In this episode of Uncoachable, your hosts Rhys Waters and Jon Burns are joined by Earl Hoeg, coach, former federal leader, and representative of PeopleFirst. Together, they dive into the power of understanding personality differences at work, whether you’re navigating team dynamics, looking to improve collaboration, or simply hoping to learn more about yourself. Earl shares his journey from public service to coaching, demystifying the Insights Discovery system and revealing why knowing your own “color energy” can change the way teams communicate, collaborate, and thrive.

Key Highlights:

• Rhys and Jon take the Insights Discovery assessment and share candid reactions to their color-energy profiles.
• Earl’s career shift from the Canadian public sector to people-focused leadership coaching.
• What are color energies (Fiery Red, Sunshine Yellow, Earth Green, Cool Blue), and how do they shape team interactions?
• How personality assessments can help teams build trust, reduce friction, and improve retention.
• The strengths and potential blind spots that come with every color, and how to play to your strengths instead of fixating on weaknesses.
• Real stories of teams transforming after understanding each member's style (including a dramatic ROI case study).
• Candid reflections, from “leaving chaos in your wake” to turning quirks into teamwork superpowers.
• Practical tips for managers and teammates on communicating across personality differences.
• How self-awareness and honest dialogue can spark professional and personal growth.

Guest info:

Earl Huyghen is a leadership coach, facilitator, and founder at PeopleFirst, with more than three decades of experience in the Canadian public sector. Earl specializes in helping teams unlock their full potential by understanding and leveraging personality differences using the Insights Discovery system. Earl's passion is teaching organizations to put people first, building trust, self-awareness, and authentic workplace cultures one team at a time.

00:00 – Introduction & team color energies explained
03:00 – Meet Earl Huyghen: public service to people-first coaching
08:00 – The Insights Discovery system: beyond black-and-white assessments
13:00 – Exploring the four colors: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue
18:00 – Immediate reactions: How accurate were the personality reports?
23:00 – Using Insights to improve teamwork, communication, and leadership
28:00 – Case study: how understanding personality led to massive ROI
31:00 – When strengths become weaknesses (and vice versa)
36:00 – Personal takeaways: printing weaknesses, doubling down on strengths
39:00 – Next steps: sharing profiles, building a more self-aware team
41:00 – Final reflections and applying Insights at work and beyond

In this episode of Uncoachable, your hosts Rhys Waters and Jon Burns are joined by Vatsal Sood, professional speaker, coach, and Founder of the Resilient Speakers community. Together, they dive into the transformative power of public speaking; whether you’re preparing for a TEDx talk, addressing a boardroom, or hoping to find your voice in everyday communication. Vatsal shares his inspiring journey from computer science into the world of speaking, breaks down practical strategies for overcoming stage fright, and reveals how storytelling and self-expression can change lives both on and off the stage.

Key Highlights:

• Practicing public speaking in unconventional settings
• Vatsal’s personal transition from coding to professional speaking coach
• Common challenges in public speaking: anxiety, overconfidence, and authenticity
• Why storytelling is the most powerful tool for connecting with any audience
• Techniques for overcoming nervousness, building confidence, and slowing down
• The role of practice communities like Toastmasters in building real-world skills
• How public speaking impacts careers, business, relationships, and self-image
• The effects of AI on communication, and why authentic voices matter now more than ever
• How to prepare a standout TEDx application and what organizers are looking for
• Building a supportive community through group coaching and storytelling

Guest info:

Vatsal Sood is a keynote speaker and TEDx coach who helps audiences reconnect with their voice, challenge limiting beliefs, and embrace authentic self-expression. With a background in tech and over a decade of experience in leadership and communication, Vatsal has spoken on topics like burnout, mindfulness, and the role of communication in leadership. Through keynotes and workshops, Vatsal empowers professionals and entrepreneurs to lead with confidence, connection, and courage.

00:00 – Introduction & unconventional public speaking practice
03:40 – Meet Vatsal Sood: from coding to coaching
07:35 – Confidence, authenticity, and serving the audience
12:09 – Transforming shy speakers into confident storytellers
14:28 – Vatsal’s coaching methods and practice environments
16:33 – Storytelling techniques and speech structure
19:32 – Overcoming fear and the “spotlight effect”
23:43 – The value of public speaking in work and life
31:12 – The human side of communication vs. AI
33:38 – Demystifying TEDx: pitching unique ideas
36:39 – Key takeaway: vocalizing your thoughts
39:45 – Final reflections and main learnings from the episode

In this episode of Uncoachable, your hosts Rhys Waters and Jon Burns are joined by Carrie Forbes, CEO and founder of Rockstar Advisory, for a dynamic exploration of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and how understanding personality types can enhance team collaboration, leadership, and self-development. Carrie shares her expertise from decades of career coaching and uses real-world stories to illustrate why personality insights matter in both work and life, whether you’re a self-identified introvert, extrovert, or still figuring it out.

Key Highlights:

• What the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator really is and how it helps build better teams and relationships
• Myths and facts about personality tests: science, ethics, and common misuses
• Breaking down the four Myers-Briggs dimensions: Extroversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judging/Perceiving
• Why appreciating different personality types can resolve team conflicts and improve collaboration
• Real examples from coaching and business, and how to use MBTI to recognize strengths, challenges, and growth opportunities
• How to apply personality insights to hiring, team design, and personal development

Guest info:
Carrie Forbes is the CEO and founder of Rockstar Advisory, with 25+ years’ experience in transformation, coaching, and leadership development. She specializes in helping people and organizations leverage personality insights to unlock potential and build strong, effective teams.
Learn more at rockstaradvise.com.

00:00 - Introduction & Episode Overview
00:35 - Meet Carrie Forbes, Guest Introduction
02:22 - What is Myers-Briggs? History & Purpose
04:53 - Myers-Briggs in Work, Life, and Beyond
10:11 - Explaining Extroversion vs. Introversion
13:40 - Sensing vs. Intuition: How We Experience Information
21:24 - Thinking vs. Feeling: Decision-Making Styles
25:46 - Judging vs. Perceiving: Approaches to Structure and Work
31:47 - Self-Identification & Myers-Briggs Results Reveal
36:23 - Using Personality Insights in Teams & Conflict Resolution
39:38 - Takeaways & Final Thoughts
40:31 - Where to Find Carrie & Rockstar Advisory
41:24 - Outro, Next Steps, and Podcast Recommendations

In this episode, your hosts Rhys and Jon are joined by Susan Power, founder of Power Up Leadership, for an insightful conversation about what it really takes to be an effective leader in today’s world. Susan shares her journey from HR and entrepreneurship to coaching leaders, and dives deep into the challenges of self-awareness, building trust, and navigating the ups and downs of leadership; whether you’re a reluctant leader, a seasoned executive, or somewhere in between.

Key Highlights:

• Why self-awareness is the foundation of great leadership (and why most of us overestimate ours)
• The difference between managing and leading, and why leaders should speak last
• How to build trust and open communication in teams (and why it’s so easy to get wrong)
• The challenges of letting go for entrepreneurs and the power of delegation
• Real stories of transformation, from bad bosses to breakthrough moments
• The importance of continuous learning (even coaches need coaches!

Guest info:
Susan Power is the founder of Power Up Leadership, with over 20 years of experience in HR, coaching, and entrepreneurship. She specializes in helping leaders and organizations unlock their full potential through self-awareness, trust-building, and practical leadership strategies.

Learn more at powerupleadership.ca.

In this episode, hosts Rhys and Jon are joined by Dorothy Spence, founder of Imaginal Ventures, for a thought-provoking conversation about building a conscious business, defining core values, and the importance of authentic storytelling in today’s world. Dorothy shares her journey from engineering and entrepreneurship to coaching and conscious business leadership.

Key Highlights:

-Articulate your “why” and core values; start from the inside out

-Respect, creativity, and authenticity are at the heart of Podstarter’s culture

-Authentic conversations and real voices create deeper connections

-Take time to pause, reflect, and make conscious choices in business and life

Guest info:
Dorothy Spence

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorothy-spence-65454412/

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In this episode of Uncoachable, hosts Rhys Waters and Jon Burns are joined by special guest Permjot Valia for a candid and entertaining conversation about the real work of managers, the power of humor in leadership, and why organizations should “insource” emotional labor instead of outsourcing it to coaches.

Key Highlights:
-Humor is a powerful tool for building trust and connection in a team
-There are pitfalls of outsourcing difficult conversations and emotional work
-Self-deprecating humor and cultural nuance work

Permjot shares stories from his career, insights on organizational culture, and tips for having tough conversations with empathy and respect. The episode is packed with laughs, actionable advice, and thought-provoking ideas for leaders, managers, and anyone interested in workplace culture.
Tune in for a fresh perspective on management, a few good jokes, and inspiration to be the best you can be, wherever you are, with whatever you have.

Enjoyed the episode? Leave us a review, share your thoughts, or reach out if you have a unique perspective on coaching and leadership!

Guest info:
Permjot Valia

https://www.linkedin.com/in/permjotvalia/

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What does it take to truly lead in today’s workplace, where generational shifts, disruption, and constant growth collide? This week, we’re joined by Lisa W. Haydon, credentialed executive coach, and founder of Pivotal Growth Inc. Lisa left a successful corporate career to build a firm that challenges how performance is led, helping leaders modernize their approach, build trust, and mobilize their teams.

In this conversation, Lisa shares her personal journey, how she once thought she was a good coach in corporate life, only to discover through training and certification how much deeper true coaching goes. She unpacks the impact of Millennials and Gen Z on leadership expectations, why leadership development is a “slow burn,” and the power of creating safe, unfiltered spaces for executives to be vulnerable without fear of judgment.

Guest info:
Lisa W. Haydon
https://www.pivotalgrowthinc.com/

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Despite the best coaching advise, things don't always go as planned. Some could argue that plans without execution are just hopes. Perhaps ideas and goals are pointless with out understanding how to achieve them. Is this the source of being Uncoachable?

Podstarter's Aminah and Rhys regroup to review the coaching adventure so far and to look ahead at what is next.

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