Journal
Case Study: GOV.UK Design System – Embedding Learning, Culture and Confidence at Scale
“The GOV.UK Design System team sits at the heart of UK government digital delivery—high-impact, high-visibility, and high stakes. The scale and reputation of the work creates both pride and pressure, with team members often feeling exposed in the “limelight.” While the team was delivering well, there was untapped potential in how they collaborated, reflected, and grew together”.
Activist* - Stefan’s Week-Notes 2/11/2024.
“Societal Focus. What this means for me, is that they can at least unconsciously connect the work they do and the change they want to make to everyone in ‘their’ society i.e. their team and organisation and explain this to those around them. The real growth, through coaching comes in being able to consciously do this across their organisation developing a string foundation for sector wide and cross sector influence”.
Work - Good People Have CAUSE.
"The Good People I see who affect the most change, are clear on and can deliver on their C.A.U.S.E. My role as a coach is to help bring this about”.
Advocate - Stefan’s Week-notes 25/10/2024
“if someone believes really strongly that we should do something, whether it's the assistant producer or the executive in charge, we generally do it. Enthusiasm trumps apathy."
Simplicity - Stefan’s Week-notes 20/10/2024
“I know that I usually cant sleep when I sense a crescendo of creative, life and work elements coming together and when growth is taking place”
Between the Sessions: How to Stay Motivated IF the Buzz Wears Off
“In the moment, coaching can feel like a switch has flipped.
You feel clear. Connected. Motivated.
You walk away with a plan. A direction. A sense of possibility.
Especially after Session One — there’s often a sheen, a surge of relief and clarity.
You’ve named what matters. You’ve felt seen. You might even feel a little lighter.
Finally — this is going to move forward.
And then… life happens.”.
Sustenance - What’s that then?
“To understand and be understood is to be free” says Daniel Johnson and in my experience he is free. How do we become understood? We invite questions - from ourselves and others. How do we understand? We honour others by asking them questions too. “
Consistency - Stefan’s Week-notes 12/10/2024
What do you want to be known for? Coaching Examples
"Even more importantly you can use (the question; what do you want to be known for?) 'it' to drag yourself out of a hole, overcome procrastination and even imposter syndrome when you recognise you ARE being that and/or ARE doing what is needed, consistently, to be that (no matter the reason at this stage).
And YOU CAN celebrate deep down to your core when you are being and doing what is needed and known for that which you 'seek'"
Play - What’s that then?
"Part of helping good people lead great things sometimes includes looking at how they introduce play back into their weekly and monthly routines. A number of my client work involves working out their ideal bi-weekly and monthly patterns and mapping activities into their diaries.
That planning might sound like ‘hell', but my oh my, it works."
Passion - Stefan’s Week-notes 06/10/2024
"...she is a wise sage and it’s always wonderful to receive so much value from ‘just’ sharing whats going on in our lives"
Rest - What’s that?
"...like the bike races I do, leadership and change are an endurance race and those, like leadership aren’t won in the first pedal strokes, but can be lost by over ‘egging it’ and ‘burning brightly’ too soon".
Restore - Stefan’s Week-notes 29/09/2024
"Helping others to transition from an idea into a cultural norm and a way of working, living and being takes energy, it takes commitment AND almost as importantly pacing and recuperation’.
Like the bike races I do, leadership and change are an endurance race"
Work - What do I do and Why?
"Good people implicitly or explicitly believe in the principles of social justice - access to resources, equity, participation, diversity, and human rights - in all the work they do.
If someone is working towards creating these organisationally, sector wide and or nationally and internationally, then I am in; with both feet"
Sustainable - Stefan’s Week-notes 22/09/2024
"Perhaps it’s a useful allegory for myself and an underpinning wisdom for much of the work I do with leaders, who will need 3, 5 and maybe even 7 years to deliver the full change they seek. We can all be tempted by the immediate; but chase it too quickly and without sufficient support and sustenance at your peril".
1-1 Coaching Case Study - The MD…
“The weight of expectation in those first months was significant. There was a clear internal drive to prove worth—to deliver results that would silence doubt and demonstrate capability. But through coaching, the MD began to recognise that performance alone wouldn’t be enough. They needed to lead with presence, clarity, and conviction.
The 90-day plan became more than a strategy—it became a mirror.”.
- Stefan’s Weeknote’s 07/09/2024 (Copy)
"How do you be BRAVE - you find others who BELIEVE too, you identify and collect RESOURCES to support you, you Act in unison, interdependently with others. You have a VISION which is compelling and you Engender confidence and positive expectation by recognising and buolding upon the progress you make, no matter how small"
1-1 Coaching Case Study - The Non -Profit ESG Director…
“The challenge wasn’t just technical—it was personal. While widely respected for their expertise and quiet integrity, they weren’t always heard in the rooms where the biggest decisions were made.
A desire to influence ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and climate change as a long tern career trajectory was the ‘target’…”
Stefan’s Weeknotes 03/08/2024
