I spent 13 years in investment banking, fund management and private equity with NatWest, Abbey National Treasury, Nomura and Merrill Lynch. Subsequently I ran a portfolio of businesses in financial training, start-up consulting and teaching drama and communication skills. As an alumna of Meyler Campbell Business Coaching Programme, I now provide executive coaching and communication training working in conjunction with Time Critical Conversations, Path2Leadership and BetterUp.
I found structuring lending facilities tailored to best meet the liquidity and strategic financing needs of corporates rewarding. Also developing cost effective solutions using derivatives for risk management needs. In private equity, I enjoyed assessing the future strategy of the business and incorporating different types of financing to optimise the structure to suit cashflows of different companies. Key to this was strong financial modelling to assess the quantum and risk of cashflows.
A great learning experience was working within the Principal Finance Group at Nomura on merging the US leasing company AT&T Capital with an emerging, fast growing Canadian leasing company, taking it to second in size behind GE Capital Corp. Exploring opportunities for cashflow based financing for different asset classes in different countries, as an investor and a banker, was challenging, often frustrating and stimulating.
I decided to build a portfolio of business that would fit with family life and evolve as our family grew. This gave me a chance to explore my passion for drama and communication and find a route to using those skills and my experience to mentor and coach in the finance and business environment.
Coaching is extremely rewarding as it provides an opportunity to collaborate with thoughtful people and to unleash their resourcefulness. I strongly believe that busy people are more effective when they step back from day-to-day issues and take an honest look at their strengths and areas of shortfall and consider options to meet their objectives. Open questions and being challenged can create great clarity. When the coachee is motivated to take responsibility for actions and follows through between sessions, that forward momentum and sense of energy and self-belief is powerful.
The crisis has impacted our needs at all levels including physiological, safety and love and belonging. It is a challenge to respond in the best way to our own personal and professional needs and those of others around us. Leaders are working to understand how companies can maintain operations and manage all stakeholder expectations. Team members are looking to do their best job and be most responsive. Coaching provides the opportunity to stand back and check in with our own basic needs and stability first of all and, in some cases, take time out to address family and mental wellbeing. It provides the platform to focus on strategic options, empathy, and a clear communication plan. A key part of coaching is reflecting on what is and is not working and adapting when needed, which is critical at present.
Time Critical Conversations is comprised of a team of executive coaches with deep experience of leading through change and crisis, from diverse sectors including communications, financial and professional services, technology, industry, and non-profit.
We have put together a ‘pit stop’ package of free support to enable ACT members to step back from firefighting, to update, reflect, consider what may happen next, and act from a standpoint of deliberate calm. We have each committed to delivering 20 hours of free 1-2-1 coaching sessions over the next two months. For further information visit the Time Critical Conversations page and please get in touch to organise a 1-hour thinking session to focus on your time-critical challenge.
Curious, empathetic and determined.
That when we find ourselves on the edge of our comfort zone, we are best placed to change and adapt. So that is a good place to be. Just not all the time!
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown, a reminder that the courage to be vulnerable helps when so much is unknown and changing.
You can access the Time Critical Conversations page here, or view Margaret's Linked In profile here.