Wanted - Stefan’s Week-notes 03/05/2025
Inspired by the weeknotes of friends and coachees including John Fitzgerald, Steve Messer and Nour Sidawi - I thought I'd give it a go.
Inspired by the weeknotes of friends and coachees including John Fitzgerald, Steve Messer and Nour Sidawi - I thought I'd give it a go.
Wanted, Not Just Needed
3 May 2025
This week’s reflections are shaped by the real edges, insights and shifts of my work. A reset of structure, voice and intention. This is me, making sense of what matters – and how to keep moving forward with meaning.
1. What Went Well
This week marked a return to full training on the bike – a proper ride out with my cycling coach Joe Staunton that left me feeling energised, focused and a little bit fierce. It wasn’t just something I needed; it was something I wanted. There’s a difference. The movement, the rhythm, the time outdoors – it reminded me how important this part of my life is to the rest of my work. I’m being mindful not to turn the training tap on too fast, but it’s already nudging other good habits back in: yoga, hydration, better sleep. All of it connected. All of it good.
2. What Lit Me Up
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver
This week I was lit up by a conversation, completely out of the blue, with a senior public sector leader who asked, “How do we get your wisdom into our leaders?” It caught me off guard in the best way. There was no pitch, no preamble – just a direct, affirming invitation. I’m excited to take that conversation further. Sometimes it only takes one person seeing clearly to reignite your own clarity.
3. A Conversation I Can’t Stop Thinking About
A coaching session with a charity CEO stayed with me this week. We were scoping a team coaching arc for them and their leadership team, which will crescendo in a board presentation this October. What stuck with me most was when they said, “Don’t worry about thinking we won’t want more sessions with you; it’s more important this works.” How refreshing. There was trust, spaciousness and shared intention. That energy’s been there in our coaching before, and it felt good to see it shaping something bigger now.
4. Something That Shifted
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” – James Clear
This week marked a subtle but significant shift: stepping back into business development mode. I’ve been fortunate over the past few years – referrals, recommendations and people reaching out have been the norm. But something feels different now. Not in a scarcity sense, more in a readiness sense. I’m reshaping how I talk about what I do – making it more visible, more structured, more findable. Not just the depth of the work, but the bones of it too.
5. Something I’m Wrestling With
I’m currently wrestling with a big, foundational question: do I build my own guest organisation, or do I join someone else’s? It’s stirring questions about legacy, identity, freedom and collective impact. There’s energy in both paths – and risk. And I know the answer will shape everything else.
But I’m also realising they’re not mutually exclusive. To borrow words from David Hieatt – it’s a side project for now, until it grows. And that’s OK. Everyone I’ve spoken to about this vision has been encouraging. The feedback has been generous, the energy real. I know I need to start small and let it grow – begin with a first event, with a gathering, with something live.
Thank you to those I’ve spoken to so far. Even a lion needs the bravery of the pack sometimes.
6. The World at the Edges
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” – Margaret Mead
At the edges of my work, I’m sensing a shift – an opening. More people are talking about doing good work. Not just efficient or scalable or high-performing work – good work. The kind that’s thoughtful, systemic, human. People are commenting on my brand and message more, and there’s a gentle, growing sense of alignment. It feels like a momentum towards mindful rebellion – towards purpose, not polish.
7. Look at This
An image that struck me this week: my own silhouette, standing tall with the sun behind me. There was something symbolic in it – about growth, visibility and taking a stand. It felt less like a pose and more like a presence. A quiet commitment to rise, to be seen and to stand for something that matters.
8. Word I’m Carrying
“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” – Maya Angelou
Good.
Doing good. Being good. Not performatively, but from the inside out. It connects directly to my mission – helping good people lead great things – and my wider vision of a thriving planet. But more than that, it’s central to my core. It’s the measure I hold myself to, the pulse of my practice.
9. The Question That’s Asking Me
How do we be more – and how do I find the people who want me to help them do more?
This question keeps echoing through my week. It’s both an invitation and a challenge. It’s asking me to step into more visibility, more honesty, more reach – and to keep trusting that the right people are out there, waiting for the real thing.
10. What I’m Grateful For
“It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” – David Steindl-Rast
I’m grateful for trust. For unexpected invitations and long-standing partnerships. For the feeling that something is gathering – not rushed, not forced, but real. For friendships that offer laughter and perspective. For walks that clear my mind and reconnect me to my body. For this rhythm of reflection that helps me remember what’s already here.
11. Where I’m Rooted
“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” – Shannon L. Alder
Where I’m rooted is in my values: care, fairness and voice. These are not abstract concepts – they’re inherited, lived and chosen. They come from my background, from my dad and for my dad – and now, more than ever, for my children and for the beautiful, growing network that surrounds me. These roots shape how I coach, how I build, and how I lead. They keep me steady when the work asks more of me – and they remind me what it’s all really for.
12. What Am I Reading?
This week I continue to read - Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie - it’s one of the books from my ‘pile’ of books by female writers and leaders - this years focus.
I continue to be struck by how relevant her insights are to my work as an executive coach. The book addresses the pressing issue of climate change, innovative solutions, and community resilience, which resonates deeply with me, serving as a reminder of the importance of proactive leadership in addressing today’s challenges.
I look forward to seeing how this read will enrich my understanding of sustainability and inform the conversations I have with leaders striving to lead truly great things in this world of ours.
A thriving planet is worth it and we all need you.
Stefan
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For now; thank you
I am…
An executive coach who specialises in helping good people lead great things.
Good people care about others, our planet and beauty. Great things are changes for the betterment of society and all that lives within an around it.
It sounds big and fun - it is.
I'm also an endurance racing cyclist and a go. getter.
You can read more about me and what I do; how I work here