Fiona Wilkinson

Executive Coach - London

35 years business experience in complex, multi-national, multi-stakeholder environments operating at board level in communications, marketing and sales.

I specialise in working with leaders who are taking on new responsibilities, stepping up to a bigger role or preparing for promotion, where the impact of coaching can be transformational.

My background
I have spent my career working in big corporates, most recently as chief communication officer at Visa. That means I understand the reality of dealing with competing commitments and interests, supposedly working towards the same goal; how to help a leader manage these complexities, and move forward.

Coaching style
I find the most valuable conversations happen when I ask questions and listen for longer. I challenge from a real-world perspective as your thinking partner to help surface better solutions.

Beyond the public view of the organisation, I am curious about the challenges that leaders are facing, and how coaching can help.

Whenever it makes sense I like to take coaching out into the open air, encouraging clients to step away from their computers to walk. I have found that open spaces are great for generating new thinking.

Here are some examples of how coaching has made a difference to my clients:

• Becoming aware of the pressures facing executive leaders, led to an improved working relationship between a divisional director and SVP.
• Recognising that she doesn’t need to do everything led to improved awareness of where a new leader adds most value, and reduced stress.
• CEO/chair relationship – challenge to CEO to run the business led to increased feeling of responsibility and drive to get things done.
• COO considering how to steer company through a merger – balancing competing views about the other organisation, what’s best for current organisation, team, clients, shareholders, as well as relationship with regulators. Exposing the whole raft of interested parties brought awareness to the pivotal role that he was playing in the negotiations.

Outcomes as a result of coaching.
Academic research supports the effectiveness of coaching in business situations and I have seen first hand how it can improve:
• self -awareness and self-belief
• alignment with corporate goals
• engagement with peers, teams and wider stakeholders , leading to improved performance and results.
• retention, nurturing the talent pipeline and developing leaders of the future.

Please contact me for an initial discussion to explore your needs.