Executive Leadership Coach, High-Performance Coach, Team Coach and Facilitator
Risks and Opportunities co-exist: Navigating the Complexities of Leadership
Few Executive Coaches truly grasp the unique challenges business leaders like you navigate daily; I do.
In today’s rapidly evolving world, business leaders are constantly adapting to new technologies, marketing channels, and global competition—challenges unimaginable to previous generations. This accelerated transformation underscores a critical reality: no CEO can master every domain. While this has always been true, it’s more evident than ever today.
You may have heard the military term VUCA—volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity—used to describe modern battlefields. Business leaders contend with a similar environment, where the pace of change and unpredictable market forces demand resilience, agility, and clarity. In this landscape, risks and opportunities co-exist, and my approach to coaching is rooted in identifying both. I empower you to create clear, actionable strategies that mitigate challenges while seizing growth opportunities.
But high-achievers don’t just navigate daily pressures; some set themselves ambitious goals like completing a first triathlon or rowing across an ocean, while others seek a healthier, more balanced routine in their lives. Regardless of the specific aspirations, the desire for growth and improvement remains a common thread among leaders.
Whether it’s building momentum for your business or preparing for a life-changing challenge, I’m here to guide you every step of the way, helping you stay focused, motivated, and prepared for success. Ultimately, the Touchline Coach Programme is about reigniting your passion and creating a fresh start, infusing positivity and fun back into your journey. Remember, “It Pays to Be a Winner.”
A Bit About Me
I joined the Royal Marines in 1980, and after completing Commando training, I quickly moved into accelerated leadership. I passed several leadership courses with distinction and was part of the unit whose famous ‘Yomp’ across the Falkland Islands gained worldwide attention. Most of my military career was spent in reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering teams, often in highly volatile environments. At the time, I had no idea just how valuable these experiences would become in the business world.
After leaving the Royal Marines in 1991, I founded a leadership coaching firm, working with remarkable businesses and people. It was during this time that I truly began to see how my military background could translate into effective business leadership.
In 1992, I was invited to join a medium-sized motor dealer group. I quickly immersed myself in every part of the business, from accounts to sales and marketing, eventually becoming a key member of the senior management team. Together, we grew the company into one of the UK’s largest motor dealer groups. With margins averaging just 1%, this role instilled a sharp commercial discipline that I still carry with me today. In 2004, the business was sold to the Royal Bank of Scotland, and I moved on to new opportunities.
In 2006, I was appointed CEO of Discover Leisure plc, growing the business from £50m to £150m through both organic and acquisitive growth. However, in 2008, following a major acquisition, the financial crisis hit, and our stock funding provider HBOS collapsed overnight. This couldn’t have happened at a worse time for us, as we had purposefully driven down our existing stock and delayed the annual acquisition of new inventory for the next season. Left with insufficient stock for our large footprint, we managed to secure terms with another bank, but they were far from ideal—beggars can’t be choosers.
By 2009, the market was down 22%, and the business was under immense pressure. I led one of the first CVAs of a public company in the UK, setting a precedent for others to follow. It was an incredibly challenging time—I lost significant personal wealth and nearly my home in the process. But it was during this period that I learned more about leadership, resilience, and adaptability than I ever had in prosperous times.
Resilience and Adaptability in Action
Resilience in Action: Pivoting Under Pressure
While I gained these insights through hard-earned experiences, I’ve faced numerous challenges that tested my resilience and adaptability. From leading a public company through a financial crisis to nearly losing both personal wealth and my home, each experience taught me invaluable lessons. Rather than succumbing to pressure, I learned to pivot, embracing change and finding new pathways to success. Resilience is often spoken of as something you can simply ‘get,’ but my experience has shown me it’s far more complex. My military training shaped my understanding of mental toughness, but business resilience brings its own set of challenges. The pressure is immense when you’ve put everything on the line—your identity, reputation, and financial stability—and you’re staring at the possibility of losing it all.
It Pays to Be a Winner: Find a Way
Fast forward to 2014, and I was named one of Yorkshire Business Insider’s Power 100 and became a Fellow of the Institute of the Motor Industry. A friend, the CEO of a private equity firm, asked if I would provide operational interim support and one-on-one coaching for some of their portfolio companies. I took him up on the offer, and it turns out I’m quite good at it. I had found my true calling.
Since then, I’ve supported or led the operational restructuring and performance improvement of numerous businesses across sectors such as leisure, hospitality, automotive, insurance, and online retail. I’ve helped stakeholders stabilise distressed companies, reduce financial exposure, and raised over £35m from public markets and £20m from private investors.
My Philosophy and Approach
My Philosophy: It’s a State of Mind.
I’m an optimist, deeply positive about most things, but I’m not the typical “rah rah, woo woo” type of coach. My approach is grounded in realism—identifying both risks and opportunities—and helping leaders create clear, see-through strategies to navigate challenges while fully exploiting opportunities for growth.
Von Moltke’s perspective on leadership resonates deeply with me: the best leaders are those who anticipate change, adapt with agility, and empower their teams to rise to the occasion. In my coaching, I draw heavily from the principles of Mission Focused Leadership: aligning priorities, simplifying the complex, and ensuring every team member understands their role in the bigger picture.
My background in the Royal Marines taught me resilience, decisiveness, and the value of preparation. In business, I’ve honed these skills further, blending them with commercial acumen and adaptability. This combination shapes my coaching style, offering practical, balanced insights for every scenario—whether guiding leaders through obstacles or supporting their pursuit of new heights.
Leadership is about clarity, focus, and empowerment. With the right framework and mindset, you can lead your team to achieve more than you imagined possible. I’m here to help leaders navigate the complexities of leadership with strength, purpose, and confidence.
My Approach: Mission Focused, People Oriented.
Leadership is rarely a solo endeavour. True success lies in harnessing the collective strength of your team to identify challenges and turn them into opportunities for growth. Von Moltke, the renowned Prussian military strategist, famously said, “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” This wisdom underscores the importance of adaptability, decentralised decision-making, and the empowerment of those on the front line.
Von Moltke believed in equipping his officers with clear intent and a strong understanding of overarching goals, enabling them to make informed decisions when circumstances inevitably changed. This principle is as relevant to modern leadership as it was on the battlefield—leaders must trust their teams to act with initiative, creativity, and confidence when navigating uncertainty.
By aligning your team’s efforts around a shared mission and fostering an environment of trust and autonomy, you create clarity amidst complexity and empower them to act decisively, even when plans shift. Whether it’s overcoming operational hurdles, navigating market complexities, or striving for ambitious goals, effective leaders seize opportunities by fostering collaboration, adaptability, and a collective commitment to success.