This is the third in a series of blogs exploring how we naturally help people make change. If you haven’t read the first piece yet, start here: Why Coaching Anyone Doesn’t Require Experience - But Mentoring Does I want to be upfront about something before I start. I’m not a therapist. I’m not trained in counselling or psychotherapy. And I don’t pretend to be. That matters here because this is probably the distinction I get asked about most and it’s one where getting it wrong

Coaches spend most of their time resisting the urge to give answers. Mentors spend most of theirs learning when to hold their experience back. Neither is wrong but knowing which one you're doing, and why, changes everything about how the conversation lands. This piece breaks down what coaching and mentoring actually require, where they overlap, and why the best mentors quietly use coaching skills. Then find your own natural helper archetype with our free quiz.

Most of us have a natural default. Here's why it matters and what it could tell you about the way you work. A few years ago (a few more than I am willing to admit) I was offered a place at a university in Australia to train as a teacher. I knew I wanted to help people. I knew I wanted to work with others in a meaningful way. But something didn't quite connect. I deferred for a year, kept exploring, deferred again and eventually came across coaching, which I had already been d

There are many routes into coaching. Coaching remains an unregulated profession, which means standards can vary widely. Some are short courses. Some are self-study. Some are built from years of experience in leadership, mentoring, consulting or HR. Then, there are programmes accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) . Over the years, I’ve been asked many times: ‘Do I really need ICF accreditation?’ It’s a fair question. The answer isn’t about status or b

A reflection on what’s changed, what’s stayed, and why we still love this work On 14–16 January 2016, we ran our very first Certificate in Coaching, North Point's coach training programme. It’s strange to write that now. Ten years on, almost to the day. At the time, we had no real sense of what the next decade would hold. We had a programme we believed in, a clear philosophy, and a deep conviction that coaching could be taught in a way that was both robust and human.

Every January, more decisions to think, act and be different are made than at any other time of the year. Gyms fill, visions expand, planners are bought, and coaches hear the familiar phrase: ‘This year will be different.’ And what will most of these decisions come to? Nothing. Most of them fade long before February even begins. As coaches, we’ve all experienced a client (or potential client) who arrives filled with enthusiasm about changing their life this year . Yes, this

Feedback is one of those topics that seems simple in theory yet surprisingly tricky in practice. As a coach training provider, we see this all the time. Our students tell us that giving feedback can feel awkward, uncomfortable, and at times, even exposing. Receiving it can feel just as difficult, especially when it’s not delivered well. Most of us can remember a moment when feedback landed more like criticism than support. When someone told us something they thought it was he

A couple of weeks ago during Eid, I was writing and reflecting— looking back between a year and half ago and my here and now. As I was turning my notebook page after page, I saw some scribbles from my notes when I joined CPC (Certificate in Professional Coaching) Global Cohort 6 I learned a lot from Sarah, Matt, Cristiana, and Aws. (So grateful for all their efforts in coaching and mentoring me. It’s something I never knew I needed!). Journals are time capsules, indeed. A y

Dubai, UAE—March 16, 2023: We are thrilled to share about a new strategic alliance between North Point Academy UAE and KnowledgeWorkx to offer all our clients access to a deeper and more robust portfolio of solutions drawing from KnowledgeWorkx’s intercultural and North Point’s transformational expertise. Intertwined in our passion for equipping people with coaching skills and cultural agility, we have collaborated in numerous projects culminating in the co-creation of the Ce