#1 What? š§ Reflection is the meta-habit that makes life and business work better. Coaching offers a powerful and structured space to cultivate that.
I recently listened to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, on the Diary of a CEO podcast. His approach to habits resonates deeply with me (and with the other 25 million people who have bought his book) If you havenāt read it, I would highly recommend you do. Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear.
When asked which habit matters most. His answer: reflection
āTime to think ā time to reflect and reviewā¦..if you have a strong work ethic and working hard has gotten you far in lifeā¦. It kinda becomes a crutch. For a long timeā¦if I ever had a problem, I would just work my way out of it. I would just work harder on it until I had figured it out. And thatās really powerful for a lot of things but at some point it breaksā¦. you can work 10% harder, perhaps even 20% harder but there is some limit.
ā¦if you just keep your head down and work hard, its very unlikely you will be spending your time in the highest and best way. But if you work on the right thing ā thatās how you get resultsā¦.
And the only way to figure that out is creating space for time to think. Reflection and review are almost like the meta-habit.ā
Reflection and review are the meta-habit. I could not agree more. Thatās what coaching is about. Creating a space to reflect so the direction and action in your life and business is more considered and intentional. Leaders rarely need more goal-setting or targets; they need space to think, to talk things out, and to refine ideas.
Coaching provides that space with a neutral partyāsomeone who offers questions, distance, and perspective on your challenges. Coaching conversations create the conditions for a helicopter view of problems, a-ha moments and a deeper understanding of the role you are playing in any situation ā all of which expand your capacity to make better choices.
#2 š§Who (are you?)
All my clients are decision-makers: entrepreneurs, business owners and senior leaders tasked with growing their business or function, shaping strategy, guiding people, and creating impact in environments that are increasingly complex and unpredictable.
People come to coaching for very different reasons. Often, they sense something needs to change, even if that something isnāt yet clear. Thatās not a problemāitās part of the process. In my work, goals and clarity about the destination emerge through coaching rather than being rigidly defined at the outset.
Sometimes, coaching itself is the destination: a recognition that, as your business or remit grows, itās no longer possible to hold all decisions and responsibilities alone. What is needed more than anything is a confidential space to discuss your leadership challenges.
#3šHow I Support Entrepreneurs, Business Owners and Business Leaders
Most coaching conversations focus on three core areas at the heart of leadership:
1ļøā£ Managing Self (Personal Growth & Inner Mastery)
Self-awareness, confidence, emotional regulation, purpose, identity, resilience and managing work/family conflicts.
2ļøā£ Managing Strategy (Vision, Execution & Performance)
Strategy and execution, decision-making, growth, profitability, stakeholder expectations, and future vision.
3ļøā£ Managing Stakeholders (People, Client Partners & Other Key Relationships)
Managing internal and external relationships, trust, communication, influence, team cohesion and alignment across staff, clients, partnerships, boards, and investors.
As we all know, neither business nor life fits as neatly as this pie chart suggests, but you get my drift. Every coaching session is different and typically focuses on what is most pertinent for the person at the time of the session ā that is, what is occupying the most headspace.
Central to my approach is the belief that managing self is as important if not more important than managing and implementing strategy. Who we are and how we lead has the ability to limit or amplify the vision we hold for ourselves and the business as a whole.
In my practice, I support clients to go beyond what we call horizontal development which is adding to our knowledge and skills and move towards vertical development which is about expanding our capacity to use our skills and knowledge more wisely. There comes a point where we canāt add more information or drive to what we do. Future development becomes less about what we do and more about who we are; how we process information and make choices and our ability to bring our instincts and intuition into our decision-making repertoire. It is about increasing our capacity for complexity, developing the ability to tolerate greater ambiguity and nuance and integrating differing perspectives ā all things the modern leader needs.
#4 šÆWhy me?
I work with leaders and executives worldwide across diverse industries and business models. My investment background provides insight into business context, emerging trends, and economic challenges, while my psychological expertise helps you strengthen self-awareness, navigate uncertainty, leverage judgment and understand the complexities of people issues.
My clients are often seeking:
ā¢ Clarity ā A place to stand still, reflect and gain a deeper understanding of who you are and a clearer vision of where you want to go.
ā¢ A Trusted Partner ā A sounding board and thinking partner who brings insight, fresh perspectives, and focus to your key decisions.
ā¢ A Coach Who Brings Context ā My experience in investment and international business settings means I have a deep appreciation of different sectors, geographies and the realities of managing competing stakeholder interests.
ā¢ Alignment ā Confidence that your decisions and actions truly reflect who you are, your aspirations and the impact you want you or the business to have.
ā¢ Self-Expression with Direction ā A deliberate way of living and working that balances ambition with fulfilment.
#4 š± Why Me, Part Deux ā What It Means to Be Purpose-Driven
When I started my business, I knew I wanted to build something in which a key metric of success was impact. I like money as much as the next person but it isnāt enough for me. In my life, I am motivated by both ā profitability and impact. Yet I was underwhelmed by some of the purpose-driven approaches I saw. Instead of accepting business as usual as an approach, I became curious about how it could be done.
Purpose-driven work and business asks us to question established norms, think beyond existing models, and make different choicesāeven when thereās no clear roadmap. While profit matters (no business survives without it), I donāt believe impact and profitability are mutually exclusive. If they are, business as a concept has already failed. I donāt believe it has to be that way. That was really the genesis of a lot of my research and writing; what does it actually mean to be purpose-driven? And what conflicts, choices and decisions are we faced with as a consequence?
The reality is that purpose-driven business owners and leaders are often creating best practice in real time. Purpose can be complex, nuanced, and challenging. That requires trust in self, clarity of impact, and space to think expansively. This is where I work bestāas an expert sounding board who believes in what you are building and supports you to lead it with integrity, confidence, and conviction.
#5 & #6 šWhere and When?
Online in the comfort of your office or home every two weeks.
We begin with a three-month coaching programme which consists of six 90-minute sessions over that period, meeting every two weeks. This structure provides a ācontainerā to focus on what has brought you to the coaching space while also giving sufficient time between sessions to reflect on and integrate insights that arise during and between sessions. At the end of the initial three months, we review progress together and decide what further coaching would be beneficial, and what rhythm would best support that ongoing need. (Some clients move to monthly for example).
My coaching practice is completely online allowing you the space needed to discuss what is arising in the privacy of your own office or home and the flexibility to arrange the sessions at times that work for you. All sessions are via Zoom.
Prior to commencing, I offer an informal introductory call to get to know one another and to explore what success would look like in our work together. This conversation helps us determine if we are a good fit to work together, sets the context for the engagement and provides you with some time to reflect ahead of the first formal session.
If this feels like the right time for you, reach out to arrange an informal chat about how we might work together: Get in Touch
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