Clinging to safety ➡️ creating it for others!

My mother always wore dresses – I remember because, as a child, whenever we left the house, I would hide behind her, clinging to her skirt for safety. 

Roll forward 45 years or so… 

I recently facilitated a face-to-face workshop with around 100 people in the room.

Was there a dress involved? Yes, I wore a professional (I hope) yet comfortable dress. 

Was I nervous about speaking and holding the space for 100 people? No, not at all!

 What’s changed? Exposure, practice and self-awareness!

➡️ As a postgraduate student (twice) I was involved in relentless presentations and pitches.

➡️ While leading people and being a decision-maker in corporate settings, my voice was critical.

➡️ As a tour guide, I meet new groups of strangers every few weeks, built rapport and confidence with them quickly, and worked with local suppliers (in many cases without a language in common).

➡️ And now, as a leadership coach, team coach and consultant, I help others feel safe to speak, learn, and grow together - whether I’m working with one person, or a room of 100.

Thankfully, I don’t cling to skirts for safety anymore. 

But I’m still a classic introvert – after intense people time, I need quiet space alone to reflect and recharge. And I make sure I build that time into my diary up front! 

Can you relate to this story? Are there parts of your personality you’d like to understand better, or habits you’d like to develop or tweak? 

Get in touch — I’d love to chat about working on change through exposure, practice, and self-awareness.

Are you a beach person or a mountain person?

Me? Mountains all the way! 

🏔️ Crisp air over sticky heat.

⛄ Snow over sand.

🪨 Rocks and tussock over palm trees.

☕ Hot chocolate over coconuts.

❄️ Thermals over togs.

 Spent the weekend in the Tongariro National Park (central North Island, New Zealand). Amazing rugged volcanic terrain – it reminded me how much I love mountains and New Zealand!

It also reminded me how different we all are. I like the ocean too - but if I had to choose, I’d pick mountains.

And it’s the same with the people we work with. We all have our own preferences, ways of thinking, working, and recharging. What fires one person up might totally drain someone else. Making room for, and embracing differences, helps everyone work better together and achieve more together.

So, what’s your preference? Beach, mountain, bush, something else?

If you'd like to explore it more, please get in touch.

Leadership superpowers – make it real!

My colleague Dr Cathryn Lloyd and I work closely with leaders and teams, and we know leaders face an array of challenges. Over the past few months, we’ve shared 11 coaching superpowers for leaders to use with teams.  The conversations and connections we’re having are growing.

Now it’s your turn to make it real! 

For the coming week, choose one of the leadership coaching superpowers and put it into practice.

Here’s how:

✅ Name it - each morning, remind yourself of your chosen superpower. 

✅ Notice it - in action (or when it’s missing).

✅ Note it - reflect at the end of each day.  Did anything shift for you and your team? 

This deceptively simple exercise will bring your leadership superpowers to life. 

To help you keep track of your progress we’ve created a downloadable weekly “power-up” tool. 

A reminder of the superpowers we've explored:

⭐ Self-awareness – Knowing yourself is the foundation.

⭐ Curiosity – Essential for learning, innovation, and problem-solving.

⭐ Character – Integrity and consistency build trust.

⭐ Flexibility – Adapting with intention in uncertain times.

⭐ Candour – Honest conversations, grounded in care.

⭐ Sensing – Tuning into what’s going on, seen and unseen.

⭐ Learning – Embracing feedback, failure, and growth.

⭐ Linking – Making connections, seeing systems, thinking big.

⭐ Resourcing – Clearing paths, opening doors, sharing networks.

⭐ Resiliency – Bouncing forward, not just back.

⭐ Investing – Committing time, budget and energy to what matters.

Which superpower will you choose for the week - and why?