The Cynefin Framework: A Leader's Guide to Understanding Complexity

I help people become objective about themselves. I help them to see what they were previously unaware of or subject to. There’s another tool I use to help people see their context objectively, and that’s the Cynefin framework.

leadership, cynefin, personal development, self-awarenessClaudia Clayton11 June 2026Cynefin framework, complexity, leadership coaching, decision making, ontological coaching, self-awareness, leadership development, Cape Town coaching

How Can Coaching Help You? What to Expect and Whether It's Right for You

Wondering if coaching could help you? Discover what coaching really is, who it's for, and what you can expect from a coaching relationship.

leadership, personal development, well-beingClaudia Clayton14 May 2026Claudia Clayton Coachingpersonal development, leadership coaching, ontological coaching, self-awareness, life coaching, Cape Town coaching, executive coachingComment

Want to Get Great at Something? Get a Coach — Here's Why

Even the most accomplished professionals plateau without outside perspective. Discover why Atul Gawande — one of the world's leading surgeons — says everyone needs a coach.

leadership, well-being, personal-developmentClaudia Clayton19 November 2025executive coaching, leadership coaching, personal development, self-awareness, ontological coaching, coaching Cape Town, performance

Composure: The Courage to Tolerate Discomfort

Composure is not about getting rid of the nerves. Nice as that may sound, sometimes it’s not possible. Rather, like courage, composure is about being able to tolerate all the strong sensations that go along with making a big, important move.

anxiety, beyourownbestresource, coaching, confidence, leadership, self-awareness, presence, leadership presence, mindfulnessClaudia Clayton21 August 2024leadership, presence, self-observationComment

Managing Emotions and Why it Matters

How the world shows up for us and the possibilities we see (or don’t see) for ourselves is heavily determined by our emotional state. When we experience emotional shifts, different worlds appear for us. French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre wrote that emotions are the source of “magical transformations of the world”.

lifelong learning, self-awareness, self-development, emotional literacy, moods, behaviour, happiness, resentmentClaudia Clayton6 December 2021emotions, emotional regulation, mood management

Reclaim Your Authority

Most of us confuse opinions with facts without realising it — and in doing so, give away our power to decide for ourselves. Here's how to spot the difference and reclaim your authority.

leadership, personal development, self-awarenessClaudia Clayton15 November 2021language, self-awareness personal development decision making leadership coaching ontological coaching opinions vs facts mindset Cape Town coaching

7 Tools for Getting Through Difficult Times

When life gets hard, these 7 practical tools can help you shift your perspective, manage difficult emotions and find your way through — drawn from ontological coaching practice.

well-being, leadership, self-awarenessClaudia Clayton3 November 2021resilience, self-awareness, anxiety, stress management, personal development, leadership coaching, ontological coaching, mindfulness, Cape Town coachingComment

Resourcefully Navigating Complexity

When we feel triggered or threatened, we tend to react by defaulting to old habits instead of behaving more resourcefully - unless we’re practiced. The following steps can help us become more practiced at navigating complexity in the most effective way possible.

complexity, cynefin, leadership, leadership development, lifelong learning, personal development, self-awareness, self-developmentClaudia Clayton27 October 2021complexity, leadership, leadership development

An Ontological coaching Approach to Dating

coaching, self-awareness, self-development, relationships, self-worth, self-esteem, confidenceClaudia Clayton2 September 2021relationships, self-worth, self-esteem, confidence, self-confidence, self-awareness

Chatting about Assertions and Assessments (aka Facts and Opinions)

Join Dave Nel and me for a conversation about one of the most useful things I’ve learnt as a coach - learning to spot the difference between facts and fiction. This is one of the areas where I see most of my clients having the biggest ‘aha’ moments!

coaching, choice, effective communication, ontological coaching, self-awarenessClaudia Clayton29 March 2021#coaching #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #ontologicalcoaching #beyourbestresource #assessments #language #assertionsconversations

Request Your Way Out of Resentment

Do moments of frustration, anger, judgement or righteous indignation feel familiar to you? If so, you’re not alone. Resentment is something many of us get trapped in. Read on to learn how making an effective request can free us from this toxic mood.

effective communication, lifelong learning, ontological coaching, self-awareness, self-developmentClaudia Clayton7 January 2021

Accepting Acceptance as a Powerful Action

How to understand and practice acceptance as a powerful action

lifelong learning, ontological coaching, self-awareness, self-developmentClaudia Clayton27 June 2020Acceptance, Lifelong Learning

Between Stimulus and Response: How to Stop Reacting and Start Choosing

The space between stimulus and response is where our freedom lives — but for most of us, it collapses under pressure. Here's what one leader discovered when we looked at what was really happening.

choice, personal development, leadership, self-awarenessClaudia Clayton18 April 2020self-awareness, emotional intelligence, leadership coaching, ontological coaching, personal development, Viktor Frankl, reactivity, mindfulness, life coaching, Cape Town coaching

Understanding the Art of Legitimate Self, Legitimate Other

‘Legitimate self, legitimate other’ is the idea that we hold everybody as valid, even if they are different to us in their views or their ways of doing things.

Claudia Clayton7 February 2020leadership, leadership development, lifelong learner, perspective, awareness

What credentials should you look for in a life coach?

Unsure of how to choose a life coach? Here’s a brief overview of what to pay attention to when considering different coaches.

coaching, ontological coaching, credentialling, ICFClaudia Clayton1 November 2019coaching, how to choose a coach

What is Life Coaching?

Learn exactly what life coaching is. And also, what it isn’t.

coaching, ontological coaching, self-developmentClaudia Clayton10 October 2019life coaching

Top Ten Tips for Living your Best Life

My top ten tips for living your best life

coaching, effective communication, lifelong learning, ontological coaching, self-awareness, self-developmentClaudia Clayton13 September 2019lifelong learner, leader, leadership development, perspective, be your own best resource

Rumination vs Reflection: How to Tell the Difference and Stop Overthinking

Rumination and reflection feel similar but have very different effects on your mental health. Learn how to spot the difference in your thoughts, emotions and body — and how to shift out of rumination for good.