Coincidental Coaching is the blog of Mark Sexton.
Mark is co-founder of Aspiration Experts Ltd and Head of the coaching profession at the Intellectual Property Office.
Having spent many years as a coach and running the IPO’s internal coaching network, alongside my day job heading up a patent examining group, I thought it would be useful to begin to gather together some of the advice and pitfalls that have proved informative over the years and hopefully pepper these with some tools and techniques that have enriched my practice.
The coaching community is an enthusiastic and eclectic bunch and I hope that in sharing the things I’ve found handy, other people working in and around the field will be able to point me towards other nifty things that I’ve missed (there’s so much out there).
To work with me or James come visit our site at https://www.aspirationexperts.com/about
My Latest Posts
- Unfreezing and gratitude in the New Year
Happy New Year! As I prepare to return to work tomorrow, tapping away at this blog, the couple of weeks annual leave seems to have breezed by fearfully quickly. Still, I’ve picked up a half price calendar for my office wall. (I seem to go alternate years of being given surplus calendars for Christmas, or… Read more: Unfreezing and gratitude in the New Year - What Steeleye Span can teach us about longevity
The author reflects on their lifelong passion for music, particularly their appreciation for Steeleye Span, a band that’s witnessed generational admiration in their family. They draw parallels between the band’s evolution and their experience managing a dynamic team at work, emphasizing the importance of cultural clarity and adaptability in both contexts. - Podcast Review – Off Menu
Happy advent everyone. This week I’ve been pondering what food I’ll be sorting for Christmas and nipping out to some of Cardiff’s diverse food shops to pick up bits and bobs for the home-made hampers I’m now encouraged to pull together (seeing as my friends and family now generally have anything that they really want,… Read more: Podcast Review – Off Menu - Am I becoming a silverback gorilla?
Mark reflects on how the way he is perceived has changed over time, noting instances where colleagues have highlighted his talkativeness, resemblance to bugs bunny but also his gravitas and wisdom. He emphasizes the importance of confidence built through experience and self-reflection, suggesting that this allows for a more authoritative presence and a deeper understanding of limitations. - Setting boundaries
“I drew a line…” by Toon Tellegen https://www.poetrybooks.co.uk/blogs/news/poem-a-day-i-drew-a-line?srsltid=AfmBOopRblbayLbu8kRiVxMYeRqj4wRXrvbsL7dFppycOXpSXWG_m38y The setting of boundaries in coaching/client relationships (and for coaches within their own coaching competence and practice) is another theme that has regularly cropped up in supervision sessions. It’s also a common topic that comes up from coachees in a variety of ways in the challenges that… Read more: Setting boundaries - Bursting the bubbles – Swn music festival – Cardiff (2025 edition)
Talking about Cardiff’s Swn Festival and the way in which you can use conferences and festivals to widen your view - People who make the time, not just those who have the time
(Structuring an internal coaching network – part one) A topic that I have been called upon for advice time and time again has been on how to structure an internal coaching network. Coaching, as a profession, has ebbed and flowed over the past two decades, and businesses and organisations have similarly ploughed money and time… Read more: People who make the time, not just those who have the time - Looking back at six eventful months of Aspiration Experts Ltd
In the past six months, the coaching consultancy founded by James and the Mark has laid a platform, using mountain climbing metaphors and eclectic approaches to help clients navigate challenges. They’ve created valuable coaching tools, shared insightful blog content, which has fostered strong coachee and coach relationships. Facing down minor administrative hurdles on the way. The future looks intriguing. - Making peace with your personal wasps
The plum tree outside of my partner’s office window heralds that Spring has properly arrived with a glorious display of blossom which usually coincides with April fools day. It’s a bit hard to tell what variety of plum it might be, as it has grown impressively tall over the years and now towers around three… Read more: Making peace with your personal wasps - Podcast review – Happiness and how to get it (HAHTGI)
This week I review a podcast that I found both light and breezy, but that was packed with top tips that are great for coaching. I’m not sure if I was a late adopter of them or whether they were late bloomers but podcasts seem to have now popped up everywhere and you can’t swing… Read more: Podcast review – Happiness and how to get it (HAHTGI)