ABOUT YOU
Grappling with the complexities of different, demanding stakeholders?
Juggling your team’s priorities v shareholders, opinion formers, regulators and the public?
Lacking a chance to shine and show your vision, feeling overlooked and typecast?
Feeling ‘in over your head’ with office politics in a disparate, global company?
Confident as an expert but not as a leader and wanting to rise to new challenges?
Taking on new responsibilities with little time to review or know who to rely on?
You need an experienced, empathetic coach to help you develop solutions
ABOUT ME
I understand the challenges of complex, multi-national, multi-stakeholder environments with extensive experience at Board level in global communications, marketing and sales.
I am an accredited coach, with proven experience and offer a safe space to talk openly, explore options and develop practical coaching solutions that are right for you, empowering you to move forward.
Leadership does not need to be a lonely place
MY APPROACH
I specialise in coaching leaders in large corporations who are stepping up to a bigger role or preparing for promotion where the impact of coaching can be transformational. Leadership typically involves facing new challenges, new areas of responsibility and heading different teams or managing an internal restructuring.
My experience working in big corporates, most recently as Chief Communications Officer at Visa means I understand the reality of dealing with competing commitments and interests, across different markets, all supposedly working towards the same goal. Managing these complexities sometimes requires an empathetic thinking partner to help you lead effectively, make progress and bring all parties along with you.
My Coaching Style – How does it work?
I find the most valuable conversations happen when I ask questions and listen for longer. I’m curious about the particular challenges my client is facing, what may be creating pressure and why, since every assignment is different. I then tailor my approach to these specific needs.
Together we can develop strategies to manage any emotions that hold us back such as anxiety, lack of confidence or frustration, and set a positive outlook. I challenge from a real-world perspective as your thinking partner to help work through practical solutions that build confidence and remove any obstacles to success.
Whenever it makes practical sense, I like to take coaching out into the open air, encouraging clients to step away from their computers and distractions. I’ve found that open spaces are great for generating new thinking.
Please do get in touch for an initial discussion and if possible, let’s walk and talk.
SOME EXAMPLES
From Expert to Leader
People are often promoted for being superb experts in their field, but then find those are not the skills needed in their new roles. Coaching can help the new leader focus on their priorities, working out how to succeed through managing and using their teams effectively.
Stepping into the role
Leadership can be a lonely place to be and 70% of CEOs fear being found out (HBR) commonly recognised as ‘imposter syndrome’. Coaching can help by exploring strategies, thinking through implementation options and mapping out the stakeholders that need to be managed. This helps to create results more quickly while building confidence.
Adapting your style
Working effectively with different personalities whether that’s a boss, team member, customer or regulator, can be one of the toughest parts of a leadership role. Learning to adapt your approach will make you more effective in dealing with personality challenges and office politics.
CASE STUDIES
“Fiona provides practical, empowering, solutions focused ‘walk and talk’ coaching sessions in a natural setting of your choice (we trod the Thames pathway in the City on crisp, sunny autumn days). The combination of being outside and walking provides a relaxed and equal setting which opens up conversations in new and interesting ways.
Fiona is a wonderful listener, patient, non-judgemental and thoughtful. She empowers you to come up with solutions to challenges and opportunities you might face in your career and in the workplace, providing practical tools, tips and reading lists – which I really loved. At the end of each session I felt upbeat and positive, and that I had the agency to make small, impactful changes in areas such as influence, social capital, work-life balance, and new career opportunities.
Thank you, Fiona, it was really wonderful to work with you.”
Sarah Jurado, Director of Communications, The Goldsmiths’ Company
COO, international science company
What prompted coaching? - Takeover of business by a US-based company and impending integration meetings.
Approach – Intensive 3 hours of coaching over 2 days.
Consider how to structure, influence and behave to get the best from integration meetings.
Coaching techniques used included visualisation, force-fields, confidence mapping to develop and refine plan.
Outcome - ‘I left the session with some specific actions to take, which turned out to be exactly what was required. I appreciated the challenge to get really specific with these targets, including the practicality of taking them in the time available. The session made me think about how I would act in the widest sense - preparations, behaviour, emotions, reactions, goals.’
Group marketing director - multi-national publishing company
What prompted coaching? - Appointment to a broad leadership role
Approach - Executive coaching sessions every 4-6 weeks over 9 months.
Analyse stakeholder map and think about issues from each of their perspectives.
Visualisation - what would success look like/feel like?
Outcome - increased confidence; completion of team reorganisation, changes of responsibility and building team resilience.
Improved working relationships with executive leadership.
Client put forward for significant external profile opportunities and career progression.
CEO, AIM-listed communications agency
What prompted coaching? - Sale of agency to an international group. Challenge to work out how to be effective in new group amongst wider network of multi-national stakeholders.
Approach - executive coaching - every 2 - 3 months over 18 months.
Explore values and motivations to formulate personal plan.
Explore stakeholder dynamics and tailor approach to each individual.
Role play to assist preparation for important meetings.
Outcome - client reports improved relationship with key stakeholders and assigned responsibility for
next acquisition on behalf of group.
Policy director, FTSE 100 company
What prompted coaching? - Reorganisation creating the opportunity to expand role from expert to strategic leader
Approach - executive coaching every 4 weeks for 6 months; subsequently extended for a further 6 months.
Breakdown issues, identify opportunities, build confidence through visualisation and positive reinforcement.
Outcome - increased confidence; senior management praised improvement and agreed further coaching to continue development.
What prompted coaching? - Opportunity to take voluntary redundancy.
Approach - face-to-face coaching every 3-4 weeks over 3 months before leaving role; and further sessions in first 6 months after leaving.
Identifying values and priorities for next stage of life/career.
Develop options, approach and plan for execution.
Outcome - sessions "have helped me reflect on the choices available to me and ways of establishing myself in my new life style".
BLOG
For an initial chat or an obligation-free meeting, please contact me:
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact: fionabwilkinson@icloud.com Tel: 07710 096603
