Style and approach
In one-to-one work, Penny works flexibly to assist clients in increasing their personal effectiveness and achieving the goals and changes they have chosen. How she does this depends upon the circumstances of the individual client. Her style is sometimes supportive, sometimes challenging, but always based upon profound attention to, and respect for, the client. Her approach is practical, creative and realistic. She draws out and builds upon her clients’ intrinsic competence and knowledge. She works with them to help attain the results they seek in the short term, while building longer-term capacity through increased self-awareness and the alignment of personal style and work goals. Her clients have described her as wise, a great listener, humorous and heretical.
Experience and talent
Penny has worked as a coach and mentor for over 8 years. She has coached people at all levels in both public and private sector organisations, often leading up to or following promotion. She also works extensively in facilitation, team and leadership development, organisational change, research and evaluation. She believes that skills of listening, challenge, engagement, questioning and feedback are essential when working with individuals or with groups. She enjoys work that requires the ability to cross cultural boundaries, whether these are boundaries between sectors, organisations, teams, between professionals and managers or across national boundaries.
Recent projects/clients
Both Penny and her clients have benefited from the diversity of her experience. Her client base reflects this and includes Diageo, United Biscuits, the King’s Fund/NHS London Board Leadership Programme, Nokia, University of Bedfordshire, Lambeth Primary Care Trust, Lloyds TSB, Norfolk County Council, Oxleas Foundation Trust, Chevron, Hertfordshire County Council, The Department of Health, South Downs NHS Trust, Amlin, University of Sussex and The Legal Services Commission.
Previous work history
Before specialising in individual and organisational development, Penny worked as a senior manager in the NHS. She directed the merger of two acute NHS trusts and prior to that worked in governance, with particular interest in the leadership and managerial development of senior medical staff. During this period she was a reviewer for the then Commission for Health Improvement. Earlier in her NHS career she worked in public health as part of a commissioning agency, in primary care development and in health-related research. She also undertook research into the quality of life of patients following renal and liver transplantation in Catalonia. Penny also works as a an Associate tutor on a Master’s programme in People and Organisational Development
Qualifications and development
In her Master’s degree in Organisational Development, Penny focused on coaching and development work with groups. Her earlier studies were in sociology and psychology, with particular reference to the sociology of illness and healthcare organisation. She is qualified and experienced in the use of the personality instruments MBTI, FIRO-B and TMP. She has completed the foundation year at the Institute of Group Analysis and participated in a programme on the psychodynamic aspects of organisational life run by the British Association of Psychotherapists. She reflects on her practice with a psychodynamically trained organisational consultant.
