Allow me to introduce you to "Jennie". (Name changed for anonymity) The back story: Jennie is a Finance Director with a very successful career under her belt. She's respected by her colleagues but nobody ever told her that and she didn't feel it. She felt as though she wore a mask. She was acting the role, [...]
The phrase “horses for courses” dates back to racing in the 1890s. Certain horses performed better on certain tracks. It wasn’t just about flat racing versus jumping, it was about matching the right horse to the right terrain. I love that as a metaphor for development work. Because when it comes to coaching, mentoring, team [...]
Creating a Clear New Career Plan Through Coaching Murdoch Maclean Senior Director, Edgewell Personal Care Meeting Nikki at a CIMA event, Murdoch knew almost straight away that she could help him. At the time, he was working for a large global organisation when, out of the blue, it separated into two smaller ones. Sudden [...]
I was driving home recently, following my sat nav as obediently as ever, when it sent me the long way round for no good reason. Again. There’s a road near my house with a sign that says “No vehicles except for access”. I live on that road. I absolutely have access. I am the exception. [...]
The word ‘journey’ is everywhere. You hear it on every reality show – “I’ve been on such a journey!” – and it’s easy to roll your eyes. But when I think about the people I work with, that word really does fit. Coaching is, at its heart, a journey – one that begins long before [...]
I often describe myself as my clients’ secret weapon! When you’re in an executive role, or you run a business, you carry an incredible weight of responsibility. Goals, deadlines, KPIs, deliverables … all those moving parts need your focus. They’re all important, but when your head is always full of tasks and decisions, it can [...]
How often do you hear someone saying, “You need to rest” or “Remember to take some time off”? In a culture that celebrates productivity and hustle, true rest can feel like a guilty pleasure rather than a vital part of staying well and working well. Rest isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. Just like our [...]
Performance coaching is helping someone to achieve something that they don't have already. That one sentence beautifully sums up what I do, in my coaching and why I’m so passionate about it. When many people hear the term ‘Performance Coach’, they think mostly of athletes – Olympians fine-tuning their form, pushing limits and aiming for [...]
In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, standing still is a bit like moving backward. The concept of continuous improvement isn't just a buzzword. It's a crucial approach that separates thriving organisations from those that stagnate and fall behind. Is your organisation on the road to continuous improvement? Continuous improvement can involve the ongoing effort to [...]
Time is one of the most fundamental, yet underutilised tools in business. In your role, you will be constantly navigating the interplay of past, present and future. This concept of the ‘timeline’ – a line of time stretching behind and ahead of us – offers a powerful framework for planning, decision-making and achieving meaningful goals. [...]
