Hi, I'm Lou....let me introduce myself

I'm Lou...mother, wife, 'calm under pressure' in turbulent situations, chief social organiser and a lover of change. Weird right? Most people tolerate at best, or avoid, change. Not many get a kick out of it, but I do. I thrive on helping others navigate it, grow from experiencing it, and personally I think some unpredictability is invigorating. It gets my blood pumping and spurs me into action.??

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A bit about me. Born and raised in Perth to my English mother and Polish-descent father, I am the youngest of two. Growing up I was consistently reminded success comes from hard work and perseverance. My Polish grandparents built a post-war refugee life from nothing; and my parents worked intensely as well as building their own homes. It wasn’t uncommon for my brother and I to be tasked with carrying sand, painting and other random DIY jobs. I still loathe painting.

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How people think and act the way they do has always fascinated me. Early jobs as a waitress, check out chick (is “chick” acceptable now?) and bookstore clerk provided me with endless opportunities to observe people. Fun fact - I used to manage the bookstores special orders, helping customers source unusual and not readily stocked books. People’s reading habits reveal a lot about them!

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This curiosity drew me to a career where people are the heart; HR and change management. I’ve worked with leaders and teams across government, not for profit and in the private sector. Everything from aged care, agribusiness, to resources and now in sport, entertainment and wagering, I’m happiest learning about the ins and outs of a new industry and its people. The common thread is change is constant (not surprising if they hired me), leaders feel the weight of their responsibilities, change wears people out and distracts them, and many employees just want things to “go back to normal”. Hint: everyone’s normal is different.??

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I’m drawn to roles where the external environment is a driving force for why the organisation needs my skills. Industry deregulation, new physical workspaces and ways of working, divestments, and financial downturns leading to organisational restructures. That type of thing. When external pressures are at play, it turns the heat up on leaders to hasten their decision making and that can create unintended chaos. I enjoy the challenge of figuring out the change complexity and supporting leaders to make sense of it so they and their teams can move forward, rather than being stuck in place. This wasn’t always the case.?

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Early in my career, along with my entire team, I was made redundant. I remember the hurt of not being wanted and the fear of not being needed. Now of course, having been part of countless reorganisations in a HR and change management capacity, I know it’s rarely as simple as needs or wants. I received career coaching through that process, my first exposure to coaching. My coach helped me identify my strengths and clarify my goals, which made securing redeployment straight forward. At that moment, I realised how powerful it was to have someone in my corner, independent to the change and the environment, to help me work through and consider options I hadn’t identified on my own. And all by asking questions, it seemed too simple!

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As my career progressed and I was exposed to countless leaders with their own unique ways of leading and making decisions, I noticed many of them personally struggle. Concerns about how the changes would be received, whether they were moving too fast or too slow, what would happen if they “got it wrong”. Supporting them with plans and building their change leadership skills is only half of the equation. Uncovering their fears, helping them to understand what is driving their thoughts, feelings and actions, has become my most valuable tool in my “toolkit”.??

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At the same time, my own life was changing. With a partner in mining, FIFO life is the norm and although it’s always had some difficulties, as a couple it was manageable. Naturally independent, I saw the upside of being able to fully focus on work, friends and family in my “off week”. Fast forward a few years, two kids and increasingly senior roles with added responsibility, and things became hectic.

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I knew I couldn’t do it all on my own and I already understood the potency of coaching, so it was a logical step to become accredited. Through my teachings I could coach and be coached. I am continually? learning about myself, a reminder that although I (and you) have the answers within, having a trusted advisor to challenge me, to hold me accountable to act when I’m afraid, keeps me moving forward. Even coaches need coaches.?

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Because I’m acutely in tune with my own thoughts and feelings, I have a heightened awareness of what others are thinking and feeling. I can see when leaders are fearful, when they are stuck, and when they need support. I don’t judge. I use my own experience managing complex change and the conflicted feelings which come with trying to be successful in all areas of life – as a parent and child, as a friend and colleague, as a leader and team member; to help my clients conquer the changes making them uncomfortable and holding them back.

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Is your workplace constantly changing? Does leading through that change keep you awake at night? Do you have goals you want to achieve? Are you ready to lead with confidence? Let's talk, and move you forward

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