Simon Holmes

Trusted human-centric technical leader and published technical author with 20+ years driving innovation through strategic vision, problem-solving, building collaborative relationships, and cultivating high-performing teams. Proven abilities in communicating complex concepts to broad audiences coupled with a unique blend of technical and business acumen.

Co-Founder and Consultant

Is your engineering team not running the way you want it to? Chances are it's not a technical issue or a skills gap. Chances are, it's more complex - it's human.

We partner with people who believe what we believe, namely that:
1) Software engineering is a deeply human endeavour
2) Software delivery and organisational performance are predicted by the underlying engineering culture

Alongside consultancy, change management, and interim management two of our most popular services are:

1) Engineering Culture Index
Our Engineering Culture Index provides a way to measure your engineering culture, highlighting the strengths of the team and the issues holding you back.

2) Team Dependencies Matrix
Identify the hidden bottlenecks and dependencies that are slowing your team town.

For both of these we help you with the root cause analysis and corrective actions. They are often combined together into a complete actionable audit.

Maureen Adams MBA, ACC

As the founder of Cumulus Coaching Ltd, I work with individuals, leaders, and SMEs to strengthen collaboration, improve performance, and build teams that are motivated, engaged, and aligned with their organisation’s goals. My coaching is rooted in the belief that when people understand their purpose and play to their strengths, they not only perform better — they lead better.

With an MBA, ICF ACC accreditation, and a background in business development, I bring both strategic insight and a people-centred coaching approach. I support clients in navigating change, communicating with clarity, and making confident decisions that drive progress.

💬 I work with:

Leaders and emerging executives who want greater clarity, confidence, and direction in their leadership journey.

Companies and leadership teams are looking to improve alignment, retain talent, and embed a coaching-led culture that supports long-term growth.

If you're ready to create a more aligned, resilient, and purpose-driven way of working—for yourself or your team—feel free to reach out or connect. I’d be glad to start the conversation.

CEO and Founder of Cumulus Coaching Ltd

An executive coaching company whose purpose is to enable individuals, teams, and organisations to transform how they work to create more value through working collaboratively and with a clearly defined purpose. 

I help people at the managerial level to get the best from their teams and to recognise the value of motivation for themselves and others through aligning with their strengths and values

“Our activity is not unduly complex or out of reach of the team, but the volume is overwhelming.”

I remember saying this as a senior leader – and realising I was on the verge of burning out a very capable team.

Nothing was “too hard”.

The problem was how work hit them: constant demand, duplicated requests, blocked processes, everything “urgent”.

My first move was the usual: push harder, reprioritise, rally the troops.
It helped briefly. Then the same problems came back.

What finally changed things was stepping back to look upstream:

- Where is demand being created unnecessarily?

- Where does work bounce around or get stuck?

- What assumptions am I making about “this is just how it is”?

Psychology calls this confirmation bias – proving our old view right instead of imagining a better system.

The better move is not to squeeze more out of a capable team, but to create the space to challenge the assumptions you’re unconsciously confirming. 
Looking at demand upstream, not just productivity downstream.

Bringing in different perspectives lets us see the problem from different angles.

So instead, I worked with 'Imagine'

- Imagine if we could drive up satisfaction with our services, what would it take?
- Imagine if we could deal with the root cause of the problem, what would that look like?

Because, by borrowing the phrase of one of my coaching clients, 'the art of the possible' is where creativity starts, and frustration and tensions dissipate.

We all have invisible obstacles in our minds. We cling to approaches that worked in the past, even when they’re no longer right for the present. 

That’s our brain on confirmation bias: proving ourselves right instead of asking, “What else might be possible?

🔍 If you’re noticing the same issue repeating in your team or role, it might not be a performance problem – it might be a thinking problem.

That’s the work I do now, creating a protected space to step out of firefighting mode, examine the system you’ve built, and redesign it so your teams can thrive rather than endure.

If you’re leading a capable but overwhelmed team, and you suspect the issue is bigger than “more effort”, independent and confidential coaching can give you that space to unpack the sticking points and assess your solutions in a way that works for you.

Maureen Adams ICF ACC

Executive Leadership Coach | Leadership Development for Individuals and Teams | NED and Chair| Business Owner of Cumulus Coaching

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