Articles

High-potential leaders are promoted — but are they equipped to make decisions that actually move the organisation forward? And how can coaching help them develop not just personally, but in ways that truly advance the organisation?

Coaching is often a key tool organisations use to bring through high-potential talent, enable successful succession, and supercharge leaders’ capabilities to drive transformational change. At its core, however, lies the question: what are the most critical needs for leaders in transition?

This is the second paper in our Partnership Firms Governance series. This time, we turn the focus to how Partnership Boards can raise their game — becoming not just stewards of the firm, but true catalysts for performance, culture, and long-term value.

In our work with professional services firms, we have seen Partnership Boards at every stage of the journey — from newly formed to deeply seasoned. The best ones don’t just meet; they lead. They bring clarity where there’s ambiguity, balance challenge with support, and set the tone for what partnership really means.

But effectiveness doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built — through deliberate choices about people, culture, focus, and leadership.

Imagine this scenario:

You're preparing to step into a senior leadership role—maybe you're on the cusp of becoming a Partner, joining the Senior Leadership Team, being considered for the C-suite, or taking a seat on the Executive Board.

You’ve always delivered. You’re known for your strong leadership, effective execution and clarity of purpose. You run high-performing teams and consistently hit targets. But now, something feels different.

The conversations are changing. Meetings are less about task alignment and more about organisational positioning. There’s less certainty, more ambiguity. You begin to realise: this next level isn't just a bigger role. It's a different way of thinking.

Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working closely with many partner-led organisations; we have supported their leadership development, helped them navigate transitions, and guided as they shape cultures that endure.

One pattern stands out: the most resilient firms don’t just adapt — they evolve purposefully and with intent, staying true to their vision and to their core values, whilst being agile in shaping what comes next.

This short series shares insights drawn from that experience — starting with a subject at the heart of Partnership life: board governance.

In 2019, I was traveling through Africa for client work when I met a fellow traveller whose story has stayed with me ever since.

He had arrived in the United States in the 1980s as a refugee from an Asian country, along with his wife and one-year-old son. They had almost nothing—no English, no connections, barely any money. Yet they refused to rely on government support. His wife ran a tiny sewing shop out of their cramped condo, while he washed dishes in restaurants.

Over time, they saved every penny and bought their first small condo. They renovated it themselves and gradually learned everything—from managing finances to understanding trades and handling contractors. Today, he runs a property business worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Once upon a time, I was with a prospective client for what was supposed to be the final sign-off for a project we had been pitching. I sensed they had concerns. Something in the room felt uneasy. Yet instead of pausing to ask the personal question — “I can see you have some concerns. Let’s step back, and I’d love to hear what’s on your mind and what I can do to build confidence” — I pressed on with content and process, hoping that would reassure them.

We didn’t win the engagement.

It never feels good to lose. But in hindsight, the loss was a gift. It forced me to reflect on my approach. Client interactions aren’t confined to content, process, or technical expertise. They extend into strategic priorities, organisational dynamics, and at times the deeply personal — trust, confidence, and connection. And that’s where the real shift happens: elevating from the role of consultant or supplier, and stepping into the role of a trusted advisor.

Looking back on the first seven months of 2025, perhaps you too have felt caught in a whirlwind of decisions, deliverables, and deadlines. In all that momentum, it’s easy to forget that one of the most powerful tools in leadership doesn’t come from dashboards or strategy decks — it comes from within. It’s self-awareness, cultivated through reflection.

As the pace softens slightly over the summer months, I hope you find not just time to rest — but space to pause and reconnect with yourself.

As a leadership advisor and coach, I often begin conversations with clients around familiar themes: leadership mindset, talent development, and culture transformation. But increasingly, a deeper topic surfaces—artificial intelligence (AI). It may not be the starting point, but it's almost always in the room. Quietly, but powerfully, it is reshaping the conditions in which leadership operates.

Many leaders aren’t just aware of AI—they’re feeling the pressure of its speed, complexity, and impact. The change hasn’t arrived like a storm—it’s come like a fog: everywhere, yet difficult to fully grasp. Behind it hums the quiet rhythm of algorithms and the promise (and unease) of AI. In this context, leadership isn’t about controlling the narrative or chasing the next tool. It’s about offering clarity, creating direction, and building the space for reflection and capability to grow.

It was a crisp Saturday morning when I witnessed a powerful exercise in strategic thinking. A local vicar, faced with declining congregation numbers and waning appeal of church gatherings, gathered a small group of volunteers to brainstorm solutions. The church community, once thriving, was now struggling, and they needed a way forward.

Instead of rushing into solutions, the vicar had a different approach. He asked everyone to sit in a circle and start asking open-ended questions: “What are the changing demographics of our community? Are our services held at competing times with other community events? Which members of our community are we are losing from services? What possible solutions could we explore?"

In the dynamic business world of today, the journey to success often feels like a solitary one, particularly for women. We're taught to be self-reliant and to prove ourselves capable. And yet many women are also highly skilled at offering support to others – perhaps guiding a colleague, sharing advice or mentoring someone just starting out. However, when it comes to asking for help, many of us hesitate, feeling as though we must do it all alone.

I once worked with a woman in a senior leadership role at a major organization who, despite her impressive achievements, she felt stuck in her career. She was generous in offering help to others but was reluctant to reach out for her own support. She shared, "I always feel that I should have everything figured out. Asking for help seems like a sign of weakness."

In the world of leadership, there’s a common misconception that self-advocacy is synonymous with self-promotion. Many aspiring leaders - especially women - believe they must wait until they have built enough credibility before confidently advocating for themselves. They fear that voicing their accomplishments prematurely could be seen as arrogant or out of place. But what if we reframed this thinking?

During a series of coaching conversations with a group of female leaders, we discovered a fresh perspective on self-advocacy. One leader shared an insightful moment with her boss. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment to shine, her boss encouraged her to advocate for herself from the very beginning.

Power. It's a word that’s often linked with authority, dominance and control. But over the years, a quiet revolution has been taking place. Women, with their unique leadership traits, are redefining what power in leadership truly means.

I remember an experience from early in my career that completely reshaped my view of leadership. I was working with a senior female leader who had a reputation for getting things done. But what struck me most wasn’t her strategic prowess or her quick decision-making—it was her deep empathy. She could walk into a room, understand the pulse of the team in an instant, and adjust her approach to make everyone feel heard and valued.

In the world of demanding leadership, it’s easy to forget that personal development begins with an inward journey.

I recently had the privilege of working with a group of directors from a leading accounting firm who were striving for Partnership. The challenge was that, in different ways, they were all grappling with their own self-imposed limitations - defined by their backgrounds, accents, appearances and perceived "flaws."

It was a rewarding journey to help them unpack their barriers to progression and to help them establish a path based upon self-discovery.