"What is it that you actually do?"
"Why would a company get you in?"
I get asked these questions a lot! And it makes sense... when you buy a product, it’s clear what you’ll receive when you hand over the cash. But services shaped to fit specific client needs, that are broad by the nature of being about people, are trickier to pin down. So, here I’ve given a flavour of what I do and why companies get me involved.
How I work and who I support
I use research-informed practice and, as a psychologist, I apply my knowledge and skills to work with leaders and managers to develop workplaces where employees can thrive.
My mantra: When we get people right, we get business right.
Think about what gets in the way of you being the best version of you. Now think about how that looks and impacts for teams of individuals. Whether that’s about feelings of isolation beneath the mask of ‘control’, not-knowing how to fulfil expectations, the absence of consciously shaping your role, a sense of overwhelm, the drain of change and uncertainty… the list goes on. Unless we acknowledge and address the most human aspects of business, we continue to build barriers to high performance.
I’m here to support you and your company to create a culture that people enjoy, are proud to be part of, where they are fully engaged, where they show up with intention, and are able to perform to their true potential. That looks different for every organisation but one thing in common is the absence of tick boxes. I get involved in meaningful and sustainable development by coaching, consulting and training across organisations. Here’s how:
Working with leadership
I support leaders to design and build better work cultures, from the top. This often takes the form of a programme that covers workshops, consultation working groups, peer development communities, and individual coaching to achieve:
- High self-awareness and clarity about what leadership really is, to enable intentional design and creation of the role
- A clear vision and purpose that is owned across the company and for which roles and responsibilities are clear
- Clarity and confidence to lead through periods of change and uncertainty, with employees on board and resistance reduced
- Greater knowledge about specific barriers that prevent employees from performing their best
- Action to overcome these challenges and the identification of strengths and successes to build on going forward
- A strategic plan and implementation of the factors necessary for a psychologically safe, engaging company culture where people have a positive experience of belonging, connection and status.
- Peer support communities to develop practice one experiment at a time, through Leadership Labs
Working with managers
I support managers to give them the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to engage their teams and achieve high performance. This usually takes the form of workshops, peer development groups, and individual coaching, to achieve:
- A re-think of expectations of managers to intentionally shape the role, and build psychologically safe relationships
- The development of emotional intelligence and compassion, from self-awareness to meeting the needs of others
- The creation of an engaging team identity that nourishes collaboration, creativity, energy and high performance
- Boundaries that enable managers to switch off from their role and that empower their teams to achieve the right balance
- Confidence to normalise and lead ‘tricky’ conversations as a team, or individually, that focus on specific aspects of mental wellbeing, using a variety of resources and frameworks
- Peer support communities to develop practice one experiment at a time, through Leadership Labs
Working with employees
I provide workshops and individual coaching to support entire teams and individual employees, at all levels, to build awareness and skills for:
- Meeting the needs for good mental wellbeing that includes both individual accountability and whole-company strategy
- Using what we know about neuroscience to understand the ‘why’, ‘how’, and impact of prioritising a positive experience (and the danger of getting this wrong)
- Increasing performance by understanding the impact of mental noise including overwhelm, uncertainty and change, and strategies to gain control
- Communication skills including positive ‘conflict’, effective feedback, and psychological safety, for employees to thrive.
Working with MHFAs
I support Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs), and people in similar roles, to develop their positive impact. I often ask companies:
“How do you know that your people with such responsibilities are being used as well as they could be?” – what’s the evidence?
“How are those people being looked after, developed and supported to provide what is needed within a framework of self-care?”
Together, we focus on building awareness and take-up of these important roles, as well as the effectiveness and evidence, by providing CPD to enhance practice. Such opportunities may include confidence dealing with suicide risk, or specific aspects of mental health they may want to better understand, for example anxiety.
Need a bit of a flavour?
I’m a bespoke kind-of-girl but to get a flavour of the kinds of workshops I’ve been providing companies, do check them out for yourself:
Amazing People.
I work with some brilliant professionals and companies I wouldn't hesitate to recommend
How you know it's time for change.
If you’re still wondering when a company might contact me, these are some of the issues that prompt collaboration with It’s Time for Change:
So... are YOU ready for change?
Do give me a call to chat about your conundrum / flash of inspiration (or just to suss me out and see if I'm the right fit for you!)
Join the Club.
To get a better picture of what I am busy getting up to, you could pop your details into the link here to receive my fabulously irregular updates from me.
There will be information on downloadable resources, events where you can hear me speak, and updates with all things company culture, employee engagement and mental well-being.