Hello, I’m Fiona, an insightful and pragmatic leadership coach working in collaboration with leaders, and their teams to elevate performance and achieve sustainable success.

With a distinctive approach to coaching, I blend the latest in leadership thinking, expert knowledge, with a healthy dose of challenge to support clients to think differently and with clarity.

I work closely with leaders and founders to build the mindsets and skills essential for high performance in today’s complex landscape. Together, we craft strategies to grow as leaders, align with business outcomes, and deliver what’s needed.

With over 30 years of cross-industry experience spanning Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, Education, Insurance, Medicine, Construction and Professional Services, I bring a well-rounded perspective to every client interaction.

Since founding The Insightful Coach in 2014, I’ve dedicated my energy and focus to building a reputation for excellence in leadership coaching. If you're interested in working together or learning more, please get in touch.

"Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it."

~ Albert Einstein

My values are the foundation of how I coach and support my clients.

Insightful
I look beyond the surface level to give a fresh perspective to existing challenges and raise awareness for my clients and their teams.

Optimistic
I believe in the power of possibility. As a mindset it encourages growth and ambition, leading to meaningful progress and sustainable change.

Partnership 
I am committed to cultivating authentic partnerships with my clients. I believe collaboration is essential for supporting trust, growth and success.

Integrity
Acting with integrity allows me to ensure that the best version of me turns up at every opportunity, whether that’s one-to-one coaching, team development or online learning. This value also supports me in being compassionate and curious in my interactions with others.

Curiosity
When we are curious, we naturally act with more compassion and integrity. Both of these values are instrumental when working with clients. When I take a default approach to always find out more, it allows me to build stronger client relationships, improve my understanding of their challenges and demonstrate compassion.

Joy
My experience has shown me the most effective learning happens when participants find enjoyment in the process. Therefore, I strive to create engaging, enjoyable coaching and development experiences for my clients.

My Working Style.

When it comes to the personal development and growth of leaders, I’m all in. My clients describe my coaching style as approachable, friendly, open, and engaging. This style helps foster trusted relationships and sets the stage for successful outcomes. I understand how lonely it can be at the top.

Every day, leaders put a bit of themselves on the line, facing unique and daunting challenges. I strive to create a safe, confidential environment where leaders can express themselves openly, think through their challenges with the guidance of a coach.

I focus on providing space for my clients to reflect on key decisions, navigate difficult conversations, define strategic direction, expand and evolve thinking and reframe challenges. I also prioritise and support the importance of caring for your own emotional and mental well-being, to ensure you are at your best to give your best.

If you’re seeking a confidential environment to discuss your leadership challenges or explore your growth as a leader and fancy a conversation with someone who understands what you might be experiencing right now, I would love to chat and see how I can help you.

"Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in"

~ Isaac Asimov: Writer and Professor of biochemistry

Self-Awareness

Leadership starts with you; the best leaders adopt the mantra of learn, observe and improve.

Some of the work I’ve focussed on with clients over the past 10 years, include:

Leadership Presence

Being your authentic self, becoming an extraordinary leader who makes a difference.

Communication Skills

Improving and shaping how leaders convey messages, listen and engage with their teams.

Crucial Conversations

Giving you the tools and techniques to have impactful conversations when emotions are powerful and stakes are high.

Decision-Making

Enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Confidence

Expressing ideas with confidence and conviction gives them impact, influence and gravitas.

Emotional Intelligence

Building skills to manage own emotions and understand others.

Well-Being

Taking care of yourself, so you can take care or others. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Worthy Reads

Worthy Reads
Make Change That Lasts – Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Make Change That Lasts – Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Having read all of Dr Chatterjee’s books, it’s hard to pick a favourite, however, I think this may be his finest work yet. Based on his knowledge and wisdom, reflections and insights from his guests from his podcast – Live Better, Feel More it makes for a brilliant and informative read.

The book is broken into nine chapters, each focusing on how our thoughts lead to negative behaviour/habit. Dr Chatterjee makes the point that knowledge is not enough and that true change comes about when we change/replace our outdated patterns of thinking. Dr Chatterjee is touring in 2025 and I’ll see you in the audience!

The Let Them Theory – Mel Robbins
The Let Them Theory – Mel Robbins

For those of you who are new to the work of Mel Robbins, she is the creator and host of the award-winning The Mel Robbins Podcast. Mel herself has experienced hardship in her life and is brutally honest in how she has managed to change her fortunes and life around.

The Let Them theory is a mindset tool that teaches you to let other people make their choices and live their lives and to stop making it your job, or responsibility to manage or control what other people are doing.

Why should anyone be led by you? – Rob Goffee & Gareth Jones
Why should anyone be led by you? – Rob Goffee & Gareth Jones

What does it take to be an effective leader? This is very much explored and covered in detail in this powerful leadership book.

Based on extensive research Goffee & Jones explain what it takes to be an authentic leader and provide the reader with several tools to hone as part of their leadership toolkit. This book comes with a warning; it may change the way you view, develop and practice the art of leadership forever.

The Chimp Paradox – Professor Steve Peters
The Chimp Paradox – Professor Steve Peters

Fiona is a massive fan-girl of Prof Peters and there is a reason why she recommends this insightful and brilliant read to everyone she meets!

The book explores in detail how our brain works, the struggles that take place within our mind and explains how we can apply the Chimp model to all aspects of our lives, so we can improve our relationships, our happiness and improve how manage our thoughts and emotions. A must read!

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni

One of the best books you will ever read when it comes to understanding effective teamwork. 

By exploring each of the five dysfunctions, as outlined in the book, the reader will develop an insightful understanding of each of the dysfunctions in more detail, it will also help you to identify which dysfunction(s) might be holding you and the team back, and most importantly, what steps and necessary action you can take to make the team more effective, improved relationships, which ultimately impacts on what you deliver and the bottom line.

How to Change – Katy Milkman
How to Change – Katy Milkman

What helps people to make sustainable change? Well, it’s something Professor Katy Milkman has dedicated her career to uncovering. In this insightful and impactful book, Milkman takes you on a whistle-stop tour of the six areas that she has identified as obstacles to change (Impulsivity, Procrastination, Forgetfulness, Laziness, Confidence and Conformity)

Through her work, Fiona has used the knowledge from the book to support her clients with organisation and personal change. The feedback has been positive and the results even better. A must read for any leader or founder.

The Coaching Habit Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever – Michael Bungay Stanier
The Coaching Habit Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever – Michael Bungay Stanier

Whilst on a train from London to Liverpool, Fiona got talking to a fellow passenger (and senior leader) who was reading this book on the train. He told Fiona is was a ‘must read’ and since that day, it has become a firm favourite of Fiona’s and the many people she now also recommends it too. The author does a brilliant job of distilling the essentials of coaching to seven core questions.

As we all know, it takes courage to ask a question rather than offer up advice, so this book and its wonderful coaching insights could be a real game changer for those of you who are fed up all being the person who is expected to provide the answers / solutions.

Mindset – Prof Carol Dweck
Mindset – Prof Carol Dweck

As part of her on-going CPD, Fiona attended a training programme based on the work of Stanford University lecturer, Doctor and psychologist, Carol Dweck. There is a very good reason why Mindset has become a million-copy bestseller.

Dweck reports that it’s not just our abilities and talent that bring success – but whether we approach our goals with a fixed or growth mindset. With the right mindset, we can motivate others’ as well as reaching our own goals – both personal and professional.

Latest Blogs
Why a lack of self-care may impact how you lead.
Why a lack of self-care may impact how you lead.

As a busy leader/executive, it is easy to ignore the signs and symptoms that might indicate to us it’s time to take a break and take some well needed rest.  

I coach several senior leaders who regularly work a 60+ hour week. This doesn’t include any travel they might incur and the impact any time difference…

Read More →
How to cultivate resilience.
How to cultivate resilience.

If you have ever bought a Dyson vacuum cleaner then you may be aware of the story of James Dyson. A local sawmill caught James’ eye and under the cover of dark, he sketched the timber yard’s giant cyclone. It spun sawdust out of the air, collecting it in a chamber. James wondered if the same principle could be applied to vacuum cleaners and put an end to clogging vacuum cleaner bags.

Read More →
Are you guilty of over-playing any of these leadership strengths?
Are you guilty of over-playing any of these leadership strengths?

I’ve worked in leadership development for all my career. I have had the pleasure of working with and coaching a wide range of senior leaders all from different backgrounds and organisations.

These leaders have some great strengths which they have used effectively to keep getting promoted…

Read More →
Knowing when to go.
Knowing when to go.

The big question is if you are looking to exit an organisation, let alone a presidency.

I reflect on recent politics and wonder if Joe B left it too late. Did he give his second-in-command enough time to gather her thoughts, plan her leadership campaign and rally the troops? Probably not….

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Getting the band back together
Getting the band back together

As Noel and Liam start getting the band back together, it got me thinking whether they might like to join us for a few of my Bitesize Insights…

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Decision fatigue.
Decision fatigue.

In an interview with Vanity Fair Barack Obama explained that when he was president he tried to pare down his decision making from the moment he awoke. This included what he was going to wear that day (always a grey or navy suit) to the food that he ate.

Read More →
Lonely At The Top?
Lonely At The Top?

‘Lonely at the Top’ was the topic of a recent podcast I listened to. The presenter was joined by three guests – two senior business leaders and a leadership coach talking about why many senior executives now hire leadership coaches to help them through their toughest business challenges.

Read More →

  • It was lovely to have you back in the building on Tuesday last week! You left staff feeling positive after your CPD on Resilience. You always leave an air of 'can do' and positivity in the building after you have left. We have all been talking about the 'weather in our heads' and our SHEDS for the last week! Very positive feedback from all staff that attended, thank you!

    M.M Deputy Head Teacher - Education

  • I just wanted to say thank you to you for the confidence boost on the last webinar you did about Crucial Conversations. You'll be pleased to know that I had my first crucial conversation yesterday. I did the prep, more prep and had plenty of information to hand, the meeting went as planned and in fact it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. We have one scheduled every week now for the next 4 weeks. If it wasn't for the webinar I probably wouldn't have done it.

    N.M Operations Director - Healthcare

  • Fiona is an exceptional coach - following a promotion, Fiona has helped me traverse a myriad of issues as I've moved from an operational role to a strategic/leadership role. Easy to build a rapport with and not one to shy away from a probing discussion, Fiona is adept at cutting to the heart of an issue and getting you to a practical solution. It is clichéd to say that some people you meet are life changing, but working with Fiona genuinely has been and I can't recommend Fiona highly enough.

    C.W Director & Partner – Professional Services

  • Fiona's coaching was invaluable to me during the first year of my role of Head of Information Systems. She was professional, enthusiastic and knowledgeable throughout the period we worked together both in relation to management and presentation skills coaching. The coaching support Fiona provided was invaluable from the perspective of my personal development.

    S.W Director & Equity Partner – Professional Services

  • Just wanted to say on behalf of the Executive team and the rest of HPL THANK YOU for this week, it was incredible and we have had such positive feedback. It really did hit the 'sweet spot' and I personally learnt so much. The techniques used, the stories and games and bringing it altogether was brilliant. A few people have commented on that they really enjoyed all in the mind session. The Executive team are meeting on Monday to start digesting things and bringing things together and we will be in contact very shorty to carry on this journey.

    N.R Managing Director - NHS

  • From the onset, she has set goals with me, tracked my progress and always set new challenges. I find Fiona very insightful (no pun intended) and always offers me guidance and shows understanding. Her 'walk & talk' approach is really useful as it allows me to get fresh air while getting a fresh perspective on things. Personally, I use our sessions in various ways, to help me develop, to resolve problems, act as a sounding board and very importantly as a counsel to allow me to just talk (something us men often find difficult). I would highly recommend Fiona as a business coach and as a mentor, friend and confidant.

    N.M Operations Director - Healthcare

  • I started working with Fiona shortly before lockdown; I’d had consistently strong feedback on my performance but at the same time, the things I needed to improve on came up time and time again, and were starting to act as a block to my career progression. I really wanted to change that, and so I started working with Fiona as my coach to help me address those improvement areas and really fulfil my potential. Working with Fiona has been an absolute pleasure – she’s a great sounding board, and has a wealth of experience and research behind her, that’s helped me move through those blocks. I’ve had to work hard, and she’s kept me on my toes, but in the nicest possible way and with a great sense of humour!

    K.T Executive Director - Public Sector Body

  • I wanted to extend my thanks for coming down south and facilitating the development day for our senior team and exec. The day was filled with valuable learning, insightful reflections, and important steps we can take forward in our journey both as individuals and as a company. Your efforts and expertise made an impact, and we are all excited about the growth, and progress we can achieve with the knowledge and strategies you shared. I look forward to working with you both in the future.

    A.S Finance Director - NHS