The Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Sports Coach

A key person in my life is not a CEO. Not a manager. Not a captain of a team or a professor at a university.

Yet she holds an incredible amount of informal authority in my life — authority I have willingly granted her.

Why?

Because she is a great coach. A thoughtful listener. A role model. Someone with emotional intelligence that you can feel, not just observe.

This person is Rhian — my personal trainer. I have been working with her for just over two years, and in that time she has shaped far more than just my fitness. She has shaped my discipline, my resilience, and my understanding of what real leadership looks like.

The Coach Who Became a Leader

Rhian listens to my goals, understands my strengths and development areas, and somehow always knows when I need a gentle push or a meaningful conversation. Every week, she designs a training plan for me, and every Friday by noon — by agreement — I send her my notes detailing how I performed across swim, bike, run, and strength training.

Last year, at the start of lockdown, I told her I would take a break from the plan. With gyms closed and movement restricted, I thought I could manage on my own for a few months.

I was wrong.

Two months later, I realised that although I was exercising, I wasn’t progressing. There was no meaningful development, no growth, no change. And it became clear: I needed structure, support, and accountability. I needed my coach.

I re-engaged with Rhian — and with my plan.

That period made something obvious: Rhian plays a deeply important role in my life. And what’s even more striking is that she embodies many of the leadership qualities admired in high-performing executives, despite holding no formal leadership title in my life.

Her influence is earned, not assigned. And I believe the leadership lessons she embodies are ones we can all learn from.

Here are the leadership skills I benefit from every week — and that you might benefit from, too.

1. Goals, Structure & Accountability

Rhian begins with purpose: What do you want to achieve?

Once we establish the goals, she builds a six-month plan customized to my needs. It includes flexibility for extra sessions when I’m inspired, and non-negotiable minimums that keep me on track.

Every Friday, if my notes haven’t arrived, I get a text from her. A gentle nudge — but a powerful reminder of the commitment I made to myself.

She reviews the plan weekly, adjusts it with intention, and gradually increases the challenge. The structure and accountability she provides ignite a powerful desire in me to keep improving. I want to push past my personal bests, not because she demands it, but because the relationship and goals we’ve set together fuel that drive.

Leadership lesson:

Structure creates clarity.

Accountability creates growth.

Clear goals create momentum.

2. Adaptation, Commitment & Motivation

When the world shut down, Rhian adapted. Quickly.

With races cancelled and gyms closed, she launched daily Zoom workouts — which she still has not missed once. She trains with us, sweats with us, pushes herself as she pushes us. And she keeps motivation alive by designing challenges: 5 km runs, duathlons, triathlons, strength circuits, and charity events.

Recently, she rallied us for the Captain Tom Foundation challenge. On the day, photos poured into the WhatsApp group — people of all ages, from 3 to 70+, doing the challenge in their own way, in their own homes. Rhian cheered for each of us. And we cheered for one another.

By the end, she posted:

“8000 squats, 8000 press ups, 8000 lunges, 8000 arm dips, 8000 burpees.

80 participants from age 3 upwards! £930 raised for the Captain Tom Foundation.

I am super proud of you… I think Captain Tom would be proud too.”

I only personally know two people out of the 80, yet I felt part of something bigger — a dispersed but united team.

Leadership lesson:

Leaders don’t just adapt.

They create community, energy, and shared purpose — even from afar.

3. Caring… and Tough Love

Rhian cares deeply about her clients. She designs plans thoughtfully, and checks in when I’m struggling. When I recently battled sinusitis, she messaged me every few days to make sure I was okay and getting the right healthcare. The concern is for the whole person, not just the performance.

But care doesn’t mean softness.

When I kept avoiding swimming after being ill, she listened patiently to my excuses — before delivering the tough love I needed:

“This is what you pay me for.

It’s not psychological; you have a tough mind.

If you can spend six hours on an indoor bike, you can swim for 30 minutes.”

She then scheduled a Zoom call to help me work through the challenge. She knew how to get through to me because she understands me.

Leadership lesson:

Great leaders balance compassion with courage.

They care enough to challenge you.

Why Do I Follow Rhian? What Makes Her a Leader?

After two years of training with her, here’s what I’ve come to understand:

She gives clarity of goals and stretches me beyond what I think is possible.

She leads by example. Whatever she expects from us, she does herself — and more.

She creates belonging. She makes each of us feel valued as individuals and part of a collective striving for more.

She celebrates success loudly and often.

“Most of my clients are in their 40s and 50s and still doing lifetime personal bests — I am proud #ageisnotabarrier.”

She is customer-centric and deeply relational. Her plans are bespoke, her communication thoughtful, her care genuine.

She commands respect through consistency, integrity, and authenticity.

She’s commercially savvy without making the relationship feel transactional.

Her background makes this even more impressive: once an investment banker, she went on to compete for Great Britain in triathlon and swimrun events, and still competes today. She blends corporate experience, athletic discipline, emotional intelligence, and humanity in a way few leaders manage.

So, What Kind of Leader Are You?

Are you a Rhian?

Do you inspire without needing a title?

Do you challenge and care in equal measure?

If your team had to describe your leadership style today — honestly — what would they say?

Leadership isn’t about authority.

It’s about influence, integrity, community, and consistency.

Rhian leads without a formal title.

And perhaps that makes her leadership the most authentic of all.

What a 680 km Cycling Challenge Through the Kalahari Taught Me About Teamwork

In August, I joined the AM620 cycling challenge — a three-day, 680 km ride from Gaborone to Ghanzi along Botswana’s Trans Kalahari corridor. It was as tough as it was transformative. With a team of 22 riders (13 men and 9 women), we covered 175 km on Day 1, 240 km on Day 2, and 265 km on Day 3.

By the time we reached Ghanzi, exhausted and sun-baked, I’d learned more about teamwork than any classroom, meeting room, or leadership book could teach. The road has a way of revealing what really matters — and who you become when the only way forward is together.

Here are the lessons that stayed with me long after the finish line.

1. A Shared Purpose Is a Powerful Engine

We weren’t just riding for ourselves. Our goal was to support the Albert Milton Foundation, and that mission gave every kilometre more meaning. When the heat rose or the legs burned, remembering why we were riding pushed us through.

A shared purpose doesn’t just motivate — it unites.

2. Trust Turns a Group Into a Team

Out on the open road, trust isn’t optional. It’s everything.

We depended on each other for pacing, encouragement, and awareness of road conditions. Trust meant knowing that the person ahead of you would hold their line, that someone behind you would warn of danger, and that no one would be left behind.

When trust is strong, people feel safe to give their best.

3. Communication Keeps the Wheels Turning

Good communication doesn’t have to be complicated — sometimes it’s as simple as a hand signal, a nod, or a quick call-out about the road ahead. Throughout the ride, constant check-ins kept us coordinated and focused.

The smoother the communication, the smoother the journey.

4. Great Teams Support and Challenge Each Other

We were a mixed group: different ages, fitness levels, personalities, and strengths. But instead of letting that divide us, we leaned into it. We adapted to those who needed more breaks, encouraged those who struggled, and pushed each other to dig deeper when things got tough.

A strong team lifts, challenges, and grows together.

5. Everyone Has a Strength Worth Leveraging

Some riders thrived on climbs, others dominated the flats, and some were human windshields when crosswinds kicked in. Our diversity made us stronger. Once we recognized each person’s unique contribution, we became more efficient and more connected.

A great team is like a good peloton — every role matters.

6. Resilience Is Easier When You Don’t Ride Alone

At some point, every single one of us hit a wall. That’s inevitable in a challenge like this. But facing those moments together changed everything. A word of encouragement, a push from behind, or just knowing someone was suffering alongside you made the impossible feel achievable.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Never has that African proverb felt so real.

7. Celebrate the Small Wins — They Carry You Forward

We celebrated every day we completed.

Not with champagne or fanfare, but with relief, gratitude, and the quiet satisfaction of progress. These small victories kept us motivated for the next stretch of road.

Celebrating milestones — even tiny ones — fuels the journey ahead.

A Journey That Redefined Teamwork

Riding 680 km across the Trans Kalahari corridor was more than a physical challenge. It was a reminder that teamwork is built on trust, communication, support, and a shared vision. Those three days showed me what’s possible when people commit to something bigger than themselves and choose to move forward together.

We didn’t just complete the ride.

We pushed past possible.

Leading Through Transitions: The Power of the Liminal Space

The world is in a constant state of flux. Geopolitical shifts, technological acceleration, and social change are continuously reshaping our systems, our relationships, and the context in which we lead.

In my work with leaders, I’ve noticed a recurring theme: transition. Many find themselves navigating liminal spaces — those in-between moments where the familiar has ended, yet the future is not fully defined.

This space can feel uncomfortable, even disorienting. It’s what William Bridges called the neutral zone — a time of ambiguity and recalibration. But it’s also where innovation, renewal, and transformation often begin.

I’ve witnessed leaders grappling with:

Endings — closing chapters, leaving organisations, or re-evaluating long-held identities.

New beginnings — shaping new teams, redefining culture, or leading in unfamiliar contexts.

Experimentation — rethinking how they create impact, inspire others, and remain competitive in evolving landscapes.

These transitions are not linear. They’re messy, dynamic, and deeply human. Scary and invigorating at the same time. Yet, when navigated with awareness and intention, they become a powerful catalyst for personal and organisational growth.

Recently, while in Hungary, on the second module of the iGOLD program that I am on, I captured a short video of the Danube River. Its continuous movement reminded me that leadership, too, is a current — sometimes turbulent, always flowing — carrying us from what was toward what’s emerging.

As I reflect on my own journey, I’m mindful of the leader I have become, and curious about the one I’m still becoming. I am also mindful of being a daughter to my powerhouse 89 year old mother as we navigate staying connected while living at a distance, ageing, vulnerability with love and humanity.

How are you leading through transition?

What practices or mindsets have helped you, or your organisation stay grounded amid uncertainty and transformation?