Jeanine Bailey: Hello and welcome to the next episode of the Empower World Coaching and Leadership Podcast. Today, I'm joined by an amazing guest, Alan Taylor. Alan, I really appreciate you being here. Welcome to our podcast. You and I met several years ago during our ORSC training, I believe it was around the COVID period. It was a great experience, and I appreciated meeting you and others on that course. Since then, we've stayed in touch, particularly due to our shared passion for sustainability and caring for our planet. We've also collaborated on initiatives with the Climate Coaching Alliance (CCA), supporting coaches in our region who are passionate about climate change and sustainability. I wanted to bring you on today because it's been a while since we've explored how, as coaches, we can support the planet and our beautiful Mother Earth. I know you're doing impactful work in this space, and I’d love for you to share your insights and wisdom. Over to you to introduce yourself.

Alan Taylor: Thank you very much, Jeanine. It's great to be here. I'm an executive coach, leadership trainer, and team collaboration expert. I help leaders and teams foster collaboration, drive innovation, and deliver solutions effectively. I come from an IT background, where I spent about 20 years supporting change and transformation as a consultant. I’ve since shifted my focus to sustainability because we need to adapt for a more positive and sustainable future.

Jeanine Bailey: I really appreciate your background, especially since IT tends to be a more analytical, black-and-white world. It’s great to see how coaching can bring value to that space, especially in overcoming challenges and focusing on what truly matters. I also admire that you’ve taken the leap to start your own business. For our listeners, what do you think is key in combining coaching with analytical, data-driven environments?

Alan Taylor: That’s a brilliant question. It’s a tough conundrum. As you said, we’re often stuck in binary thinking-right or wrong, black or white. As coaches, we can help clients cope with ambiguity and become comfortable with not always having the right answers. Whether it’s convincing stakeholders or navigating change, it’s about supporting leaders to discover solutions in their specific context, not giving them pre-defined answers. That means allowing for small mistakes and being okay with trial and error.

Jeanine Bailey: That must be difficult for some audiences to accept.

Alan Taylor: Absolutely. Especially senior leaders-they’ve often succeeded by following rigid processes. But the world is changing, work environments are evolving, and expectations are shifting. I bring a “test and learn” mindset from my IT background. Instead of overanalysing, we need to ask, “What can we try?” and set up safety nets so small changes are less risky. This approach allows us to engage others, reduce costs, and gradually shift mindsets.

Jeanine Bailey: So it's about building risk tolerance by allowing little errors or successes and gradually expanding from there?

Alan Taylor: Exactly. Start small, maybe with a small product or a small team. Even at the senior level, you can experiment with new approaches. One of my clients struggled to convince higher-ups about an innovation. We explored how he could shift his communication style to open doors instead of creating pushback. If he succeeds, it creates momentum and reduces perceived risk the next time.

Jeanine Bailey: Yes, and I’m hearing a strong “yes, and” mindset instead of “yes, but.” That mindset helps clients think more creatively. Speaking of adaptation, let’s shift to climate change and sustainability. What can you share with our audience-coaches, leaders, and others passionate about a better world-about how we support adaptation in this area?

Alan Taylor: Great question. I think it comes down to motivation. What’s the purpose behind what we do? We need to connect with the “why” of both the people delivering and those being served. We talk a lot about purpose, but we don’t always live it. One framework I use is MAP-Meaning, Awareness, and Purpose-which I co-created with the CCA. It helps people identify what’s important to them, like family, health, nature, and then ask why it matters. When we bring our personal meaning into our work, we align passion with purpose. That alignment drives motivation and meaningful action.

Jeanine Bailey: It’s powerful when teams connect to their personal and collective “why.” Even if each person’s purpose is different, there’s a shared energy and inspiration that brings people together. That connection can drive collaboration and innovation.

Alan Taylor: Yes, and when that inspiration is present, you get higher productivity and impact-individually, organizationally, and even globally. It's not either-or; it's win-win across all levels.

Jeanine Bailey: Can you share a real-life example of a team you worked with that moved from hesitation to action around sustainability?

Alan Taylor: Absolutely. I worked with a team where we engaged people across all levels-from executives to employees. The executives shared their own values and vision, which created trust and made it feel safe for others to speak up. We used functional imagery and other coaching techniques to inspire action. People began owning their roles in sustainability. One team member even proposed turning their annual support day into a Sustainability Day. That initiative gave the whole organization a clear, shared purpose. A year later, we checked in, and they were still actively working on new initiatives. It wasn’t just a temporary buzz-it became embedded.

Jeanine Bailey: That’s fantastic. It shows how important leadership buy-in is. Without it, change can stall. But when trust is built from the top, people are more willing to step out of their comfort zones and take action.

Alan Taylor: Yes, and that’s where coaching stands out from traditional training. Training gives information, but coaching shifts mindset and inspires ongoing action. That mindset shift, especially within a supportive group, sustains momentum long after a program ends.

Jeanine Bailey: Exactly. Awareness is vital, but without action, nothing changes. The mindset needs to be ready to leave the comfort zone, or we’ll keep repeating old patterns. So, what else can our listeners do to support ongoing, meaningful change?

Alan Taylor: This may sound counterintuitive, but I suggest not having overly detailed plans. Instead, create a rough roadmap with flexibility. Be open to adjusting the journey based on what’s happening around you. Sometimes small, unexpected opportunities are the most impactful. Listen, adapt, and steer gently rather than sticking rigidly to a plan.

Jeanine Bailey: That resonates with me. Back in the corporate world, I saw teams get bogged down in planning, only for it to get shelved when urgent issues arose. While planning has value, over-planning can be a waste. It’s important to stay agile and intentional.

Alan Taylor: Exactly. In change management, rigid plans often fail-around 70% of change initiatives don’t succeed, even with major frameworks like Prosci. That’s because they follow the process but don’t adapt to people. We need to be more flexible and responsive.

Jeanine Bailey: Yes, and that brings back so many memories of wasted energy on projects that never went anywhere. It’s about spending our energy wisely and creating what truly matters. Since you're immersed in the field of sustainability, how do you think we’re doing-particularly in Australia?

Alan Taylor: We’re definitely becoming more aware, and the trend is moving in the right direction. But right now, it’s still very regulatory-driven-focused on reporting rather than real change. That needs to shift. The good news is, there’s a wealth of talent, research, and technology here. We’re ready to accelerate if corporate mindsets become more open and proactive.

Jeanine Bailey: That’s hopeful. The resources are there; the readiness just needs to align. What else can corporates do?

Alan Taylor: They need to loosen up on rigid roles and stop relying solely on “sustainability experts.” Those experts are in short supply in Australia. Instead, tap into the enthusiasm already within the organization. Let people explore and experiment. Build the ship as you sail, rather than waiting for a perfect one that doesn’t exist yet.

Jeanine Bailey: Yes, and coaching can unlock that internal resourcefulness. People are capable of so much when they’re motivated and supported. Thank you, Alan, for sharing your insights today. Any final reflections before we close?

Alan Taylor: Yes-ask yourself, “What’s stopping you?” And then ask, “What’s the real scale of that obstacle?” For example, some argue against wind farms because of bird fatalities. But millions of birds die yearly from window collisions. We need perspective. There’s no perfect solution. What matters is making the best decision for the greater good.

Jeanine Bailey: Beautifully said. Thank you again, Alan. For our listeners, if you’d like to connect with Alan, his contact information is provided with this podcast. He’s truly making a powerful impact in the world.

Alan Taylor: Thank you, Jeanine. It’s been a pleasure.