Season 3 Episode 27 - Emotional Agility in Coaching: The Key to Grounded Confidence with Donna Ward-Higgs

About the Guest
Donna Ward-Higgs is a leadership coach, supervisor, and trusted Wing Woman to leaders, managers and coaching business owners navigating growth, pressure and big decisions. She supports people to untangle the noise, challenge unhelpful “shoulds”, and lead in a way that actually fits — combining sharp thinking, honest conversations and deep respect for the human side of leadership. 
 

Donna is a dear friend of host Melissa and a returning regular guest on the podcast. With a deep understanding of coaching and personal growth, Donna brings a calming and insightful perspective to complex emotional topics, emphasising the importance of giving ourselves the space to process feelings without forced judgment or expectation.

About the Episode

In this reflective and unscripted conversation, Melissa and regular guest Donna Ward-Higgs dive into the transformative concept of emotional agility.

Recording just 48 hours after returning from a rigorous emotional agility certification program with Susan David, Melissa shares her fresh, vulnerable insights and real-time personal experiences from the trip. Together, Donna and Melissa unpack what it means to stop fighting our feelings and start using them to cultivate long-term change and grounded confidence.

Key topics explored in this episode include:

• Emotions as Data, Not Directives: Learning to view our feelings as helpful information rather than absolute truths that must dictate our actions.
• Recognising the "Hook": Identifying the deeply ingrained stories that trap us, and physically creating the necessary space between stimulus and response to make empowered choices.
• Agility vs. Rigidity: The crucial difference between letting emotions pass through you and holding onto them so tightly that they define you.
• The Power of the Pause: Donna and Melissa discuss how stepping back to ground yourself—whether through taking a quiet walk in nature or simply petting a dog—is essential before reacting.
• "You Are the Sky": Embracing the liberating concept that our emotions are just the "clouds" passing by; they are a part of us, not all of us.

Whether you are navigating your own emotional hurdles or looking to better support your coaching clients, this candid episode offers practical wisdom on finding your ground and replacing old stories with courageous new choices.

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

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• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
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Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.