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Leadership and Neuroscience Coach

Email: dominique@head4leadership.co.uk
Call: 07703 564451

#Leadership

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No need to dread dealing with menopause situations? Here is a brilliant asset to help.

I specialise in applying neuroscience to leading, which moves leaders through the discomfort, or worse, fear that certain situations trigger. The subject of menopause can be one of them.

The Balance App / website

I highly recommend this app.

It will help everyone whose role requires insight and understanding. Enabling you to help team members and yourselves with the menopause topic.

I am not a menopause expert. Which is why I personally have gained greatly. It has helped me understand times when I had struggles. It is brilliant in presenting options, pros. and cons. with out bias.

balance – Homepage (balance-menopause.com)

This fantastic website and app are the brain child of balance – Dr Louise Newson (balance-menopause.com).

Knowledge is power

That’s all I wanted to say, because all leaders need tools and knowledge for many situations.  Knowledge supports connection, empathy and courage for those times. 

Got a question on Leadership and Neuroscience Coaching?

Ever had a business identity crisis?

Mine’s over. Introducing my new business name ‘Head 4 Leadership’

What was wrong?

About 6 months ago,  I was becoming more conscious of the incongruences between what I do and how others understand this. Social media had different headings, and my initial name – DS Consulting – reach new heights, began to not sit right with me.  It described an outcome, not what I do!

I sent an email to my marketing guy, subject – Identity crisis!

Evolution prompts change

I have been running my business for nearly 9 years now. Those that know me, can find me and get what I do – leadership and neuroscience coaching. 

At the begining I was known for Leadership Coaching. I have continued to progressed and build my qualifications, as we all do or can do in our careers. Neuroscience qualifications have been added over the last 6 years. This increases what I offer in knowledge and experience.  Deeper understanding for why you think and feel like you do; to help you manage your neuroscience insights appropriately and developed them.

The evolution of my leadership work with neuroscience meant that a year ago I updated my logo (the same logo you see today).  Since then, I knew I need to be a bit more ‘Ronseal’ and have a name that ‘does what it says on the tin’.  Here’s why I am now trading as Head 4 Leadership.

(Only got my old contact details – no matter, you’ll be redirected!)

Being more ‘Ronseal’

Head 4 Leadership links up three concepts for what I do and what matters. 

  • Head 4 is directional, forward thinking and links to coaching that takes you from where you are, towards where you want to go. 
  • Head 4 also links to self management and the resilience needed for leading people, self and situations.  All of which can trigger moments of expected and unexpected personal challenges that require you to be HeadStrong.
  • Leadership is my passion, it’s a privilege. Doing it well, provides environments that are safe and thriving. This matters to me and those I aim to work with.
Thinking to work with me? – Contact H 4 L

The mission of Head 4 Leadership

My mission had become clearer and that too prompted a need to change.

‘To influence leadership cultures to demonstrate courage and compassion’

Managing pressure, staying ‘clear thinking‘ and ‘keeping your head’ are all skills that enable just that.  You’ll weigh up risks, make tough decisions and do what’s needed with calmness and empathy.

My thank you’s and gratitude go to this great set of people

This collaboration now means you can find me and connect with me, more easily.

Thinking to work with me? Contact H 4 L

You say, feel or know you want to change, but are you really ready?

5 questions to help you find out.

When coaching and deliver workshops for leaders a main value is giving each individual time to actually focus on who they are, what matters and how motivated they are to put in the effort that change requires.

Coaching clients and workshop attendees can often come to sessions with mixed levels of intention or desire to change. How you ‘show up’ to coaching or development sessions and your readiness for change is going to make a huge difference to what you gain from them.

Here are 5 questions to enhance yourself awareness and identify if you are ready for a change challenge?

  1. What has been your relationship with change? What is your change history?  Work and personally. What have been your change successes and achievements?  What have been the failures or misses you have experienced? How would you rate your ability to set and stick to your change goals?
  2. Are you at the ‘pondering’ stage or the ‘ready to do something’ stage? Make a list of the pro’s and con’s for making this change.  Until you have more pro’s than cons you are more likely to be in a stage of contemplation.  More pro’s means than you are ready to identify actions and to act on them.
  3. What’s your reason for making this change? Clients often don’t have a solid enough reason for why a change really matters to them personally.  A way to identify how important a change is to you, is by understanding your values, strengths, what you stand for and what is significant for you.  A change that supports these is one that is driven by YOU and that feeds YOUR motivations to act.
  4. How good are you at having goals and committing to them? Are you someone who prefers to self motivate or someone who does better when there is support and accountability to others?  Self motivated people will have a really strong ‘why’ and ‘purpose’ that keeps them going.  For those that sustain their motivation better with the support of others, having a coach or trusted peer in place will play a big part in enabling focus and providing encouragement to achieve the goal.
  5. Does your mindset for change help or hinder you?  Positivity toward change plays a big part in a person’s belief that they can make the change happen.  Thoughts and mind-talk, if negative, can quickly demotivate.  It impacts teams too.  A group’s mindset can swing from positive to negative or back again based on the how they or a particular individual voice their views and opinions.  As a coach I test the truth of mind-talk, help to re-frame negativity to find the learning and opportunity, so as to re-open the mind to keep striving.

Change isn’t easy, with the right preparation and support you can be both ready and successful in making positive changes happen.  

Contact Head4Leadership for a free 30 minute consultation

Driving Growth through Remote Coaching

Global boarders are not a barrier

Dominique – Leadership and Neuroscience Coach

‘Thank you again for your amazingness – you have really made an impact on my professional and personal life – life-changing!’

Operations Manager, based in South Africa, after completion of my remote coaching programme

I as a leadership coach, used to think that online wasn’t as good as face to face coaching.   Even though it always played a part in with my twenty years of working with leaders in global organisations on leadership and other skills. 

I generally felt more confident when face 2 face, partly due to my lack of practice with technology and it’s sometimes wavering connectivity.  Only this week, my laptop wouldn’t connect to the internet! 

It’s frustrating for all parties. Trying to communicate the problem, to work out where the issue is and how to solve it.  Yet I have a tripod, I set my phone up, we went via 5G and although a bit of time was lost, we kicked in and the session went ahead with good result. 

How do I know that? Because my session round ups, whether in person or remotely explore the value of the time and what is motivating my coachee’s focus and areas to build on.

Looking for a leadership coach?

Pre-Covid 19 ways

In the ‘old pre covid days’  travel budgets were bigger and when working with virtual clients, (I am base in the south UK), there was usually at least one face 2 face built in to a program, either in their or my location.  To be honest, it was a joyous bonus, seen then as an essential part of a programme to meet the clients; especially as being in their environment can provide some unseen context. 

Is it detrimental to the coaching if I coach you without personal context of your environment? No, because as your coach I’ll enquire into your perception of it, and test what that view is based on.

The online reach

Almost everyone is now used to virtual, which gives you greater scope to find the best coach for you!  My current clients are spread all across the UK, in California, USA and South Africa. The added benefit to you of these more accessible arrangements includes the wider perspective of our different cultures to the challenges and opportunities you are looking to work on. 

Are different skills employed for virtual coaching?

I believe not, I believe it’s more about attention. The ability to meet you where you are, to create a virtual environment of trust that allows for your deep thoughts to be raised and worked through.  Where space is made for your opinions, feelings and ideas to be heard and examined with out judgement.  A place that stimulates your accountability in a way that motivates you to practice new ways and test the impact. 

Tips for for a successful remote coaching session

  • Remote location choice – Maintains privacy, is comfortable and has limited distractions.
  • Tech – You know how it works (e.g. share screen), have a back up plan when it doesn’t and have other contact methods.
  • Preparation – Be ready in advance, have what you need handy, check your mindset
  • Attention – Turn off other electronic distractions, be time smart, stay focused on the coaching

Coaching helps you to standout in the global talent pool

The workplace is more global now than ever. Meaning that we all face competition from a wider talent pool.  More people and businesses are available for every role and service.  Your record, reputation, performance and impact are being compared with a greater number of people. This makes coaching for growth and progression an even more valuable choice to help leaders stand out.

Looking for a Leadership Coach?

Realising courageous, compassionate and competent leaders

Coaches often have a niche area. Something they are passionate about and focus on. Mine derives from the lessons and experience of overcoming my own personal challenges (coming back from a business loss in my twenties), changing and building my career, as well as hearing many stories from those on the end of toxic and diminishing leadership relationships.

My aim is to, ‘realise courageous, compassionate and competent leaders’ and I apply neuroscience to support the mental robustness that goes with the realities of leading – constant change and frequent uncertainty.

My Mission:
‘Promote the value and skills for honesty, resilience and kindness in every workplace’

Got a question? Please ask it.

Is being a ‘grown up’ holding you back?

Re-connecting with your ‘inner child’ as a winning strategy in teams.

‘Babies and children are more open because, to survive, they have to learn as much as they can!’

Are you just too adult?

As well as coaching, I love a facilitating team and leadership development events. The word ‘team build’ often has the impact of Marmite! Generating a high degree of dread for what the team might be asked to do! How many people say they ‘hate’ role play? Lots of reasons given, mostly based on the discomfort of performing, or feeling stupid, maybe looking stupid. Very normal ‘adult’ responses. Ones that often increase the older you get. So I ask, is being a grown up, stopping you from growing?

Think back, to the freedom of a favourite childhood game.

Here’s one of mine.

At about eight years old I wanted to be a show jumper, I never had a horse or riding lessons. That didn’t matter. I set up jumps of varying heights using chairs and poles. My brother would help me, and was supposed to time me, score me and commentate (frustratingly, he was only four yrs old). I would do the same for him. My Space Hopper was my horse! A lovely but sometimes stubborn creature that would occasionally refuse a jump! With some gentle encouragement though, my ‘horse’ and I would try again and usually succeed. I loved that game, the whole thing of taking what I had seen on TV and re-enacting it in my garden. I would have hours of fun working out how to create, build and fixing what didn’t work and then trying it out.

The honesty of children at play

Two aspects come to mind here. Firstly the beauty of a child absorbed in a game as they play alone. How they make the noises of cars, trains, light sabres etc., they move with purpose and have animated, blunt conversations with their imaginary characters in imaginary worlds. They have no idea of anything else around them. Mentally processing and rehearsing through play.

Secondly, when children play together. It’s not all roses is it? How often does it involve tears or tantrums? The sensitive stand out as much as the boisterous. They mimic each other, they copy adults, they laugh, they misunderstand, knees get cut, toys get broken, they sulk and yet very often want to do it all over again.

As studies by psychologist Alison Gopnik have shown, young children’s awareness levels are far vaster than an adults. They have a higher levels of neural transmitters activating in their brains in new situations than adults do. Babies and children are more open because to survive, they have to learn as much as they can!

The neurological and psychological impact of play and fun for teams.

The scenarios described above highlight what as adults we can crush; free, unencumbered engagement with ‘what if’ situations and problem solving. Toddlers and young children have the same needs to be accepted, heard, included and valued as adults. What they don’t have, before age of five is a high understanding of the judgement of others and social conformity.

The valuable outcomes of facilitated team activities

  • Stimulates creativity – Imagining and predicting sparks new neural connections. Endorphins, dopamine and serotonin can all be released in ‘playful’ situations.
  • Improves memory and remembering – Active over passive (eg listening to talks) tasks. ‘Doing’ is a more vivid experience, more readily stored and retrieved in our long-term memory.
  • Generates feelings – Providing opportunity to understand and develop emotional intelligence. e.g. Having an adult tantrum, is a misplaced childish trait in the workplace.
  • Enhances social connections and empathy – play, fun, and problem solving tasks can strengthen team bonds. Social connection is a key part in a person’s sense of well-being.

Need a quick ‘play time’ idea for your next team get together?

This can work in person and virtually.

Show the team pictures of 5 random items. E.g., A table lamp, a pen, a hairdryer, a computer mouse and a potato masher. Set a short time and have each team member come up with a brand new, unique use for each one. Take a vote on the favourite transformation.

Interested in a facilitated session with your team? Get in touch today.

Play allows you to see other perspectives, learn with and from others, see what makes others tick, know or test your limits. Play can be equally fun as it can be uncomfortable, yet because it is play it is the best place to work through the discomforts ready for reality.