Author: Mike

In this month’s Ask the Coaches feature, we posed the question, ‘What are some of the most common patterns you see with leaders right now?’ Mindbeat’s Chrys Jerrett and Gill Simpson share their observations. 

Chrys Jerrett

One of the most common patterns I observe in newly promoted leaders is the tendency to continue focusing on tasks from their previous role, often those within their comfort zone. 

This is understandable: we’re usually promoted because of our technical expertise and specialist knowledge, so it can feel natural (and rewarding) to keep operating at that level.

A key question I often ask is:

“How much of your time are you spending working below your actual level?”

If the answer is more than 10%, it may be time to rethink how you’re spending your time and consider how to increase strategic thinking and delegate more effectively.

One of the most important shifts in leadership is moving from doing the work to thinking strategically.

This means:

– Reflecting on how the work is being done and identifying ways to improve it

– Considering what new initiatives or approaches could better support the success of the team and the wider organisation

Central to this shift is making space in your calendar for thinking—and protecting that time. Effective leaders recognise the value of regular reflection, whether it’s through uninterrupted time in the office or a walk away from the desk. They treat thinking time not as a luxury but as a leadership necessity.

Real leadership begins when we stop measuring our value by what we produce — and start thinking about how we create the conditions for others, and for our organisation, to be more successful.

Gill Simpson 

Some of the most common patterns I currently see in my coaching work are leaders who are under increasing pressure, with stretched resources, working in relentless environments of constant change and transition. It can be unsettling and exhausting when you are constantly having to reinvent yourself. 

The consequences I observe are leaders who are getting lost themselves. They are so focused on delivering for the business and looking after their teams, guiding them through change, that they are failing to look after themselves. 

I observe everything from burnout to exhaustion and a lack of capacity to create space and time for themselves. Leaders invest and give so much to others, but they don’t invest and give to themselves. 

Doing so can quickly lead to clarity, rest, and rejuvenation. I notice energy depletion in the workplace rather than energy renewal. It’s the adage about fitting your own oxygen mask on an aeroplane before helping others. We must start prioritising ourselves. Serve yourself as you would serve others.

If you have a question you’d like us to ask our coaching network, why not drop us a line to getintouch@mindbeat.app

Mindbeat coach Gill Simpson reveals the secrets behind how people react to change and provides guidance on calming the stress response. 

 Dealing with change in the workplace is complex, as we all react differently to the uncertainty that change inevitably brings. As leaders, the challenge is to recognise and manage these different responses and repercussions, both in ourselves and in others. 

Mindbeat coach Gill Simpson understands this better than most. 

During her time working for the large multinational food company Danone, she was promoted to her first Board-level role as Director of Corporate Affairs and witnessed firsthand the different ways in which change impacts individuals and those around them.  

“As a working mum, I was delighted to be offered the role on a flexible working pattern, but as the only part-time Board member, I put huge pressure on myself to be seen as ‘equal’ to my peers. My background wasn’t in Corporate Affairs, so I also felt some fear and anxiety about being asked to lead a team of experts without technical expertise myself. Furthermore, it was a new board-level role – meaning I would be a new voice at the table – and a new function in the business – meaning I had to unite previously siloed teams behind a common goal and establish our role in the business. It took a while to process all these different aspects of the change and to settle into a new way of being and operating.”   

The fight-or-flight-or-freeze response

The human brain reacts to social threats linked to change, such as uncertainty, volatility, ambiguity, and unpredictability, in the same way it responds to physical threats by triggering an acute stress response, also known as the fight-or-flight-or-freeze response. As a result, when confronted with change, we find it difficult to think critically, show empathy, and regulate our emotions because energy is directed toward the more primitive part of our brain, the limbic system, to keep us safe.

“Understanding this is key to comprehending how people react to change,” says Gill. “Unlocking why someone feels threatened by change allows leaders to respond effectively.”

Neuroscientist David Rock identifies five social factors our brains react strongly to:

Status: A person’s relative importance to others

Certainty: Being able to predict the future

Autonomy: A sense of control over events

Relatedness: A sense of safety being around others

Fairness: A perception of fair exchanges between people

“When any of these are challenged, our stress response kicks in,” Gill explains. “It could be a perceived threat to someone’s job or contribution (Status), not knowing what is coming down the line (Certainty), a sense of being ‘done to’ if someone isn’t consulted (Autonomy), a disconnect or mistrust (Relatedness), or a sense that others are being impacted adversely, which threatens our sense of Fairness. In my case, I felt a threat to my status. I’d built up an excellent reputation during my time in the business, and now I was being asked to lead a function without technical expertise. Would my peers see me as a credible choice? What if I fail? Could I even do it?”

When leaders understand how and why team members react to change, they can instil processes to create certainty, reassurance, or fairness. It could be regular meetings, better consultation, coaching and support. 

As individuals faced with change and uncertainty, when we understand our stress response and the reasons behind it, we can begin to overcome these perceived social threats and get ourselves back on track. 

How to use SCARF to reduce the impact of perceived social threats

“Using tools like David Rock’s SCARF model helps us to unpick and understand the root cause of our response to change,” Gill says. “Whatever you feel is valid, and these emotions are a great source of data. They tell us something about ourselves, what we’re experiencing, and our unmet needs. Inviting emotions in and accepting them is part of regulating ourselves and the stress response. My anxiety and nervousness about joining the Board of Danone were valid things to feel. Exploring what contributed to my emotional response helped me to prepare better. In the workplace, we need to permit and help people to show and explore their emotions during times of transition and change.”

Considering the SCARF model, here are some of the ways leaders and managers could reduce the impact of these perceived social threats:

Status: Involve team members in discussions, plans and action points. Help them find their place and their voice in the new system. 

Certainty: Communicate clearly and often to minimise the potential for rumour and speculation. Discuss the reasons for change, the broader vision, timescales and processes. Be patient and empathetic as people grapple with uncertainty at their own pace. 

Autonomy: Ask for employee input. Encourage people to only focus on what they can control and influence. By letting go of concerns outside of our influence, we can reduce anxiety and stress. 

Relatedness: Create a culture of trust and provide a space for emotions to surface, so responses to change can be explored in confidence. Find ways to bring people together to avoid siloed thinking. 

Fairness: Be as open and transparent as possible. Show integrity and listen with the intent to understand, not to answer back. 

“Whether we’re leaders of change or facing the impact of a change, we all have a part to play and we are all accountable for our thoughts and behaviours,” Gill concludes. “Recognising your thought patterns, taking responsibility for them, and shifting them into a more useful place will help you play a more positive part in the change process. Hopefully, you will gain more from it too, as you’ll have a more positive experience.”

If your organisation wants to understand more about responses to change and discover techniques for managing transitions and uncertainty, talk to Mindbeat today.  

Each year, International Coaching Week invites us to pause, reflect, and shine a light on the powerful impact of professional coaching.

This year’s celebration took place from 12-18 May. The theme was ‘Empower. Inspire. Celebrate.’, capturing the essence of what great coaching is all about: empowering people to step into their potential, inspiring growth through meaningful conversations, and celebrating the wins-big and small-that come from committed personal and professional development.

At its heart, professional coaching is a relationship grounded in trust, curiosity, and a deep belief in what’s possible. It creates space for clarity, courage, and change. For those who coach and those who are coached, it’s often a journey that goes beyond skills and goals. It’s about discovering what truly matters.

To mark International Coaching Week 2025, we invited two Mindbeat coaches to share their own stories of how their practices have evolved and what Empower. Inspire. Celebrate means to them. 

Alex Carabi

My coaching practice has evolved in many ways, but the most important change has been this: I used to see my role as ‘me’ doing the coaching to help the client ‘over there’ to change. 

This meant I invested considerable mental and emotional effort into effecting change. I was placing pressure on myself to meet specific metrics of success, and I relied on the client’s feedback and/or their results to bolster my self-esteem.

Today, I have a radically different stance. Now I see my presence, curiosity, compassion, and intuition as more than enough – they are the whole enchilada. By bringing those qualities to the coaching session, without force, effort, or trying to get anywhere or achieve anything, that’s when the magic happens. 

It’s not ‘me’ doing anything; I am simply a channel and a vehicle for life’s intelligence to move through. I trust that whatever doors are ready to be opened will be opened. Sometimes that will look like an insight or breakthrough; other times it might appear as more stuckness and “difficult” emotions. But I trust that whatever occurs is the process the client needs to undergo at that time. What the “right” path is for anyone is well beyond my pay grade. All I can do is align myself with the client’s process and take it one step at a time, letting that unfolding process lead us where it needs to go. That is a beautiful thing.

Anita Sauvage 

As a coach, the words ‘empower’, ‘inspire’, and ‘celebrate’ hold considerable meaning to me: they are the backbone of any meaningful coaching relationship, where people feel valued and supported, and collaboration can flow.

Empowering the people I coach starts with believing in them and helping them to realise their true potential. As a coach, your role is to offer clients the tools and the encouragement to face challenges with resilience, positive attitude and courage, to discover their unique talents, to learn – without judgment – from setbacks and successes, and to achieve their goals.

Inspiring my clients is about holding a mirror in front of them and building a relationship built on authenticity and trust. It’s a collaboration. When you show genuine curiosity and interest about their aspirations, and connect on a human level, it brings a sense of possibilities. Ultimately, it will make them realise that their journey is one of growth.

Celebrating is about creating moments of recognition that acknowledge the value of each client’s journey. As a coach, I believe in celebrating achievements, not just as outcomes but as reflections of determination, effort and willingness to be challenged. Even a simple heartfelt ‘thank-you’ can go a long way and remind them (and me) that growth is a true gift.

So yes, I firmly believe that when you “empower, inspire, and celebrate”, you create a safe space, ideal for self-motivation and commitment. If you apply these values, your clients are more likely to transform challenges into opportunities, questions into breakthroughs, and aspirations into successes. What can be more rewarding for a coach?

In today’s business landscape, we’re finding that 90% of our conversations with clients revolve around transformation and restructuring. 

Whether it’s reshaping business models, reorganising structures, downsizing, consolidating, or expanding into new markets, the pressure to adapt is significant. 

Navigating these changes and unlocking the power of leadership to guide through uncertainty with clarity and empathy plays a critical role in helping businesses not only survive but thrive.

To share some insights on the crucial role leaders can play, we turned to Steve Jefferys, one of our experienced executive coaches. With hands-on leadership experience at global marketing agencies including Proximity London, Kitcatt Nohr, and Havas Helia, Steve offers his perspective on how leaders can steer their teams through complex times.

Here are his top tips for leading through change.

Market conditions – both pre and post President Trump’s global tariffs – are providing an uncertain canvas in which many businesses are having to operate, adapt to and survive within. 

The human impact of this is far-reaching with restructures in response throwing certainty to chaos – with redundancies, role changes and areas of priority and focus having to pivot; almost overnight.

And while the change itself is hard enough to contend with, those left behind to make sense of their new landscape often do so without the safety net of the familiar –  long-established colleagues, team dynamics or leadership structures. 

That’s where leaders need to step in – and step up. 

In times of uncertainty, investing time, space and resources into people in the rocky times will be an investment worth making in the long-run. People remember and stand by those who heard them, supported them and stood by them – ensuring their long-term commitment and loyalty. 

There is no better time to get your leadership reps in than when the winds of change are blowing, and new ground is being broken.

There are three important strategies  to help you along the way in navigating this.

1. Invest time in just ‘being’ with your people

Time with your people with no agenda is not wasted, fruitless time. 

The best conversations happen when there is no fixed agenda or purpose. The knack, though, is in holding the line and allowing the time and space for this to feel a normal, safe and constructive environment. 

What do I mean by this? Go for a walk with your team members and just see where the conversation goes. If you’re remote, both walk and plug your earphones in over a phone call. Get away from a Teams screen. Don’t have a pen and paper anywhere in sight. 

Hear about what’s happening for them, what’s important to them and how things are being said. It’s amazing how many clues and insights you can gather to revisit and probe on in the moment, or at a later date. 

It’s interesting how often  the best insights from people come from that last moment – when you’re in the lift back up to the office and they casually mention something that’s crucially important to them.

Those casual moments can unlock a new way of helping them, or understand what’s really going on. All because they’ve been allowed the space to do so. 

Giving your people the gift of time and space – with no agenda – in times of flux is invaluable. 

Not only will you gain valuable insight, you’ll also strengthen trust and credibility. 

2. Tell people what you’re going to tell them. Tell them. Then tell them what you’ve told them.

Communication. 

When things are changing, tell people clearly, promptly and in a variety of ‘channels’. 

Never assume the first touchpoint does all the heavy-lifting. People hear different things in different ways and messages cut through at different times.

Be mindful of this. 

Communicate messages clearly and with authority in group settings, then ensure these messages are pushed home in one-to-one communications (meetings, emails, phone calls. Sometimes all three). 

Allow space for people to absorb new information, be aware of who your reflectors are and who are likely to have questions and ideas in the moment. 

Allow space for all communication styles and invite comments and opinions. 

After which, calmly acknowledge and address these in follow-up communications. It holds an authentic line. 

Adopting this approach will ensure you have a consistent thread of authority.

Even if the message you convey can’t deliver certainty, you can underline your credentials by being clear and authentic with your teams. 

And they’ll value and appreciate that.

3. Hold space for people to help themselves – instead of diving in to solve it for them.

People will build more and better resilience and capability if they are given space and time to develop it on their own terms and in their own way. 

As leaders, it’s our job to provide the environment where this becomes the rule, not the exception. 

This needs a mindset shift from:

‘I need them to get this done well now’ to 

‘I want them to become competent and capable based on what works for them –  their skills, learning pace, and even the mistakes they’ll make along the way’. 

Promoting empowerment not only builds stronger people, it underscores the trust they have in their leaders, and ensures they feel a valued part of the team because of who they are as well as what they deliver. 

And, as leaders, it’s essential to step back and allow others to take charge of their own growth. 

This enables leaders to guide from a distance while fostering trust and development.

While this isn’t a one-stop shop to ensure a seamless journey through the tougher times, the three strategies here do provide the keys to unlock a number of hidden doors in the weeds of business life, irrespective of industry. 

And while the choppier seas may take a while to calm, your ability as a skipper to tend the tiller will grow the more time you spend with your crew.

And they won’t forget you, either.

Your Turn

How are you ensuring that your leadership approach supports your team in navigating times of change? 

Reflect on these three strategies and consider how to integrate them into your leadership style.