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From Self-Doubt to Leading with Confidence: Rajma’s Coaching Journey
Case Study with Rajma Begum
"I walk into every space with my head held high."
About Rajma
“I deliver training to organisations like the FAW, the Welsh Rugby Union, and other governing bodies. I help them understand the challenges faced by ethnically diverse communities and support them to make their sports, clubs and environments more inclusive and welcoming.” Rajma has worked at WCVA for nine years and has been active in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) space for over 22 years. Her work spans race equality, accessibility, policy change and creating structural awareness around inclusion.
The Challenge
Being a female, visibly Muslim who is an ethnic minority in the sports sector- It is a very lonely space in the wider sector. Took a heavy toll on her well-being; she was always having to challenge and explain herself to people who pushed back and didn’t want to be on that journey. Encountered not just resistance, but environments where her presence seemed to provoke discomfort in others.
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"I’ve had to deal with people who made it very clear they didn’t want someone like me there. I’d go into meetings knowing the person who’d created a hostile environment for me was present, and I still had to deliver a presentation. It was so conflicting. I felt powerless, and it really affected my confidence."
Coaching Experience
Overall Experience as a Coachee
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The coaching sessions helped Rajma gain a better understanding of her real challenges.
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They also helped her to prepare how to hold and present herself, what to say and how to manage her emotions during those moments.
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In the subsequent sessions, Rajma reflected on what strategies worked for her and what didn’t.
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Coaching also provided Rajma access to a set of practical tools that she uses to this day.
The benefits
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Greater Emotional Strength
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Clarity in her strategic planning
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Learning to value and praise herself
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Maintaining her confidence against outside influences
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Embracing her power and owning her space with confidence
Why LeaderLine?
Rajma was selected as a participant for the executive coaching programme funded by Sport Wales and offered by LeaderLine. She sought a coach who could relate to her lived experiences and truly understand her perspective. Rajma wanted to build her resilience, learn how to manage difficult individuals, and stop allowing others to undermine her confidence. Additionally, she desired someone who could empathise with the loneliness and underrepresentation she felt in the sector, as well as the emotional strain from the ongoing push for inclusion.
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"Charlotte brought a deep understanding of systemic inequality, emotional resilience, and what it means to navigate exclusion while leading change. It was a really good match. Charlotte was empathetic and understood the kinds of challenges I was facing without me having to over-explain."
Lasting Impact and Final Reflections
Rajma says her coaching experience with LeaderLine has had a profound and lasting impact on both her personal and professional life.
“I’ve stopped letting others dictate how I feel. I’m no longer afraid of people. And I don’t shrink myself to make others comfortable”, says Rajma.
Before coaching, she would regularly seek reassurance from her line manager when facing difficult situations.
“Now, I handle things myself. I know what I’m doing. I trust myself more. And that’s down to the coaching”.
The coaching hasn’t just helped Rajma survive in the space she’s in. It’s helped her lead it.
Ready to step into your own power? Like Rajma, you too can break free from self-doubt and start leading with confidence. Discover the lasting impact coaching with LeaderLine can have on your life. Take the first step - register today and lead your space with purpose.
About LeaderLine Coaching
"LeaderLine coaching didn’t just prepare me for key moments - it reminded me I deserve to be in them, and gave me access to various tools: affirmations, techniques, and words I still carry with me to this day."
Rajma Begum
National Sports Diversity Manager
Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA)