The Impactful Coach: Learn Coaching Skills & Coaching Demos

Tobi Weghorn from metaFox Coaching Tools
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

The Impactful Coach is a coaching podcast for coaches, facilitators, and people developers who want to make their coaching sessions more impactful. On the show, metaFox Co-founder Tobi Weghorn interviews experienced practitioners to unpack concrete coaching skills, practical methods or even hops into the client role for hands-on coaching demos. Learn coaching from real coaching conversations and deep dives into Mindset, Methods, Skills & Tools. More on https://metaFox.eu/podcast

  1. Aug 14

    The Neuroscience of Emotions and Images with Sue Langley

    A coaching podcast with Sue Langley and Tobias Weghorn about coaching skills you can use to read emotional cues, expand emotional vocabulary, and work more intentionally with emotions in sessions. Starting with a simple picture-based check-in, Sue explains why using picture cards in coaching can help clients talk about what’s going on “behind the words” and access richer insights than a standard “How do you feel?” question. You’ll also hear the neuroscience angle behind emotion cards and emotional vocabulary, including how the limbic system vs prefrontal cortex in coaching can shape empathy, clarity, and progress. Along the way, Sue shares practical ways to notice body language and physiology (interoception) so you can learn coaching that’s both human and evidence-informed. Key Learnings: Use picture cards in coaching as a “third object” to help clients talk more openly: ask them to pick an image that matches how they feel, then explore the story behind it (this strengthens coaching skills and often reveals what words alone hide).Build emotion cards and emotional vocabulary into your sessions: have clients label more precise emotions (e.g., disappointed, embarrassed, guilty vs ashamed) to support emotional intelligence (perceive-connect-understand-manage) and make next steps clearer.Practice reading emotional cues and body language in real time: notice mismatches between words and physiology (jaw tension, staccato gestures, foot tapping) and choose whether to name it overtly or regulate your own energy to help the client shift state. Resources: Sue Langley’s Website: https://suelangley.comThe Langley Group Website: https://langleygroup.com.auFind your Coaching Tool: https://metaFox.euTry the metaFox Strengths Discovery: https://strengths-discovery.comConnect with Tobi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tobiasweghorn Episode Chapters: 00:00 Reading Emotional Cues As A Coach 01:00 Why Picture Cards Make Feelings Easier To Express 04:00 Picture-Based Check-In: Two Images And What They Reveal 08:45 Using Picture Cards In Coaching For Feedback And Strengths 14:40 Limbic System vs Prefrontal Cortex in Coaching (What’s Happening In The Brain) 19:45 Compassion vs Empathy: Staying Warm Without Losing Clarity 23:20 Interoception: Using Physiology To Read Emotions (Foot Tapping Example) 32:00 In-Session Techniques To Shift A Client’s State 37:20 Emotion Cards And Emotional Vocabulary: Labeling For Better Management 40:10 Shame vs Guilt: Why The Distinction Changes What Clients Do Next 47:45 Strengths, Values, And Choosing The Right Tool In The Moment 54:10 How To Learn More And Connect With Sue Langley

    The Neuroscience of Emotions and Images with Sue Langley

  2. Jul 31

    The Craft of Asking Questions with Stephen Nock

    A coaching podcast with Stephen Nock and Tobias Weghorn about sharpening your coaching skills through better questions and a stronger coaching presence. Using the episode’s intro as a starting point, Stephen and Tobi get practical about what makes a good coaching question (hint: it’s often less about the “perfect” wording and more about curiosity, tone, and timing). You’ll hear why what vs why questions can reduce defensiveness, how “And what else?” opens up new thinking, and how The Coaching Habit 7 questions can work as an everyday toolkit for coaches and leaders. They also explore journaling with coaching questions and Stephen’s And What Else coaching cards as a simple way to practice asking cleaner, more useful questions. Key Learnings: Build coaching skills by swapping “why” for “what” when you want depth without defensiveness (e.g., “What makes this important to you?” instead of “Why is this important?”).Use “And what else?” as a repeatable prompt to move beyond first answers—especially for idea generation and getting to the real challenge.Practice powerful coaching questions through journaling with coaching questions: write your first answer fast, then ask yourself what else is underneath it to find the question you’re really trying to answer. Resources: Find your Coaching Tool: https://metaFox.euTry the metaFox Strengths Discovery: https://strengths-discovery.comConnect with Tobi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tobiasweghornConnect with Stephen Nock on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/stephen-nockGet your own "And What Else?" Coaching Cards: https://metafox.eu/en-int/products/and-what-else-coaching-cardsFind out more about &joy Coaching: https://andjoy.coachNewsletter "And Now What?": https://andjoy.beehiiv.com/The Coaching Habit (Michael Bungay Stanier): https://www.mbs.works/the-coaching-habitThe Advice Trap (Michael Bungay Stanier): https://www.mbs.works/the-advice-trapEpisode Chapters: 00:00 What Do You Want? Why “What” Questions Matter 01:00 What Makes A Good Coaching Question? 06:00 What Vs Why Questions (And When “Why” Backfires) 15:00 The Coaching Habit 7 Questions As A Coaching Toolkit 17:00 “And What Else?” For Idea Generation And Deeper Insight 28:00 And What Else Coaching Cards: A 4-Step Question Flow 33:00 A Live Coaching Demo: Enoughness, Trust, And Not Knowing 41:00 Foster Trust: Working With Uncertainty In Coaching 46:00 Presence, Calm, And The Coach’s “I Don’t Know” Mindset 51:00 Where To Find Stephen + Journaling With Coaching Questions

    The Craft of Asking Questions with Stephen Nock

  3. Jul 17

    Designing Strengths-based Journeys with the Sailboat Metaphor with Mirna Smidt from Trainers Toolbox

    A coaching podcast with Mirna Smidt and Tobias Weghorn on coaching methods that make strengths work feel more intuitive, less “report-heavy,” and easier to remember. Mirna (Trainers Toolbox / Happiness Academy) shares how she uses positive psychology coaching tools in workshops and coaching, and why she prefers adapting frameworks instead of following them rigidly. You’ll learn the sailboat metaphor coaching model for combining goals, values, strengths-based coaching, and real-life constraints into one visual journey. They also connect strengths to flow state coaching—using strengths as a shortcut to more engagement, energy, and learning. Key Learnings: Use the sailboat metaphor coaching approach to balance “sails” (strengths/resources) with “leaks” (weaknesses/overused strengths), so strengths-based coaching doesn’t turn into ignoring problems—it becomes prioritizing what moves the client forward.Build flow state coaching into your sessions by matching challenge level and motivation, then use strengths as a practical shortcut to sustain focus and resilience (especially when clients feel stuck or low-energy).When debriefing a strengths assessment, make it actionable by translating the report into visuals (sails/leaks/other boats/weather) and adapt the method to the coaching goal instead of forcing a linear process—one of the most transferable coaching methods from this episode. Resources: Find your Coaching Tool: https://metaFox.euTry the metaFox Strengths Discovery: https://strengths-discovery.comConnect with Tobi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tobiasweghornConnect with Mirna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirnasmidtPodcast on Strengths Overuse: https://trainers-toolbox.com/podcast-episodes-strengths-overused-what-to-do-when-your-strengths-become-your-weaknesses/Podcast on Sailboat Metaphor: https://trainers-toolbox.com/podcast-episodes-the-sailboat-metaphor-a-powerful-tool-to-work-with-strengths/Read more from: Hugo Alberts (2016): Sailboat MetaphorMirna's Miro Template on Sailboat Methaphor: Coming soon! Episode Chapters: 00:00 Permission To Adapt Frameworks (Not Be Rigid) 00:01 Positive Psychology, Strengths, And Flourishing 00:05 PERMA And Positive Psychology Coaching Tools 00:12 Flow State Coaching And Strengths As A Shortcut 00:16 The Sailboat Metaphor Coaching Model (Sails Vs. Leaks) 00:21 The Full Sailboat Map: Values, Goals, Weather, Other Boats 00:27 How To Use The Model In Workshops (Non-Linear Coaching Methods) 00:29 Strengths Assessment Debrief Using The Sailboat Visual 00:39 Goal-Setting Prompts: Ikigai, Ideal Day, Rocking Chair 00:44 Weather And Resilience: Control, Acceptance, And Resources

    Designing Strengths-based Journeys with the Sailboat Metaphor with Mirna Smidt from Trainers Toolbox

  4. Jul 3

    Why Facilitation Skills are Not Optional For You as a Coach with Mehdi El-Naizi

    A coaching podcast with Mehdi En Naizi and Tobias Weghorn. If you’ve ever sat through a cringe icebreaker and felt your body tense up, this episode is for you: we unpack coaching methods coaches can borrow from facilitation to build real psychological safety in workshops. Mehdi shares what stand-up comedy taught him about reading the room, designing workshop warm-up activities that create connection without awkwardness, and how to stay flexible when the “real problem” shows up mid-session. You’ll also get a practical walkthrough of the double diamond process and Mehdi’s 6C facilitation framework to structure group work from clear outcomes to commitment. Key Learnings: Use coaching methods from facilitation to build psychological safety in workshops: start with a low-risk warm-up that creates connection (with each other and the topic) instead of “embarrassing moment” icebreakers.Practice reading the room on purpose: use an early warm-up as a diagnostic to adapt your facilitation style, then keep checking engagement signals so you can pivot without derailing the session.Structure your group sessions with the double diamond process (diverge/converge on problem, then diverge/converge on solutions) and pressure-test your flow with the 6C facilitation framework so you end with clear commitments, not just good ideas. Resources: Mehdi En Naizi’s Website: https://facilitatorscorner.substack.com/Mehdi En Naizi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehdi-en-naizi-75b533116/Find your Coaching Tool: https://metaFox.euTry the metaFox Strengths Discovery: https://strengths-discovery.comConnect with Tobi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tobiasweghorn Episode Chapters: 00:00 Creativity, Prompts, and the “Sunset” Warm-Up 01:00 Psychological Safety in Workshops vs. Awkward Icebreakers 03:00 Reading the Room: What Stand-Up Teaches Facilitators 07:30 Why Coaches Need Group Facilitation Skills 12:30 Contracting: Outcome, Purpose, and Success Metrics 18:00 Preparing Your State: Rehearsing the First 5–10 Minutes 24:00 Workshop Warm-Up Activities That Build Connection (No Cringe) 30:00 Pivoting with the Double Diamond Process 37:30 The 6C Facilitation Framework (Connect to Celebrate) 44:00 Challenge the Client, Don’t Just Execute

    Why Facilitation Skills are Not Optional For You as a Coach with Mehdi El-Naizi

  5. Jun 19

    Strengths Coaching with Val Baguios III

    A coaching podcast with Val Baguios III and Tobias Weghorn where you get a front-row seat to a live coaching demo using CliftonStrengths. Val coaches MetaFox COO Trisha through a Gallup CliftonStrengths report debrief, exploring how Consistency shows up as realism and how Harmony can slide into conflict avoidance. Along the way, you’ll hear strengths spotting in action and how strengths-based leadership coaching can focus less on “fixing weaknesses” and more on owning your leadership style. If you want to learn coaching by observing real moves in a session, this coaching podcast breaks down what the coach is listening for and how to turn insights into next steps.Key Learnings:Run a simple coaching demo homework: ask clients to track one real conflict moment and note their response to spot Harmony strength conflict avoidance patterns (and when it’s actually working).Use strengths spotting during storytelling: reflect back specific behaviors (e.g., setting one goal per month) and name the strength/theme you hear to build a strengths-based language clients can reuse in coaching.In strengths-based leadership coaching, “delegate the gap”: if innovation isn’t the client’s lane, design a step-by-step way to pull ideas from the team while still making decisions with their coaching demo strengths (e.g., Consistency + Focus).Resources:Val Baguios III's Website: https://solacademy.phVal Baguios III's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valbaguiosd3rdCliftonStrengths Assessment (Gallup): https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspxFind your Coaching Tool: https://metaFox.euTry the metaFox Strengths Discovery: https://strengths-discovery.comConnect with Tobi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tobiasweghornEpisode Chapters:00:00 Noticing Conflict Responses (Harmony & Consistency)01:33 Coaching Demo Setup: CliftonStrengths + Harmony as Conflict Avoidance03:17 Val’s Strengths Coaching Background (From Engineering to People Development)05:03 Strengths-Based Leadership Coaching for Managers and SME Owners11:00 Gallup CliftonStrengths Report Debrief: Achiever, Consistency, Harmony, Focus, Responsibility26:00 Strengths Spotting in Action (Naming Focus and Achiever)31:00 Overuse: When Harmony Turns Into Conflict Avoidance42:00 Delegating Weaknesses: Getting Innovation From the Team50:00 Naming, Claiming, Aiming: A Simple Strengths Coaching Flow59:10 Advice to Coaches: Take the Assessment and Find a Strengths Community

    Strengths Coaching with Val Baguios III

  6. Jun 5

    Beyond Cognitive Coaching: Somatic Energy Awareness with Ram Ramanathan

    A coaching podcast with Ram Ramanathan and Tobias Weghorn exploring why “not knowing” can be a stronger coaching stance than problem-solving, especially when clients are stuck in stories and perceptions. In this somatic coaching demo, Ram guides Tobi through a short, practical process that blends a body scan meditation for coaching with the sensory energy awareness model to access what’s actually happening in the body. You’ll hear how simple breathwork, sensing in the trunk (throat to belly), and metaphor work can shift a client’s state without needing the full backstory. The episode also touches on clean language coaching, NLP-style anchoring, and how to bring chakra-based coaching concepts into sessions with very cognitive, science-minded leaders. Key Learnings: Use a short somatic coaching demo flow to move clients from “fixing” into awareness: anchor a resourceful state, then scan for sensations in the trunk before asking any meaning-making questions.Apply the sensory energy awareness model by tracking sensation qualities (location, temperature, shape, movement) and letting them shift through attention and breath—before you go back to action steps.Borrow from clean language coaching: invite metaphor and imagery (or visual prompts) to help clients describe the felt sense precisely, while keeping you in “not knowing” and the client in self-discovery. Resources: Ram Ramanathan’s Website: https://www.coacharya.comRam Ramanathan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramsramanathan/Coacharya (YouTube Channel): https://www.youtube.com/@coacharyaClean Language (David Grove): https://cleanlanguage.co.uk/Nonviolent Communication (Marshall Rosenberg): https://www.cnvc.org/Find your Coaching Tool: https://metaFox.euTry the metaFox Strengths Discovery: https://strengths-discovery.comConnect with Tobi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tobiasweghorn Episode Chapters: 00:00 Coaching As “Not Knowing” Vs. Problem-Solving 01:00 Introduction: A Somatic Coaching Demo With Ram Ramanathan 04:10 Why Cognitive Coaching Can Miss The “Raw Data” 10:00 From “Is It True?” To “Is It Useful?” (Energy, Language, And Practice) 14:50 Body Scan Meditation For Coaching: Centering And Anchoring A Resourceful State 23:00 Sensing In The Body: Emptiness, Fog, Temperature, And Metaphor 27:00 Breathwork Shifts The Felt Sense (Observer Effect) 30:00 New Image, New State: Safety, Community, And Belonging 37:00 Chakra-Based Coaching And Left/Right Nostril Breathing 45:00 Bringing Somatic Work Into ICF-Style Coaching Without Needing The Story

    Beyond Cognitive Coaching: Somatic Energy Awareness with Ram Ramanathan

  7. May 22

    Supervision Demo with Pictures and Dr. Nannette Reuther

    A coaching podcast with Dr. Nannette Reuther and Tobias Weghorn. In this episode, Tobias brings two real client cases to explore what coaching supervision looks like in practice, including a supervision demo for coaches using images and metaphor. You’ll hear how supervision helps coaches notice when they’re taking over “the steering wheel,” and how simple ICF core competencies contracting can reset the partnership when sessions start to feel heavy. Along the way, Dr. Reuther shares practical ways to use coaching with images to bypass pure logic, access emotions, and build accountability. Key Learnings: Use coaching supervision to spot early warning signs you’re “doing the work for the client” (busy, heavy, exhausting) and pause to re-center in the coach role.Re-contract in the moment using ICF core competencies contracting: clarify where the client wants to “drive,” what they need right now (venting vs. moving forward), and what role they want you to play.Try coaching with images to shift from analysis to emotion: ask the client (or supervisee) what the image evokes, then use it as an accountability anchor for the next session (helpful alongside inner team model coaching when clients stay overly cognitive). Resources: Dr. Nannette Reuther's Website: https://supervision.partners/Dr. Nannette Reuther's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-nannette-reuther-453956102/Find your Coaching Tool: https://metaFox.euTry the metaFox Strengths Discovery: https://strengths-discovery.comConnect with Tobi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tobiasweghorn Episode Chapters: 00:00 When Coaching Starts Feeling Like Work 01:00 Why Coaching Supervision Matters (And Why Tobi Finally Tried It) 06:00 Coaching with Images: Why Pictures Bypass Logic and Create Accountability 09:00 A Supervision Demo for Coaches: Using a Library Image in Group Supervision 13:00 Case 1: The “Storyteller” Client and Letting Go of the Steering Wheel 20:00 ICF Core Competencies Contracting in the Moment (Where Does the Client Want to Drive?) 24:00 Coach Position vs. Personal Patterns: “Put Your Baggage in the Trunk” 31:00 Case 2: Inner Team Model Coaching Meets a Very Rational Client 36:00 Coffee-Spilling Metaphor: When Coaching Feels Exhausting 40:00 Re-Contracting So You’re Coach, Not Consultant 53:00 How to Get Started with Coaching Supervision (Accredited Supervisors, Groups, Budget)

    Supervision Demo with Pictures and Dr. Nannette Reuther

  8. May 8

    The Art of Growing Up with Jerry Colonna: Coaching Queries, Ancestral Beliefs & Coaching vs Therapy

    A coaching podcast with Jerry Colonna and Tobias Weghorn, digging into radical self-inquiry coaching and what it really means to “grow up” as a leader and as a human. Jerry shares why the past is always present in executive coaching with a psychoanalytic perspective, and how compassion and curiosity unlock the unconscious patterns that keep clients stuck. You’ll also unpack his well-known “how have I been complicit” question, why “complicit” is different from “responsible,” and how shame and guilt derail real change. The episode also gets practical about coaching vs therapy boundaries, including when to bring in a therapist, and why coaching supervision for coaches (and strong referral networks) is part of the ethical job. Key Learnings: Use radical self-inquiry coaching to surface patterns without triggering shame: ask “How have I been complicit in creating the conditions I say I don’t want?” and follow it with curiosity about the hidden benefit (the IPO / intended positive outcome).Tighten coaching vs therapy boundaries by screening for pathology vs non-pathology, and have a plan: build a therapist referral network and agree that the psychotherapist leads the treatment plan if one is involved.Make coaching supervision for coaches non-negotiable: debrief intense client dynamics with a supervisor/peer group so you don’t get pulled into “doing it right” or hiding behind a rigid methodology. Resources: Jerry Colonna's Website: https://www.reboot.io/team/jerry-colonna/Jerry Colonna's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerrycolonna/Reboot (Book): https://www.reboot.io/reboot-book/Reunion (Book): https://www.reboot.io/reunion-book/Reboot Self-Inquiry Email Course: https://www.reboot.io/resources/Find your Coaching Tool: https://metaFox.euTry the metaFox Strengths Discovery: https://strengths-discovery.comConnect with Tobi on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tobiasweghorn Episode Chapters: 00:00 Coaching vs Therapy Boundaries: When to Bring in a Therapist 02:12 What It Means to “Grow Up” + Radical Self-Inquiry Coaching 04:34 The “How Have I Been Complicit?” Question (Complicit vs Responsible) 09:00 Why Shame, Guilt, and Blame Block Change 11:22 Finding the Hidden Benefit: The IPO (Intended Positive Outcome) 14:05 Don’t Turn Questions Into a Script: Coaching Presence Over Methodology 16:20 Executive Coaching With a Psychoanalytic Perspective: The Reboot Venn Diagram 19:10 “Who Are You Really Serving Right Now?” and Ancestral Patterns 26:10 How Reboot Bootcamps Work: Safety, Container, Dyads/Triads 33:10 Pathology vs Non-Pathology + Coaching Supervision for Coaches

    The Art of Growing Up with Jerry Colonna: Coaching Queries, Ancestral Beliefs & Coaching vs Therapy
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The Impactful Coach is a coaching podcast for coaches, facilitators, and people developers who want to make their coaching sessions more impactful. On the show, metaFox Co-founder Tobi Weghorn interviews experienced practitioners to unpack concrete coaching skills, practical methods or even hops into the client role for hands-on coaching demos. Learn coaching from real coaching conversations and deep dives into Mindset, Methods, Skills & Tools. More on https://metaFox.eu/podcast

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