On this episode of the Coaching Studio

Beyond the Individual: Professor Peter Hawkins on Consciousness, Systems, and the Future of Coaching

In this powerful conversation, Lyssa deHart sits down with Professor Peter Hawkins, one of the most influential thinkers in systemic coaching and organizational transformation. Together, they explore the deeper shifts required for leaders, teams and coaches to meet the complexity of our world, moving beyond individual performance toward collective purpose, ecological awareness and relational intelligence.

Peter traces the arc of his remarkable journey, from literature and drama therapy to mental health, psychotherapy and global systems consulting, revealing how each chapter shaped his understanding of human consciousness. He shares the story of his granddaughter’s sudden paralysis, illustrating how his five-step practice of “grumble to gratitude” became not just theory but a profound lived discipline. The conversation expands into the urgency of unlearning individualistic paradigms, the role of beauty in transforming consciousness, the interdependence of all systems we inhabit and why coaching must evolve to serve life itself, not just the person in the room.

This episode is a meditation on purpose, service and the great work of our time: shifting human consciousness so we can respond wisely to the interconnected crises we face. Peter’s humility, clarity and grounded wisdom offer a rare glimpse into what systemic leadership looks like when practiced from deep authenticity.

Listeners will walk away with a richer sense of what it means to coach relationally, lead ecologically and live with radical responsibility for the future we are shaping.

Peter’s books – Go check them out!

Dr. Peter Hawkins

Peter is one of the Global top 100 coaches and the international thought leader in systemic coaching, executive teams, and board development. He is an Emeritus Professor of Leadership at Henley Business School, Honorary President of the Association of Executive Coaching and Chairman of Renewal Associates and joint founder and Dean of the Global Team Coaching Institute. He has been a keynote speaker at many international conferences on learning organization, leadership, and executive coaching and teaches and leads masterclasses in Systemic Team Coaching in over 50 different countries. He is the author of many best-selling books and papers in the fields of leadership, board and team coaching, systemic coaching, supervision, and organizational transformation (including Team of Teams Coaching (2025, with Dr Catherine Carr), Beauty in Leadership and Coaching (2024), Leadership Team Coaching, 2021 (4th ed); Leadership Team Coaching in Practice, 2022 (3rd ed); Systemic Coaching (2020, with Eve Turner); Supervision in the Helping Professions (2020, with Aisling McMahon) and Integrative Psychotherapy (2020, with Judy Ryde); Coaching, Mentoring and Organizational Consultancy: Supervision, Skills and Development (2013, with Nick Smith); Creating a Coaching Culture, 2012; and The Wise Fool’s Guide to Leadership, O Books, 2005. Peter was joint founder, in 1986, of Bath Consultancy Group and its chairman until the company was sold in 2010 and has chaired three other company boards as well as being a trustee director of several charities. Peter Hawkins has consulted to a wide range of governments, and leading commercial, financial and professional organizations including Fortune 100 and FtSE 100 international companies He now supervises and mentors many coaching and consultancy businesses internationally as well as running international trainings and masterclasses. He lives on the edge of Bath, UK with 37 acres which he shares, with many animals and trees as well as his children and grandchildren and leaders who come on courses and retreats.