LEADERSHIP COACHING
Shannon has been coaching for 11 years, is an ICF Professional Certified Coach and received her coaching certification from the Georgetown Leadership Coaching Program. She uses tools such as the VIA Character Strengths survey and techniques from improv and the theatrical arts to help individuals and teams understand and value their strengths. Shannon enjoys working with individuals at any stage in their career – supporting them to bring their whole selves to work. She is also passionate about bringing the science of resilience to help mitigate the stress of our busy lives. She is also deeply involved in her own coaching practice where she is committed to a practical, evidence-based form of open discussion and feedback. She creates a safe space where clients bring concerns without judgment, yet where unhelpful behaviors are confronted and addressed. She considers coaching a rare opportunity to effect change on a deep level.
She was one of the first 100 people in the world to receive her Master of Applied Positive Psychology degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and Yale College.
Specialty Areas
- Strengths-Based Coaching Skills for Managers and Professionals
- Presentation Skills Training and Coaching
- Building Relationships (Communication, Networking, Business Development)
- Leadership Development
- Coaching for Resiliency and Stress Management
"Shannon’s work has been nothing short of transformative. Taking time to notice reactions, thought patterns and responses seems to be a cornerstone of Shannon’s approach. I have learned to stop and notice why I do things, and why I think about certain things the way I do. I have seen my approach to my manager in a completely different light, and in a way that has improved my relationship with him, and my own view on how we get along. Separately, I have challenged a tendency I have to catastrophize when things go wrong; Shannon’s practical yet thoughtful approaches have helped me here and in other areas too many to count."
Managing Director, Deloitte
"With the way our PMP process works, we are constantly judging others on how well they do against their opportunities so concentrating on Strengths helped me identify ways in which I can help my team continue to build on their personal strengths. I found that concentrating on my team's strengths brought the best out of everyone as they are more confident with their known strengths. As a team we each discussed our strengths which helped the team learn more about each other. I found that after discussing our strengths people were more accepting of each other helping discussions move forward more effectively."
Director, American Express
"Mindset was the biggest change (from our coaching work). Now I’ll start from ‘yes’ or ‘why not’ rather than ‘why’. I have more of a positive outlook. I can help other people. I got to where I am because of me and the work I do. And I shouldn’t undervalue that. If I can help others then I should. ‘Why not’ rather than a ‘why’. A ‘can do this’ not ‘I can’t do this’. In some ways, you could put it like Positive psychology. It is the same…I found a big chunk of what I got in the mindset was similar when I saw a CBT therapist. It is the same sort of thing. It is more about you and more personal than just leadership. And it affects all dimensions. (This coaching is) not just about work."
Director, Major Credit Card Company
WORKSHOPS
The Power of Positive Management
In order to create fully engaged work environments, managers need specific tools that allow them to achieve high levels of performance. The latest research in psychology and neuroscience is revealing the power of how positive emotions and employees’ strengths can be unleashed to stimulate better performance, higher levels of productivity and full engagement. This is what our Positive Management training program gives you – practical simple tools based in empirical research that can transform your work environment into one that drives performance and improves well-being.
Click on the links below to learn more about the Workshops:
"Shannon was a wonderful keynote speaker at our Finance team’s Career Enrichment Day. Before the event, Shannon made connections with key stakeholders and worked diligently to refine her presentation to suit the planning committee’s goals. During her presentation, Shannon actively worked to engage the audience, including remote participants, and drew them in with relevant, tailored examples. Each of us learned so much about how to leverage our strengths for a lifetime of success and happiness. Shannon’s enthusiasm and deep knowledge drove great feedback from our participants. Shannon was a pleasure to work with throughout the process and I hope we have the opportunity to work together again in the future."
Beth Adkins,
Assistant Controller,
GE Aviation
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Shannon also facilitates large-scale change processes using a method called Appreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a positive, strengths-based approach to change that seeks to discover the best in people, their organisations and the world at large. The foundational belief is that every living system has something that works well already, where people have experienced some success, some satisfaction, something positive in their lives and that success is best achieved by building on these strengths.
It is grounded in the belief that we live in a world our questions create. This is because the questions we ask determine the results we get. In fact, Peter Drucker once noted that the most common mistake in management decisions is the emphasis on finding the right answer, rather than asking the right question. Thus, given that change begins with the very first question we ask, Appreciative Inquiry focuses on asking positive questions that seek the true, the good and the possible to energise people and pull them forward.
Appreciative Inquiry applies a process known as the 4-D cycle. Anchored around a positive topic of inquiry, for example “Creating Highly Valued Client Relationships” (see over), the cycle is as follows: Discover – to discover and appreciate the best of what is by sharing stories of high-point experiences, highlighting strengths, capabilities and assets; Dream – to imaginatively envision what might be based on past successes, current strengths and future possibilities; Design – to construct pathways that will support, develop and manifest movement from the current state towards the future opportunity; and Destiny – to sustain momentum by inviting responsibility to take action and build capacity with an appreciative eye.