Season 2, Episode 33
Welcome to the Coaching Studio Podcast
This podcast features fun, lively conversations with masterful coaches who are creating an impact. Get to know them, their journey into coaching, and discover what wisdom they would offer you about being a better coach.
Let’s go!

the Coaching Studio Guest
It is my pleasure to welcome Ruth Kudzi, MCC, to the Coaching Studio Podcast.
Quick Links from Episode
Learn more about Ruth Kudzi, MCC, by visiting her website and listen to her Podcast, the Coaching Hub
Book(s):
Find Ruth Kudzi, MCC, on LinkedIn
Credits
- Host: Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC
- Music: Frolic by Harrison Amer
- Production Editing: Lyssa deHart
- Social Media and Communications: Michele Logan
About This Episode
On this episode of the Coaching Studio, I welcome my guest today Ruth Kudzi, MCC. There were many favorite parts to our conversation one had to do with the three things Ruth would have done differently. An, what she thinks when coaches say, “My Client would never do XYZ.” Join us as we explore ways to open ourselves up, reflect, and not put limits on our clients and what they would or wouldn’t do. Taking time to become transparent with ourselves and giving to ourselves what we give to others.
Ruth started in recruitment and people development and moved into education where she helped to embed coaching skills and coaching culture in a number of schools. She is now the CEO of Optimus Coach Academy.
- One of the most highly regarded coach training schools in the UK which has trained over 500 individuals
- An award-winning, established, and well-regarded business and leadership coaching practice
- Experience in working with individuals and corporates in the public and private sector
- Project-based experience developing and leading coaching cultures
Read the transcript of this episode of the Coaching Studio Podcast:
Lyssa deHart |
Hi, Lyssa deHart here and welcome to the Coaching Studio. Today in the studio is Ruth Kudzi, she is an MCC coach with the International Coaching Federation. She also lives, uh, in the UK. Ruth, are you in London or where in the UK are you? |
Ruth Kudzi |
Yeah, I’m in London. Yes. |
Lyssa deHart |
Well, welcome to the Coaching Studio. I’m super excited to have you here as my guest today. |
Ruth Kudzi |
Thank you for having me. |
Lyssa deHart |
You’re very welcome. So I really would love to hear a little bit about the journey that you’ve taken, like what brought you into coaching. I think I had read that you had a different sort of background in recruiting if I remember correctly, but I could be wrong about that. Um, so, yeah, I’d love to hear how you ended up in coaching? |
Ruth Kudzi |
Yeah, so you are right. I, uh, started out my career in recruiting actually works in the US. As well as the UK back, that is, over 20 years ago. So that was my first career. And um, I remember always thinking like, there was somebody who was a psychologist and did psychometrics. And I thought that was really interesting because my degree is in psychology and business and then I was like, hmm, actually I’m using quite a bit of coaching with clients because you’re kind of using those skills, but I would never call myself a coach. So I then went into education and became a teacher, became a psychology and a business teacher. And I again found out more about coaching and started to dip my toe in. And then gosh, about twelve years ago, um, I was in a leadership development program, and I got my first coach. And um, it was completely transformed how I felt about myself, how I showed up, my career. So that was it. I remember actually being in all of the leadership stuff because I was going to become what we call in this country, a head teacher, what you call in the US, a principal. And I was on that route and I realized very early on, I don’t want to be doing that route; I want to be a coach. So that must be a bit over twelve years ago, that realization. So it was very much, I think there was probably quite a lot of signs in the universe that it was what I wanted to do. If I look back now, it makes sense, but at the time, I didn’t even really know anyone who was a coach except for this person. and so I thought all the people who were on that sport on that course. So I thought to become a coach, to become a coach and do what they do, I have to be a head teacher. So there was a period of my life when I was thinking that I would become a head teacher. Which is a very very challenging consuming profession. So I could then become a coach. I didn’t know, luckily, I saw the light. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah. Because that would have been kind of like an extra step, an unnecessary, maybe extra step in order to get you here. You said something really interesting. You said something about that experience was life-altering for you. Do you have a way of sort of distilling what that was that made that experience so life-altering for you? |
Ruth Kudzi |
I, um, think it was a way that it changed how I thought about myself. And even though I’d worked in education for quite a long time I don’t… and I knew what growth mindset and all of that stuff was, uh, applying to students, but I don’t think I’d really consider how I applied it to myself. And I think for me, it was that support from that coach to realize that I have the answers inside me and that I could get better. And, um, that actually there’s, um, a bit there as well around strengths because I’d always kind of I’ve got ADHD. I am not very much of a completer finisher. And I’d always thought that that was the worst thing in the world and that I couldn’t be successful with that profile. And I think we did some strength-based stuff, and I realized, oh, my gosh, I’ve got all these things that I’m good at, and other people are good at those things that I’m not good at. You can build wonderful teams that way. And so I think that, again, was a massive thing for me, just changing the way that I thought. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah, those internal narratives that run us until we challenge them. Right. I love that. And I really love strength finders also. I, um, think it’s such a powerful way of starting to re-examine again, our narratives about ourselves and looking at what are our strengths and overused underused all of those sorts of components are brilliant. Um, what brought you then? What is this experience been then once you started actually, like, you got serious, you go, I’m not going to be a head teacher? I’m actually going to just dive into coaching. What has that experience been like for you? |
Ruth Kudzi |
So I think the diving in it took me, I reckon, about five years, where I was, uh, doing training as a coach. I was doing a lot of internal coaching. So I started off doing it in my role. So I would be coaching new members of staff, and I’ll be coaching underperforming members of staff, and I’ll be looking at creating a coaching program for students. So I did loads of it in my role, and I started doing leadership coaching as well. Um, and it was very much while I’m going to actually start a business as a coach. So I think it was about five years, five or six years while I was doing that. And and I was kind of dipping my toe in, but not really committing. And part of that was because I had my first child, um, during that time. And, um, then I was, oh, maybe I’ll do it, maybe I won’t. And I was doing bits and bobs. And then when I went back to work after having her, I was like, oh, okay, so seven years ago, but actually I really want to do the coaching. So I set up my own business. So by that point, I probably had done about 500 hours of coaching. But I hadn’t done I’ve done loads of training I’d done like, a postgraduate certificate. I had, um, done lots of diplomas ICF accredited things, but I wasn’t yet ICF accredited, so I done about 500 (hrs). Um, and then I set up my own coaching business. So that was in 2016. So for the last six and a half years, I have been my main well, I say my main thing, I now have a training business too. But my predominant thing has been coaching. Obviously, it was quite a journey to get there. I think that’s really important as well, because some people think that if they train and they don’t set up a business or start coaching straight away, or using it in a certain way, then they won’t. And actually, that was right for me. It worked for me, it worked for my family. And when I was ready, I was really ready. I was like, I know this is what I want to do. And I was so determined and passionate. I think if I’ve done it any younger, I might not of been. |
Lyssa deHart |
That’s interesting. I’ve had this conversation with a number of people, and that quality that’s required in order to start your own business, I think is really important. And you and I have a bit of a similarity in the sense that I got my original coach training in 2008, but I didn’t get my ACC until 2014. I was doing other things. And I think that gap is okay, right? Like, it gives you an opportunity to figure out, to your point, what’s right for you and your family. How is your perspective on coaching shifted as you moved, and I don’t know if you started at PCC and then went to MCC? Because, uh, you already had the hours, but how has it shifted over time with your experience and training? |
Ruth Kudzi |
Oh my gosh, it has completely changed. I didn’t ever do ACC. I did go straight for PCC, and I spent a lot of time kind of… I’ve done the Icfaccredited stuff, and I was doing coaching. I was probably doing quite a blend of coaching and mentoring and coaching and training. And obviously, I was contracting everything on that. And then I was like, why am I not doing this? I remember getting the mentoring for PCC, and that in itself was completely because I didn’t do ACTP or a new Level 2. That was completely transformational in itself, again, because that feat, you have clients who say, oh yeah, it’s great, but that feedback where people are actually critiquing your coaching. It’s hard, but that changed it. And then now I would say, uh, and then path to MCC. Really getting so much better at using your intuition and listening. I’m really listening. And, um, then I would say, now I’ve got my MCC. Well, uh, I submitted it in, I think, July 2020. So it’s nearly two years now. I’m not sure what date it says. Um, it’s nearly two years now. It takes a while, doesn’t it? A very nailbiting while, um, now my approach has developed even more. I think I’ve done a lot more study on kind of neuroscience and the brain. And so now there are things that I used to do then that I would never do. And I think this is evolution. It’s like this. Was I a good coach twelve years ago when I just started? I was probably okay. Ah, was I a good coach when I got my MCC? Yeah. Am, um, I a better coach now? Yes. Will I be a better coach in two years time? Will I be a better coach in twelve years time? 100%. Because it’s like you’re always peeling off another layer, and you’re always kind of evolving, and you’re always seeing what’s working and you’re but you’re always learning. And I think that for me, is what just makes this so you learn to support your clients better, but also all of the stuff that you learn just makes you such a better person. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah, I really want to just like Yes, yes, yes to that. What is something that you would have done when you started that you would never do now? You mentioned there are things that I would have done as a coach when I started that I would never do now. |
Ruth Kudzi |
Oh, my gosh. Okay, so I’m going to give you three things. First of all, write clients really lengthy, like, notes after their sessions. So I don’t know where I got this from. But I was like, uh, this will be really helpful for the client. And it’s not an ICF thing, so I don’t know where I got it from, but it used to really depress me. So I’d be having a coaching, loving it. And then kind of sat there in the evening typing up these notes. And, um, I remember actually, my mentor for PCC was like, you don’t… How are these helpful for your clients? |
Lyssa deHart |
You’re working so hard. |
Ruth Kudzi |
And I was like, I’ve never really thought of that. I thought, like, you had to give them physical stuff for it to be valuable. He’s like, and how do you feel about them? I hate them. Like, it’s a bit that I hate about the job. It fills me with dread. What if you stopped doing them? So that was one thing. Uh, another thing is I used to be a big fan of what is stopping your question and what are the barriers? And I think from a lot of the neuroscience stuff I’ve read that can put you into Amygdala threat response and danger response. So you’re closing down your clients’ thinking. So rather than the end of the session being like kind of them leaving with that positive energy, and they’re like, right, I’m going to do this, you’re actually going to be closing them down. So that was really interesting because I definitely used to say that, and it’s still in the ICF competencies. So yeah, that was another thing. Um, and the third thing, which is probably the hardest thing, is not being attached to your clients’ results. So it’s an ironic world because we know as coaches, don’t we? And as MCCs, our clients’ results are down to them. They’re not down to us. However, we share testimonials and case studies. So it’s like this kind of, and we get referrals. But I think it’s when you go into that Stephen Covey thing, what can I control, what can’t I control? All I can control is how I show up in the session. How I support my client. That’s what I can control. I can’t control what happens outside sessions. And, um, when you are really feeling that, it makes such a difference to how you show up. Because when you’re attached to it, you’re taking too much responsibility, and energetically, it changes that relationship. You’re no longer partnering with them. You’re often thinking that their progress should be different and it should look different and taking on their stuff as your stuff. And that doesn’t help your coaching relationship. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah. And I think when I talk to coaches, that developmental stage, so to speak, of letting go of attachment to the outcome. And the outcome being attached to my value and what I offer the world. And to your point, I mean, you probably have clients who say, well, what is your ROI? Or what are your success measures? Or how many people have you done X for? And so I mean, I think people there’s like this place where people are going to ask those questions. But I think if I’m hearing you correctly. And I know from my own experience. The more I am present with another human being and stay in that space. The better their outcomes are for whatever it is that they’re working on. Versus me having a particular agenda for them. Like. Hey. I think you need to do X. And so I’m going to hammer that home to get you “there. ” Wherever there is that I think is important to them. Yeah, I think that is so important for coaches especially to hear because I think that, um, the value that I bring and the attachment to your goal. It’s interesting, as you say, that when you think about the kinds of, um, ways that people work with other people. And I know you have a school. So when you’re thinking about these young coaches who are kind of in that space, um, I need to get you somewhere. My values attached to my success in getting you somewhere here’s your present at the end of the session, what helps them shift out of that? And maybe you don’t know, but I mean, I’m curious what you notice. |
Ruth Kudzi |
Um, I think there is that kind of learning, and they have to kind of have that feeling themselves, but also, like, sharing some of my most successful coaching clients, I mean, recently, I had someone who is a very senior leadership position who I was coaching and was paid for by their organization. Basically, their coaching was around they wanted to leave and set up their business, and they did. And then someone who had a business, um, no, that wasn’t what their coaching was about in the beginning. That was the outcome. And then I was coaching someone who had a business, and actually, their outcome was to close their business and go back to a leadership as a really senior leadership position. So it’s like the two people switched. But that wasn’t what they came for. Um, was it what they needed? Yes. And I think sharing with people that often, we don’t even know what we’re coming to coaching for. Because it can be. What do people say the problem is not the problem. We think, like, oh, we want this, or we think, oh, this is the thing. But then when we actually do the work, the thing changes. And, um, we realize that actually, that’s not the problem, that’s a distraction. The thing that we really need to work on is X or Y. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah, yeah, and I see that in a coaching conversation where the client comes and says, uh, here’s my topic for today. But it’s superficial, right? Like, it’s way up here, and the coach goes, okay, let’s do that. Um, versus getting curious. Like, what’s really driving this is a topic even, right? And I think that’s true of goals for a longer coaching relationship as well. Beautiful. I mean, I think that’s so important for people to understand. Um, when you think of your own work, where is your passion in your own work right now? What are you playing with in your own coaching? |
Ruth Kudzi |
Oh, my gosh. I think it is definitely about that kind of slightly deeper intuitive presence. So a, uh, lot for me is that listening out for, okay, where are those clues? Where’s that tone changing? Really helping support people to be that mirror, and yeah, all of the kind of looking at how you can integrate positive language and positive psychology and neuroscience into what you do. So thinking about how you’re framing your questions, thinking about how you’re supporting people to move towards reward. Thinking about all of that. For me, that’s a bit that lasts. And I was smiling before when you were saying about what people say at the beginning, because I have this pet hate where people say and obviously I train coaches, and people always say, what do you want to focus on, well, I want a plan. It’s never about the plan! |
Lyssa deHart |
Of course. I want tools! It’s never about the tools either! |
Ruth Kudzi |
It’s not about the plan. It’s not about the tools. That is the thing. And it’s like the notes that I was providing to people. That’s a thing. And often people are so attached to having a thing that the best coaching isn’t coaching, where people come away with some shopping list as long as they’re arms of all the things that they’re going to do. It might just be where they go. Oh wow, well I’m going to go and reflect on this and think about that, the first thing that I need to feel differently to actually make this happen. Uh, so I love that and I love anything that’s just future focus. That’s why I love coaching. Because we spend so much time in the past. That’s just like, OK, what can we do right now and how can we step into being that person? Um, so that’s all of my stuff. That’s my jam. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah. And as you say that it’s sort of interesting too because I think of that how do we step into being whatever that is that we’re wanting to move towards and what is it that needs to be explored that maybe gets in the way of us just comfortably, with ease, stepping into that space? Far more interesting conversation. Far more interesting conversation. |
Ruth Kudzi |
Than the plan. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah. Than the plan. Uh, is a big word. Um, I regularly tell people, look, if people can Google it or there’s an app for it, they don’t need you. I’ve got an app for it. I don’t need a coach to do it. And in fact, what do you think? One of the conversations that I’ve had a few times with people is around AI and how AI is finally at a place where, uh, there’s an algorithm for a certain set of questions that a person can get the benefit of “coaching” with an AI on their phone app or whatever. How do you see this, uh, future world that we have coming? |
Ruth Kudzi |
I mean I think in some ways that’s great because everyone be able to access basic coaching. But the best coaches, it’s about the energy. It’s about what isn’t being said. It’s about recognizing. You know, and I’m sure that they’ll be able to recognize if someone kept using the same word, but how they’re saying it, recognizing when they’re pausing, all of those things. Like great coaches are about being in the moment with the person. They call it dancing in the moment, don’t they? Dancing in the moment is a person which I love. And um, I don’t think that, I don’t think a computer can pick up on those nuances. Sometimes you just feel it, don’t you? You’re like, oh, mhm. What’s going on there? Um, so yes, I think it’s great if that gives people a baseline of some coaching intervention. I do think that some is better than none personally. uh, yeah. |
Lyssa deHart |
And I think it also asks coaches to step up their game like, if you’re just coaching at a very basic level, it is getting more training, getting more comfortable with noticing the somatics of your client or even your own. Like, I’m noticing as you’re talking that I feel this weight on my shoulders. And I’m curious what’s showing up for you? Is such a if it’s appropriate in that moment. It’s such a useful kind of sharing of an experience. Um, and I think it takes becoming brave because this is the other thing that I hear, and I’d love to hear what you say to people. Um, I hear people say, well, my clients wouldn’t appreciate that kind of coaching. My clients don’t want depth. And I’m like, well, I think probably they’re more mermaid than you realize. But I’m curious, what are your thoughts on “my client”? |
Ruth Kudzi |
Oh, my gosh, “my clients”? Yes. So I, uh, think, and I hear this mainly with people who work with people in the corporate space. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yes. |
Ruth Kudzi |
So the idea that if you work in a corporate, you are completely straight, so you will only kind of deal with models and things. And I always say to people, like, okay, so think about your friends. Think about the people that you know and those that work in corporate and those that don’t. How are they different? And everyone’s kind of like, “Well, but that’s my friends. ” Okay, so how are they different? And they’re like you can’t really see because they’re not a person is a person. And I think that sometimes when you’re selling into HR, or you might not say, well, you might not say, well, we’re going to be doing some somatic practices. And that could include you think about the language that you use. Because of the market. When you are selling into HR, you’re talking about the things that they find really attractive, like retention, productivity, and performance. But the way that you do it is the same. So I always encourage people to be curious about other people. Because it’s so easy if somebody wears a suit, that doesn’t mean that they’re not interested in what’s going on in their body. It doesn’t mean they’re not in touch with their feelings. Um, be curious. But I hear it so many times. “My clients” never do this. And I’m like, really? |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah. I’m always fascinated to the same point that you have, which is, I have rarely met an executive who wasn’t also a human being. Now, some of them are interested in this or that or whatever, but the capacity to be self curious tends to be a human component, um, for most people, and executives, even more so. Because they’re curious about so many things, which is why they’re even executives, right. They’re thinking about and especially with the climate that we have at this point around innovation and being able to move with rapid shifting landscapes and things like that. You’ve got to be creative and curious. Um, yeah, so I really appreciate that, uh, perspective also “not my client. ” I bet you yes, your client. When you are, um, we have the new updated competencies, and there’s this idea of this coaching mindset. And I’m curious, how do you take care of yourself in order to be really present and available with the people that you work with? Now, we know you’re not doing long chapters after every session; just listen to the client. |
Ruth Kudzi |
Um, yeah, I mean, so, for me, I’m very blessed. So I live in London, but I live literally opposite a massive forest on the outskirts. I spend a lot of time in the forest. I have my own coach. I have my own therapist. Which some people in the US were like, yeah, that’s normal UK. We don’t talk about it. But I have my own therapist. I have my own therapist. I have coaching supervision. I do other training. I run a training school, but I do other trainings. It’s quite difficult when you’ve got a name like mine, because often people be like, did you sign up for my training? I’m like, yes, because I’m really curious to learn different approaches. Um, I’m always kind of like, okay, so where can that go? But I think for me, it’s that whole thing that we see generally across social media, don’t we, about self care. But actually, uh, if you’re not well, you can’t help people, and if you’re not looking after yourself, you can’t sustainably help people. So, yeah, there was loads that are doing that. I love that competency. I think it’s a great one. |
Lyssa deHart |
I think it’s so important, and I really appreciate your transparency around having a coach, having a therapist, and having supervision. I mean, I’m in supervision, have a coach. Uh, I don’t have a therapist right now, but I have and I was a therapist. But, uh, I do think there’s this sort of need to remember, like, we’re selling coaching, and yet how many coaches are like, “Oh, I don’t need a coach. “ |
Ruth Kudzi |
I find that, uh, sometimes I say to people, like, I don’t think that you always need a coach. Sometimes you need to have a break from coaching because you need to integrate, you need to implement, you need to reflect. But if you’re thinking about a year, you would want to be as a coach, working with a coach for at least 50% of that time. How are you in integrity if you really believe it, if you really believe it makes a difference? Uh, I’m currently saying this, actually. My coach is just on maternity leave, but she is coming back in about two weeks. She didn’t take that long. Ugly. But if you really, truly believe in coaching as an intervention and you’re selling it yeah, it feels inauthentic to me. Like, what’s going on there? |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah. And even if you’re like, well, I don’t really have something I want to work on in coaching. Coaching supervision, because you’re working with people. And you may not always love your clients or you may love them too much, right? |
Ruth Kudzi |
Or you may be too attached to that outcome. Um, or they may keep oh my gosh, this happens, doesn’t it? When you’re going through something personally, they keep coming back to you, don’t they. |
Lyssa deHart |
And, they may have a topic that they just circle around the mulberry bush over and over again. And for many coaches, they can feel like they’re not good enough because they can’t seem to get the client past it. Or they may feel like there’s something wrong with the client. Or they may feel like, I don’t know what I’m doing, or any of those kinds of things. Coaching supervision is so powerful for supporting coaches to explore what’s showing up for them. Definitely. Um, yeah, I love hearing that. I’m a big advocate of all of those things, and I’ve always just been so fascinated by the coaches who are like, yeah, I don’t get coaching, and yet I’m a coach. Um, it’s like, very interesting. How do you make that work? |
Ruth Kudzi |
I am very curious about that. |
Lyssa deHart |
Very curious about that. Absolutely. So, um, is there something that we would never guess about you, Ruth? I have a feeling there are probably several things that we would never guess about you, what would you be willing to share with us? |
Ruth Kudzi |
Oh, my gosh. I’m just thinking about what’s it well, so I guess I’ve always been like, uh, uh, some kind of thing in this field. So actually, before I went into recruitment, I used to teach scuba diving. So m, you might not have guessed that about me. Um, I never think that I say that many exciting things. Yes, I used to do that. I used to actually be a dancer as well, so I did a little shift as a dancer so I could dance in the moment with people, many weeks ago. But I think, yeah, I can’t ever think of those questions. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah, I love both of the answers, the dancing in the moment and learning to be flexible and be able to kind of follow the lead of another human being. But I have to tell you, I have this sort of metaphor of the clients that I love to work with and how I sort of envision myself, ultimately, really, uh, comes from Anis Min quote about I must be a mermaid because I don’t like living in the shallows, and I love, uh, going into the depth of the ocean sort of thing. I did not do a good job of quoting that particular quote, but I think of myself as a mermaid, and I think of the clients that I love working with as mermaids. Also as people willing to go below the surface. And so, as a diver, you’re down in the current. |
Ruth Kudzi |
And it can be really calm on top and you don’t know what’s going on underneath. And I think it’s just so interesting. Some of the clients that are just, uh, are the most fascinating are the ones that have really got that mask. And then you help them take that put that mask down for a bit, and there’s so much there. I just always say it’s a really privileged position to see into somebody else’s brain. Because we don’t usually do that. |
Lyssa deHart |
What do you think is the secret to creating the space that you’re allowed or invited into somebody else’s brain? |
Ruth Kudzi |
I think that having Uh uh. I don’t know why I always have this thing about this word, but yeah, it is about creating something that’s safe. And I think the way that you create a space that’s safe is that you’re really consistent, so people know what to expect. You have expectations. So obviously, we have a discovery call and whatever we call it with people. And then we would let I would say to people, like, this is how our sessions normally run, yet we’re not going to follow a formula. This is how it will run. So you kind of have an idea. So I think those kind of foundational pieces are really important. And then listening to them being present with people creates a safe space. Building rapport with people, taking the time to build the relationship. And that’s so important. I think in corporate, when we’re going in, we sometimes go in, don’t we? And so and so will say, these five people on his team need to be coached. And two of them don’t want to be coached. And they definitely don’t want to coach because they didn’t even choose you. And they’re wondering about what coaching is. If you can create a “safe space” where you’re on a level with them, you’re not kind of above them, you’re on their level. If you can be present and listen to them, and if you can be consistent. And all of those things that all of those little things and my mom always used to say this to me, like, it’s the little things that people notice. But I do think it’s important. Ah, being on time, having a system, having a people know, okay, I booked the call in here, and this is what happens. It just means that people that a lot of the things that people might be thinking about are taken off, so then they. |
Lyssa deHart |
Can no, I think that’s really true. If there’s a continuity to the relationship, there’s all these things that they might be churning around that they don’t need to waste time and energy churning around, if it’s really clear for them. Yeah, I think that’s really important. So what are you up to in your work today that you’d like to share with the audience? |
Ruth Kudzi |
So, I have recently I finished my final draft, um, of my second book. So it’s called, How to Feel Better. Uh, and it’s out in May 2023. Although the date for the US may be slightly different, that’s the date for, um, the UK in Europe and Australia. So I’ve just been doing that, and I think that’s been amazing because, um, that’s been really impacting my work again as well. Like revisiting all of that stuff and that kind of well-being heart because that’s just for me, everything. Um, we now have a level one and a level two diploma. So that is really cool. Uh, it takes a lot of work to get that through. But um, that’s really cool. So we’re about to embark on our second round of the level one and I don’t have any rounds. We’ve done a level two quite a few. So that’s really exciting. But yeah, I feel like my personal calling and coaching is going to move more towards well-being. Um, yeah, that’s what I’m feeling. I feel like I think it’s something that I’m seeing in all of my clients. My clients tend to be either business leaders or business owners. And I think that that kind of wellbeing piece. I think there’s been quite a lot of reimagining what they want work and life to look like. |
Lyssa deHart |
Yeah. I think coming out of this last few years of the pandemic has really, I think, shifted how people think about their lives and what’s important to them. So it makes a lot of sense that well-being and how that is going to be lived into and demonstrated in their lives would be just a lot of fun to actually explore with people. Um, I know you have a podcast also. Can you tell us just a quick little blurp about your podcast? I’ll be definitely putting a link to it. |
Ruth Kudzi |
Yeah. So I have a podcast. I think I’m going to do a little bit of a re-something with it, but it’s called The Coaching Hub. It’s had a lot of interviews with different students, different people who’ve gone through our coaching course. And I do some solo episodes as well. And really it’s talking about the power of coaching and kind of how you can use coaching in lots and lots of different ways. However, I do think that it’s going to evolve into maybe do some more life coaching episodes and that kind of thing that we did in the beginning. So I’m just excited to see where that’s going to go. |
Lyssa deHart |
Very exciting. Well, I’ll definitely be putting a link for people to be able to go check it out and see what you’re offering out there. So I do have, um, a final question for you today. It is the final question that I’m using with everybody this season. So, um, if you were to write your autobiography today and without any explanation, what would you title it? |
Ruth Kudzi |
I would call it, This Is It. So, uh, my first book was called Is This It? “This Is It. ” And obviously, it doesn’t mean it like, this is amazing, but This Is It. This was my life, this was my learning. This Is It. |
Lyssa deHart |
That’s brilliant. I love it. I love it. This is it. Well, thank you so much for being on my podcast today. The Coaching Studio. Ruth, I’m just so appreciative of your time. |
Ruth Kudzi |
Thank you so much for having me. |
I hope you enjoy these lively conversations.
If you do, please hit that subscribe button below for notifications of upcoming episodes. I plan to roll them out regularly, so thank you again for being here, and I look forward to “seeing” you on the next episode.
Please share with the people you think may enjoy meeting real coaches and experts, making an impact in the world, getting to know them on their journey, and discovering what wisdom they would offer you about being a better coach!
Other Podcast Episodes
To discover more about this podcast, check out what we are about.
Are you a coach making a difference in the world of coaching? Are you interested in being on the show? Click here for more information about becoming a guest.

Lyssa deHart, LICSW, MCC
Host
Lyssa deHart ditched her therapy practice to become a Leadership Confidence Coach. Along the way she discovered a passion for professional coaching and wanted to find ways to share that passion with the world. Come join her in discovering and meeting some of the most amazing professional coaches on the planet. Her goal is to inspire coaches. Lyssa is the author of StoryJacking: Change Your Dialogue, Transform Your Life , and The Reflective Coach. Lyssa is an ICF PCC Assessor, Certified Mentor Coach, and budding Coach SuperVisor. Lyssa uses her understanding of the ICF Core Competencies, combined with her knowledge of Neuroscience, to work with people to become extraordinary professional coaches. Let's Go!
Lyssa deHart Coaching participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates affiliate program. The hope is to earn commissions by linking to Amazon and help support the website and the podcast. This means that whenever you purchase from a link on this website you will be taken to Amazon, and we receive a tiny percentage of the purchase price. We thank you for supporting us in this way. Our Privacy Policy.
You can also support Lyssa in the production of the podcast and her YouTube Videos by buying her a coffee. Every little bit helps, and Lyssa loves her coffee!