Mind Matters

Our focus at Mind Matters is to help our clients improve their mental resilience, performance and wellbeing through the practical application of neuroscience in coaching.

► Want to know more?
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☞ https://mindmatters.pro
✎ nadine@mindmatters.pro
☏ +49(0)175-53 59 125

Managing Director | Neuroleadership Specialist | Mental Health Expert | Strategy Consultant

The Personal Resilience Indicator (PRI) is the most comprehensive, independently validated resilience assessment available to date. 
Not only does it integrate the latest insights from neuroscience and psychology, it is the only resilience assessment that does not only measure the status quo but also provides the granularity that allows practitioners to build targeted transformative coaching journeys.
The PRI takes the form of an online self-assessment with 64 questions that takes approximately 10-15 min to complete. It provides actionable insights across 12 subdomains, each representing a distinct construct that can be improved by targeted practice and coaching. 
Developed with expert guidance from experienced neuroscientists, psychologists, executive coaches and mental health professionals, the PRI also passed independent validation by a renown psychometric expert.

► Are you interested in getting certified to use the PRI with your clients?
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The PRI certification program comprises both self-learning content and interactive sessions designed to help you understand, work with and effectively debrief the Personal Resilience Indicator. Depending on your pace, certification takes between 2-6 weeks to complete. 

During the certification program, you will work directly with the creators of the PRI to
○ learn the neuro-psychobiological foundations of the PRI
○ understand the psychometric properties of the PRI 
○ learn how to engage your clients on the topic of resilience with a holistic, playful metaphor
○ gain first-hand experience in debriefing the PRI with clients

Prior practical experience as a trained coach, therapist or mental health professional of at least one year or 100+ billed hours of coaching is a prerequisite for attending certification. 

For more information:
☞ https://mindmatters.pro
✎ nadine@mindmatters.pro
☏ +49(0)175-53 59 125

The Personal Resilience Indicator (PRI) | A validated, state-of-the-art Resilience Assessment

The #1 Amazon Bestseller in Australia, Germany, Netherlands, UK and US!

► Stop stressing and get your research projects on track!
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Some research projects just seem to fly along: generating result after result, the next paper coming together nice and easy. 

However, for most researchers, this picture looks very different. Despite your best efforts and long hours, your projects may not move forward as fast as they could be. Sometimes you wonder if you are making progress at all! Planning your project seems futile with the number of experiments that produce unexpected results if they produce any result at all.

ON TRACK is a step-by-step guide for researchers and principal investigators who want to change the way they manage projects and start leading with both clarity and confidence. 

► In this book you will learn that you can:
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○ Lead research projects without stress and overwhelm
○ See the big picture of your projects and make the right decisions to take the biggest step forward
○ Communicate with ease where your projects stand at any point in time
○ Consistently generate consults every 2-3 weeks
○ Implement a project management system that adapts to your working style and improves continuously

Read this book, start leading your research projects with clarity and confidence. Leave the stress behind as you strengthen the foundation for your career.

► Learn more about On Track and download a free chapter 
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☞ https://mindmatters.pro/ontrack

The #1 International Bestseller | ON TRACK How to Lead Research Project with Clarity & Confidence

Are you ready to turbo-charge your productivity in your research projects and reduce your stress levels? Fast Forward helps you to implement the productivity secrets that management consultants and high-performing industry teams use to generate results quickly. 

► 7 week training program in project management and productivity for researchers
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Follow in the footsteps of hundreds of researchers and join us for the next class. Fast Forward guides you step-by-step through the implementation of an agile project management and productivity system in your research projects. You will learn how to
○ Get clarity on your project goals
○ Define criteria and boundaries of success
○ Identify and involve the stakeholders of your projects 
○ Break down your projects into manageable work packages 
○ Design incremental end products 
○ Understand how to prioritise your activities
○ Structure your days for maximum productivity
○ Learn mechanisms to protect your time
○ Install daily and weekly routines to keep you focused
○ Establish a system for continuous improvement

► 3 reasons why improving your productivity should be a priority for you
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○ Increase your productivity in your research projects
○ Significantly reduce your stress levels
○ Develop your leadership skills

► What does my participation in the Fast Forward Implementation Program get me?
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○ 4-month access to the 7 implementation video modules
○ Downloadable workbooks and templates
○ Weekly Live Q&A Coaching Sessions
○ Support inside a private social media community
○ Accountability program

► Want to know more about the Fast Forward Implementation Program?
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☞ https://mindmatters.pro/fastforward
✎ nadine@mindmatters.pro
☏ +49(0)175-53 59 125

Fast Forward | Productivity and Project Management Training for Researchers

Nadine Sinclair Consulting & Coaching

As an Independent Consultant and Executive Coach, I help leaders working in fast-paced environments devising and implementing winning business strategies, improving their leadership skills and changing the way they work with their teams. 

► Key areas of expertise
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✔️ Strategic Planning ✔️ Project Management ✔️ Executive Coaching ✔️ Leadership Coaching ✔️ Leadership Development

► My functional expertise
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○ Strategy 
○ R&D
○ M&S

► The industries I focus on
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○ Pharma
○ Biotech
○ Private Equity
○ Automotive

► Selected Projects: Strategy
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○ Managed the development of a pharma business unit strategy
○ Led the cross-functional development of the go-to-market strategies for several biologics
 ○ Developed a strategic partnership strategy and co-led negotiations for a software company

► Selected Projects: M&S
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○ Designed a key account-planning tool in close collaboration with field force and senior management to support a product launch of a biologic
○ Implemented new sales processes as part of a national sales performance improvement program for a European automotive OEM

► Selected Projects: R&D
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○ Supported a healthcare foundation in defining their research agenda
○ Analysed and identified best practices of global pharmaceutical companies in managing the clinical development process

► Selected Projects: Executive Coaching
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○ Coaching and mentoring of a mid-level executive in stepping into a new cross-functional, cross-business unit role directly reporting to a board member
 ○ Coaching the CEO of a venture-capital backed tech startup in a critical financial situation

► Want to know more?
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✎ mail@nadine-sinclair.com
☏ +49(0)175-53 59 125

Strategy Consultant | Management Consultant | Executive Coach | Leadership Expert | Founder

Shameless Smoothies

Shameless Smoothies makes healthy nutrition easy with a range of 100% natural ready-to-mix superfood smoothies free from added sugar and additives. Sold to HNC Healthy Nutrition Company in September 2017 - a subsidiary of the Krüger Group, a market leader for instant consumer and dietary food products with an annual turnover of around 2 billion Euro.

► My Role In Shameless Smoothies
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As Founder and CEO of a startup I was involved in all aspects of the business, especially
○  As the brains behind the ready-to-mix smoothie concept developed the prototypes as well as the first go-to-market flavours; continued to be involved in product conception 
○  Developed the naming and branding from day 0 - from guiding all aspects of the design to packaging concept to copy writing style
○  Developed and negotiated strategic partnerships with several prominent brands
○  Worked with the press for 25+ product features and interviews, including several national TV appearances
○  Prepared sale of Shameless Smoothies and managed the handover process

► My Expertise
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✔️ Strategic Planning ✔️ Product Development ✔️ Business Development ✔️ Brand Development ✔️ Partnership Negotiations ✔️M&A

► More About Shameless Smoothies
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www.shameless-smoothies.com
www.krueger-unternehmen.de
www.hnc.de

Get in touch with me directly to learn more about my expertise and experience
✎ mail@nadine-sinclair.com
☏ +49(0)175-53 59 125

Entrepreneur | Founder | Business Development Expert | Brand Building Specialist

McKinsey & Company

As an External Advisor to McKinsey & Company, I supported McKinsey project teams on selected engagements in the private and public sector with my expertise.

► Key areas of expertise
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✔️ Strategic Planning ✔️ Project Management ✔️ Executive Coaching ✔️ Leadership Coaching ✔️ Leadership Development

► Functional expertise
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○ Strategy 
○ R&D
○ M&S

► Industry Expertise
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○ Pharma
○ Biotech
○ Clean Tech
○ Private Equity
○ Automotive

► Want to know more?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
✎ mail@nadine-sinclair.com
☏ +49(0)175-53 59 125

External Advisor McKinsey & Company | Management Consultant | Strategy Consultant | Executive Coach

► My Role
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As Engagement Manager, I was responsible for leading one or several internal and client projects on a day-to-day basis, including
○ Formulating hypotheses
○ Aligning deliverables with the client
○ Managing consultant teams
○ Coaching and mentoring junior team members
○ Managing stakeholder communication
○ Translating findings into recommendations
○ Communicating recommendations to the client
○ Planning and facilitating workshops
○ Meetings with senior management

Besides the daily project work, I was also responsible for client development and driving internal knowledge and practice initiatives, including
○ Creating and presenting project proposals
○ Participating at expert roundtables at industry conferences
○ Leading internal knowledge efforts 
○ Developing and facilitating trainings
○ Providing interview training for scientists

► My functional focus
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○ Strategy 
○ R&D

► My industry focus
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
○ Biotech/ Clean Tech
○ Chemicals
○ Automotive
○ Private Equity

► Selected projects:
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 
○ Led a multi-stakeholder team for the development of a national strategy for mobilisation of biomass for applications in bio-based technologies in SEA 
○ Identification and quantification of levers to improve the utilisation of several production facilities of a chemicals player 
○ Identified suitable locations for a production facility of a biotech company with a novel manufacturing process 
○ Comparative analysis of the capital efficiency of investment projects of a chemicals player and recommendation of guidelines to improve capital allocation 
○ Developed the economic model and business case for a venture capital funded biotech startup and developed investor communication materials 
○ Developed a perspective on and profiled the competitive landscape of innovative renewables technologies in the biotech space

Engagement Manager | Project Manager | Management Consultant

► My Role
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
As an Senior Associate and Junior Engagement Manager, I was responsible for leading internal and client projects on a day-to-day basis, including
○ Formulating hypotheses
○ Aligning deliverables with the client
○ Managing consultant teams
○ Coaching and mentoring junior team members
○ Managing stakeholder communication
○ Translating findings into recommendations
○ Communicating recommendations to the client
○ Planning and facilitating client workshops
○ Planning and preparing for meetings with senior management

► My functional focus
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○ Strategy 
○ R&D

► My industry focus
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○ Pharma
○ Biotech
○ Public Sector

► Selected projects:
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 ○ Identified and facilitated exchange of best practices within the global clinical trial organization of a global pharmaco
○ Performed a diagnostic of the research and development organization of a mid-sized biotech company 
○ Reviewed the national strategy for prevention, detection and treatment of non-communicable diseases 
○ Developed the concept, business case and investor strategy for a greenfield cancer center  
○ Developed a business plan and the investor strategy for a healthcare public-private partnership

Senior Associate & Junior Engagement Manager | Management Consultant

At McKinsey & Company, consultants work as a team together with their clients to conduct analysis and make recommendations to senior management.

► My Role
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As an Associate, I was responsible for delivering a defined part of a client project, including
○ Formulating hypotheses
○ Gathering and analysing data
○ Interviewing clients
○ Conducting market research
○ Planning and facilitating workshops
○ Translating findings into recommendations
○ Communicating recommendations to the client

► Selected Projects:
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○ Developed a national multi-channel strategy for a retail chain
○ Defined the portfolio strategy for a new therapeutic area for a pharmaco and evaluated of licensing and partnership options 
○ Designed a key account management system and a account segmentation database for a global pharmaco
○ Refined and piloted a sales strategy in a priority market for a mid-sized pharmaco

Associate | Management Consultant

Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry

Researching the spliceosome in the group of Prof. Dr. Reinhard Lührmann. The spliceosome is a complex molecular machine involved in determining which proteins are made by our cells. It trims and joins the RNA copy of a gene, so that it can serve as a blueprint for the manufacturing of the respective protein.

► My role in this field of research
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For my PhD thesis, I developed an in vitro system to study the composition and the shape of this molecular machine at different stages of the splicing process in the fruit fly. By comparing the results of my experiments, to the research done with yeast and human cells, this work provided important insights into the evolutionary origin of these machines.

PhD Student | Postdoctoral Researcher | Molecular Biologist

Sanofi

As a working student intern within the R&D Metabolic Diseases of Sanofi (Aventis Pharma Deutschland at the time), supported a post-doctoral researcher in the development of a new cell culture assay to screen properties of candidates for preclinical development.

► My role
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
○ Screening cell lines for expression of relevant transport proteins
○ Selecting cell lines with best expression profile for assay development
○ Testing of selected cell lines and development of reference parameters
○ Analysis and documentation of data

Research Student | Pharma Student Intern | Molecular Biologist

► Neuroleadership ► Resilience ► Mental Health ► Leadership Development ► Emotional Intelligence ► Strategy Consultant ► Author

Discover proven strategies grounded in neuroscience, cognitive science and behavioural economics to improve your productivity and emotional well-being.

► Do you let your self-doubts, fear, and past failures hold you back?
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Your ability to modulate your thoughts and emotions and act in accordance with your values, is directly linked to your creativity, performance, and stress levels. 

We help high-achievers turn their lives around, so that they can enjoy the life and the successes they are working so hard to create. By facilitating the journey from being controlled by inner experiences to effectively working with emotional states, we help them become more powerful and authentic leaders of themselves and others.

► What do you need help with?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
✔️ Emotional Intelligence Training
✔️ Emotional Resilience Training
✔️ Emotional Agility Development
✔️ Leadership Development
✔️ Leadership Coaching
✔️ Neuroleadership 
✔️ Productivity  

► What is our offer?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
► Straight Talk Signature Program: Emotional Agility Training for Leaders
Work with us 1:1 to move from being controlled by or trying to control your inner experience to effectively working with your emotional states. Discovering the neural basis of motivation, decision-making and change, will not only allow you to act in accordance with your values, and thus create more fulfilling experiences for yourself, but also to become a more effective and authentic leader.
☞ https://mindmatters.pro

► Fast Forward Program: Productivity and Project Management Training for Researchers
Join us for the Fast Forward Implementation Program and discover how to transform your productivity and lead research projects with confidence and less stress, while building a skillset that will serve you your entire career.
☞ https://mindmatters.pro/fastforward

► Want to know more?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
☞ https://mindmatters.pro
✎ nadine@mindmatters.pro
☏ +49(0)175-5359125

Nadine Sinclair

Spot on Jason Cooper.

Those quiet, committed reps are often the ones that build the deepest resilience.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #resilience #selfdiscipline

Love this Geraldine Spurway.

So often the courage to begin is what sets everything else in motion.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #courage #decisionmaking

Ami Khan, this is the foundation of self-leadership.

The moment we realise our response is our power, everything changes.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #responsibility #emotionalregulation

This hits deep Oge Okosieme.

Real leadership starts when we integrate the body into how we show up and decide.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #embodiment

Completely agree Briony Lawton.

Burnout isn’t a failure, it’s a call to realign with what truly matters.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #burnout #nervoussystem

Such a timely reminder from Gemma Carter-Morris.

When we measure our worth by how much we push through, we risk missing the deeper cost. Your best shouldn’t cost you your health.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #burnout #selfcare

You’re reminding us to see what’s already within, Ashok Narayanan.

That kind of power doesn’t need proving - it needs recognising.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #selfbelief #innerstrength

Right on Negar Farah.

Letting go of outdated success templates is one of the most liberating parts of personal growth.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #selfleadership #growth

Love this quiet nudge from Ellie Lloyd-Jones.

It’s not about grand gestures - it’s about small moments that bring you back to balance.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #balance #reflection

So well said Esther van Hout.

Many of us are realising that slowing down is often the missing piece in sustainable success.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #stressreduction #worklifebalance

Such a resonant reminder Charlotte Ashley-Roberts.

Groundedness helps us reconnect with our deeper sense of safety and clarity.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #trauma #emotionalregulation

A beautiful truth David Brown.

The strength found in self-acceptance is what allows lasting transformation.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #selfcompassion

Fully agree Rachel Stockey.

Well-being isn’t a reward at the end of the week, it’s something we can design into how we work every day.

#mindmatters #personalresilienceindicator #futureofwork #burnoutprevention

MCD Consulting

My services include business coaching and leadership coaching. 

As a business coach,  I work with organisations to help them improve the efficiency and quality of their services/products. I use quality management (LEAN) tools and methods to assist with problem solving, reducing waste, adding value and increasing efficiency. 
As a starting point I help organisational leaders and senior managers to prioritize the strategic areas for improvement. I then work with a Lean project team over an agreed number of weeks, introducing them to Lean tools and techniques and supporting them to achieve measurable results.

In addition to training on Lean management and group facilitation of activities such as process mapping and value-stream mapping, I draw attention to the systemic and cultural patterns of the organisation and support the development of change agendas that address operational and cultural change as well as employee engagement

I offer leadership and executive coaching to support individuals and teams to develop in a way that leads to increased motivation and performance as well as accountability for continuous improvement. All coaching programmes are scoped, measured and evaluated to show return on investment.

Lean | Leadership Development Coach

Jigsaw Better Business

Lean Management Coach. Leadership/Executive Coach.

Anne Sullivan Foundation

INTERNAL POLICY DEVELOPMENT 
_________

Creating, communicating and reviewing all organisational policies.
Inducting and training employees and team leaders in organisational policies and supervision
Auditing the extent to which policies are implemented throughout the organisation

ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC POLICY
____________

Leading the campaign for the recognition of deafblindness in Ireland which involved:

Facilitating and increasing inter-agency collaboration
Building relationships with connections with people who are deafblind around Ireland
Developing and facilitating Advocacy Working Groups
Lobbying members of government and liaising with politicians at local and national level to ensure that deafblindness is recognised and there is a change in public policY to reflect this.
Raising awareness of deafblindness among the public and professional bodies through organisation of awareness events and deafblind awareness training
Management of social media accounts 
Writing articles, submitting work for publication 
Establishing relationships with key people
Participating in research

Policy and Advocacy Lead

Anne Sullivan Centre

Project work was assigned by the CEO, whereby I led and developed processes and systems to improve the quality and efficiency of the service provided by the organisation. This required me to have specific change management skills as I worked with both front-line staff and management on all projects. Role involved provision of regular formal mentoring to front-line social care workers.

Mentor/Project Lead

Business Coach | Leadership Coaching, Lean Management

As owner of MCD Consulting, I provide Lean and leadership coaching to organizations seeking external support to develop their people, uncover systems and processes that are not working well, resolve issues, and build a culture of continuous improvement.

I take a systemic approach — drawing insights from coaching individuals and teams, and working with senior leaders to shape the supportive systems and culture that enable people to thrive.

With experience and training in Lean, Organizational Behaviour, and Leadership Coaching, I help organizations address both the process side and the people side of the business.

As a Lean coach, I work closely with teams to understand workflows, strengthen communication, and provide practical support to shift mindsets, develop skills, and improve systems.

My 1:1 leadership coaching programmes are tailored to individual roles using role-based competencies (and EI 2.0 psychometric assessment if necessary) to measure self-perception before and after the programme. Advanced coaching introduces 360-degree feedback and further develops self-awareness, preparing leaders to grow themselves and their teams.

Catherine McDonald

Leadership today isn’t a formula.. but it often involves three key ingredients: clarity, respect, and accountability. 
Together, they create trust, psychological safety and engagement.
 
 Many leaders rely on one or two of these ingredients. Here are a few familiar examples you might recognize- patterns of leadership you’ve probably seen before.
 
👩‍💻 The Director (Clarity Only)
💠 The Director gives clear instructions and deadlines. Everyone knows what to do and by when.
💠 But the tone is transactional, and teamwork suffers. Without respect or trust, blame replaces collaboration.
  

👩‍✈️ The Supporter (Respect and Accountability)
💠 The Supporter values people and takes responsibility for outcomes. The team feels cared for and trusted.
💠 But without shared direction or clarity of purpose, their efforts pull in different directions and momentum fades.
  

👨‍⚕️ The Friend (Clarity and Respect)
💠 The Friend is open, warm, and communicates well. People enjoy working for them.
 💠 But without clear accountability, expectations slip. Results depend on goodwill rather than ownership.
  

🤵‍♀️ The Driver (Clarity and Accountability)
💠 The Driver delivers. Targets are met, reports are complete, performance is visible.
 💠 But pressure replaces pride, and people start working from fear instead of purpose.
  

👨‍🏭 The Coach (Clarity, Respect, and Accountability)
💠 The Coach brings all three ingredients together.
💠 They explain the why, involve people in the how, and follow through on the what.
 💠 Their team performs with energy and confidence- not from pressure, but from pride.

💡 How does The Coach do it?
They turn those three ingredients into everyday habits: 

👉 Clarity becomes a communication habit -built through consistency in how leaders connect and communicate. It shows up in regular check-ins with individuals and teams, in the use of visual management to make priorities visible, and in creating spaces where people come together to solve problems and share ideas.

👉 Respect becomes a curiosity habit - taking time to go where the work happens, to observe, ask questions, and understand before giving direction.
 It’s about leading with interest rather than instruction, asking before telling, listening carefully, and encouraging ideas from everyone.

👉 Accountability becomes an organization habit - consistent follow-up, fair expectations, and recognition of progress.

When that balance is in place, performance stops needing constant supervision- people feel trust, psychological safety and engagement- and this is turn leads to improved focus and results.

Over to you...

❓Which of these leaders feels most familiar to you or your team?
 Where do you see your own strengths, and where might the gaps be?
 And if you’ve found ways to balance clarity, respect, and accountability, share them below - others could really benefit from your experience

Lean Leadership & Executive Coach | LinkedIn Top Voice ’24 & ’25 | Co-Host of Lean Solutions Podcast | Systemic Practitioner in Leadership & Change | Founder, MCD Consulting

We can’t keep calling them “tough conversations” because if that’s how we see them, we’ll keep avoiding them.

Few leaders enjoy conversations where something needs to be said, but saying it might cause discomfort. 

BUT every great leader has learned how to have them.

👉 Avoiding them leads to confusion and resentment.
👉 Handling them badly leads to conflict and defensiveness.
👉 Handling them well leads to trust, clarity, and respect.

Tough conversations aren’t about being tough on people- they’re about being clear with people.
 
When something isn’t working- a behaviour, a performance issue, a broken agreement- silence doesn’t protect relationships. It slowly damages them.

People can feel when you’re frustrated but not saying it. They fill in the blanks themselves, often imagining the worst.

Tough conversations are not about winning or losing. They’re about understanding and alignment.

 When your goal is to be right, the other person becomes defensive.
 When your goal is to learn and clarify, the other person becomes open.

💡Top Tips
Approach each conversation with three intentions:
 1️⃣ Clarity...What’s really going on here?
 2️⃣ Care...How can I express this in a way that respects both of us?
 3️⃣ Curiosity... What might I be missing?

When clarity, care, and curiosity work together, conversations shift from confrontation to collaboration.

Honest conversation, even when uncomfortable, is an act of respect.
 It says, “You matter enough for me to be honest with you.”

That’s why great leaders don’t avoid conversations.
They approach them with preparation, care, and clarity.

Because a tough conversation, done well, can strengthen a relationship- not damage it.

 You can’t build accountability without honesty.
 You can’t build trust without transparency.

When you speak the truth with genuine care, you’re not making life difficult, you’re being a leader.

What do people need, first and foremost in their leader?

They need someone who is self-aware... someone who understands their own impact, habits, and blind spots.

That's why the first person you lead every day is yourself.

This is easy to nod along to, but it's not easy to do. 

Life teaches us lessons along the way, that slowly open our eyes to how much intention this requires. 

As teenagers, many of us were self-focused. In our first leadership role, ego probably popped up again in subtler ways: wanting to be right, needing to be seen as capable, trying to prove ourselves. (I've been there myself).

The people who succeed as leaders aren’t the ones who avoid these mistakes- they’re the ones who learn that those mistakes were necessary. They don't bat away the emotion that comes from making mistakes- they draw it in and process it, learn from it, and adjust their behaviour accordingly. 

Over time, the greatest leaders have realized leadership isn’t about being impressive- it’s about being aware.
 💠 Aware of emotion and what it is telling them
 💠 Aware of how they impact others
 💠 Aware of when their ego is getting in the way of real connection.

That awareness doesn't appear overnight- it takes:

✨ Feedback: asking others how your actions affect them.
✨ Reflection: taking time to pause and notice your patterns.
✨ Humbling experiences-:moments that challenge your assumptions and stretch your growth.

Before you step into a meeting, make a decision, or respond to a problem, remember that you bring yourself- your thoughts, habits, emotions, and assumptions. 

And all of that shapes how you lead.

That’s why the journey of leadership always begins in the mirror.

If you want to see what respect for people looks like in action, watch a great leader coach their team...and see how belief meets behaviour

At the heart of EVERY effective leadership philosophy is one simple idea: respect for people.

Respect isn’t about being “nice.” It starts with belief.
✨ Believing that people have ideas worth hearing.
✨ Believing that they want to do good work.
✨ Believing that they’re capable of solving problems.

Most importantly, it's about belief that is acted upon! 

A leader who coaches doesn’t just believe in people, they behave in a way that proves it.

🟡 They listen.
🟡 They ask questions.
🟡 They give people room to think and grow.

That’s why coaching really is respect for people in action.

Coaching is what turns respect from a value into a daily habit. And it’s what turns leadership from a role into a relationship.

#Lean tools are simply practices and behaviours.
When we look at them this way, everything changes.

They stop being checklists or templates and start becoming habits...ways of thinking and working that shape culture.

✨ 5S becomes a method of respect for people’s time and workspace. 
✨ Standard work becomes shared clarity.
✨ Visual management becomes open communication.

Tools are not more or less important than behaviours- they simply help us to add shape, structure and purpose to them 🤷‍♂️ 

Have your say ⬇️

This week's episode of the Lean Solutions Podcast features Tina Patel Gunaldo, PhD, DPT, MHS. And the conversation is all about Interprofessional Collaboration. 

Patrick and I found Tina’s message to be very relevant for today’s leaders and Lean practitioners. She reminds us that teams can’t move quickly or improve continuously when decisions are tied by external influences

We often have to work with people outside of our team or organization. 

By creating opportunities for the professions involved to collabate, leaders can help teams act faster, share ideas more freely, and keep improvement flowing.

This approach also tackles one of the biggest challenges in Lean- breaking down silos. Many improvements involve several departments, but rigid hierarchies make cross-functional work slow and messy. Encouraging collaboration across teams helps align everyone around shared goals and keeps communication open.

At the heart of this is trust and psychological safety. Lean isn’t just about tools and processes, it’s about people feeling safe to speak up, suggest changes, and take ownership. 

Finally, team science gives leaders evidence to back this up. It shows why certain collaboration habits work and how to build stronger, more connected teams. 

Thanks Tina for sharing your insights and wisdom. 🙏

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Catherine McDonald

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