Gearset

4 × 90 minutes online coaching.

Leadership Development.

Clarity of Message.

Enhancing presence.

Beginning
Both Lily and Ben worked with a senior engineer at Gearset, a global leader in Salesforce DevOps and automation. The focus was on helping a highly skilled technical expert grow into a more confident and engaging leader in what he said and how he was present. While he brought deep knowledge, experience and credibility to the role, he recognised that leading a team of around 50 people required something more than technical expertise. As his responsibilities grew, so too did the need to build trust, create connection and communicate in a way that could highlight what he did with his team to the rest of the business.

Middle
Working one-to-one, we both focused on helping him communicate his expertise in a way that felt more engaging, relatable and human. Lily used our storytelling methodology to define the outcome he wanted from any commnication while also being aware of what would connect to who he spoke to, and using the right storyt narrative and language to bring that about. Ben explored his vocal variety, presence and audience awareness, helping him move beyond a largely monotone delivery and develop a wider range of expression. We explored how imagery, examples and more sensory language could bring technical concepts to life, making them easier for others to understand and engage with.

Having spent much of his time working remotely and speaking in a second language, there were fewer natural opportunities to build relationships with members of his team. Part of the work therefore involved helping him become more visible, approachable and conversational in his communication. Rather than simply transferring information, he began to think more about how people were receiving his message, what they needed from him as a leader and how he could create greater engagement.

End
Over time, his communication became warmer and more personable. He felt more comfortable expressing himself, and setting out direction, more confident speaking with a more varied tone and more willing to let his personality show a brighter side. By combining technical credibility with a stronger human connection, he was able to communicate in a way that felt more energizing, extrovert and helped build stronger relationships across his team.