Sharon Harrington Coach and Mentor

20/08/2026

What if the silver lining isn't there to hide the cloud?

I was having a conversation with a friend recently about the idea of finding the “silver lining” in difficult situations.

Her view was:

“Why look for the silver lining? The cloud is the problem. That's what needs fixing.”

And I think she's right.

But I don't think that's the whole story.

This is one of the things I find interesting about positive psychology.

It isn't about pretending the cloud isn't there.

It's not “look on the bright side.”

It's about asking both questions:

☁️ What is difficult here, and what needs attention?

✨ And what is also possible here?

The cloud helps us understand what happened, what needs to change and what we might need to repair.

The silver lining helps us notice strengths, learning, resources and possibilities that might otherwise be missed.

Only looking at the cloud can leave us stuck analysing what's wrong.

Only looking for the silver lining can minimise what's painful.

Perhaps we need both.

We don't have to choose between accepting what is and looking for what could be.

What becomes possible when we can hold both at the same time?

16/08/2026

The beautifully wrapped present with nothing inside.

A metaphor from a recent coaching conversation has stayed with me.

My coachee told me she struggles with giving feedback.

She cares about people and wants to avoid making them feel uncomfortable, so she often finds herself “flowering it up” — softening the message, adding lots of positives, carefully circling around the thing she actually wants to say.

Then she had an insight:

“It's like giving someone a beautifully wrapped present… with nothing inside.”

What a brilliant way of describing it.

The wrapping might be lovely.
The intention might be good.
But if the message they actually need to hear isn't there, what have we really given them?

It got me thinking about Radical Candour — the idea that we can care personally and challenge directly.

Feedback doesn't have to be brutal to be honest.

And it doesn't have to be wrapped in so much kindness that the message disappears.

Sometimes the most respectful thing we can do is say the thing that needs saying — with care, clarity and good intent.

And now my coachee has a metaphor she can take into her next difficult conversation:

Is there actually a present inside the wrapping?

What about you?

When you give feedback, are you being kind — or are you making the message so comfortable that it loses its value?

13/08/2026

Check out my website for more information… if you’re wondering if coaching is for you just drop me a line and we can have a conversation - free of charge of course.

Life and work can be demanding. Whether you’re stepping into leadership, navigating change, lacking confidence, or simply feeling that you’re capable of more, you don’t have to work it out alone.

08/08/2026

Are you indispensable because you’re an exceptional leader — or because you’ve accidentally made yourself impossible to replace?

I’ve been thinking about this question recently.

Being the person everyone relies on can feel good.

You’re trusted.
You’re capable.
You’re the one who knows what to do when things get difficult.

But there can be a fine line between being needed and needing to be needed.

And perhaps that’s where the real leadership reflection begins.

Because stepping away isn’t always the answer either.

Sometimes the right thing to do is stay. To see your people through a difficult period. To use your experience when it genuinely matters.

The question is why you’re staying.

Is it because your presence is genuinely needed?

Or because stepping back feels uncomfortable?

Would things fall apart without you?

Or would they simply evolve differently?

And perhaps the biggest question of all:

Are you building a team that depends on you — or a team that can thrive because of you?

I’ve got a feeling that’s a question worth asking ourselves from time to time.