Episode Four - Chance Conversations
‘I feel almost parental towards it. I've seen it as a tiny little trickle, and I've seen it beautifully pure, the water, as if you could take a drink out of it.
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There are elements of the walk that take you away from the river. There's either diversions or just naturally areas that we can't walk past, and I miss it. It doesn't feel like our walk. It doesn't feel like our journey when we're not next to the Thames.
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I'm almost tracking and tracing its journey, and I have three children, so I've seen their journey as they're reaching their mid to late teens, and it almost feels the same for the river and me’
Ellie Lloyd-Jones
In-person connections and chance conversations life at the heart of this episode. After a fleeting exchange at the Coaching Outdoors LIVE @ Henley Business School in June 2024 Jonathan Passmore and Ellie Lloyd-Jones embarked on a journey along the banks of the River Thames. The journey from Source to Sea with career coaching conversations along the way has been captured in their book; ‘Outdoor Coaching – A Practical Guide for Coaches and Supervisors to Working with Clients, Teams and Groups Using Blue-Green Psychology’.
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Set against the backdrop of seasonal change through spring into summer then autumn with blossom, blackberries and Virginia Creeper the River Thames remains a constant companion where deep bonds are formed. Our conversation weaves through an urgent need for land stewardship, the future of outdoor coaching and emergence of a new community based on shared values.
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Listen here.
About
Jonathan Passmore is an internationally respected psychologist and one of the top 10 professional coaches in the world. He is also Senior VP at Coaching Hub, and part-time Professor of Coaching and Behavioural Change at Henley Business School and Professor Catedrático at the University of Evora, Portugal. Prior to joining Henley, he founded the UK’s first Coaching Psychology post-graduate masters degree programme in 2008 at the University of East London where he was programme director for five years.
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Jonathan has wide experience in consulting, having worked for both bespoke leadership development consultancy firms, and global companies including PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM Business Consulting. He has held several board-level roles in the public and private sectors, including chief executive for a national charity and chairman for a large sports and leisure trust. Also, a prolific writer, Jonathan has authored more than 100 scientific papers and over 30 books.​ Website: www.jonathanpassmore.com
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Ellie Lloyd-Jones is the founder of Elevate Netwalking and is passionate about helping people reconnect with themselves and others through nature. After experiencing the pressures of corporate life and the resulting burnout, she found solace and clarity in the outdoors. This experience inspired Ellie to create spaces where others can step away from their busy routines, reduce stress, and gain fresh perspectives.
Combining her experience in leadership and coaching with the proven benefits of nature, Ellie leads team coaching sessions and Elevate Netwalking events in Cheshire and has ambassadors in Cambridge and North Wales where the events are designed to foster meaningful connections and personal reflection. These events are perfect for those looking to build relationships, spark new ideas, and invest in their well-being – all while enjoying a refreshing walk in the great outdoors. Website: www.elevatewithellie.co.uk
Insights
Bewitched by the novel...
Ellie - It's not a novel but I am dipping into Melissa Harrison's 'Homecoming' at the start of each month where she shares what's happening in nature in the coming weeks and I'm really enjoying the invitation to notice new things.
Jonathan - I'm always bewitched by what I am reading and this week it’s 'Cider with Rosie' - Laurie Lee which is beautifully written with childhood memories from the Forest of Dean around the start of the 20th century.
Inspired by the quote...
Ellie - "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change" - Wayne Dwyer
Jonathan - "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
