University Leaders & Leadership Teams
Prior to establishing my coaching practice in 2014, I enjoyed a successful 25-year career in the higher education sector. I worked at three Australian Universities: UNSW (Canberra), The University of Queensland and University of Newcastle. I love working with individual leaders and leadership teams, to enhance their ability to lead effectively through challenge and change.
Leadership Coaching is primarily about being the best leader you can be. There is no set program, as the coaching program is designed to meet your individual needs.
A key outcome of individual coaching is gaining greater self-awareness of personal learning needs so you can make adjustments to what you are doing, and these incremental changes make you more effective.
We will focus on your strengths and explore any shifts you might need to make to enhance your performance or improve your wellbeing (because wellbeing is a prerequisite for performance) and explore positive strategies for managing the challenges you face at work. [read more…]
“Julie is a wonderful leadership coach who can bring out the best in you, even after just one session. The sessions are well structured, logical, and packed full of genuine listening, advice, and support. Julie is attentive, focussed, and human and brings a wealth of real-world expertise and guidance to share, backed by theory, models, and knowledge that can be used immediately and are tailored to what you have brought to the session, not a cookie-cutter approach. It is not an exaggeration to say that one session with Julie accomplishes more than a year of working alone!”
Deputy Head of School, Australian University (2021)
(maximum size 15 participants)
Team coaching is always designed to meet the specific needs of your Team. It’s about maximising the abilities and performance of the team, with a focus on how each team member can develop their contribution to the team’s effectiveness.
It can also be about uncovering attitudes or behaviours within the team that impact on team dynamics, developing a clear purpose and then deciding how the team will work together to achieve that.
Team coaching often involves some individual coaching of the team leader and other team members. [read more…]
“I have had Julie working as a Coach with my senior management team over the past nine months during a time of significant change. During this time she has provided consistent guidance and insight in a 1-1 coaching capacity, tactfully offering strategies that encourage the individual to create their own solutions, and be empowered in the process. Julie has been instrumental in maintaining and increasing the performance of the individuals and the team. I have also been part of this process and found Julie’s approach to be professional, approachable and sensible – so that the lesson learned stays well after the session ends. Highly recommended.”
Executive Director, Australian University (2017)
(maximum size 8 participants)
Group Coaching can take many forms, because it is shaped by the specific needs of the group.
Reflective questions give participants an opportunity to explore their own thinking, intentions, and values – to see new things in themselves and be more authentic in their leadership. Participants have the chance to reflect – to consider what’s most important for their leadership and find new solutions.
In small groups of 6-8, each member is coached individually while taking turns during the coaching session. Even when one person is directly being coached, other group members are asked to reflect on their own leadership and provide input by asking questions or offering advice.
The opportunity to learn from peers and the collective wisdom of the group can make it a powerful experience. [read more…]
“Thank you again for the opportunity to work with you. It has been such a valuable learning experience and has been some of the best professional learning that I have engaged in, and that is mostly due to you!”
“I was hesitant to be part of this to begin with but it was such a useful exercise. Thank you for your expertise and making it an enjoyable and valuable experience.”
“Julie was really great at listening to what we were saying and understanding where we were coming from. She presented in a professional manner and every individual was treated with respect.”
Group Coaching Participants (2019)
(maximum size 8 participants)
The program enables participants to reflect on their leadership capabilities, their natural strengths, and the areas they want to develop.
Two surveys are completed prior to the program’s commencement, to identify ‘top strengths’ and the other ‘best qualities’.
Each session has a clear focus and is highly experiential, with an action-learning approach that enables the learning to be applied to solve real work challenges.
The program includes creation of a Leadership Development Action Plan. [read more…]
Through the Program I learned:
“I feel the sessions brought out the best in me. I have learnt to carefully consider my actions and choices before I speak with other professionals, so that I can support them and communicate my intentions with more clarity.”
““Useful, targeted and practical. The course makes the participant reflect, consider and become more self aware from the get go, creating tangible opportunity to implement their learning in the real world straight away.”
Quotes from Program Participants
Coaching Conversations for Leaders (one day Workshop, or Program)
(maximum size 18 participants)
Do you want your leaders to add skills to their toolkit for growing and developing others?
This program aims to help you understand the value of coaching and the difference between coaching conversations and the many other types of conversations leaders need to have.
Participants will develop fundamental coaching skills and build the confidence to set up a coaching conversation for success. [read more…]
“Loved the mixed approach which allowed me to listen, learn and then apply the strategies. Really appreciated the time to practice and being vulnerable within a safe environment.”
“Really valuable information and strategies to build culture and become a coach. Things that can be applied straight away, which is great.”
“Fantastic! Informative, well-paced, plenty of time for questions, conversation and practice.”
Coaching Conversations Program Participants (2021)
More Written Testimonials from University Leaders…
“Kind, clear, helped to guide my thinking in a positive and non-confrontational way. I love that Julie was able to reflect key comments of mine back to me – it’s amazing how clear my own thoughts seemed with the help of Julie to draw them out. I felt very empowered – Julie really helped me to find the answers myself.”
Lecturer, Australian University (2022)
“Julie is highly perceptive and deeply insightful. She helped me identify critical issues that I needed to address personally, as well as the issues that were affecting my working relationship with my teams and issues within and between my teams. She suggested practical approaches and actions that I could take – which I did – that led to fruitful and helpful conversations and interactions in the organisation, which in turn led to positive results in staff morale, behaviour, and performance.”
Australian Head, International University (2020)
“Julie is empathetic and insightful, providing sensitive and sound approaches with deep experience of the tertiary education sector.”
Professor and Director of a National Centre, Australian University (2019)
