Leader’s Ladder Group Coaching

Move From Reactive to Strategic Leadership in 12 Weeks

For mid and seniour level managers ready to build practical leadership systems that give you time, strategic influence, and career momentum, without working evenings or weekends.

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If you're reading this, chances are you're a pretty good manager.

Maybe even a great one.

You've got the promotions to prove it. The experience. The results.

But here's the thing...

Your calendar is full. Every decision runs through you. Emails pile up faster than you can answer them. Meetings back-to-back. Strategic projects keep getting pushed to "next week."

The role you once wanted sometimes feels like a trap.

You know you should be thinking strategically. Building for the future. Developing your team.

There's just no time.

Every day you're squeezed between your team's needs and your boss's expectations. Between an urgent to-do list and important future-focused work that rarely gets done.


You've even tried to fix it. And nothing changed

Maybe you've done leadership training. Read the books. Tried time management techniques. Delegated where you could.

And yet nothing really changed.

Because the problem isn't your time management skills.
Or your leadership capability.
It isn't even your team.

The problem is the system you're trying to lead with.

And it was built for a world that no longer exists.

The Reactive Leadership Trap 

It doesn’t happen to bad managers. It happens to the best ones - the ones who care, step in, and solve problems because they can.

Every decision makes sense on its own right.
  • Your team member needs urgent help with a client? Of course you step in.
  • Your boss needs that report by tomorrow? Obviously you stay late.
  • That project is going off track? You personally jump in to fix it.

But together? They create a pattern that traps you.

  • The more fires you put out, the more fires appear.
  • The more available you are, the more your team needs you.
  • The harder you work, the more work there is to do.

It's an urgency trap, working harder and harder on the urgent work, whilst not having time to work on the important work that will move everything forward.

This is reactive leadership, and no amount of willpower will fix it.

I've been in your shoes  

For 20 years, I led teams at PepsiCo, Cadbury Schweppes and Britvic, from small teams to 150 people. I faced packed calendars, constant stress, fighting issues and little time to think strategically.

But here's what changed everything for me early in my leadership career:

I had a mentor who told me something that completely transformed how I worked.
He said: "You need to plan time for leading, not just for doing the work."
It sounds simple. Maybe even obvious.

But I wasn't doing it. And I'm guessing you're not either.

So I copied his approach.

I started blocking time for the actual work of leadership, thinking time, planning time, time to develop my team, not just the endless doing.

Over the years, I developed systems and ways of working that: 
  • Brought clarity to every situation.
  • Aligned the right people at the right time.
  • Built trust and capability in my team
  • Freed up time for the strategic work

They moved me from the back foot to the front foot.

I became more strategic. I put my time and energy where I knew it made the difference.
I had more agency in my choices.

I could face into difficult challenges and have those hard conversations, because I understood why they mattered and I had the space to handle them properly.

Then I became a coach.

And that's when I saw the same challenge everywhere.

I suddenly realised how much I'd set myself up over those 20 years, how I'd built what I now call a leadership system without fully appreciating what I was doing.

Because the managers I started working with? They weren't giving themselves permission to stop and think and shying away from the difficult conversations.

Brilliant, capable people. Stuck in the exact pattern I'd escaped from.

So I began to document them, codify them.

In the spirit of 80/20, knowing that nobody has any time, I asked myself:
What were the essential things I used to do that, when I gave people guidance on them, made a massive difference?

Not everything. Just the things that actually moved the needle.

And here's what I discovered:

It's not about knowing what to do. Most managers already know. It's about doing it.

Setting up your leadership system, the way you need to lead to achieve the best results for you, your team and indeed your organisation. And then actually implementing them consistently.

That's what makes the difference.

That's how I developed the Leader's Ladder.

It's a leadership system, not just random tactics, but a complete system, built on four foundations:

MINDSET - How you see yourself as a leader

SYSTEMS - The ways of working you establish that allow you to show up as that leader 

INFLUENCE - How you have the right conversation with the right person at the right time, thus improving your influence and impact.

COACH - How you develop capability in others

Most leadership development focuses on #3 and #4 - the communication and people skills.

But if you don't fix #1 and #2 first, nothing else works.

That's why managers go through training, get inspired, try to apply it...and end up right back where they were within weeks.

You're trying to build strategic leadership on reactive foundations.

And it just doesn't work.

Introducing:

Leader's Ladder Group Coaching Programme

Not theory. Not workshops that leave you inspired but stuck.

A leadership system built on real changes that stick, developed over two decades of leadership practice and coaching. 

Mid and seniour-level managers who build this system thrive. Their teams grow. Their influence rises. Their stress falls. And they get out of the urgency trap and finally get time to think, not just react.

This is the Leader's Ladder Group Coaching Programme.

A 12-week guided programme where you build your complete Leader's Ladder system, with expert support, alongside peer managers facing the same challenges.


Real results from real leaders 

If you are thinking, 'but will this work for me?' Here is what some of my clients say about my coaching.

Shani Higgs - Head of Sales PerfectTed
Working flat out. Evenings, weekends. Constantly firefighting. Stuck.
The problem? Her system, not her capability.

We focused on two things: her mindset as a leader and her ways of working.
The biggest change? She realised she didn't have to be with her team all the time.

Suddenly: time to think strategically. Time for stakeholders. Time to lead.
She built day-to-day systems. Her team became more empowered. Performance stayed stellar.
And she didn't burn out.

Her words:
"Having Helen as my coach has been a total game-changer. I've adopted her systems and frameworks—especially how I manage my team and protect time to think and plan."

Emma Colquhoun - XXXX
"I first worked with Helen when she was sales director at Britvic Soft Drinks and I was early in my career, she was an inspiration and someone I wanted to be like one day. Fast forward 20 years and I now have the pleasure of having Helen as my coach.

What sets her apart is her commercial knowledge and leadership experience, blended with great coaching skills; the result is real-world coaching that translates immediately into personal results and business value.

Is the Leader's ladder Group Coaching right for you? 

This programme works brilliantly for the right person. And it's completely wrong for the wrong person.
So let me help you figure out which one you are.

This programme is NOT for you if:

❌ You're very early in your leadership journey - Years 1 and 2 - focus on building core skills first.

❌ You're looking for quick fixes - this is about building foundational systems over 12 weeks, not a 2-hour masterclass.

❌ You're not willing to change how you currently work - the whole point is rebuilding your leadership foundations. 


But it IS for you if:

✅ You're a mid or seniour level manager   and you can't see the path to strategic leadership.

✅ You're drowning in work, caught in the urgency trap and you know something needs to change 

✅ Everything runs through you - your team depends on you too much

✅ You want to lead strategically - you're positioning yourself for director-level roles, or want to be a more respected and confident leader, and you know you need to lead differently.

✅ You want to move from the back foot to the front foot - more agency, less stress, better results.

Still here? Good.
Let me show you how it works.

How the programme works 

Your 12 Week Plan 
Step 1
The Assessment
You're going to run your current leadership approach through the Leader's Ladder framework, the same diagnostic I use with my one-to-one clients.

You'll complete assessments that review you against the leadership ladder and identify YOUR specific areas for improvement. Not generic advice, what YOU need to focus on for the biggest impact.

Then you get a 1-to-1 assessment session with me.

We'll review your results together. Spot exactly where you need to focus. And create a personalised implementation plan for the 12 weeks.

No more guessing. No more trying everything.
Just crystal-clear focus on the 2-3 things that will actually transform your leadership.

This is the Leader's Ladder in action.
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Step 2
Implementation of your leadership plan
Now it's time to execute. And you won't be doing it alone.

Here's what you get:
  Weekly Office Hours - Live group coaching every week, where you can get help exactly when you need it. Bring your challenges, get coached through them, stay on track.

  Complete Resource Library - Short, targeted videos showing you step-by-step how to implement each framework. No long courses. Just what you need, when you need it.

  Tools & Templates - Plug-and-play resources you can customise and use immediately. Decision-making frameworks. One-to-one structures. Delegation trackers. Quarterly planning templates. All of it.

  Community Support - Ask questions anytime. Learn from other leaders. Share wins. Get unstuck fast. 

  24/7 Access to HelenAI - Get answers tailored to your specific situation, based on everything I've taught- available whenever you need it.
Your Result
A complete leadership system that works - built specifically for YOUR role, YOUR team, YOUR constraints.
And the confidence that comes from knowing exactly how to lead strategically, not just reactively.

What You Can Expect 

Fixing your leadership foundations doesn't just make work more organised; it changes how you lead. 

You'll:
  • Feel more in control. 
  • Find time you didn't think you had, without working harder. 
  • Get ahead on strategy. 
  • Influence the right stakeholders at the right time
  • Feel confident and on it when working with and developing your team
  • Trust your judgement more because you've built a leadership system that works 


By Week 3 - you’re already working differently.
By Week 6 - you’re getting time back.
By Week 12 - the vision of success you have for yourself as a leader is coming to life.

Common challenge: My Company Won't Pay For This 

Most managers assume their company won't fund professional development.

That’s usually because they don’t know how to make the case.

That's why I created a Funding Toolkit, including a business case template and scripts to ask for funding.

Many of my clients get full or partial company funding. And if you do self-fund, you'll have the frameworks to position yourself for the promotion that pays it back many times over.


Your Invitation to Transform Your Leadership 

Leader's Ladder Group Coaching starts in January 2026.
Spots are limited to ensure everyone gets the support and coaching they need.

Enrol now - £1,500 for the complete programme
or
Book a discovery call - if you want to discuss whether this is right for you first.

Either way, there's no pressure. No hard selling.
If we're a fit, I'd love to guide you through this transformation.
If we're not, I'll point you in the right direction.

One thing I know for sure:
The managers who build their leadership on solid systems, who move from reactive to strategic, from the back foot to the front foot, they thrive.

More time. More impact. Less stress. Better results.

And I'd love you to be one of them.


P.S. Still not sure? That's completely normal. This is a significant investment in your leadership. Book a discovery call and let's talk through whether this programme is right for your situation. No pressure, just clarity.

Frequently asked questions

Is this for me? I’m not sure I’m senior enough.

If you’re managing people, juggling priorities, and often feel stuck in the weeds instead of leading from the front - yes, this is for you. Most people who join have 5+ years of leadership experience. You might be leading a team, a function, or managing through influence. You don’t need a fancy title, just the desire to lead differently.

This isn’t about theory. It’s about working smarter as a leader, using systems that help you reclaim your time and focus on what really matters.

What if I miss a live session?

No problem. Every session is recorded and uploaded into your private hub so you can watch (or rewatch) when it suits you. Life happens. This programme is designed with real work and real life in mind.

Plus, you’ll have Office Hours access and a private space to ask questions at any time - even if you’re catching up afterwards.

How much time will this take each week?

I designed the programme to work with, not against, your calendar. Expect:

  • One live session per week (60–75 minutes)
  • Optional Office Hours for deeper coaching
  • Plus time to implement the systems in your real role

Most people find that just 2–3 hours per week is enough to see results. And ironically? The first few systems you build will likely save you that much time or more.

How many people are in a cohort? Will I get personal support?

I intentionally keep cohorts small. This isn’t a big, impersonal webinar series - it’s a coaching environment where you can bring your challenges and get personalised input. I’ll get to know you and your leadership goals, and you’ll also learn from peers facing similar (and sometimes surprisingly familiar) obstacles.

What if I don’t want to share personal or work challenges in a group?

Totally fair. You are never expected to share more than you’re comfortable with. That said, many participants find the group surprisingly safe, supportive, and encouraging - often because it’s full of leaders who “get it.”

I also offer 1:1 support where needed, and you can always use the asynchronous channels for more private questions.

How is this different from other leadership training?

Most leadership programmes teach concepts - this one helps you change how you work. We focus on practical systems, not just ideas.

Think: planning rhythms, meeting structures, feedback habits, coaching frameworks, stakeholder alignment tools - all tailored to real-life managers juggling real-life demands.

If you’ve ever left a training thinking, “great ideas, but I don’t have time to implement this,” this is the opposite. This is the implementation.

What kind of results can I expect, and how fast?

Here’s what previous clients report:

  • More confidence leading up, across, and with their team
  • A return of 4–6 hours per week by Week 6
  • Stronger stakeholder alignment
  • Clear focus on the team and where best to support them
  • Clarity on where to focus (and what to let go)
  • Feeling more “on the front foot” instead of constantly reacting

The biggest result? They feel like a leader - not just a task juggler or problem-solver.

My company might not pay for this - can I still join?

Yes - and actually, your company might pay, if you ask the right way.

I include a Funding Toolkit: email scripts, a business case template, and tips to help you confidently position the programme as a professional development investment (not a nice-to-have). Several clients have successfully used this to secure funding or partial reimbursement.

And if you’re paying personally, we offer instalment options to make it easier. Book a call to discuss.

Is there a guarantee or refund policy?

This programme is for committed leaders who are ready to do the work. That said, if you show up, engage with the content, and find it's not a fit by Week 2, get in touch. I’ll always have a conversation and find the right way forward. Fairness and trust are at the heart of how I work.s.

Can I talk to someone before deciding?

Absolutely. You can book a quick discovery call with me - no pressure, no hard sell. Just a conversation about where you’re at, where you want to be, and whether this is the right fit.

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