Rebecca Johnson

The ability to communicate effectively is central in enabling us to thrive both personally and professionally. I have worked in the L&D sector for 15 years and regularly facilitate learning group workshops exploring various communication-related themes. I also work as a systemic leadership coach – working one-to-one and also with teams.

My work with individuals, with teams, and with larger, learning groups is in essence about building awareness and self-efficacy in three crucial areas. These are:

1. Identifying a clear purpose - that is, a unified understanding of individual and team/group purpose that is consistent with the overarching organisational purpose.

2. Effective communication to underpin strong relationships that foster collaboration and collective momentum.

3. Central to all of this is nurturing the conditions for trust - a climate where different perspectives can be heard, respected and integrated into effective decision-making and high-performance.

It seems that the goal for any organisation is to achieve the highest performance standards possible in the pursuit of its purpose, as this is the key to success. However, individual wellbeing and personal flourishing are the foundations for this. And this success at an individual level is profoundly influenced by the efficacy of communication and the inter-relatedness of the constituent parts.

In my work with learning groups and teams I’ve experienced first-hand how a paucity of effective communication, or mixed messaging causes individuals and teams to lose sight of the core organisational purpose and their meaningful contribution to that. Without this clear sense of direction, I’ve witnessed individuals, teams and groups displaying a range of derailing symptoms. These behaviours include becoming overly inward-focussed, disengagement, stasis, lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities, and destructive conflict.

Through a range of activities and exercises we explore core purpose, long term vision and values. Whether working one-to-one or within groups/teams my sessions enable the client to have the conversation they need to have with themselves. My observation is that too much time in organisations is spent on the ‘hamster wheel’, with an eyes-down focus on operational matters. While too little time is dedicated to reflection, learning, unlearning, and re-thinking. It’s a genuine thrill to witness clients becoming re-energised by an eyes-up focus on future strategy and needs, and an empowering sense that they are collectively shaping the path forwards.

I’m accredited as a coach by the International Coaching Federation. My particular focus on communication leverages the experience I’ve gained while engaging with audiences over a thirty-two-year career as a professional actor. I have worked with coachees from a wide range of industries and across numerous Fortune 100 organisations.