"Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It's precisely that simple, and it's also that difficult."
Warren Bennis
“Working with Nikki has been transformative … Every session created a ‘safe’ platform for us to explore complex issues together, and Nikki’s ability to listen and ask the right questions has been instrumental in my growth as a leader.”
Chris Cusens, Group Cost Planning Manager, Naylor Love
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One-to-one coaching for motivated leaders
C Suite executives
General managers
New leaders
Being a leader can feel like one challenge after another
New leader
You’re new to being a leader and you know you've a lot to learn.
New role
You’re stepping into a bigger role and you want to do a great job.
New strategy
Your organisation has changed direction and you need some support.
Big targets
You’re under pressure to deliver growth but stuck on what to do.
Big ambitions
You want to work on your leadership and be the best you can be.
Big friction
A difficult staff member is derailing your whole team and you need help.
“I’ve had other coaches before but Nikki really stood out. Her style of questioning uncovered strengths that I thought I had made the most of. Untrue. Nikki took me to a whole new level. She inspired self-growth and a new level of excitement in my job as General Manager. Highly recommend.”
LeAnne Robinson
Coaching is confronting
It isn’t easy to become a better person. It can be hard to look inside yourself and hear feedback without shutting down when you hear something tough. Leadership expert Warren Bennis said: "Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It's precisely that simple, and it's also that difficult."
It takes courage to work with a coach
You’re willing to look inside
You’ll go deep to see what's at your core, and you’re brave enough to be honest about what you see.
You see the bigger picture
You’re conscious how your actions impact your whole organisation and you want to be a more positive force.
You’re motivated to improve
You’re willing to do the work, from those challenging conversations to the tough thinking between sessions.
You’re willing to look inside
You understand you can't change others; you can only change yourself, and you believe you can evolve.
This coaching isn’t for you if…
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You’ve been told you need coaching but don’t want to do the work. I can’t help people who are just here to tick a box.
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You don't see how your leadership impacts everyone and you aren’t taking ownership for the performance of your whole organisation.
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You feel like everything happens to you and you aren’t willing to explore the role you play in your experience and take control of your own life.
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You think you know it all and you’re not willing to be challenged or to consider another point of view.
“Working with Nikki has been an incredibly transformative experience … she took the time to understand my goals, my challenges, and my leadership style, and helped me to refine and strengthen it in ways I never expected. Thanks to Nikki, I’ve gained clarity, confidence, and a deeper understanding of how to lead with purpose and authenticity.”
Hasaru
Coaching can be truly transformative
Confidence in yourself
Gain more confidence leading your team, communicating, and making decisions. Have trust in your own insight and knowledge. Have the confidence to go for (and win) a bigger role.
More growth for the business
When you’re a stronger leader, your team performs better, which benefits your organisation’s bottom line. You also gain perspective, see the bigger picture clearly, and spot more opportunities for business growth.
Confidence in your team
Trust your team enough to take ownership of tasks. When your team gets the chance to show their true potential, they’ll see potential for growth and progression and become a happier, more stable team.
More time for yourself
Many leaders complain they're too busy, work ridiculous hours, and never see their families. Identify areas you can delegate and empower your team to grow their careers, while taking more time for yourself.
“Having never undertaken any personal development training before, Nikki was fantastic at easing me into the journey and helping me to discover my strengths. She provided useful scenarios to reflect on so that I could learn new leadership techniques and skills.”
Sara-Jayne Kingston
Your leadership coaching process
Step 1: Discovery
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We start by unpacking your life story to help me know you as a person. We look at what motivates you and makes you the leader you are today. Then we do a few exercises to help you better understand yourself.
1: Psychometric tests
One test helps you understand how you see the world and communicate, the other helps you recognise your social needs. These tests also give you more insight on how others see the world differently and have different needs. As a leader, you must be able to put yourself in others’ shoes.
2: 360-degree feedback
Our intentions don’t always show in the way we behave. Feedback from your team, peers, and boss helps you see how you show up as a leader, and how others see you compared to how you see yourself.
3: Reflection on your insights
We close with a 90-minute session where we unpack what you’ve learned through the testing and 360-degree appraisal and identify areas to improve.
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Step 2: Coaching​
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Our leadership coaching relationship lasts for six months. During that time, you get as much support as you need. Most leaders schedule catch ups every three-four weeks, however you can also email me or schedule a quick call if you need support with anything between coaching sessions.
We don’t work through a set coaching programme. Sessions are guided by your needs, based on areas you want to work on from your 360 feedback or your psychometric tests or issues you’re facing at work or at home.
Your coaching investment
Six-month coaching package
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Initial discovery with you.
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Psychometric testing.
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Coordinating 360-degree appraisal.
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Analysing results and presenting insights from testing and appraisal.
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Unlimiting coaching support for six months, including coaching sessions, email support, and calls to discuss issues as needed.
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Upfront: $5,700 + GST
“Nikki is an outstanding coach who through expert questioning makes you challenge your own thinking and processes while supporting with great suggestions to make you probe deeper into the issue at hand. I highly recommend her."
Stephen Dallow
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Hey I'm Nikki
Your leadership partner
I’ve led teams for almost 30 years in government, small businesses, and large organisations. But it wasn't until late in my leadership career I discovered coaching. It was so transformative, I become a coach myself.
Today, I deliver coaching for both the Institute for Strategic Leadership and The Bridge Leaders, as well as coaching teams and leaders myself. As a leader you impact everyone around you. Helping you become the best leader you can be gives me so much joy.
My leadership coaching principles
Look up at the world
Stop staring at your feet and look up. You’ve an impact on your whole organisation, so how can you benefit everyone by looking beyond your team, beyond your industry, and beyond New Zealand?
You can't change others, only yourself
However, you can change yourself to have more impact on others. You can change how you react, how you work with other people, and the way you communicate your message to inspire change.
Your team are doing the best they can
When you understand that, it takes away any feelings you may have of annoyance. You begin to look at your team differently, take ownership of the situation, and ask yourself what you can do to support them to excel.
“My experience with Nikki has been exceptional. I have really connected and achieved so much from these sessions … Now that I have completed the course I feel I am achieving a real turn around in my day-to-day thinking.”
Tracey Preston, Branch Manager, Stonefields
Team coaching FAQs
​​Q: How often should we meet?
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Most people book a coaching session with me every three to four weeks, however you have my unlimited support while you have me as a coach. If you're dealing with an intense situation where you need to meet more often, I’m here to help.
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Q: Do I need a coach or a mentor?
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This coaching isn’t for you if you’re looking for someone to tell you what to do. If you want that, you need a mentor who is a specialist in your industry.
Coaching works on the basis that you already have the answers you need inside you because you know your context better than anyone else.
You simply need some support to make more confident decisions. By doing the work to become a better leader you learn to trust yourself more.
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Q: Who should have a coach?
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Anyone in any leadership position or anyone aspiring to be a leader.
A lot of people think they have to be at a certain level of seniority or expertise to have a coach. But you don’t have to be earn the right to have a coach.
Anyone at any level can benefit from having a coach. I didn't know coaching was a thing for most of my 30-year leadership career, but I wish I'd had a leadership coach from day one.
If you’re ambitious and motivated and you want to work in leadership, you can partner with a coach to achieve that goal.
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Q: When's the best time to get a coach?
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Often leaders get a coach to help them handle a promotion into a new role, to support them if they’re struggling, or to give them an extra boost when their organisation is going through change.
These are all excellent reasons to work with a coach; however, you don't have to be in any of those situations. You can simply feel motivated to invest in yourself and be the best leader you can be.
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Q: Where are you based? Do you coach leaders all over New Zealand?
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I’m based in Auckland, New Zealand and coach leaders based in Auckland either face to face or remotely. I also offer leadership coaching around the rest of New Zealand and the world remotely using video calls.
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