When what worked to get here isn't working anymore
Maybe it's the conversation you keep putting off. Or the meeting where someone pushes back and your carefully prepared point disappears. Or the work you can't quite hand over, so your team never gets the chance to step up.
You're good at your job. That's how you got here. But now you're building a new skill in real time, in front of your team, and there isn't anyone in your corner who knows the specifics of where you work.
That's where a lot of leadership advice doesn't quite hit the mark. A framework that ignores your culture, your boss and the politics of the room can sound great in a workshop and fall apart by Monday (ask anyone who's sat through a leadership offsite).
Why I start with the room
My dad likes to tell a story about me as a toddler. I'd stand at the edge of a group of kids, watching them play and working out the dynamics, before I jumped in myself. I've been studying rooms ever since: through a decade of leading teams, and most recently through my Master's research at the London School of Economics.
One idea from that research has stuck with me. Leaders don't operate in isolation. How they lead is shaped by the people and the environment around them. So that's where our work starts.
I call my approach Coaching in Context.
So, how does it work?
//01
MAP THE LANDSCAPE
Before we meet, you'll fill in an intake form about your role, your culture, your boss and what you want to change. I get to know your environment before I coach you inside it.
//02
BUILD THE PLAN, THEN GET GOING
I turn what you've shared into a plan for your goal. On our first call we make sure it's right and get to work. No three sessions of getting to know each other.
//03
COACH, APPLY, REPEAT
Our sessions are working sessions, part coaching and part mentorship from someone who's been in the room. You'll leave each one with an action plan to try at work before we meet again.
//04
TRACK AND ADJUST
I'll check in with you on Voxer every week, so you're not waiting two weeks to get unstuck. If the goal shifts, the plan shifts with it.
What we might work on
One focused skill or situation. For example:
Having the hard conversations you've been avoiding
Holding steady when you're challenged in a high-stakes meeting
Delegating, so you're no longer the bottleneck on your own team
Managing up with a boss whose style is very different from yours
Finding your feet in a new role or a new company
Working out what your next move should look like, then making it
Not sure how to name yours yet? That's completely normal, and it's part of what we'll figure out together.
What's included
DETAILED INTAKE
Before our first call, you'll fill out a questionnaire about your role, your team and what you're hoping to change. I read it closely, so we can get straight to work.
4 60-MINUTE COACHING SESSIONS
We'll meet for an hour every other week. I'll ask questions to help you think things through, and share what I've seen work in similar situations.
ACTION PLANS AFTER EACH CALL
A summary, what to try before next time, and a few resources worth your time, in your inbox after every session.
WEEKLY VOXER CHECK INS
I check in every week, and you can message me in between, so you're never waiting two weeks to get unstuck.
8 WEEKS
Eight weeks gives you time to try new approaches at work, see what sticks, and adjust along the way.
HOW DO I KNOW IF IT´S RIGHT FOR ME?
You're probably a good fit if...
You're leading people and there's one thing you know is holding you back
You want advice that fits how your company actually works
You're ready to try things at work between sessions, not just talk about them
Something else may suit you better if...
You're working through several big changes at once (12-Week Private Coaching gives you more room for that)
You need one focused session to make a decision (Career Compass is built for exactly that)
MEET YOUR COACH
I'M CATHERINE AND I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE
I started my career as one of three women on a twenty-person analyst team in financial services. Like most first-time managers, I learned by trial and error, and I quickly realized how little real support there was for people who actually wanted to lead well.
Over the next decade I led teams of up to 125 people across strategy, product and operations, served as Chief of Staff to a Fortune 100 executive, and sat on the leadership team of a high-growth startup. Now I combine ICF coach certification with my Master's in Organisational and Social Psychology from LSE to help you find your voice, own your influence, and make an impact without burning out or blending in.
Because leadership isn't defined by a title. It's how you show up.
Catherine
What clients say
Catherine provided me with new perspectives to the scenarios where I was struggling to make traction. Even her introductory onboarding questionnaire had me thinking about my career and where I wanted to take it. Catherine was super easy to talk to and ask questions. Even when I took us on tangents she helped to guide me and link it back to the overall goal. Highly recommend Catherine!!
SARAH
Senior Risk Manager
FinTech
INVESTMENT
$
1997
The price is designed to work with many company learning and development budgets. Payment plans are available upon request.
If your company is paying, I'm happy to provide whatever your approval process needs.
Already done a Career Compass session with me? Your $399 counts toward this package.