In this episode, host Neil Mackinnon is joined by Louise Nicholson, head of AoEC Ireland and Northern Ireland, executive coach, faculty member and AoEC alumna, to explore her journey into coaching and the experiences that have shaped her professional practice.
Louise reflects on how her early years competing in equestrian eventing fostered a deep interest in performance, resilience and human potential. She shares how these formative experiences, combined with a successful career in leadership consulting, eventually led her to discover executive coaching and undertake the AoEC’s Practitioner Diploma.
The conversation explores the value of coaching as both a professional discipline and a personal development journey. Louise discusses the impact of self-awareness, reflective practice and challenging coaching conversations, as well as the importance of finding a coaching approach that aligns with both coach and client.
Neil and Louise also examine the evolving coaching landscape, including the growing role of AI, professional accreditation, mentor coaching and the importance of staying connected through learning communities. They discuss how coaching continues to develop as a profession and why its human, relational nature remains as important as ever.
This is an episode about growth, self-discovery and the transformative power of coaching, both for those who practise it and those who experience it.
You can connect with our speakers here:
· Neil Mackinnon, faculty, the AoEC – host
· Louise Nicholson, head of AoEC Ireland and Northern Ireland and Taylor Clarke, faculty member, executive and team coach - guest speaker
