Executive Coaching for Business Leaders
High-Performance Executive coaching
You’re already successful.
Now it’s time to elevate!
You’ve built a successful career and a formidable business. But the version of you that got the business to this point is no longer the version you need for the next chapter.
The reality of growth is that the hands-on approach that built your success eventually becomes a constraint. When you’re caught in the day-to-day weeds, firefighting, juggling back-to-back meetings, and making every minor decision you lose the very thing your business needs most from you: Your headspace.
This isn’t because you’re not capable, but the friction that happens when your leadership needs to change. You’re working harder than ever, but you know that for the business to reach its next milestone, you have to lead differently, and that means elevating and acclimatising to your next level.
This is coaching for leaders who are ready to step up.
High Performance Executive Coaching for Senior Leaders
On the surface, you have it all together. You’re capable, responsible, and the person everyone relies on. But behind the scenes, it feels relentless. You’ve become the person everyone relies on and that pressure is leaking into your team, your results, and your life outside the office.
At the same time, there’s that quiet internal noise that creeps into the boardroom, the self doubt and feeling like an imposter, making you second-guess decisions you used to make with your eyes closed. You’re “on” all the time, yet you feel like you’re failing in two places at once: not fully present at work, and not fully present at home.
Trying to push through this on your own only reinforces the habits you’re trapped in.
Why this work changes everything
Executive Coaching with Barbara Nixon is a confidential, high-status space where you don’t have to be “on.” It’s where we get honest about habits and mental noise weighing you down. We don’t just “talk”; we identify the blind spots and challenge the self-doubt that’s been shaping your strategy. It’s so much more than ‘coaching’. Everything we talk about is about helping you, the business, and your team thrive. …one of my long-term MD clients has seen 40% business growth in 4 years as a direct result of shifting their leadership habits and regaining their headspace. When a leader grows the effects can’t help but ripple out.
Why figure things out yourself when you don’t have to?!
With almost 3 decades in the leadership development space, and after working with thousands of leaders, I know that sometimes it can feel really isolating in your shoes. There’s no one you can be completely honest with about how you feel, and it often feels you’re holding everything on your own.
I’ve had countless conversations just like this, and so many people tell me that the sessions we have are the equivalent of breathing space in a really packed diary.
That said, this isn’t cookie-cutter coaching. It’s completely bespoke and built around you. My style is a fusion of coaching, mentoring, consulting and development all rolled into one. I’ll ask you questions, challenge your thinking, offer insight through sharing of models, theories or stories so you learn and grow, and you’ll leave with things to put into practice every single time.
I’m also a master of showing you an easier and quicker way, seeing things that you haven’t noticed, resulting in a lot of A-ha moments as you discover the answer is a lot simpler than you might have thought, often having an impact not just in work but in all areas of your life…and because you’re the leader, when you change, everything around you changes too.
Choose your level of engagement
The 6 month Elevation
(The targeted change)
Twelve sessions designed to either break through a specific ceiling, whether it’s self doubt, fear of failure or feeling like an imposter, being stuck in the weeds or helping you to elevate in your role, together we’ll remove the blocks holding you back so you can lead with confidence.
Ongoing Executive Coaching
(Thinking Partnership)
A 12-month minimum commitment for Managing Directors and Founders. I become an extension of your senior team, providing a consistent, confidential space to sharpen your strategy and your leadership.
The Elevated Leadership Team
Monthly 1-1 coaching for your entire senior team, combined with quarterly strategy days and the Coaching Skills for Leaders programme. We don’t just elevate you; we elevate the entire leadership infrastructure!
VIP Day (The Re-set)
A deep-dive, face-to-face intensive. We strip back the noise in a single day to realign your personal leadership with the business’s most critical objectives.
How does it work?
Before our first session you’ll receive a workbook to complete, that will give me all the details of where you are right now, and where you want to be. This helps me to understand as much as possible about you so we can get off to a flying start. So many people also tell me that this workbook serves to provide them with so much value and clarity around where they are, and where they want to be.
Our first session is always a two hour impact session where we start to really understand what’s going on, what success looks like for you, and what’s stopping you from making the progress you need. We cover a lot of ground in this session.
You’ll also have access to me via whatsapp or e-mail throughout your programme, if you’ve any questions or want to share anything with me.
So, what’s it really like?
In all honesty, it can range in emotions. Sometimes you might feel as though you’re having a chat with a friend over a coffee, and other times it could feel extremely challenging and uncomfortable as we break through old thinking, habits and patterns of behaviour.
That said, it’s my job to make sure you’re always getting what you need out of the session, so I’ll be listening intently to what you’re saying (and often what you’re not saying too.) My zone of genius is asking you really powerful questions to really make you think, to challenge you and make you aware of the things that you might not have noticed, and to help you come up with the solutions that will really work for you.
I’ll be challenging you to think deeper and differently, and provide you with a safe space to think, process and un-pick things without the pressure of being at work or having to know all the right answers.
As I’ve been doing this for many years I’ve got the ability to see the simple and obvious answers that you might have overlooked. In fact, so often my clients say ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ The best way that I can describe it is to imagine that your day is like you’re going through a maze. You know your way through, but you’re still often tackling things in the same way as you did before. I’ve got the luxury of standing on the bridge in the middle of the maze, so I can see things from a different perspective as I have a different vantage point.
One to one coaching is a great way for you to develop and grow without the pressure of feeling like you have to be right, have all the answers or be seen as the leader. You’re also able to work through things, be honest, and vulnerable and learn at a pace that’s right for you.
Many of my clients have said this process has been ‘life changing’ as it allows you to really focus on the things that actually matter, and to make the changes that will create the biggest impact…and so many of my clients go on to work with me for many years.
What my clients say
Barbara is an extremely engaging person and has the rare ability of being able to develop a keen understanding of an individual or situation accurately and efficiently.
Noel Kershaw, CEO, Deli Fresh
I can’t tell you how many times this week I’ve told friends, colleagues, clients and people I’ve only just met that this wonderful woman has ‘saved my life’.
Samari Cakali – Managing Director
I now have a new way of looking at how I value my own time and different aspects of my business, meaning my way forward now makes perfect sense!
Helen Earnshaw, Business Owner
Confident Leaders Assessment
The Confident Leader Scorecard takes just a few minutes, and gives you a personalised snapshot of where you are now, and where you need to be focusing your attention
Work with Barbara
When you’re ready to stop circling the same patterns and start moving forward, this six-month 1:1 programme provides the structure and support to do just that.
Get Inspired
Read the blog or listen to the Smash Your Own Ceiling podcast for inspiration, motivation and practical advice when you need it.
