Many of the introverted women leaders I coach don’t have a capability problem. They have a confidence problem. Or at least that’s what they’ve been led to believe. Over time, messages from family, workplaces, leaders and organisational cultures can shape how we see ourselves. What looks like imposter syndrome is often a perfectly understandable response

Recently, I looked back over hundreds of exploration calls I’ve had with people considering coaching, to see what patterns emerged in the reasons they approach me. One thing came through very strongly. Many of the people who contact me are already successful. They are senior leaders, Heads of Service, Directors and experienced professionals. They have

  In an ideal world, talent would be recognised for what it is, regardless of whether it is loud or quiet. But we do not live in an ideal world. In many workplaces, those who are most visible are often the ones who are seen, heard, recognised, rewarded, and offered opportunities. And visibility is not

When you’re under pressure, the voice in your head gets louder, but not more accurate. When leaders are stressed, they are more likely to not think rationally or clearly. This can negatively affect their confidence in their decision making and their ability to influence at senior levels. It’s when you are stressed that you’re more

Have you ever been promoted… but secretly wondered if they made a mistake? The transition to senior or executive leadership can be fraught with many challenges. We often hear about adaptations needed to be more strategic, more visible, steering the direction, and other outward facing issues. But what rarely gets talked about are the internal,

No one warns you that leadership can get lonelier the more senior you become. It’s often assumed that once a leader gets to senior and executive levels, they’ve got everything about themselves sorted. And whilst externally, they may appear to have it all together –– after all they’ve navigated the barriers and challenges and made

In my Masters research, meetings were shown to be the most challenging environments for the introverted senior leaders who took part. They felt that meetings were not only psychologically unsafe, they also experienced challenges due to their introversion. I call this the double bind for introverted leaders and it is something I often see when

I’ve watched people’s faces when I tell them this. There’s a pause. A slight tilt of the head. The kind of look that says “are you sure you know what introvert means?” And I get it. I do. Because the version of me that walks into a room full of people, takes a microphone, and

The move from operational to strategic leadership requires two things of you. An internal shift in how you think about yourself and your role, and an external shift in how you navigate structures, systems, people, and the politics of senior decision-making. Most of the leaders I coach through this transition find it challenging juggling both

She is the CEO of a 200-person company. The youngest in the company’s history. Smart, capable, three steps ahead of everyone in the room. That’s how she got here. She is doing everything right. Hormones optimized. A carefully built supplement stack with Progesterone, Phosphatidylserine, Glycine, and time-release Melatonin. She goes to bed at her usual