I am not just here to make you think differently. I want to help you take active steps that will drive sustainable and positive change for yourself and the people around you.
Drawing upon more than 20 years’ experience in leadership roles, I can help you build your confidence, reframe your ambitions, and overcome your challenges, providing plenty of insights along the way.
I believe in Coaching with ContentTM. This means I will listen to you, I will ask questions, and I will share stories of my experience. This does not mean that I will tell you what to do – that’s not my role.
Most of my coaching programmes consist of six sessions. However, I can tailor my coaching services to meet the unique needs of you and/or your team.
Gone are the days when coaching is seen as something that is simply remedial. Whether they are newly appointed or they have many years of experience under their belt, every successful leader benefits from taking time out to think about themselves and their career. In addition, there are specific times in your career when coaching may be beneficial.
As a partner, you wear three hats: you are a worker, a leader, and, in the case of equity partners or shareholders, an owner, too. As you become more senior, your responsibilities shift, and the pressure can mount. It’s a lot to take on, and even more to take in. Coaching will push you to tackle your discomfort head-on; to learn more, and be more.
Whatever stage of the partnership process you are at, a good coach will listen to you and uncover your true ambitions. Just as importantly, they will help you develop a strategy that enables you to lead authentically, at a pace that works for you.
All too often, we reach the higher echelons of our firms, and we think the hard part is over. I was guilty of this for a short while, but quickly realised that becoming a partner brings with it a whole new learning curve – and one I wasn’t particularly prepared for.
I was lucky, though. During my 22 years as a partner at a global accounting firm, I benefited from ongoing coaching, mentoring and sponsorship, as well as a plethora of formal training programmes. It wasn’t always a smooth ride but being able to access the right guidance enabled me to develop my skills and progress with confidence.
My mission now is to be the coach I wish I had when I was younger. I want to make sure the resources that are available to partners are equal and equitable, and everybody has the opportunity to thrive.
If there is one thing that the last 30 years have taught me, it’s that consistency is at the core of every success story. With this in mind, I developed a one-of-a-kind framework that helps my clients to strategically plan their career journey.
Every one of my coaching sessions is underpinned by the principles of FEEL: Focus, Excel, Energise, LeadTM. It is simple, but effective. Click the link below to learn more.
From understanding your firm’s expectations of you to being able to ‘sell’ your expertise to the partner panel, the partner process can be a long and lonely one without the right support.
I can help you articulate your business and personal case, then manage the transition to your new role with a thorough understanding of what will be in store.
We will cover:
Increasing your confidence
Dealing with “Imposter Syndrome”
Developing your signature leadership style
Exploring your personal brand
Finding your place at the table
Building a business
Balancing your priorities
Pacing your progression
Once you have bought into the business, your priorities will change. Suddenly, you will be responsible for your firm’s assets – and its liabilities, too. I can support you through the process of becoming an equity partner and prime you for what’s to come.
We will delve into:
What it means to be an owner
Why you need to put the firm first – and what this means for your role
How to create and deliver value
How to collaborate more effectively with other partners and equity partners
You want to be known in the market as an expert in your field, as somebody who delivers exceptional client service and who cares about the outcomes for their clients.
We will work together on a networking strategy that:
Explores your personal brand
Considers how you will stand out in a crowd
Builds long lasting networks and relationships
Provides the right purpose and focus
In my experience, there are two aspects to excellent leadership: creating and maintaining a positive personal brand, and developing a leadership style that influences, inspires, includes, and develops others. Becoming a partner who can deliver on both fronts takes time and commitment, and it’s something you will need to work on for the rest of your career.
If you are an existing partner, we will discuss:
How to better manage stakeholders.
How to let go of the tasks, responsibilities and habits that are holding you back
How to develop more resilience
How to adapt to new challenges and influence others
Ways to build on your leadership style
How to lead your partners to enable them to achieve their potential
If you are looking to transition from your role as a partner, your focus may be on what’s next after your full-on career. However, I prefer to think of this stage as ‘growing into the next you’. I’ve been through it myself, so I understand the conflicting feelings you may have around your next steps.
The key to a straightforward and fulfilling transition is:
Positive self-reflection
Learning how to let go
Preparing a thorough handover for your clients, the firm, and you
Leaving a positive and lasting mark on the business
Setting yourself up to be remembered for your time, energy and dedication
Deciding what you want your life to look like after your exit – and making it happen!
I found my sessions with Wendy to be incredibly helpful in developing a better structure to my approach (in different layers), which has resulted in greater effectiveness. Wendy has also helped me towards improved confidence in a senior role and to re-shape the manner in which I reflect on practice management at a high level.
During my time at BDO, I interviewed hundreds of potential partners. We always gave them the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the interview and one of the most often asked questions was “what advice would you give to a new partner?”.
Balance and coaching - a shifting mindset. In this article I explore how my attitude to both finding balance and coaching has shifted since I “lost my bubbles” in 2003. Moreover, I consider how a business coach can work with a client to find work life balance.
This article was published on the BDO intranet after I lost my dad to Covid-19 and talks about some of the things I learnt during that experience, as well as the support I received.
Executive & Leadership Coach
for Professional Services Firms
