Philippa Hardman
Co-Founder
What’s she like?
Full of energy – an extrovert and livewire, who’s also learnt to spot and respond appropriately when more stillness and reflection is required.
Very pragmatic. She doesn’t want you to waste your time. If she thinks something won’t work, she’ll tell you.
Really cares for the people she works with and wants the best for them, whether it’s individually, as a team or even wider. This might mean some difficult conversations and she won’t shy away from them. But it will all be in service of getting the best for you.
Good at making things happen. In other words, she’s reliable and will deliver what she says and when she says it. She’ll help you do the same.
Curious about what’s now going on in our world and how things we’ve been certain of for a long time no longer work or are no longer enough. Likes helping leaders and teams be really curious, finding new possibilities.
Loves working across the spectrum of organisational groupings – from individuals to teams and Boards to large groups of several hundred all in a room at the same time.
Been described as a “fearless facilitator”, prepared and able to help groups to have conversations and get to place they never imagined could be possible. Able to hold up a mirror to a group and help them notice what’s going on, challenge when it’s needed and think on her feet to adapt any process to get the best result for you.
What’s she done?
She’s been a management consultant and organisation development consultant for over 20 years, working with many different sectors.
In particular she’s worked with all kinds of financial services organisations, media companies, pharmaceuticals, professional services, FMCG. Many others too including large charities and public sector organisations.
She’s worked all across Europe, the Middle East and North America. She speaks German and can arrange the essentials – travel, wine and food – in French and Spanish.
Co-developed a pioneering way of large group strategy engagement at Ashridge, the renowned business school and consultancy – a participative way to include whole teams and even whole organisations in strategic exploring, insight and creativity.
Supported the strategic thinking of all sorts of different businesses – from acting as the thinking partner to an individual to working with the strategy team to identify different options to setting up processes that will engage several hundred or even several thousand in contributing to the strategic thinking of the business. She’s also worked with many management teams on thinking about how they structure their business, recognising it can be a painful process and difficult choices sometimes must be made.
Helped leaders, and would-be leaders, become more skilful about how they move their part of the business forward, become more conscious about how they lead and the implications of their actions in motivating others to excel.
She has over 15 years of experience of working specifically with Boards and top teams, including those in the FTSE top 30. She also coaches senior leaders to help them find space to reflect on, and find responses too, the many challenges and opportunities they face.
Why does she bother?
Philippa has been immensely privileged to see the inside workings of many organisations. She loves doing it, loves working with a whole range of different types of people, cultures, styles of working. She’s energised by the people she interacts with.
She wants to use her extensive experience to help individuals, teams and organisations, to help them find the best outcomes for them, whatever it is they’re trying to achieve.
She believes that by helping people be able to have better conversations – with themselves, with colleagues, and with the wider world – there’s a better chance that we’ll be able to find solutions to the really challenging world we now find ourselves in.
Is she qualified?
She qualified with PricewaterhouseCoopers as a Chartered Accountant. She’s also got an MA (Hons) First Class in Geography.
She’s a qualified coach (graduating from the Ashridge Executive Coaching accreditation process) and is qualified by the British Psychological Society to conduct psychological assessment and feedback using a range of tools.
Some quotes to know her by
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value”
Albert Einstein
“We become what we think about”
Earl Nightingale
“Connect”
Henry Mintzberg
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