Yesterday I spent a day at a conference where there was a lot of similarity between me and the other delegates and also a lot of difference.

One thing I noticed very clearly in myself was the emergence of a richer, deeper, more complete understanding of why I became a coach. In my previous practice as an architect I wanted to create physical spaces for my clients, ones that they were happy to live in and be in and work in. The only difference between that and my work as a coach is that NOW I work with my clients to create spaces that they are happy to live in work in and be in internally (from within) as well as externally (to dwell in)... beyond just the physical environment that they exist in.

Sometimes my love of learning is derided in certain environments, and I'll be honest that does make me a little sad. Yesterday at a conference titled black voices in coaching hosted at UEL I discovered something about myself which has been said before by somebody else but for me this time I allowed it to land within my full being. Add a conference keynote that I did for BIAPT 2022 Dr Eric Stoddart, University of At Andrews, described me as a polymath.

The word polymath isn't really used to describe many people today and sometimes it can be perceived to be a negative term rather than a positive one - maybe people who are polymaths are seen as flitting from one study to another without focus, maybe today they are seen as people who prioritize learning over doing, maybe polymaths are misunderstood?

But yesterday someone was describing polymaths and how within the history of black and brown people being a polymath was something to aspire to, it was something that many of our Global Majority ancestors were, it was accepted and revered in an environment where all participants were black and brown.

Why do I share this with you because what people say to you is quite important and what you say to others is also very important.

(The pictures above are : 1 — On a hot summers day I saw some horses in the middle of Central London having a drink of water, they looked so happy: 2 & 3 — My husband and I went to see a contemporary version of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Northing in east London, it was outside in the glorious sunshine and was lovely  a walk with a friend and her dog in Epping Forest; 4 & 5 — I delivered a coaching skills training for C suite leader;  6 & 7 — A couple of pictures of UEL where the Black Voices in Coaching conference was hosted)

When others joke and laugh about my love of learning there's a little bit of derision within that. Of course there are things that we can say about ourselves that no one else can say, so when I speak about the fact that I'm having to put a cap on how many days a year I spent learning, that's ok for me to say but it's not okay for someone else to make a joke about it.

As we come to the end of the first 6 months of the year I've spent time reflecting on the things that have gone well for me as well as the things that I've still got to work on. My relationship with learning has vastly improved and I no longer collects certificates as a response to imposter syndrome — even within that statement there is systemic influence — maybe more on that another time!

I now learn because I want, my whole complete being wants to. I no longer learn because I feel I need to have more and more credibility, or help me walk through the door to meet somebody who has far more privilege and access to different experiences then I ever will. I learn now because it brings me a huge amount of joy and pleasure and happiness.

So as I go into a week where I am in the middle of essentially attending two conferences back to back — on my own steam, not directly for work, paid for by me — one hosted at UEL on Black (and Brown) Voices in Coaching and the annual gathering of British and Irish Practical Theologians — whilst having to balance all of my client work and family responsibilities — I am confident that the range of different interests that I have all relate to each other at one level. Perhaps no one will ever know how they relate to each other in my lifetime, maybe it can't be described... I know 100% that my leadership advisory and coaching work relates to my research in belonging and identity and culture - maybe you can see that one too because it's more obvious. I think my work and my research also benefits from my interests in things like learning improvisation, finding out more about longevity, be the way of different faiths and the lived experience of people of faith and no faith, going on a trek and hike to the Highlands of Scotland.

At the end of the day it all relates.

And this week I leave you with one inquiry, how do the different aspects of your life all relate to each other?

I know some of you write poetry some love music others are fans of cooking how did these things impact and influence the work that you do and how you live your life?

Some of you right now I know because you are in one of my leadership development programs or a client, or you're studying to be a coach, or we've spoken because you're in my coaching supervision group, or I've taught you in one way or another... I know you have a vast range of interests... How do these integrate into how you live your life your being the work that you do?

There is no easy answer believe me I've been searching for that one for a long time! Reality is that one time you'll find that it (whatever that 'it' is!) might land well, you might have more insight and you can start to articulate it a little bit like I have above. Other times it might just take more time for the insight and integration to happen.

But for now maybe just accept the inquiry:

how do all the different things you are doing, interests that you have, how you spend your time all integrate into your being?

I invite you to play and ponder that question this week.

All my best,

Saiyyidah

The Space

PS — Today I shared information on a retreat I am running in September 2024. You can find out more about The Courage to Belong retreat here.