A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SALLY TWISLETON: ENGINEER TO COACH

Welcome to the latest edition of the Association for Coaching’s (AC) Newsletter. This week:

• Join us for another edition of ‘Our Day in the Life’ series where we are joined by the amazing Sally Twisleton in the first year of her own coaching business.
• A final call to action to join the Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference!

After many years as an engineer and in leadership roles within that industry, Sally bravely set up her own coaching business earlier this year and joined us to share her journey so far.

You only recently became a full-time coach?

Yes, I did my training a few years ago and started to build my business up on the side one day a week, but in April I left industry to focus on coaching full time.

Could you share a bit more about your coaching practice and your journey into coaching?

Happy to. So, I'm an engineer by initial training. I graduated in mechanical engineering ni 2005 and, then promptly went into industry, working in the aerospace industry at Rolls-Royce. I worked there for 18 years and did a whole range of different roles, including leadership roles where I was introduced to the idea of being a leader who coaches. I learnt about GROW to start with then a bit later discovered the work of Nancy Klein and became really interested in coaching and the idea of listening intently to people and help them spark their thinking.

In around 2020 I did my masters in coaching at Sheffield Hallam, because I wanted to really get in depth with coaching and think about how that reflected itself in my leadership practice at Rolls-Royce. I continued to work at Rolls-Royce, facilitating teams and coaching in my roles but more and more enjoying the coaching.

Then more recently, the opportunity came to take severance, and I jumped at the opportunity to start my own business. I took the plunge in April and now I am doing it full time, which is exciting – though it comes with lots of challenges too.

You are passionate about people and, and people improving their live, so what does you coaching practice look like as a full-time coach compared to coaching a team at work?

When you coach a team, there is an element of accountability for delivery in that coaching and it’s hard. You’ve got to deliver and you’re in the system. So I’ve found being out of that system into a world where you’re contracting with an individual to just focus on their thinking, without accountability to deliver means you’re here as a coach, you’re responsible for the process and for supporting that thinker, but not actually responsible for the outcomes is very freeing. I have found my confidence in my coaching has increased. I can choose how I work.

You are passionate about people and, and people improving their live, so what does you coaching practice look like as a full-time coach compared to coaching a team at work?

When you coach a team, there is an element of accountability for delivery in that coaching and it’s hard. You’ve got to deliver and you’re in the system. So I’ve found being out of that system into a world where you’re contracting with an individual to just focus on their thinking, without accountability to deliver means you’re here as a coach, you’re responsible for the process and for supporting that thinker, but not actually responsible for the outcomes is very freeing. I have found my confidence in my coaching has increased. I can choose how I work.

So, do you feel more authentic now?

I’ve not really thought of it like that before, but yes, I think so. Starting your own business makes you reflect on the values you want to bring into it and when you market, think about what it you want to say and put out in the world. That leads to introspection and who you are and what you stand for, as a coach, helping engineers and engineering leaders be more effective. So, yes, I think it has made me really reflect on who I am and what I, what I want out of my job, my work, if you like, and how I want to help others.

Thank you, that serves as good advice for other coaches as well – to think about their own values and purpose. What is your key ‘why’ you do what you do?

I do it because I like helping people, and I'm as you kind of alluded to earlier, I'm very committed to it to improvement and development. All the jobs I did in industry had an element of improvement or continuous improvement or strategy in them and in my own evolution it went from improving things to helping people improve.

I got tired of doing things to make process better or make more money from. I enjoy helping people overcome their struggles, to think about how they want to show up and be happier.

And would you advise the kind of the way that you did it in that you, you continued to work for a while and then build your business up in the background? Because often that financial transition is one of the challenges many coaches face, isn't it?

I think I'd advise anyone to try it. For me, I found it difficult, but I know some people have managed to do it very successfully, so it depends on the individual. I like to throw myself fully into something so coaching just one day a week, whilst working four others elsewhere didn’t work. Because I also want to do facilitation as part of my work, it is limited when I can offer a day’s facilitation. And to run a business you have give time to marketing and networking, building up a customer base.

That's a great answer. That's helpful, thank you.

Though if I not been in a position to take a severance package, I would have had to have delayed doing this longer or taken a job as a coach in a business, I think. So, its’ about the risk financially.

I think the reality is that most coaches have start off having to do more than just coaching. I think from our conversations, and this is part of the reason for having these conversations in a way, is for people to share that reality. So, you already have a focus for your coaching, a niche, which is around coaching engineers. Has it been helpful to have that kind of niche from the start?

I think so, yes. It doesn't stop you from working with other people, but it does give you a focus for your audience, who you're talking to, the kind of events that you might go to, people that you network with.

I work with leaders and teams in engineering, and I provide coaching, facilitation and a little bit of training and leadership development. and then I'm around inclusion, collaboration and promoting growth. I’m finding being able to be articulate enough with who you are working with, so that people can go, Sally does this. I can get her to talk to X, Y, and Z in my network. is helpful.

And I'm going to a few conferences this year, such as the Women in Science and Engineering conference and because I have a niche, I can target those events and go and network with people, in their space and just go and chat to them about what they're seeing in their industry. It’s a nice way to enter the system and talk in a more natural way, by talking about engineering. And I have credibility having been an engineering leader for nearly 20 years and I understand their context and the challenges they face – a deeper level of empathy.

That's great advice to industry shows and things like that and using that as a networking tool. It also means you don’t have to completely reinvent the wheel, but can use your previous career and network to build your coaching practice

Yes, definitely. I took quite a lot of advice and talked to quite a lot of people before leaving. And some of the advice I got was, that might be what you do to start with, but it might not have to be what you do forever.

I did my master's research into the role of coaching and mentoring in supporting, more gender balance at senior leadership level in engineering and I talk quite a lot of about that in my marketing and various things. Even if I don’t want to focus on that forever, it’s a good in and helps me build up a reputation and opportunities.

So, you're not being too attached to having it to be one particular way forever. You know that this is where I'm at now, this is what works for me now and you stay open to other opportunities?

Yes, I think so. I think it's being open to that and curious about what bits of the practice are giving you lots of energy and where might you want to go from there. I think it's being open to flex and change with the opportunities that you're presented with and the direction that the world is going in as well. 

You mentioned earlier on about marketing, and I've seen you post on LinkedIn, and I've been quite impressed with what you post and how regularly you post, but you also suggested that's been one of your challenges or one of the things that you've reflected on? Is that the case, or do you find marketing easy?

Oh, no, I don't find it easy at all. I think I underestimated as well how much you've got to do to, to build up that kind of engagement. So, at the moment I'm experimenting with posting five times a week, which is, quite a bit.  I usually spend maybe 90 minutes on a Sunday writing content and creating graphics and then I'll schedule them to post throughout the week. So that's all done.

I've created a sort of process in a true engineering way. I try to do generally offer content that I think is useful or reflective and picked five broad topics to talk about. So, there's a bit of consistency within the variety. My intent is when the business picks up to a nice, sustainable level, I shall post less frequently. So that's the LinkedIn side of things. And then there's the kind of going to events and talking to people, which is a big stretch for me, quite draining because I'm quite an introverted person. But actually there's nothing like going and meeting people in person and saying hello and I've met some great people and got a few opportunities from doing that

I think the third bit of the marketing that I'm doing is, using my network. I was writing to e to ten people in my network every week to say, hello, I'm doing this now. Can we just have a chat to, just talk about what you're noticing in industry and where I might be able to add some value or be useful? People have been incredibly kind with and generous with their time.

I also do associate work, it’s less coaching focused but it uses my skills and pays the bills.

The marketing tips you've just given are really helpful and I know that other many other coaches say the networking is a very huge part of building a coaching business, being putting yourself out there. So well done.

I was also thinking, as a coach and as a female engineer in a male-dominated industry, I imagine it wasn’t an easy journey for you. So, with your coaching skills and your experience of that you are in a strong position to be able to talk on inclusion in a very real way?

Thank you. That’s my hope - that I can bring some different perspectives or at least some reflection on some elements of difference. Which is definitely needed.

The rise in the percentage of women in engineering over the years has been very slow. Actually, last year it’s gone down a tiny little bit. And that’s been broadly driven by mid-career women like me choosing to leave the industry. So, one of the things I’m interested in at the moment is, is how do we how do we stem that flow, and how do we use coaching and mentoring to address some of that.?

I’m an advocate of not changing the woman. I think it’s the environment that we’ve got to change, no question about it. But equally, the environment is going to take a while to change, so, we need to support women to navigate the environment in the short term - around promotion, recruitment, maternity practices and other caring practice.

Thank you for saying that. We did a series on coaching women last year with the podcast. One of the people we interviewed was Geraldine Gallagher, who’s wrote a whole book about it’s not the woman, it’s the system. I agree your particular focus on engineering and science is so important.

What other challenges have you had on your, your journey, setting up your own business and coaching?

Firstly, you just have to do everything. All the decisions are yours. You have so many things to learn and I love learning, but it takes up quite a lot of energy and you don’t love every aspect. So, it’s a lot of variety, but also challenging. Saying that, there are lots of resources out there to help.

Secondly, for me, another challenge is more a kind of motivational personal energy one. Some days you feel energised, positive and other days you worry it will never work. So it’s a rollercoaster and you have to learn how to manage the highs and the lows, and keep going.  I find I have to look after myself more.

Do you have supervision? Do you find that supportive?

Yes, I have quite regular supervision and it's just wonderful from that perspective, well, from all perspectives, to be honest. I can't say enough good things about supervision, it’s a great place to explore how individual coaching is going, to what should my practice look like. Last week we discussed what it means when you are a coach and a consultant and how to manage that.

So, it’s a great place to explore lot of different areas of your practice but also celebrate the highs as well?

Yes. That's it. And I have such a wonderful supervisor with such bond of trust. I can bring the stuff that I'm a bit ashamed to talk about sometimes, which is really helpful.

So, what do you love about your day?

I love doing the coaching work. I love it when you've got clients who are just enthusiastic about what they're doing and like your ability to listen and ask a few thoughtful questions or challenge their perspective, help them be even more effective or see their value in the world.

I love working with people and I actually love the freedom of being able to decide what it is I want to do. So I’ve been reading and studying quite a lot about psychological safety over the years, and so I've decided I'm going to try and create an offering around that for teams in engineering. So, I love the ability to be creative and work on stuff that's meaningful and market a product that you're really excited about.

I also love the space and time to think about and be reflective. So, I build in time for myself, time for a cup of tea or chat with someone.

Are there any other things that you do to take care of yourself?

I try to walk about 7000 steps each day and I'll either listen to a podcast or just listen to nothing and just let my brain kind of tick over. I have an on off meditation practice, which, yeah, I do try to keep up with -  a bit of mindfulness or just reflective time or breathing time each day.

As an introvert, having a bit of quiet time is very important for me. I also make sure I get my eight hours sleep with a good bed routine.

In my old job I was very good at switching off, finishing in the evening and not thinking about it until the morning but with my own business it’s harder so I have to plan in time every week to do nothing. And I make sure I take a few days off regularly and getting into the practice of not looking at my emails.

Do you have any final pearls of wisdom, some tips, or even just a bit more about your coaching that you'd like to speak about?

I think I want to say that everybody’s journey will be different so reflect on what is right for you and go into it with integrity. And be a bit brave, push through the discomfort and try new things – it’s how you grow.

And I like to challenge myself but be gentle. So don’t become somebody you don’t want to be because of the pressures of running a business. But I’d also say, go for it and if it’s not the right time think about how it could be and started making preparations.

That's fantastic advice. Sally, you've been fantastic guest. you have such a lot of integrity and honesty. Where can people find you?

Thank you, you can find me on the LinkedIn or my website.

Connect with Sally here

Sally’s website here

If you would like to hear more about Sally and listen to the full conversation. Tune into the AC podcast on December 23 on our website here or find us on the normal podcast channels.

If you are a new coach, we have two very helpful podcast series:

 ·       Make Time for Marketing

·       Getting Started as a Coach

 As mentioned, here is our Coaching Women podcast series.

Yes, it’s finally here! Next week is our Mental Health & Wellbeing conference and nearly 200 participants have signed up and it’s not too late for you to join us.

Join us live next Thursday and Friday for our Mental Health and Wellbeing Conference. Our inspiring lineup of expert speakers are getting ready to support you with you mental health questions help you navigate the challenges that arise in your coaching conversations. This conference is a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable insights, enhance your coaching skills, and build confidence in supporting clients with mental health concerns. Don’t miss out on this chance to elevate your practice and make a real impact!

Listen to these short clips for a taster of what is to come.

Whether you're attending the conference or not, we invite you to check out the wealth of resources on Mental Health available on our Digital Learning Hub. Enjoy short videos, interviews, webinars, podcasts, or articles covering everything from defining mental health to exploring best practices, ethical dilemmas, training, and referrals. 

We hope you enjoyed this newsletter and encourage you to explore our wide variety of resources on our website here. Or if you would like to go directly to our Digital Learning Hub click here. If you have any questions or would like to contribute to our podcast, digital learning, or magazine, please email us at enquiries@associationforcoaching.com.

The Association for Coaching (AC) is a leading independent, not-for-profit global professional body dedicated to promoting best practices and raising awareness and standards of coaching worldwide. Our purpose is to inspire and champion coaching excellence, advance the coaching profession, and make a sustainable difference to individuals, organizations and society.