People who resist change usually have a reason. I do not try to overcome that resistance as quickly as possible. I seek to understand it. Often, it reveals exactly what was overlooked when the decision was made.
HOW I WORK
Resistance is information, not disruption
Leadership is not learned in a training room – but it can be practised there
Models help us understand what is happening. But change begins when someone works through a difficult situation using their own real case rather than a constructed example. That is why participants bring the issues they are actually facing into the room.
I say what I see
Even when it may be uncomfortable. A leader who receives nothing but confirmation from me gains little from coaching or training. The same honesty applies to commissioning organisations: if training is not the right format, I say so in our first conversation.
Not every problem is a development issue
Sometimes the problem does not lie with the people. It lies in unclear responsibilities, competing priorities or a decision that was never made. Training alone cannot resolve structural issues like these. I point them out nonetheless.
Confidentiality is not a formality
What is shared with me in coaching is treated as confidential. In workshops, we agree on clear ground rules that support open conversation. When an organisation commissions my work, we clarify in advance what will be reported back – and what will remain confidential. Without that clarity, people cannot speak openly. And without open conversation, lasting change is unlikely.