Danielle started her corporate journey in a small technology company, delivering cloud-based marketing campaigns for SaaS companies. She did well in her role, developing deep product knowledge and professional skills on the job. Within two years, she was promoted into a role that involved supervising and then properly managing people. Over eight years on from her starting point, she works in a large multinational technology company, managing a team of enterprise customer success managers.

A critical point in her journey was the move into managing people. While Danielle had become a product expert and very good at what she did, she had no experience of managing people beyond a short spell as a team leader in a high street store and was not confident she had the understanding or skillset required to do it well. She was given access to a series of coaching sessions with Belinda Brummer to prepare herself as a new manager and later had ongoing access to Belinda as and when she felt she needed it.

Reflecting on those sessions, Danielle explains: 

“My experience working with Belinda helped me develop the hands-on skills and expertise necessary to effectively manage my team on a day-to-day basis, leading to improved team performance. Additionally, I learned how to coach individual team members and help them advance in their careers. Having access to Belinda's expertise and advice allowed me to rapidly develop my own management skills through a cycle of experience and in-the-moment coaching. 

The most valuable aspect of our coaching relationship was not just her guidance, but how she approached it. Belinda never told me what to do, but instead led me through a process of questioning, reflection, and decision-making, in order for me to arrive at my own conclusions and way forward. This approach has stayed with me and continues to guide me as I encounter new challenges, ensuring I maintain an open and curious mind. This approach has also allowed me to better adapt to the unique needs of each team member. ” 

"I am a cognitive neuroscientist working on commercialising a model I developed that amplifies learning and innovation capabilities. I was working inefficiently and making inconsistent progress and undertook a two-session programme with Belinda that focused on why I was making the decisions I was and to what effect. I walked away from the programme with a pragmatic self-developed action plan - on which I have already made progress - and a clearer understanding of how to ‘unstick’ myself in the future.” 

With the challenge of creating cohesion within a fairly new, and inexperienced management team, Susan*, an incoming CEO of a national and highly visible NGO turned to coaching with Belinda as a solution. The managers, including the CEO, each participated in a series of individual coaching sessions. As a group, they also participated in a series of coach-led workshops that focused on:

• Delivering Together 

• Working Together

• Leading Together 

• Managing Upwards

The goal was to positively improve measured leadership team cohesiveness and reduce dysfunction that could become a feature of such a new management team.

Reflecting on the coaching journey, Susan, the CEO explains “I am confident investing in the team in this way helped fast track our coming-together to achieve the aims of our organisation. We were able to have conversations with each other that typically take time and circumstances to collide before they are had. This meant we were able to more quickly and collaboratively respond to the immediate challenges we faced as a new team and build on the solid foundation of an already open and effective culture.” 

Brian* is the CEO of a small technology company, founded in 2003. 

"The things Belinda helped us put in place from a workforce management perspective years ago have gone on to form the foundation of the way we do things here. Belinda continues to coach me through people related situations I encounter as CEO - it's not about knowing what is or isn't the right thing to do. It's about working through all aspects of the situation, having a sounding board for ideas, walking through 'what if' scenarios, and ensuring that I have confidence in my approach and a plan in place."