Why executive coaching?
The loneliness
of leading
The more senior you become, the fewer people you can think out loud with. The pressures multiply. The decisions carry more weight. And the feedback — honest, useful, challenging feedback — becomes increasingly rare.
Executive coaching gives you back that space. A confidential relationship with someone who has no agenda other than your growth — who will listen carefully, challenge rigorously, and stay genuinely curious about what matters to you.
"There are moments when we are ready to explore our own perspectives about who we are as leaders, what we want from being leaders — and at what cost."
My approach draws on 30 years of working in and with organisations — I understand the commercial context, the political complexity, and the human cost of leadership at senior levels. I'll meet you where you are, not where a coaching model says you should be.
What to expect
Themes we often explore
How you show up as a leader
The gap between intention and impact. How others experience you. The habits and patterns — helpful and unhelpful — that have become automatic. Getting honest about these is the starting point for real change.
Navigating transition and change
New role, new organisation, new scope of responsibility. The skills that got you here aren't always the ones that will take you further. We'll work on the shift in identity and approach that major transitions require.
Managing pressure and complexity
How do you lead when the environment is uncertain, the demands are competing, and the answers aren't clear? We'll build the self-awareness and strategies to stay grounded without losing your edge.
Influence and stakeholder relationships
The art of leading without direct authority — navigating peers, boards, and senior stakeholders. Building the kind of relationships where trust is real and influence is earned, not assumed.
Strengths and self-limiting beliefs
Your strengths are real — but so are the stories you tell yourself about what you can't do, or shouldn't try. We'll identify what's genuinely growing you and what's quietly holding you back.
Purpose, meaning and sustainability
Why are you doing this? What do you want this to mean? And what does leading in a way that's sustainable — for you, and for the people around you — actually look like in practice?
How it works
The executive coaching process
Stage one
Chemistry and contracting
We begin with a no-obligation conversation. Executive coaching is a close working relationship — it matters that there's a genuine fit. If we both feel the conditions are right, we agree clear goals and a structure that works for your life and pace.
Stage two
Building the picture
Where relevant, I draw on psychometric tools — EQi, MBTI, Saville Wave or Strengths Profile — to build a richer picture of how you operate. Where the organisation is sponsoring the coaching, we may also gather structured feedback from stakeholders. All of this is designed to give you more to work with, not to label you.
Stage three
The coaching itself
Sessions are typically 90 minutes, monthly or fortnightly, in person or virtual. The agenda is yours. I bring curiosity, challenge, and a genuine interest in what matters to you — not a predetermined framework. Between sessions, you have access to me by message for anything that comes up.
Stage four
Review and forward planning
We build in regular review points to assess progress against your goals and adjust as needed. At the end of a programme, we reflect honestly on what's shifted — and what you want to carry forward.
Is this for you?
Executive coaching
works best when…
The most productive coaching relationships are ones where the leader is genuinely curious about themselves — willing to question their own assumptions and sit with some uncertainty.
Psychometric tools used selectively, where they add insight — not as a matter of course.
You're in a new or significantly expanded role
The transition from doing to leading, or from leading a function to leading an organisation, is rarely as smooth as it looks from the outside.
You want to lead better, not just perform better
There's a difference. Better performance might be about skills. Better leadership is almost always about self-awareness.
You're navigating something genuinely complex
A difficult board relationship. An organisational culture that isn't working. A decision you're not sure about. Sometimes you need a thinking partner more than an answer.
Something feels stuck, even if you can't name it yet
A sense that you're capable of more, or that you're working harder than the results justify. That's often where the most interesting coaching begins.
You want to lead in a way that's sustainable
For yourself, and for the people around you. Sustainable leadership isn't a luxury. It's the only kind that actually works long-term.
On the work
"Executive coaching is the space for you to think, explore and be mindful of the leader you are choosing to become."
— Mignonette Smith-Moore
Common questions
What people often ask
Ready to create some space to think?
A chemistry conversation is always the first step — no obligation, no commitment.