Welcome back to Conversations with Catalysts. I'm your host, Jeremy West, and today I have with me Claire Aiken-Smith. Welcome, Claire.

Hi, Jeremy. Thank you very much for having me.

Thanks for coming on. Before we get started, can I just have you share with me and my listeners a little bit about who is Claire Aiken-Smith and how did you end up in the world of coaching?

Thank you very much. Well, who am I? That's a rather large question. I'll keep it short. I am an enthusiastic mover. By that, I mean that I'm a mountain trail runner. I love all things movement. My background is in endurance sport, and that, for me personally, has really fueled my life. Professionally, I have been a physiotherapist through to a consultant in conservative management. I spent 20 years in the health service in the UK, and I think the two together really led me into coaching. My personal passion for pursuing excellence and personal development, both in the physical realms of capability, but also just being my best self. And then with clients or patients, just filling the need to support people in being their best selves, initially within therapeutic practice, but more and more recognizing that ultimately people have the answer within themselves. It's not so much about giving information or expertise, of which I've gained a lot over the few decades that I've been pursuing it for myself, but rather giving the space and enabling individuals to have those awareness moments and then bringing in appropriate support and resources.

And so that's really been my journey towards where I am now, which is as a personal development coach. I really enjoy supporting people holistically, both in their physical health and capability, as well as in their professional lives. We only thrive in every sense when we have purpose. And so that's now my mission and vision: to see people living a fulfilled life for themselves by giving themselves permission to do so.

If you could bring more of any one thing into this world, what would it be?

Compassionate assertiveness, I think, would be my answer. It might be two things, but I offer them together because one without the other isn't successful. I've spent a lot of time in the area of compassion and having a huge heart for people, but compassion by itself hasn't enabled me to make a big difference. It also requires assertiveness and courage to put intentions into reality.

The other way around is also true; assertiveness without a sufficient level of true compassion can miss the mark, or at worst, cause harm.

What does compassionate assertiveness look like in practice?

For myself, it’s a whole lifestyle. It shapes how I communicate with others and is foundational to how I care for myself. If we're compassionate with ourselves, we accept who we are in every sense and support ourselves by leveraging our strengths and caring for our vulnerabilities. By practicing this for ourselves, we can do the same for others—seeing them as they are, not as we want them to be or assume they are, which can be very different. Assertiveness with compassion then means supporting others in a way that honors their needs while encouraging them to live their best lives.

Can you give me an example, perhaps from your own life, of how you've applied compassionate assertiveness?

Sure! A simple example happened just this morning. I came home to find that my husband, who works from home, had left the kitchen in a bit of disarray after breakfast. Seeing the clutter triggered me because I love starting my day with everything in order, and suddenly I felt this boundary going up in my mind—a sort of automatic defense. But I knew I needed to take responsibility for my reaction. Compassionate assertiveness for myself meant acknowledging that it’s okay to feel frustrated and understanding why I felt this way. I value order and efficiency, and that’s not a bad thing. But at the same time, I also knew I needed to be compassionate toward my husband. He was rushing to start his day and didn’t leave things untidy to upset me.

In that moment, assertiveness could have gone in a few directions. I could have barged into his office, letting him know exactly how I felt in the heat of the moment. But that wouldn’t have been compassionate or productive. Instead, I thought, “How can I express my needs constructively?” So, I gave myself time to reflect and decided to have a calm discussion later, explaining my feelings without accusation and asking if we could come up with a plan that works for both of us.

So would you say this is something that happens often, or was it just a one-off event?

Interestingly, the reason I was triggered today was that my husband had been away for a few days, so I’d had the house just the way I like it. Returning to a shared space reminded me that, in a relationship, things won’t always align perfectly with our preferences. But I also value my relationship deeply, so I’m motivated to approach things with both compassion and assertiveness.

What’s the core philosophy behind your coaching, and how does it translate into tangible results for your clients?

My core philosophy is that when people truly understand themselves and align their lives with their unique strengths and needs, they thrive. When I say "understand themselves," I mean at a very deep level, including their biological and genetic predispositions, not just self-perceptions or personality traits. This self-awareness becomes a powerful tool for change and growth.

In practical terms, I use an AI-driven tool that combines various sciences to create a personalized profile for each client. By collecting data points that are stable over time—like body measurements and lifestyle history—the AI identifies predispositions and potential areas of strength. It’s a non-invasive way to get insights that go beyond self-reporting, making it accessible and effective both online and in person. The goal is to translate this knowledge into a tangible action plan for each client, addressing areas they want to improve, with measurable progress along the way.

Can you give an example of how this process has made a difference for a client?

Of course. One client, let’s call her Lucy, initially came to me feeling exhausted and frustrated. Despite being successful professionally, she struggled with low energy and wasn’t enjoying her physical activities. Through profiling, we found that her habits didn’t align with her natural tendencies. For example, she was forcing herself into an early morning routine and working with clients who didn’t energize her. Once we adjusted her schedule and the types of clients she worked with, she noticed a huge improvement. Over time, this self-alignment brought back her energy, confidence, and even led to her engagement with her partner, who also joined in on the profiling process to better understand their dynamics as a couple.

Thank you, Claire. This has been a fantastic conversation. Before we go, how can listeners find you if they want to learn more?

Thanks, Jeremy! Listeners can find me by searching for Applied Movement, my coaching practice, at appliedmovement.co.nz, and on social media as Applied Movement. You can also find me on LinkedIn under my name, Claire Aitken-Smith.

One last takeaway I’d like to leave everyone with is to remember that each of us is unique, with our own combination of strengths, preferences, and challenges. Give yourself compassion when you’re not doing things the same way as others, and have the assertiveness to find what truly works best for you.

Thank you so much, Claire, for this insightful conversation.

Thank you, Jeremy! It’s been wonderful chatting with you.