Testimonials — CLAIRE MACKINNON

Group coaching client testimonial: Caroline Macgregor, People and Change Leader

**“I wish I had done this a decade ago”**

“I’ve always known I was in the right profession, but despite the experience I’ve gained over the years and the progression I’ve made, I had a sense of feeling held back and knew I wasn’t fulfilling my full potential. In every role, I have driven myself hard, determined to deliver the best I can, but have also known for a while that how I was approaching my working-life wasn’t sustainable. I had tried ‘quick-fix’ solutions myself, guided by books and Ted Talks, but having the discipline to implement what I was learning, or even know how to, was hard.

When I began Claire’s programme, I was considering what the right next career move was for me, but I also wanted to change my approach to work so that it felt more sustainable, as well as find a leadership role that would stretch and excite me. As a busy working Mum there’s always been so much going on, and I had never managed to step off the treadmill and properly invest time, money and energy in my own growth.

I wished I had done this programme a decade ago. Being part of a group, only enhanced the unique individual learning we were each able to take from the modules. Claire led us to create an environment where we were able to be ourselves, open up and take the most from the coaching, and one another’s experiences, right from the start. Even when a session felt confronting, the highly practical ‘homework’ assignments, and support available outside the sessions, meant that I was always able to keep going and take rich and valuable learning.”

“After spending most of my career in HR and Transformation roles in large corporate environments, I’ve recently stepped into a new tech scale-up with ambitious growth plans, as Chief People Officer. If I hadn't participated in The Inside-Out Leader, I'm not sure I would have been brave enough to take the leap, or even seen this role for the exciting opportunity that it is. That is one of many tangible outcomes of doing the programme, but more than anything I feel a greater sense of ease in my own skin. I feel calmer and more present as a leader, wife and mother. I have made the shift from being driven by fear of failure and the need to please others, to making day-to-day and bigger decisions based on what is most important to me and the impact I want to have, and it is liberating. I feel inspired about the future and the continuing journey I am on.

Claire’s approach and the programme she has created is refreshingly different. She brings a combination of depth, warmth, fun and compassion to what is without doubt a challenging process. Her way of being, and the elegant structure of the programme, makes it possible (and joyful) to keep going and make the changes within yourself that are very hard to make alone. If you are serious about unlocking what is holding you back and stepping more fully into your potential as a leader, I couldn’t recommend Claire and this programme more highly.”

- Caroline Macgregor, People and Change Leader

“Claire has a real talent for enabling me to break down what I felt were quite overwhelming situations at times, and helped me create plans that made it feel easy to take action and make some huge changes in both my work and personal time. She encouraged me to both respect my own intuition, and to see life and situations from different perspectives. Two years on and I can clearly see that our work together was a turning point for me in my life. I am a more balanced person and have a clearer view about who I am and what my values and continue to feel the benefits in both my work and home life.”

- Matthew Topping, Facilities Manager

“Before working with Claire I knew I had potential for more but felt stuck. I now have goals that inspire me and am moving towards them. Claire’s superpower is that she makes you feel at ease, allowing you to authentically discover things about yourself that you don’t even realise you are looking for. Working with her felt like arriving at the top of a mountain but without the bit at the start where you stand at the bottom and think “that’s impossible.” With Claire by my side, before I knew it, there we were at the top! My work with Claire has had such an impact on me and I will hold the things I’ve learnt close as I continue through life. I would wholeheartedly recommend working with Claire to anyone who feels stuck in their work or lives and wants to feel excited about the future. Likewise I would urge organisations to get Claire on board to work with their people. I am so glad mine did.”

- Emily Cowell, Work-stream lead

“Claire has an innate ability to tease out and create the conditions for objective self-reflection and self-honesty that enabled me to figure out what I really want from my career. Throughout the course of our coaching relationship Claire helped me to notice and overcome my self-sabotaging internal narratives which enabled me to realise the power I have to change and choose.

The experience I have had working with Claire as my coach has been second to none not least because she helped me to discover how I can make various step changes but equally realise the enjoyment that is to be had out of the process.

This is in no small part due to the time, care and effort that Claire puts into the coaching relationship, being genuinely interested in me as a human being as well as authentically curious about my thoughts, feelings, beliefs and values. Her compassionate, challenging and insightful style was just what I needed at this point in my career, and I will always be grateful for the way Claire has supported and guided me.”

- Andy Halpin, Organisational Development Partner

“I worked with Claire for 6 months as part of a tailored leadership development plan. I was going through a particularly tough period of my life and the sessions with Claire were my lifeline. Her calm, caring and compassionate style was exactly what I needed and my confidence & positivity soared.

As someone who feels very uncomfortable talking about themselves, I was surprised by how much I embraced the process and am now a complete convert to coaching. I have noticed myself using the learning I have taken from it in almost every situation.

The whole experience of working with Claire was definitely the positive springboard I needed to move on to the next chapter of my career and indeed my life. I could not have landed my new role without her support and encouragement. For anyone looking for a great coach, I would 100% recommend Claire.”

- Jayne Hoather, Finance Director

Group coaching client testimonial: Kerryn Harding-Jones, Leading Business Transformations

**“I feel calmer and more confident”**

“In the past, I felt interested by the content of online courses but that is not the same as really ‘living it.’ It was time to dedicate effort and energy to building a solid foundation for myself. I wanted to feel more confident, and more inspired by my working-life.

Claire invited us to dive deep, and that isn’t always easy. I felt strong resistance at times, but with Claire’s support, both within the group sessions, and one-to-one beyond them, I was able to move through the places where I felt stuck which led to a number of meaningful breakthroughs.

There was a real sense of camaraderie in the group, and an ease and openness as we each navigated the programme in our own unique way. We had lots of fun and I learned so much from listening to others’ experiences. I came away from each session feeling more buoyant. And always with a deeper, more profound sense of belonging.”

“I thought I knew what my values were before joining the programme, but I have walked away with a much deeper and clearer understanding of what is truly most important to me. But more significantly, I am now equipped to integrate that awareness in how I approach my work and life beyond it. To actually ‘live it.’ What I have learned is helping me make decisions about my career, how I approach my relationships (inside and outside of work) and day-to-day how I consider my role.

I feel less of a need to please others and more confident. feel calmer and more in control, and less inclined to strive to meet unrealistic expectations. I now have the confidence to say “Let’s pause a second. What’s the right thing to do here, that gets the same, or better results.” As a result, I am creating a better balance across all parts of my life and have more energy to focus on the most important aspects of my work and my personal relationships.

Joining this programme has made a huge difference to how I feel both inside and outside of work. I’m excited about the outcomes I’m already seeing, and everything to come as I continue to put into practice the life-changing revelations I have learned. Thank you, Claire!”

“I hired Claire as my coach to help me with my career development. My only regret is that I didn’t meet her sooner! Claire has been amazing; she’s helped me create a work-life I enjoy which has had an amazing knock-on to my life outside of work. Claire supports you to deeply explore what you’re thinking and feeling, and keeps things practical and real. I’ve loved working with her, and I know this is just the beginning of an ongoing relationship. Don’t think twice about hiring Claire as your coach, she is gold!”

- Heidi Vietz, Project manager, BP

“I enjoy writing, but can overthink it. The circle appealed to me as a safe, open place to experiment and let go. I was also curious about creative (non-work related) writing as a way in. I wasn’t disappointed!

The way Claire held the space, and the presence of the other women, reminded me there is no right or wrong - somehow freeing me up. During the private writing time , I didn’t write much. I experienced resistance and started to judge myself for it. But as I listened to the other women share their writing and simply voiced that I had felt stuck, I felt seen and held by the group - and it shifted something. I began to accept where I was, rather than fighting it. In the days afterwards I felt inspired to write much more than usual, which was an unexpected gift!

The world needs more spaces like this - where we can be seen just as we are. Where we don’t need to show up in any particular way. It’s liberating - an antidote to the hustle. I can’t wait to join again!”

- Su Mee Tan, Coach, Trainer, Improviser

Group coaching client testimonial: Lisa Jones, Senior HR Leader

**“I have stopped overthinking. I feel calmer and more grounded”**

“I’ve worked closely with Exec-level leaders for years, but at times I’ve found some aspects of navigating hierarchy and politics difficult. In the past I’ve spent time and energy "overthinking" in the lead up to particular situations, and I wanted to deal with these challenges as I stepped into a new role and organisation in a more authentic way. I started the programme just as I left my previous employer, where I had been for a long time.

There was a safety and openness in the group from the first call. Whilst we were each on our own individual journeys, we were also in the same boat, experiencing similar challenges. That in itself felt empowering and gave me the energy to put into practice what I was learning right from the start. Claire is expert at creating a safe environment where you can truly open up and discover more about yourself. I found the coaching from her and the rest of the group both thought-provoking and highly pragmatic.”

“Having completed the programme, the discomfort when facing certain challenges hasn’t gone, but rather than avoiding situations, I am being more courageous and speaking up more of the time, because I know it’s the right thing to do. Rather than overthinking upcoming challenges, I am more grounded in the lead up, and feel more confident and resilient. The emotions I was experiencing previously have calmed. They no longer sap my energy and cause me to overthink. Instead, I see them as a necessary part of leadership, and something that I can navigate and draw on to help me grow.

The programme has supported me to build a foundation for my leadership and career that came at the perfect time for me, and I am excited about building on it as I continue to develop as a leader. I highly recommend this programme to anyone who wants to feel more confident in their leadership and move into their next role in a way that feels authentic and meaningful.”

“Claire’s warm and courageous style enabled me to explore my concerns about my evolving leadership role and she worked with me to develop my style for the benefit of me, my team and the organization. We dived deep and looked at how I was holding myself back, and always translated what I discovered into practical steps I could take immediately after each coaching session.”

- Alex Edwards, Regional Operations Manager

“Claire created a safe space where we could open up and be vulnerable and this is what made it so powerful. The group didn't know each other, but in a short time somehow I felt the support from the other people in the room. As someone who is actively looking to push forward with my career, I left the workshop feeling capable and inspired!”

- Eram Akram, Employee Relations Investigator

Group coaching client testimonial: Abbie, Leader, Partner Programmes

“I have a new level of optimism about my career”

“I’ve worked in big corporates for most of my career in business change and transformation, but more recently moved to a smaller tech start up in a client-facing commercial role. I joined The Inside-Out Leader because I wanted to continue to make progress in my career, but I wanted it to feel different. Claire’s philosophy of the inside-out approach to growing your leadership resonated with me, and I wanted to get under the skin of my own ‘inner dialogue’ and learn how I could evolve that.

As someone who enjoys meeting new people and working in-person, I was a little apprehensive about the level of connectedness we’d be able to achieve as a group over Zoom, but I was amazed at what happened! It was like we had known each other for years. The environment felt safe, and everyone came with the desire to share openly with one another. I was also struck by the ability of others to see qualities in me that I hadn’t quite recognised in myself, and this added to the individual coaching we received from Claire. It was very powerful.

Before the programme, the thought of another twenty years of work ahead of me was exhausting. Now, I have a new level of optimism about my career. I know there are many opportunities that lie ahead, and that those could take many different forms, and that feels exciting. As a result of the programme, I am now able to navigate the challenges and decisions I am facing in all parts of my life with greater ease, and less angst.

If you’re drawn to the outline of the programme on Claire’s website, and recognise yourself in the description she shares, I highly recommend signing up. I followed the pull I felt as I read the page six months ago and I’m so glad I followed my intuition!”

Abbie, Leader, Partner Programmes

“Claire quickly created a deep level of trust and honesty in the group. As a result of this event I have a greater insight into how I limit myself at times and the value which I can unlock if I am just plain kinder to myself.”

- Hals Baggaley, Head of Category and Strategic Supplier Management

“Claire is very skilled at helping you challenge your own way of thinking.. Coming to the end of my coaching, I am starting my own business as well as having a 3 and 5 year set of goals and objectives for my personal and professional life. Without coaching from Claire I would not have been able to get to this point.”

- Nick Bibby, Head of Commercial at Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport

“The coaching sessions were challenging, rewarding and thought provoking. Claire has a knack of being able to help you find out what your own path is, challenging your thinking and rationale in a positive way, and allowing you to come out with the right answer for yourself. As a direct result of the coaching, I am more self aware of my impact on others, able to find my sense of calm, and maintain energy levels - to ensure that I can be the best me that I want to be. I can't thank her enough - this coaching has really had a positive impact on my life."

- Andrew Brown, Lead Implementation Manager

“Claire has a great style, engaging, challenging and supportive. She didn't let me off the hook and celebrated my progress throughout. My goals were to move to a place of self acceptance, to view situations and challenges as opportunities whilst maintaining personal strength. Claire has been a massive support and confidante through my experience, she has tuned into how I think and like to work, hugely perceptive with a sense of humour, thank you for the difference you've made Claire.”

- Ali Lansley, Lead People Partner