Stories from the Coaches: New Beginnings with Dean Clayden and Sarah Cole

In this episode of the Coaching in Education Podcast, we continue our Stories from the Coaches series with a conversation about new beginnings. Following our recent reflective episode with Penny Verdich as she approaches retirement, this episode turns toward the future, introducing two of Growth Coaching International's newest Senior Consultants: Dean Clayden in Shanghai and Sarah Cole in Singapore. Together, we explore the journeys that brought Dean and Sarah into coaching from their early careers in teaching and leadership, to the moments that shaped their coaching practice and philosophy. They share what they've learned about building trust, supporting wellbeing and creating coaching-informed cultures in diverse, international education settings. Dean reflects on his research into positive psychology coaching and teacher wellbeing, including insights from his work Start with the Heart, while Sarah speaks about designing learning experiences that are grounded in curiosity, care and real-world application. This conversation is less about roles and titles and more about values, purpose and the human side of coaching. It offers thoughtful reflections on what coaching can make possible for educators, leaders and school communities and what Dean and Sarah hope to contribute as they begin this next chapter of their work with GCI. Whether you're a coach, a school leader, or simply curious about the power of meaningful conversations in education, this episode invites you to pause, reflect and consider what it means to lead and coach with intention.