Creatively different
My whole career has been about understanding human behaviour.
I have journeyed, at a senior level, through finance, data, customer segmentation and social media, but at the core of my learning there has always been a curiosity for how people connect.
Today, my goal is to share my curiosity and help leaders to see ‘difference’ as ‘huge potential’.
Early stage
When I first started my career as a qualified accountant I learned to look at the business world through the lens of money and finances as the critical elements to measure success. I then joined the world of retail and combined this understanding of success with leadership development as a tool for business growth. At this stage, I had the fortune of being part of the delivery team for the ‘Making Sainsbury’s Great Again’ project, the transformational change initiative that turned around the performance of the U.K’s second largest chain of supermarkets.
The next phase of my career in consultancy brought me into multiple industries at the most senior levels, all within fast-paced companies, honing skills in data visualisation, customer segmentation and client management. Amongst others, I had the opportunity to work with clients such as Colgate, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Triumph Motorcycles and The Body Shop.
The ‘But’ moment
At the ‘top of my game’, working at a senior level with renowned organisations I was struck by the realisation that the word ‘we’ had vanished and the word ‘I’ had taken hold, standing alone in a deafening silence.
Strong, passionate colleagues stopped being brave, curious and creative, too afraid in the end to try new things. Worst of all, they stopped believing in themselves and their own capabilities; it felt like a soulless workhouse stood where a greenhouse could have flourished.
The critical turn arrived when I witnessed a real void forming in the business performance of an exciting entrepreneurial organisation. Despite the fact that the leadership team was made of some of the most influential people in the business world, and that they were working with some of the newest and brightest data scientists directly out of university, something was amiss. Why weren’t the experienced leaders listening to the new knowledge that was put in front of them? Instead of ‘listening’ they were ‘telling’, and that’s when I started to question what ‘success’ means.
It was at this point, with the help of my incredibly supporting network, together with my mentors and coaches, that I reflected upon my over 20 years’ experience of diverse organisations and clients and uncovered what truly makes the difference in any organisation: it doesn’t matter how much data is available, the excellence of the product, the experience of the board of directors, or the financial options. What matters is how leaders inspire, grow and support the individuals who work in the organisation around them.
The change
I believe that we are greater than the sum of our parts; however, we are losing the ability to tap into the potential that surrounds us. Instead, we allow labels, judgement and fear to define the connections we make with people.
Today, I work closely with organisational leaders to change this. I take time to build trusted relationships and ensure that people within the organisation become more connected, energised, and naturally inclusive. And by doing that, I help individuals as well as organisations, solve concrete problems with clear results.
Qualifications / Awards
ACMA – Qualified accountant CIMA 20 years
CPCC –Certified Co Active Coach
I, Chloe
Like many other women, I pride myself on the various important roles in my life: I am a mother, wife, sister, daughter and best friend amongst others. I have an absolute love and respect for the sea and my family can frequently be found laughing and chilling in wetsuits.
I’m a naturally creative and curious person who loves connecting people to each other and to themselves. Meeting new and different people energises me. And this is true through the whole of my life: I love to host a party, to bring others together with a huge welcome and, truth be told, some sparkle too.
At work, I bring this same energy to my commitment of supporting today’s leaders, through a journey of thinking differently, by actively challenging conventional mindsets, uncovering new connections, and accessing different perspectives to deliver positive change.
I’d love to work with you.
