Connecting with people is my thing. I often say it's my 'superpower'. But you can't force it.

After leaving my last role 11 months ago, I'm reflecting on how easy it is to lose touch with people who mattered.

I'm sat in the optician's chair, trying contact lenses for the first time at 51 years old, and I can't shake the feeling that something fundamental has shifted.

Not just my vision (though that's definitely different). It's deeper than that. My face comes with glasses. Has done since I was 17. They're part of who I am. Without them? I look like a stranger to myself.

But when you're cycling on busy roads and the Garmin's getting blurry, the coffee menu's unreadable, and that car or tree is just a touch too undefined - you adapt, or you risk something worse than discomfort.

"What use am I?"

That hit home. I hear you, and I am you.

My client had just said that out loud in a coaching session. We were exploring purpose – that most fundamental of topics that comes up time and time again in my leadership work. Specifically, we were unpicking the tensions between what we want to be doing and what we feel we must.

It was a powerful moment for him. Led us into an impactful discussion about what makes us happy, how we define ourselves, and the pressures we put on ourselves.

What landed differently for me was how close this conversation was to home.

Because I was there. Not that long ago. Sitting at my desk thinking the exact same thing. Have I hit my level of incompetence? I can't go on like this, but I don't know what the alternative is. People rely on me. I can't let them down.

If you're carrying that question right now, here's what I learned about finding purpose when you're stuck...

Yesterday, I returned to facilitate a team session at a company I'd left 2.5 years ago. They'd changed, I'd changed, but what struck me was how this team had created something rare - a space where people could be themselves completely and deliver brilliantly through their unique strengths. It got me reflecting on my own journey back from some of the lowest points in my career, and what I've learned about taking ownership when you're feeling stuck.

A lot gets written about purpose these days. It's one of those words we throw around without really thinking about what it means. But when I was asked "why I set up on my own" this year, it made me dig deeper than expected. Here's what I learned when I stopped giving the polished elevator pitch and started being honest about the journey - from running away from corporate games to finding a purpose that bridges personal authenticity with genuine service to others who feel stuck.

A coaching conversation reveals why servant leaders struggle to identify their own needs - and what it takes to lead with both heart and clarity.

Why does corporate life drain the joy out of work? In this post, I reflect on what so many leaders are searching for—and how coaching can help bring it back.

Wading through the sands of corporate life left me drained and stuck. Coaching helped me - and now I help leaders find clarity, traction, and joy in the journey.

Ever feel like you’re waist-deep in something, unsure how to move forward? This reflection explores purpose, coaching, and what it means to wade into the work — fully.

What if the biggest barrier to your leadership growth… was the story you’ve been told about what a ‘real leader’ looks like? Let’s rewrite that myth.

A group ride. A punctured tyre. And a team that quietly stepped in. In this blog, I reflect on the myth of carrying it all and what high-performing teams do instead: share.

Whether I’m coaching runners or senior leaders, the principle is the same: it’s not my session. This blog explores the quiet power of showing up in service of someone else’s growth.

Three months into life outside the corporate world, I sat down to write — no overthinking, no filtering. Just a list of 15 things I’ve learned so far. From Sunday night dread to the power of saying no to bad clients, here’s what’s surprised me, grounded me, and kept me moving forward.

Many leaders feel stuck — not because they lack skills or drive, but because of limiting beliefs they’ve internalised over time. These beliefs shape how we see ourselves and what we believe is possible. As a leadership coach, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it can be when clients start challenging these internal narratives. In this blog, I explore how coaching helps surface those beliefs, reframe them, and unlock new possibilities — using tools like Byron Katie’s four liberating questions.