🎙 Episode 367 – Dr. Peter Sear | Empathic Leadership, Ego & Coaching with Compassion

In this episode, Coach Yas sits down with Dr. Peter Sear—founder of The Empathic Coach and a specialist in empathy, leadership, and high-performance environments. Together, they explore what it really means to lead with empathy in elite sport, and how ego, emotion, and compassion shape the environments we create.

Peter brings a unique blend of academic research and applied practice, breaking down how coaches can connect more deeply with athletes, build trust, and manage their own emotional landscape more effectively.

💡 Key Talking Points

• Why empathy is a skill, not just a personality trait—and how it can be developed.
• The difference between sympathy, empathy, and compassion in coaching contexts.
• How ego shows up in coaching—and why awareness is the first step to managing it.
• Why understanding emotions (yours and others’) is essential for high-performing teams.
• The role of storytelling and reflection in enhancing emotional intelligence.
• Practical strategies to bring more empathy into your language, tone, and presence.
• What “empathic leadership” looks like in a results-driven, competitive environment.

🧠 “The best coaches are emotionally intelligent. They see the person, not just the performer.” – Dr. Peter Sear

📱 Whether you're a head coach, team leader, or just starting your coaching journey, this episode offers fresh insight into how emotional awareness can transform your leadership style—and the culture of your team.

👉 If this connected with you, tag a coach you respect and start a conversation around ego, empathy, and evolving your practice.

💬 We’d love to hear your thoughts—how are you developing empathy as a skill?

🎙 Episode 366 – Danny Pilgram | Commentary vs. Coaching, Self-Awareness & Using Coach Developers

In this episode, Coach Yas is joined by Danny Pilgram (Birmingham City FC Academy Coach & Non-League First Team Coach) for a grounded, honest and insightful conversation about the journey of becoming a coach—and what it really means to coach, not just commentate.

Danny shares reflections from over a decade of experience across academy and senior football, breaking down the trap many new coaches fall into: mistaking talking for teaching. He explores the importance of clarity, intentionality, and the power of feedback in developing your practice.

💡 Key Talking Points

The difference between commentary and actual coaching—and why it matters.

How easy it is to lose focus mid-session, even with the best intentions.

Why having a "buddy coach" or trusted colleague can sharpen your practice.

Practical strategies to audit your own coaching language and interventions.

How to get the most out of working with a coach developer.

Why self-awareness and deliberate reflection must underpin your coaching identity.

🧠 “You can still develop yourself—even while delivering a session.” – Danny Pilgrim

📱 Whether you're new to coaching or mentoring others, this episode is packed with real-world insight and tips you can use straight away. From using your phone to record your own voice, to learning how to ask coach developers for specificfeedback—this one’s a practical deep-dive into becoming more self-aware, coach-aware, and player-focused.

👉 If this resonated, tag a coach you rate and start a conversation about commentary vs. coaching.

💬 Let us know your go-to tools for self-review—we’re all still learning.

🎙 Episode 365 – Steve Whelan | Coach Identity, Trust & Creating Environments for Growth

In this episode, Coach Yas sits down with Steve Whelan (Senior Coach Developer & Leadership Specialist) to explore what it really takes to develop coaches and build trust-filled environments where people thrive.

With a background spanning high-performance sport, corporate leadership, and coach development, Steve brings a unique perspective to questions around coach identity, psychological safety, and the invisible forces that shape how we show up on and off the pitch.

This conversation goes beneath the surface of Xs and Os to ask: Who are you as a coach? And how do you build environments that reflect that identity with honesty and intent?

💡 Key Talking Points

Why identity is central to your coaching—not just what you know, but who you are.

How trust and vulnerability underpin long-term growth in coaching relationships.

Why coach development must move beyond competence to connection.

The power of language in shaping the culture of your sessions and wider environments.

How Steve uses principles from leadership and psychology to support coaches in navigating uncertainty.

Why the best environments balance high challenge with high support.

🧠 “If you don’t know who you are, how can you know how you coach—or why anyone would trust you?” – Steve Whelan

📣 Whether you're mentoring others, leading a team, or still figuring out your own coaching voice, this episode will get you thinking deeply about identity, trust, and the kind of culture you're really building.

👉 Like, share, and follow if this sparked reflection around your own coaching journey!

💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn—tag us and share how you're building meaningful environments in your setting.