In this Q+A series, we’ve asked our Coaches to share their insights into the work they do and how our services can support you. Whether you’re looking for guidance on Leadership, Succession Planning, or Business & Strategy, this series will give you a deeper understanding of how we help Rural New Zealanders navigate challenges and seize opportunities. Our goal? To provide the knowledge, tools, and support you need to move forward with clarity, confidence, and a strong network behind you.
Read our Partner in Mid & South Canterbury and Otago, Sarah Barr's Q+A below.
Who are your typical clients?
Not sure there is a typical client. Probably what they have in common is aspiration, a desire to achieve something more and perhaps unsure where to start.
Which Rural Coach services are most popular with your clients?
More than 50% of our business is in Succession Planning. Clients value having someone independent, helping to navigate the conversations and process required to get everything on the table.
The Leadership coaching is the other growth area. Building an awareness of the impact of leadership behaviours both on themselves and on others, and then providing a pathway to improved outcomes.
What are the most common challenges you see your clients facing?
Effective communication. Being afraid to say what’s on their mind or unable to clearly articulate their desired future and then being disappointed in the outcome.
How do you get the clients’ good ideas out of their heads?
Good questions and patience. The ideas are usually there, but when you are in the middle of things, it is difficult to see alternatives. Our independent perspective and fresh set of eyes casts a different lens on the situation.
What factors do you see commonly preventing clients from achieving their dreams/objective?
Sometimes clients get the ‘wobbles’ and withdraw when things get tricky with relationships. Once the conversation has begun, we need to stay the distance. If unresolved, we run the real risk of causing longer-term damage to these relationships.
What gives you the most joy when working with your clients?
Often, I see relief in a family when they have completed the first family meeting and they have all emerged not only intact but really energised and excited for the future. When clients see the benefits of changed behaviours and/or have an agreed, and aligned vision of the future, there is often a very visible emotional or physiological reaction in them– that’s where the joy is for me!
Tell us about any recent client wins.
Sometimes the wins aren’t where you would expect them to be. A recent attendee at our Ignite Leadership programme, who had come to enhance his team leadership skills found the greatest benefits of the learning for him were in how he operated in his personal relationships. This new awareness is already having a positive influence.
Succession Planning clients who were ready to move onto the next stage of their lives but couldn’t see a pathway for bringing in the next generation. Having opened up the conversation to the whole family group several very cool options have been brought to the table to consider. All of them are feeling really excited about the future.
If you're ready to take the next step— whether it's gaining clarity on Leadership, tackling Succession Planning, or setting a long-term vision—we're here to help. Click here to find a Coach in your region.
