Thierry_G

Simple, but not easy

This week I had the privilege of running a client-centred leadership programme with the top team of a billion pound business – the most senior group I’ve worked with on this programme. Admittedly, I didn’t sleep well beforehand. I never do. Every engagement is different and pushes my comfort zone a little further. That nervousContinue reading “Simple, but not easy”

Heading into autumn

“Summer’s gone, winter’s in your eyes” – See the Lights, by Simple Minds. I have various team engagements coming up this autumn but if you are a sole leader looking for a fellow traveller I still have a few slots available for individual coaching. Contact me.

On transferrable skills

A geologist, a psychotherapist and her client walk into a bar. Actually, no – they walk into the hills. Also, the geologist and therapist are the same person: Ruth Allen, author of Weathering, a beautiful book I enjoyed reading this summer. If you’re passionate about the natural world – and personal development – then youContinue reading “On transferrable skills”

Books and ideas for your midlife career

The summer holidays are a great time to reflect on what we want from our lives and careers. Below are some books and ideas I have found helpful over the years – and some to avoid! – collated into 10 themes. 1. When basic questions don’t work anymore When we feel a bit stuck in theContinue reading “Books and ideas for your midlife career”

On enabling breakthroughs

This week I was privileged to deliver a two-day “impact” workshop for the Geomatics team at Shell Centre in London. It’s easy enough to design a workshop where everyone has a bit of fun. But this team demonstrated the courage and commitment to go further. We surfaced the team’s strengths, values and aspirations. We coachedContinue reading “On enabling breakthroughs”

Seeing with new eyes

“How will you look after yourselves this week?” our coaching supervisor asked. It was a fair question. My co-facilitator and I were about to deliver a client-centred leadership programme at a hotel by an industrial estate outside Birmingham. It’s a full week with few opportunities to venture further afield. This is difficult for me asContinue reading “Seeing with new eyes”

Learning through play

Learning in action: as the day progressed, the table got messier 🙃 Today I had great fun workshopping with the latest PhD cohort at the EPSRC CDT in Geospatial Systems at Newcastle University. In this innovation and enterprise workshop students learned about starting with the problem – not the geospatial solution – and crafting aContinue reading “Learning through play”

On boundaries

Yesterday I had a great day at the British Racing School near Cambridge where I was invited to contribute to a coaching seminar with medical doctors. As ever it was an exercise in mutual learning. With my geospatial background I offered the fractal nature and fuzziness of the British coastline as a metaphor for boundariesContinue reading “On boundaries”

Celebrating a milestone as coaching supervisor

This morning I’m celebrating my final Level 7 coursework submission in Coaching Supervision with the Academy of Leadership & Management. A great milestone after working as a coaching supervisor for 18 months… yet the learning never ends 🌳

Zen and the art of saving the planet

I am loving this book, which offers a more human path to a sustainable world. Zen wisdom provides a clear case for client-centred leadership and coaching skills for everyone. The book cites the example of Christina Figueres, the diplomat who architected the 2015 Paris Agreement. Getting buy-in from 200 nations seemed impossible. But as anContinue reading “Zen and the art of saving the planet”