Leigh Jackson MSc CPCC MCIPR FRSA, Director, Coaching Technology Services Ltd.
Hi! Welcome to my “about” page. I’ve always had a fascination for what makes people tick. Had I done the (then) required physics and chemistry at A-Levels, my chosen university would have allowed me to study psychology. But they didn’t – and so I didn’t! Until a number of years later, when as a mature student, I returned to do postgraduate studies in counselling and in organisational psychology. And trained as a career and leadership coach. My true calling!
It’s now been 13 years since I started coaching and supporting high-potential leaders and managers to move into careers and roles that bring them more alive. So I now bring a lot of practitioner experience and knowledge to my coaching work. It’s been a real privilege and thrill to witness my clients in their transformation and to accompany them on part of their journey. The positive feedback I receive continues to spur me on.
Before I became a full-time coach, I worked in corporate communications for the BBC, for central government and in the private sector. And as a consultant. I’ve held jobs in every conceivable kind of communications specialism, from public affairs, stakeholder management, change management and media relations through to employer branding and employee engagement. I’ve held all kinds of leadership and management roles, both strategic and operational; been a senior civil servant; coached other senior civil servants; led a global team for a FTSE 100 company; consulted to a financial services regulator.
And from the mid to late “noughties”, I had the great good fortune to work with the videogames industry and other digital sectors as a government policy civil servant. That was where I fell in love with interactive technologies and all things tech. (I freely admit to being a gadget girl). I developed a real passion for the feisty and irrepressible videogames sector and am proud to have been connected to it for a number of years as Deputy CEO of the NFP Women in Games (WIGJ).
And all this as an introvert! In a world of (largely) extroverts. I’ve had some great times and some challenging times. Learning to project my (quieter) voice over a hubbub of extroversion has had its interesting moments. However, it has given me (a) real optimism that introverts can indeed thrive in corporate environments. And (b) a strong desire to help other introverts find their voice and succeed and/or make it to the top. In the way that’s authentic and rewarding for them.
Credentials/qualifications:
- ICF-accredited CPCC coach certification
- CTI (Coaches Training Institute) Core Curriculum Certificate
- ILM (Institute of Leadership & Management) Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching & Leadership Mentoring
- ORSCC (Organisational Relationship Systems team coaching) Fundamentals Certificate
- Licensed Firework (TM) Career Coach & Firework Ambassador
- BPS Test User Certificate (Occupational Ability & Personality)
- Accredited practitioner, NEO-PI-3 personality assessment
- Accredited practitioner, Hogan Development Survey (HDS) & Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI)
- Accredited practitioner, Myers-Briggs Step 1
- Accredited practitioner, Strengthscope
- Accredited practitioner for Lumina Spark, Lumina Team, Lumina Emotion, Lumina Select and Lumina Leader/360 psychometric tools
- MSc in Organizational Behaviour (Birkbeck, University of London)
- PG Diploma in Psychosynthesis Counselling (UEL)
- Mental Health First Aider (MHFA, England)
Coaching Technology 