Lens Not Label: A New Way to See Difference in Conversation
How we talk about difference matters. How we see it matters more.
Welcome to Lens Not Label, a Substack devoted to exploring what it means to work with difference in coaching, management, and everyday conversations.
We’re so glad you’re here.
In a world eager to categorise, diagnose, and define, we're inviting you to pause and consider a different approach. One that lets us see nuance, possibility, and humanity in the people we work with — and in ourselves.
“It’s a lens to look through, not a label to be worn.” — Nathan Whitbread at The Coaching Inn
Who are we?
We’re three coaches, thinkers, and human beings collaborating to raise awareness and share insights about how to navigate conversations with differently-wired brains (including our own).
We’re pouring our discoveries into this space — and into a forthcoming book, aiming for publication in 2026. Along the way, there will be blog posts, podcast chats, and chances for you to shape and inform what we’re building.
Meet the authors!
Whitbread is a coach who’s worked in the area of neurodiversity for 10 years. He’s mad keen on partnership and supporting neurodivergent thinkers to be their most effective in the workplace. His approach prioritizes being a “great coach over a neurodiversity expert”.
is a Master Coach and author who believes coaching is simple and takes time to master. She has over 15,000 hours of experience and has received awards for her contributions to coaching and volunteering. Her approach emphasizes partnership and presence, focusing on enabling thinkers to achieve clarity with minimal intervention.
has spent over four decades overthinking absolutely everything and has turned this ability into a skill for analyzing behavior and communication. Kim’s work bridges analytical rigor (from academia/UX research) with empathetic coaching to help thinkers achieve clarity through change.
Over the weeks and months ahead, we’ll be sharing our backstories, findings, and questions. Stick around to learn more with us — and become part of the larger narrative of what difference looks, feels, and sounds like when people are seen and heard in conversation.
Why “Lens Not Label”?
This phrase emerged from one of our early conversations, where Nathan offered a beautifully simple shift in perspective. It’s become a grounding idea for everything we’re building here:
“It’s a lens to look through, not a label to be worn.” — Nathan Whitbread
You can view the full conversation at The Coaching Inn or watch on YouTube:
Join the conversation
This isn’t just our story — it’s yours too. Over the coming months, we’ll be unpacking our experiences, sharing questions we don’t have answers to yet, and inviting you to reflect, contribute, and shape what happens next.
P.S. Got a question, topic idea, or experience to share? Hit reply or drop us a message. We’d love to hear from you.