Words of Wisdom

After challenging inappropriate behaviour at the highest level, coaching helped Kim reset and plan her next steps.

You’re handed a box of pieces – education, early roles, side projects, mistakes, unexpected opportunities- and told to “figure it out.”

Alex had had a successful 25-year career as a video game designer but faced with uncertainty after being made redundant, he decided it was “now or never” to start his own business.

When managers are promoted into more senior roles, it often means moving away from the familiar, hands-on operational work and stepping into a more strategic approach.

The 40th New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda, was only the third woman in New Zealand history to hold office and only the second ever woman in office to give birth.

When managers are promoted into more senior roles, it often means moving away from the familiar, hands-on operational work and stepping into a more strategic approach.

The director barked out three statements that went on to help inform not just Hanks’ acting career but also became a rule for living.

Losing your role to redundancy can be a very vulnerable time. You can feel anxious, nervous, or maybe even excited and relieved. Here’s my advice for what to do next after redundancy.

Anna had recently returned to work after a long career break but her time away from the workplace, despite her wealth of experience, had impacted her confidence.

For new managers, it’s crucial to explain what people skills are, and offer specific training on them. At the heart of people skills is emotional intelligence.

Chris felt stuck and frustrated. She wanted to to gain clarity on her next career move and improve her working relationship with her manager.

I have just completed a 6-month foundation programme in Polyvagal Theory with 30 other therapists and coaches across the USA.

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a group of people strive for consensus to the point where they suppress opposing opinions, overlook alternatives, and make flawed decisions.

Change can be daunting for all of us, especially for those just starting out.

Clarity 4D Profile is one of my favourite self-assessment profiling tools. I use it in my coaching practice. People love it and so do I. It focuses on communication preferences and behaviour.

The Heath Coaching Academy is a super company founded by Lesley Thompson and Kaye Burnett. They had a vision many years ago to bring together a group of like-minded professional coaches and take coaching to where it matters.

Having achieved everything she wanted to in her corporate career, Karen felt a need for a deeper sense of purpose and fulfilment.

Stepping into Management was designed to allow people who are considering whether management is for them to “go behind the scenes” and find out more about what it is all about. It’s a “try before you buy” approach.

This client had been in a stable senior role for many years and was feeling lost as to what her next career move should be. She had been applying for new roles but wasn’t having any success with her applications which impacted her confidence and left her feeling low. 

Being a manager can be hugely rewarding. If you are interested in building the confidence of people in your organisation then please get in touch. I would love to help.

That’s a wrap on another Stepping into Management programme delivered for 12 people from the School of Environmental Science at the University of Liverpool.

It’s been 14 years since I walked into my first coach training session. Here are 4 questions I think you should consider if you’re looking for a coach.

Prosper is based at Liverpool University and offers a new approach to career coaching to post docs. Last month, my first group coaching got off to a great start. Watch this space!

After weeks of backstabbing and plotting Harry Clark, who was one of the original three chosen as traitors at the start of the second series, took home the £95,150 prize money.

“Begin with the end in mind” is one of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People that Stephen Covey’s famous bestseller book defines. It’s a practice I use daily and it enriches my life.

As we close out this year, here are 5 questions I will be reflecting on and I invite you to join me.

In coaching I often use the orchestra metaphor to help clients take a perspective on teamwork. In any success we experience we never do it on our own. It made me also reflect on how the role of a coach and conductor have some similarities.

The Academy at the University of Liverpool was looking to partner with a highly experienced facilitator to deliver their two-day Stepping into Management workshop. The course would focus on the development of personal and interpersonal skills of managers and leaders and creating an understanding of the role of the manager within a university setting

A recent study of more than 4,500 workers and managers by the Chartered Management Institute, conducted by YouGov, revealed findings that some readers may find disturbing!

Fraser felt like he had been going around in circles throughout most of his career. Career coaching helped him overcome interview nerves and secure his ideal job role within 3 months.

Last month I spent a wonderful afternoon on the Liverpool waterfront having a photoshoot with the talented photographer Kat Hannon, creatively directed by The Loft.

I like to think of values as the building blocks that represent what matters to us. They affect what we do and shape how we live our lives.  They can change over time, yet some remain constant.

I’ve just arrived back from a few days in Iceland. And what an adventure! The pictures aren’t too flattering but when you’re on a snowmobile up a glacier and in a storm, you’re not too concerned about how your hair looks!  

One of the areas that leaders coming to coaching most often want to focus on is support and strategies to help them feel less overwhelmed and better able to prioritise work that is important to them and their role. 

Liverpool-based Executive Coach, Denise Chilton, has accepted an invitation to join Chief’s exclusive network of coaches as a Chief Guide.

Our families of origin play a huge part in shaping our lives, particularly at the beginning when we first learn how to belong and later take that with us out into the world.

I was working with a senior leader in an organisation who had come into an organisation as an external appointment and 10 months in, she was feeling some resistance to her authority and was having difficulty making an impact.

Denise is one of a team of coaches that worked with Prosper to create and deliver an innovative, impactful and engaging career development model that would offer postdocs a fresh perspective on their career options.

I have been delivering the Stepping Into Management programme at the University of Liverpool for the last 6 years. It’s one of those assignments that are incredibly fulfilling.

After moving into a new role, Hannah’s confidence hit rock bottom, she felt like she was floundering and the lack of support was causing a strain on a professional relationship with a colleague.

This year, the word (or actually three words) I would choose to summarise 2022 has to be “big life changes”. More than any other year, this one has seen some big personal changes not just for clients but also many of those who are close to me.

We all know that investing in marketing as a business owner is key if you want customers. No matter how much we might dread “getting out there” we don’t want to be a best-kept secret.

Time has to be in the top three topics that clients bring to focus on in a coaching session.

When I started work, it was very much “leave your emotions by the door when you come in. We don’t do feelings!”

An A-Z guide of things you can incorporate into your daily life to make resting and recharging a priority.

Laura was feeling unfulfilled in her role but wanted to push forwards in her career and create realistic boundaries with her personal life.

Last week I spent a day at Manchester Art Gallery delivering a coaching skills workshop to 11 managers from a hugely inspiring charity that works to give children and young people the best start in life. This entrepreneurial organisation had already started to embrace a coaching culture and wanted its managers to have some more tools in their coaching toolkits and as we say…

No matter where we are in our professional or personal lives, we can’t avoid those times when we are faced with the need for a tricky conversation. At the moment they seem to be high on many people’s agendas. This week a journalist from The Guardian reached out to ask for some help with an article she was putting together…

When it comes to making decisions, especially around our careers, it’s good to get as much support as you can, whatever your profession. A coaching approach to a career conversation with a sprinkle of mentoring leaves the individual empowered to make the decision and take that next step that is right for them.

I am running an informal, informative and interactive lunchtime workshop for Professional Liverpool members who want to make a rewarding change in their professional life in 2022.

Louise’s goal was to reflect on her leadership impact and identify any unhelpful behaviours so she could make changes and emerge as a more effective leader.

It is that time of year again when we look back on the year that is ending and forward to the year ahead. For many, it has been an even stranger year than 2020.

When someone comes to coaching wanting to make a change, this is one of my “go to” questions.

Colour can be used to describe how individuals interact and modify their behaviour when confronted by different types of people and varying situations.

Anna had recently returned to work after a long career break but her time away from the workplace, despite her wealth of experience, had impacted her confidence.

Single isn’t a status, it’s a word to describe a person who is strong enough to live and enjoy life without being dependent on others.

The 40 candles that had adorned the cake to celebrate my milestone birthday were scarcely cool. The birthday gifts still lay scattered around the house.

This client was in a senior role within a large public body. There seemed to be plenty of opportunities available to her, yet she was feeling overwhelmed about which direction to take.

In my coaching work, I meet many people responsible for managing others who tell me that they have never had any practical management training and felt they had to learn the hard way.

A lot of people don’t get any training before becoming a manager and yet put huge expectations on themselves to know all the answers – even when they’ve only been in the role for a short period.

The request from the University of Liverpool was for a group coaching programme which would focus on developing skills, building confidence and encourage behaviour change.

So here is the scenario. You have spent a number of weeks putting the content together for a webinar to help people feel a little more confident. You want it to be a great learning experience for people – a short escape away for an hour or so from this crazy world that everyone finds themselves in.

There seems to be an idea in some circles that working with a coach is all about fixing problems but I am pleased to report that there is so much more to it than that!

Sara reached a point in her career where she felt ready to step up from being a manager and take on a head of department role.

I’m a tiny bit nervous but also very excited to be starting my own webinar series.

A few years ago, I was at a networking event and met a very nice man who had Business Coach on his name tag. When I asked where he had completed his coach training, he told me he hadn’t any qualifications in coaching, it was just a good way to attract clients. I was horrified! 

Some years ago, I was invited into an organisation to support Neil who was transitioning into his first senior management role. One of his goals for the coaching assignment was to “improve working relationships with one of his direct reports!” I asked him to say a little more.

I have been coaching teams for many years – always with a focus on strengths. “What does this team do well and how can you reap the rewards of a strengths-based approach to reach your goals?” is usually my starter for 10 question. When organisations and managers focus on maximising individuals’ strengths instead of focusing on developing their weaknesses, the result is a happier workplace with higher levels of engagement, motivation and performance. So if ever there was a time to help your people feel more engaged, valued and motivated, it’s now! 

The past few months have been really hard for lots of people. For others, it has been quite a positive experience. And for others it has been a bit of both. In this blog, I’ll be sharing some really simple coping strategies to help you navigate the changing world.

The Covid-19 crisis continues to place extraordinary demands on senior leaders and managers. Demands that have never been seen before.

The Covid-19 crisis continues to place extraordinary demands on senior leaders and managers. Demands that have never been seen before.

Leading a simpler life, remembering what is really important, saying “no” to things I really don’t want to be doing and appreciating what I do have rather than yearning for what I don’t.

So, I don’t know about you but when I heard that we will be social distancing for another 3 weeks and then it will be reviewed again, my heart sank even though I know it’s absolutely the right thing to do.

Some years ago I coached a lovely leader who wanted to learn more about himself and how to feel more comfortable in expressing his emotions.

All the recent episodes of panic buying have got me thinking about panic. Why do some panic and others not? For those who do panic and are finding it not very helpful what can you do about it? Equally, if you are totally frustrated by those who are panicking, what do you need to know about those people who are different to you?

One of the key parts of the coaching is recognising the difference between managing and leading a team. Is a good manager automatically a good leader?

I am absolutely delighted to have been invited by GBG Plc to join an expert panel and put traditional gender stereotypes under the microscope to discuss the question: “are certain behavioural traits a pre-requisite for success or failure in business?”

When we think about leaders, it’s tempting to group them into two categories – good or bad. Maybe there was a former manager who made you feel like you weren’t good enough. But maybe there was also a former boss who valued your strengths and helped you to reach your personal goals. We talk about leaders and leadership every day in the business world.

Barbara Ashall is a Clinical Nurse Specialist who embarked on a 12 month secondment and wanted to feel more confident about her leadership ability.

When an email inviting me to deliver a session for the annual Student Leaders Conference at the University of Liverpool arrived in my inbox my automatic response was “yes”.

One of the most common issues brought to a coaching session is confidence. Clients are wanting to feel more confident in themselves and their abilities. So, here are some fabulous TED Talks with tips and tricks to boost your self-confidence.

Lots of words are great. Lots of words are less-great. Here are five words that you can stop using to start sounding more confident.

If you’re holding yourself back from something right now or feeling a bit low on confidence, here are some of my favourite inspiring quotes to get you going again.

Emma Johnson stepped up into a Chief Executive role and wanted to feel more confident in her ability to create change and generate engagement.

I often get asked if there is a difference between coaching men and women. Do men bring the same issues to a coaching session as women? An interesting question, don’t you think?

It’s that time of year again when we look back on the year that has ended and forwards to the year ahead. We aren’t just stepping into a new year this time, but a new decade filled with possibilities.

There are times in our lives that lend themselves really well to making a change.

Lucy was considering a change of direction in her career but was not sure what she wanted to do or how to move forwards.

Sometimes a coaching assignment benefits from a dash of mentoring.

Emma came to Denise for Executive Coaching after she started a new role which was making her very unhappy. She had lost a lot of confidence and was feeling very apprehensive.

Last Thursday (October 10th) was World Mental Health day so it was particularly timely that I got to spend the day at the Royal College of Physicians in Liverpool.

Alasdair was considering bringing Executive Coaching into Recycling Lives but wanted to experience it for himself first. He has since started to roll out coaching to everyone within the organisation.

The Senior Leadership team of a tertiary hospital in the Middle East wanted to create a culture which was acceptable to a wide range of people.

Sinead had recently stepped up into a Clinical Director role and wanted some coaching support to work at a more strategic level.

I have been interested over the last few years to witness in my coaching conversations with leaders that they are referring more and more frequently to the phrase VUCA. Originally coined by the US military to describe the turbulent and unpredictable environment in which they operate.

A value is something that you believe to be fundamentally important. When we honour our values, it can give us a real sense of purpose. They not only motivate us to take action but the action that is right for us. Ignoring or disrespecting them makes us feel stuck, stressed and frustrated.

The only guarantee when we step up into a bigger role, grow a business or try something new is that not everything is going to go swimmingly. Failure is never comfortable but if we embrace it instead of pushing it away, it will have a much smaller hold on us and the lives we want to live.

One of the first things a coaching client will tell me is that they need help taking action.
Often, that is actually the last thing they need. They are already knee-deep in action.
The bigger the role, the greater the action – and it’s coming out of their ears!

Gill had a number of self-limiting beliefs that were holding her back in her career. She came for some career coaching to help her decide on her next move.

Taking time out to travel, discover new places and experience new things can give an individual a completely different perspective on what is important to them in their life. It’s a time of self-discovery and reflection and can be hugely beneficial on lots of levels: personally, and professionally. In fact, those people who take a mid-career break often return to work feeling more inspired and not just refreshed but renewed.

Ready to take the next step in your career… but not sure what’s holding you back? Here are five self limiting behaviours keeping women from stepping up into a leadership role.

Being a great leader takes practice. These 5 TED Talks will help you learn key skills and mindsets for leading your team.

I was in my mid-20s, working for a large Financial Services company in Liverpool and had recently taken over a really challenging team from another manager who had been “let go”. It was one of those great career development opportunities – although I did wonder if perhaps, they had just not been able to find anyone else! I remember going home one Friday evening after surviving my first week as a new manager thinking about how I had no idea what I was doing – and that I needed to read a “How To Be A Manager” book.

Tracey received coaching as part of her organisation’s outplacement programme. She wanted support developing her self-confidence and changing her career.

Stephen had Executive Coaching as part of Beyond’s GP coaching programme. He was feeling despondent and apprehensive about the future and was looking for a way out.

This client undertook a coaching programme because they wanted to make a change and move forward in life after the breakdown of a relationship.

Investing in coaching could mitigate the risk of a diminished talent pool after Brexit, says Denise Chilton.   Research from the CIPD has found that Brexit will make it harder to recruit qualified talent. 72% of HR professionals expect the competition for talent to escalate and 61% predict further difficulty recruiting senior and skilled employees.   Executive Coach Denise Chilton…

We spend a lot of our time either lost in our memories or thinking about the future. Perhaps you’re reliving a happy memory or perhaps you’re remembering that irritating comment your mother-in-law made last weekend. Maybe you’re looking forward to a weekend away or maybe you’re dreading that meeting with your superior next week. We tend to get lost in…

Drama causes unnecessary conflict in our lives. Stopping and taking a step back can help to change the way you think about and react to drama situations you find yourself in – leading to a calmer, more stress-free life.

Drama causes unnecessary conflict in our lives. Stopping and taking a step back can help to change the way you think about and react to drama situations you find yourself in – leading to a calmer, more stress-free life.

After 16 years in the teaching profession, this client was lacking work-life balance and had an enormous sense of failure. They hoped that coaching would get them back on track.

Drama causes unnecessary conflict in our lives. Stopping and taking a step back can help to change the way you think about and react to drama situations you find yourself in – leading to a calmer, more stress-free life.

Drama causes unnecessary conflict in our lives. Stopping and taking a step back can help to change the way you think about and react to drama situations you find yourself in – leading to a calmer, more stress-free life.

Drama causes unnecessary conflict in our lives. Stopping and taking a step back can help to change the way you think about and react to drama situations you find yourself in – leading to a calmer, more stress-free life.

Earlier this year I was once again asked to join the team at Beyond Consultants and deliver on the NHS England Personal Development Coaching Programme. This year over 300 GPs across England were given the chance to work with a coach providing them with an opportunity to pause, reflect, make changes and take action that would support them in their…

Mindfulness is an ancient Buddhist meditation. Upon hearing the word “meditation”, a lot of us imagine a long-haired hippy, sat on a rug with his legs crossed. And it puts us off trying it! But mindfulness can be done anywhere, any time and there are no crossed legs involved. Unless you want them to be! I want to help you…