The Talent Equation Podcast

In this episode, I dive into a subject that's been weighing heavily on my mind, sparked by the writing of fellow ecological explorer, Steve Whelan and observations across the coaching landscape. I explore why coach education systems continue to default to instructional, directive models when we know that contextual, experiential learning can be far more effective—and why this has huge bearing on workforce diversity especially for grassroots coaches working at the coalface of participation. Three Key Takeaways:The Unquestioned Learning Paradigm: Most coach education systems operate from a directive, instructional paradigm that prioritises knowledge acquisition and transfer, rather than contextual, meaning-making approaches. Many coaches aren't even aware of these paradigms, which limits their learning repertoire.The Resource Paradox: Whilst elite-level coaching receives intensive, well-resourced support, grassroots coaches—who provide the crucial early experiences that shape lifelong physical activity habits—a