culture and authentic human development.<br> They discuss how coaching must expand beyond individual self-optimization toward supporting meaningful, value-based projects and understanding the broader social and organisational contexts in which people live and work. <br> AI underscores the need for ethical grounding in coaching. Ultimately, the episode reclaims coaching as a moral and relational practice, reminding listeners that the future of coaching depends not on technology, but on how we choose to stay human within it.<br> <br> <strong>Key Reflections</strong> </div> <ul> <li>AI is often a solution in search of a problem, revealing more about our anxieties than our needs.</li> <li>Coaching must evolve with the changing world, engaging complexity rather than retreating to technique.</li> <li>The focus should be on meaningful, value-driven projects that connect personal purpose with collective good.</li> <li>AI coaching risks eroding depth, ethics, and relational presence if not grounded in human awareness.</li> <li>Critical thinking anchors coaching in understanding rather than compliance, enabling ethical discernment.</li> <li>The relational quality defines coaching effectiveness - authentic dialogue remains its living core.</li> <li>Coaching should move from performance and self-optimization to reflection, purpose, and contribution.</li> <li>Human connection and ethical practice sustain trust, belonging, and relevance in the digital age.</li> <li>The future of coaching lies in integrating technology without losing our humanity.</li> </ul> <div> <strong>Keywords</strong><br> Coaching psychology, AI in coaching, organisational coaching, identity, belonging, neuroscience, critical thinking, human coaching, coaching ethics, coaching research<br> <br> <strong>Brief Bio</strong><br> <strong>Tatiana Bachkirova</strong> is Professor of Coaching Psychology in the <a href="http://www.brookes.ac.uk/iccams/">International Centre for Coaching and Mentoring Studies</a> at Oxford Brookes University, UK. She supervises doctoral students as an academic, and human coaches as a practitioner. She is a leading scholar in Coaching Psychology and in recent years has been exploring themes such as the role of AI in coaching, the deeper purpose of organisational coaching, what leaders seek to learn at work, and critical perspectives on the neuroscience of coaching.  In her over 80 research articles in leading journals, book chapters and books and in her many speaking engagements she addresses most challenging issues of coaching as a service to individuals, organisations and wider societies.</div>

<div> <strong>Show Notes</strong><br> In this special 100th episode of Edgy Ideas, we mark a moment of reflection and celebration. Simon is joined by a panel of thoughtful voices; Chris Yates, Leslie Brissett, Eleanor Moore and Hetty Einzig, to explore a topic close to the heart,  the soul at work  and what it means to live a good life amidst the turbulence of our times. They reflect on the quiet yet powerful force of soul, not as something otherworldly, but that which connects us more deeply to ourselves, to each other, and to the work we do. The panel discusses: how do we re-enchant the workplace? How do we speak about 'soul' without falling into cliche or sentimentality? And how do we cultivate a spirituality that is lived, relational, and grounded in everyday acts?<br> Their conversation weaves personal stories with collective insights, inviting you into a space where the sacred and the secular meet.<br> Enjoy this rich and resonant conversation as we mark a century of episodes, and step forward soulfully into what comes next.<br> <br> <strong>Key Reflections</strong> </div> <ul> <li>Edgy Ideas has evolved to meet the moment - seeking pathways to live well in disruptive times.</li> <li>Soul at work is not a luxury, but a necessity - a call to engage the whole person: mind, body, and essence.</li> <li>Everyday spirituality matters. It's found not in lofty ideas, but in presence, care, and connection.</li> <li>Work can uplift or diminish the soul - context and culture matter.</li> <li>Relational dynamics are the hidden architecture of soulful work.</li> <li>Activism and soul are not opposites - activism can be a soulful practice.</li> <li>Grace appears in the ordinary fleeting moments that illuminate meaning.</li> <li>Sacred spaces can be created anywhere we choose to be present.</li> <li>Soul embraces the paradox - the light and the dark, joy and struggle, both shaping who we are.</li> <li>To witness another with kindness is perhaps the most radical act of all.</li> </ul> <div> <strong>Keywords</strong><br> Soul, Spirituality, Connection, Presence, Grace, Wholeness, Meaning, Authenticity, Relationships, Transformation, Soul at Work, Everyday Spirituality <br> <br> </div>

<div> <strong>Show Notes</strong><br> In this episode of Edgy Ideas, Simon Western is joined by David Rothauser, psychoanalyst, organisational consultant, and executive coach, to explore the practice of analytic listening. They discuss what it means to listen beyond words, to hear silences as much as speech, and to create spaces where deeper human connection becomes possible. Their discussion explores the role of voice and transmission and how psychoanalytic traditions of listening extend into coaching, consulting, and organizational life. Attention is given to how cultural and historical contexts shape psychoanalytic practice, and how listening itself can become a radical act in today’s fast-paced world. The exchange is punctuated with insights and stories from practice. As David notes, “Analytic listening is not just about hearing words; it’s about understanding the unspoken and creating a space for genuine connection.” This episode invites listeners to consider listening not as a passive skill but as an active stance that redefines relationships, organisations, and communities.<br> <br> <strong>Key Reflections</strong> </div> <ul> <li>Analytic listening is introduced as a concept with deep significance for today’s world.</li> <li>Consideration is given to the role and nuances of psychoanalytic listening in coaching, consulting and organizational life.</li> <li>The challenge of sustaining safe spaces for expression within complex organisational systems is examined.</li> <li>Receptivity to conscious and unconscious communications in learning psychoanalysis and the similarities to transmission of knowledge in various spiritual traditions is explored.</li> </ul> <div> <strong>Keywords</strong><br> Psychoanalysis, Coaching, Analytic Listening, Human Connection, Receptivity, Safe Spaces<br> <br> <strong>Brief Bio</strong><br> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrothauser/">David Rothauser</a> is a psychoanalyst, organizational consultant, executive coach, educator and supervisor. He maintains a private psychoanalytic practice, leads training groups for coaches and consultants, and engages senior leaders and their teams in reflective practice. David has coached and consulted in a range of industries, including entertainment, PE- and VC-backed tech startups, data analytics, the commercial space industry, cyber security, real estate, healthcare, and education. He trained in coaching supervision at Oxford Brookes University, executive coaching at Columbia University, psychodynamic group leadership at the Center for Group Studies, and psychoanalysis at the Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies, where he is on faculty. David is based outside of Philadelphia.<br> <br> <br> </div>

<div> <strong>Show Notes</strong><br> In this episode, Simon is joined by Natalie to open up the existential questions that lie at the heart of coaching: What does it mean to live well? How do we find meaning in a finite life? How do we coach for authenticity, freedom and responsibility?<br> Far from being bleak, existentialism is revealed here as a liberating practice. Death is not avoided but faced - giving urgency and clarity to our choices, reminding us that life is finite and must be lived meaningfully. This conversation shows how reinvention is possible at any stage of life, and how helping others can deepen our own sense of happiness and fulfillment.<br> Together, Simon and Natalie highlight the value of micro meanings - the everyday rituals, relationships and joys that ground us in significance. They reflect on the importance of structure in supporting growth, while also recognising the liberation that comes when we accept life’s pointlessness and take responsibility for creating meaning ourselves. To live authentically, we must face uncomfortable truths, resist “bad faith,” and embrace freedom with courage.<br> Existential coaching, then, is less about problem-solving and more about opening a space where clients can explore their choices, discover what matters, and move towards a life without regrets. It speaks to the universal human pursuit of meaning, and to the possibility of finding spirituality and depth even in the midst of uncertainty.<br> <br> <strong>Key Reflections</strong> </div> <ul> <li>Coaching at its best creates space for clients to face the uncomfortable truths of freedom, choice, and responsibility.</li> <li>Awareness of death can deepen our sense of aliveness and urgency to live meaningfully.</li> <li>Micro meanings - rituals, relationships, and small daily joys - are vital in shaping a good life.</li> <li>Bad faith often creeps into coaching conversations, and part of the coach’s role is to gently challenge it.</li> <li>Balancing structure and freedom is essential, both for personal growth and for effective coaching practice.</li> </ul> <div> <strong>Keywords</strong><br> existential coaching, good life, meaning, spirituality, death, personal growth, coaching psychology, self-discovery, relationships, happiness<br> <br> <strong>Brief Bio</strong><br> Dr Natalie Lancer CPsychol is a Chartered Coaching Psychologist, experienced supervisor and Former Chair of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Coaching Psychology (DoCP). She coaches a range of people from doctoral students keeping up their motivation and self-belief to get their thesis over the line, to young people applying for their first job, as well as female executives and retired professionals, often using The Eight Tensions framework. She runs professional development and training for coaches and coaching psychologists including Eight Tensions Coach Training (based on existential psychology), Coach Development Club and The School of Supervision. Natalie is a Master’s and PhD supervisor at the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling. In 2016, she co-authored ‘Techniques for Coaching and Mentoring’ with David Clutterbuck. She also is a stand-up comic and performed most recently at the BPS DoCP 2025 Conference.</div>

<div> <strong>Show Notes:</strong><br> Simon Western is joined by Yoko Kunii Aldous - lecturer, coach, hypnotherapist and cultural translator - to explore the deeper roots of this Japanese concept, revealing it to be less a “life purpose formula” and more a way of being-in-the-world. <br> Yoko reflects on her journey from Japan to the UK and how living between languages and cultures opens up inner landscapes. She shares the real history of Ikigai - not as a productivity hack, but a pre-capitalist way of locating oneself in community and cosmos - and interrogates why the popular Western Venn diagram (“what you love, what you’re good at…”) oversimplifies and erases its cultural nuance. Drawing on Japanese concepts, Yoko frames language as a worldview where nature, spirit, and objects are integral to self-understanding. She speaks of spirituality in everyday life - from cherry blossoms to chopsticks - and explains why Ikigai should be seen as fluid, shifting across life stages and relationships, rather than as a fixed endpoint. The conversation explores the tension between individualism and collective responsibility, asking whether one can truly have Ikigai without caring for the village. From embracing imperfection through wabi-sabi, to recognising sacrifice and service as pathways to fulfilment, the episode challenges Western coaching to move beyond self-improvement toward a more relational, ecological, and culturally entangled way of living.<br> <br> <strong>Key Reflections:</strong> </div> <ul> <li>True Ikigai cannot be pinned down or defined - it must be lived</li> <li>Culture shapes not only what we think, but how we feel our way into meaning</li> <li>Japanese aesthetics embrace imperfection (wabi-sabi) as essential to beauty and purpose</li> <li>Spirituality in Japan is woven into the everyday - from teacups to trees</li> <li>Personal meaning and collective wellbeing are not separate projects</li> <li>Every item has a spirit</li> </ul> <div> <strong>Keywords:</strong><br> Ikigai, cultural insights, coaching, psychology, Japan, Western perspectives, personal development, spirituality, Venn diagram  <br> <br> <strong>Brief Bio:</strong><br> <strong>Yoko Kunii Aldous</strong> is an award-winning university lecturer, coach, and language and culture trainer for the Ministry of Defence. She holds an MA in Applied Linguistics and an MSc in Coaching Psychology, and is a certified coach, hypnotherapist, and yoga instructor. Her background in language and communication informs her work in higher education, cross-cultural training, and personal development coaching.<br> Her latest research explores how the Japanese concept of Ikigai is understood and applied by non-Japanese coaches. Her study critically examines how Ikigai is interpreted and integrated into coaching practices outside Japan, revealing common misconceptions and promoting a more culturally authentic understanding. This work was recognised with the Best Early Career Research Paper award by BPS Division of Coaching Psychology.<br> By integrating Eastern philosophy with Western psychological theory, Yoko offers a coaching approach that is reflective, holistic, and grounded in cultural nuance. She supports individuals and professionals in aligning their core values with purposeful action, towards meaningful and sustainable change.</div>