How did you come to be doing the job you are doing today?
By listening to my gut telling me I wasn’t in the career I wanted to be in, then taking a leap and backing myself. My last ‘proper’ job was as an oil and gas strategy consultant, so it was quite the leap! Yet I’d worked with a coach, and the theme of developing people, helping them think and supporting them to succeed had been a thread through my career that I loved. When my own coach said she thought I’d make a good coach, it sparked the idea, so I retrained and set up my own business. It hasn’t always been easy, but a decade in, I wouldn’t be doing anything else.
What is the highlight of your working week?
There’s a little sound people make when they have an ‘a-ha’ moment, usually combined with a particular facial expression! It’s my cue to lean back, leave space, and let whatever magic is happening, happen. And it gives me a buzz, every single time. Seeing my clients join dots in a new way, or see something from a different perspective, or see the potential in a new approach is always a privilege to be a part of.
What is one common misperception of your work?
A lot of clients come to me expecting (or hoping) that I’ll tell them what to do. But that’s not my job as a coach. My role is to help them to think, to develop and uncover their own ideas, and then we work together – as equal partners – to figure out the answer. Sometimes that’s something very concrete, like an approach to a meeting, or how to handle a challenging team member. Sometimes it might be more conceptual, like discovering a way to reframe thinking around a situation that opens up new avenues to explore.
If you could offer a piece of advice to your 18-year-old self, what would it be?
Care far less about what other people (might) think of you, and care far more about what lights you up, and makes you happy. Everyone else is far too busy worrying about themselves to judge you, so trying to live up to their non-existent expectations is a game you will never win, and is frankly not worth playing.
How do you switch off from work?
I’ve been involved with the sport of rowing for more than 25 years, initially as an athlete, and now as a national and international umpire. I volunteer across various events and I love the chance to give back to a sport that gave me so much. When I’m umpiring it really is a chance to switch off as I have to let go of anything else I’m thinking about to fully concentrate on what’s happening in front of me (especially if things are going a little wrong!).
How do you feel about being one of the agony aunts in our new ‘Ask the experts’ series?
It’s fantastic to have the opportunity to support IoL members with real, tangible challenges, while also sharing those ideas and insights with a wider audience. And working with Beth is always great, so I know we’re going to have fun doing this, which I hope will also make it just as enjoyable to read.
You can submit your leadership question for Beth and Sarah here
