Testimonials

No other development programme has impacted me in the same way.  I loved it and felt such a high degree of involvement in the outputs. Many of the aspects were a real eye opener and I have enjoyed being able to reflect and think through some of the implications for me as a leader.  Ruth and Deena were incredible and they led the personal discovery perfectly.

I liked the energy the lack of stuffiness about the programme.  The practical approach across the 2 days made it fun and the models and concepts introduced were presented differently to how I have seen these topics covered before, which was very useful.

The programme came at a great time for me.  I enjoyed the opportunity to take some time to really understand more about my personal style and presence.  The 2 days not only met and exceeded my expectations but have awoken a deep interest in learning more.  The women on the programme developed a great bond and it was very useful to share our common experiences.  I thoroughly enjoyed Authentic Leading Women and I am very much looking forward to the next part of the journey.

I typically ignore these type of e-mails but this programme landed at the right time for me.  I really loved it!  The practical element was perfectly aligned to the theoretical explanations which were always backed up and evidence based.  I have been a leader for over 25 years but I found learnt a lot more about myself and the teams I lead.  The programme was very powerful.

The programme was well structured and I found it very practical and enjoyable.  The group was a good size in that we could speak freely and have time to reflect which created a comfortable, relaxed and non-judgmental setting.  The realisation that you don’t have to conform to a particular stereotype of leader was refreshing and the 2-days were great at dismantling lots of pre-conceptions.

The programme has been the most significant positive impact on my personal development in many many years.  It far exceeded anything I was expecting to achieve.  There were many light bulb moments for me during Day 1 and then the interactivity and practical nature of Day 2 was revolutionary.

I met some inspiring women and found it very helpful to hear about their experiences.  I arrived with an open mind about the programme and found the information and exercises on self-reflection fascinating – they helped me to look critically at my personal leadership style and impact. The programme exceeded my expectations.

I wanted to take some time for a step back and to think strategically about my leadership.  I was fascinated by the experiences of the others on the programme and the women gave a lot of themselves, which was a joy!  I found taking the time to be self-reflective, understand more and be curious was so helpful and reinvigorating.  The breadth of topics and the format of the 2-days played out perfectly.

It is rare to find a programme like this in the UK.  The blend of theory and practice was just right and the facilitators were highly credible and exceptionally talented.  I enjoyed exploring my strengths and weaknesses in the intimate setting.  For me, 11/10!  

The term ‘authentic’ really resonated with me and the content of the programme is something I haven’t found anywhere else.  It is perfect blend of practice and theory alongside the opportunity to take a step back and re-assess.  The learning environment allows you to take some time to step away from the everyday challenges and I thoroughly enjoyed the 2-days.

I really loved the contrast of the two days.  The blend of theoretical and practical elements made it a worthwhile and enjoyable programme.  I felt I learnt a lot and I also now have with me a range of tools to help in my personal development journey.  Sharing experiences, listening to and connecting with the other women was also really enjoyable.  I loved it!

I feel extremely lucky to have come across this programme.  It surpassed all of my expectations.  I particularly enjoyed the variety of the 2 days and the experiences of the many different industries represented.  I loved the interactive and practical elements and I now look at things differently and think differently.  The programme is transformative.

I particularly liked the mix of theory and practice. The environment was open and safe and allowed us to really explore some topics that might have felt slightly uncomfortable, but didn’t.  I have taken tonnes of things away from the programme and feel I have a range of tools and techniques which I can use moving forward.   The insight from others was also fascinating and the style of the facilitation brought out the very best in us.

This programme was unlike any other training I have ever done.  It completely blew my expectations away.  I really liked the size of the group and the venue was beautiful, it was intimate which built a great trust and bond between us.  The 2-days are well structured and exceptionally well delivered.  The facilitators were considerate, credible and captivating.  I feel I have not only learnt so many new things but the penny dropped for me and certain things have now started to make sense.

I liked the pace of the 2 days and really enjoyed the way in which the topics were presented; it was easy to get the point, understand and take something from it.  There was a genuine goodwill among the whole group of ladies attending and the facilitators.  I particularly enjoyed the ‘quality challenge’, which gave me some different ways of thinking and ultimately engaging with my team. 

The term ‘authentic’ really resonated with me and the content of the programme is something I haven’t found anywhere else.  It is I met a group of fantastic people and facilitators.  It was the perfect environment and I learnt so much.  The programme was at the ‘next level’ and a step above in terms of quality.  I feel I have a clear understanding of what it means for me to be a leader.  It was really great and lots of fun as well! 

The coaching was significant in many ways. Firstly it has provided me with tools to improve my personal performance. I have developed a better appreciation of the drivers behind the actions of others, consequently I am better able to respond to their expectations and influence them. I have also seen a real change in my ability and willingness to tackle poor performance in others. My subsequent boost in confidence was recently reflected in a very positive annual performance review which recognised the changes in my work.

Overall, I have found the coaching programme extremely beneficial and effective in both my professional and personal life. Ruth was extremely perceptive and was able to highlight problem areas not only from what I said, but more importantly, what I didn’t say during the sessions. The direction and the pace of the sessions was exactly right and Ruth was able to accurately assess the pace at which we needed to progress. In addition, she wouldn’t let me off the hook by moving on until we had got to the bottom of specific issues.

She has a natural and open approach, an empathetic nature, and a keen perception, often providing insights on aspects or people that I had not seen…..I was never in any doubt about the confidentiality or integrity of Ruth’s approach….Ruth brings calmness to the coaching sessions and a sense of absolute trust. I have benefitted greatly from Ruth’s input and I know I will be able to call on the thought processes or hints and tips that Ruth has given me at any point in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole coaching and think we had a good click/chemistry which is very important.  Ruth Smith from PM always made the tough stuff un-intrusive and comfortable and as we discovered today you ventured into the deep stuff which was very thought provoking.  I think it worked well that we did the EQI session early on because I now have some background homework that I can continue to work on, and whilst I think I’m fairly intuitive the results showed that my EQ levels are largely below what I thought they were!

The coaching journey, facilitated by Ruth, effectively broke down a complex terrain and opened up a wider perspective or clearer landscape in which to reflect on and explore potential strategies to improve my personal effectiveness and performance. The experience has been very rewarding and highly beneficial in improving my self awareness, managerial and leadership skills.

Ruth was really helpful from day one, working with me to identify the areas I needed strengthening, helping me articulate what exactly I needed, and then supported me along the way to achieve those goals. This was done by coaching me through these areas, and giving me really useful techniques to use in various situations. One of the goals was about changes I needed to make in myself, one was about changes I needed in my relationships with other colleagues, and the final one was about the direction of my career. Ruth helped me with all aspects, making me more confident as a manager and in professional relationships, and I have since been promoted largely as a result!

Ruth’s relaxed, open style made me feel comfortable and able to be honest and open myself. Her input was always supportive and insightful and never judgemental. Ruth helped me identify many of the fundamental reasons behind my behaviours. Not just a simplistic, superficial analysis, but really working with me to peel away the layers and get to the root causes. Her focus equally on positives and negatives. I particularly appreciated the attitude that I should be building my leadership style on my strengths and core values, rather than trying to be someone that I am not. She provided many good examples from her own experience, which is not only useful in helping to develop understanding, but also helps to show empathy. It’s somehow reassuring to feel that you have faced some similar issues in the past, and valuable to hear how she had approached or overcome them. It’s much more real than learning from a textbook! The tools that Ruth employed and recommendations that you made (e.g. books to read) are always relevant and help develop more understanding. The approach of setting clear objectives up front, and regularly referring back to them, worked well and gives good structure to the overall process.