Transforming leadership and work-life balance: Coaching client case study

At a glance: Over three months, my coaching supported a small charity CEO’s transformation from “unmanageable juggling act” to confident, proactive leadership and better work-life balance.

The challenge: An unmanageable juggling act

When we started working together, Alison, a busy charity leader of 15+ years, was facing:

  • Tail-chasing stress: struggling to juggle work and home life with murky boundaries.
  • Overwhelm at work and home: Managing high-stakes projects, navigating tricky staff dynamics, and still trying to ‘show up’ at home as an engaged, “non-grumpy” family member. 
  • Competing priorities: Alison had tried to manage her challenges with online project management tools but hadn’t found a system that fully worked for her yet.

She was searching for clarity and focus in her day-to-day, more assertive boundaries, and the time and confidence to handle the more strategic and less operational aspects of leading the organisation. She wanted to connect with a supportive, pragmatic coach who understood her context as a small charity leader. I was recommended to her by a previous coaching client and Fair Collective.

The approach: Slow down, create boundaries and get strategic

Taking into account Alison’s overwhelm, we immediately zoned in on three clearly defined priority areas to focus on in our sessions, aiming to create a personalised, actionable framework that included:

  • Dedicated time to think: providing a safe, judgment-free space for unrushed reflection, problem-solving, and clarity.
  • Better boundaries: helping Alison confidently say no, set clearer limits, and protect her personal time.
  • Putting self-care first: encouraging strategies to improve Alison’s wellbeing and resilience in a demanding role.
  • Coaching techniques: empowering Alison with coaching techniques meant that not only did she benefit from coaching herself, she also took those skills to her workplace and commitments outside of work applying them with her team and others around her.

The transformation: Confident, proactive leadership and better balance

The coaching journey delivered results that’ll stick with Alison far beyond our time in the sessions.

  • Breakthroughs in confidence:  Alison started approaching challenges with clarity and calm, moving away from feeling overwhelmed.
  • Balanced priorities: Stronger boundaries improved Alison’s work-life harmony and family relationships.
  • Proactive leadership: Alison shifted from reactive to intentional leadership, supported by actionable strategies for ongoing success.


Clients and partners

What the client says

On the whole coaching experience:
“A game changer. I wish I’d worked with Natalie so much earlier, not 15 years on! Investing time and money into coaching has proven invaluable for my well-being and resilience. Small charities face numerous challenges and have many people depending on us, so it is crucial that we take care of ourselves. Natalie created a space where I felt comfortable discussing anything, and she helped me find practical, usable solutions for my many woes and challenges.”

On her favourite part of our coaching:
“Learning coaching techniques and having uninterrupted time to think issues through. Having a space that was just for me –  something I now know is a necessity not a luxury for me as a leader.” 

On who my coaching is for:
“I’d recommend it to charity leaders, frazzled professionals, and anyone at a crossroads in their careers or lives. If you feel stuck or overwhelmed, coaching can help you find clarity and balance.”
Alison (name changed for confidentiality), CEO, Small performing arts charity

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