Before joining the Aligned Authority Programme, I was delivering on my KPIs but not making time for myself or my own development. I felt like I was on the hamster wheel — always delivering, always helping, but not creating enough space to grow into the next level of leadership. Over the 9 weeks, I became much more aware of my patterns, especially my tendency to jump in, fix things quickly and over-nurture my team. I now feel more equipped to deal with the next level up. I have the tools, and my belief has changed. At work, I’ve started giving my team more direction, protecting my time more intentionally, and stepping into conversations with senior leaders with more confidence. During a period of restructuring and leadership change, I was able to bring context, data and recommendations into important discussions and my input was well received. The programme helped me see that I have a path towards the work I love: transformation, delivering change and building business transformation. I now have greater confidence that I can do it.

Before Aligned Authority, I felt dissatisfied and frustrated with work and life. I wanted to move towards management and greater career progression, but I could not clearly see what was missing, what support I needed, or how to move forward in my current environment. The programme helped me pause, gain perspective and explore what I actually want next. I became calmer, more focused on myself, and less caught up in trying to fix other people’s shortcomings. I also started to recognise the substantial impact I have already had on others, which helped me feel more grounded and grateful while still exploring future possibilities. The 1:1 coaching with Karen was especially valuable. It helped me think through my career direction, possible consultancy work and future leadership options in a practical and personal way. Karen’s questions stayed with me, particularly around what might happen if I paused rather than constantly pushing. Since completing the programme, I feel clearer about what I do not want, more open to exploring external opportunities, and more strategic about the kind of leadership role I could create next. I would highly recommend Aligned Authority to another woman who is capable and ambitious, but needs space, structure and support to find her next direction with more calm and clarity.

Before joining Aligned Authority, I was in a difficult work situation. There was low trust between me and leadership, I felt micromanaged, anxious and overwhelmed, and work was constantly piling up. Over the nine weeks, I started to handle things very differently. I can now say “I don’t know” without overthinking or getting frustrated. I feel clearer about what is mine to carry, where I need to focus, and what I need to communicate back. One of the biggest changes has been around boundaries. I no longer check emails after working hours, which means I do not keep ruminating about work in the evenings. My mind actually rests, and I come back the next morning with better focus and more energy. The programme also helped me become more strategically positioned in my customer conversations. Instead of simply reporting back what I had found out, I learned to say, “This is what I found out, and this is what I think we should do next.” That has reduced the workload because I am more in control of the process. My relationship with my manager has also changed. There is less fear, more trust, better communication and clearer agreement about where we need to focus. Work feels more enjoyable and manageable now, even though there is still a lot going on. The biggest identity shift for me has been moving from feeling distracted, overwhelmed and relentlessly doing, to being more consciously disciplined, boundaried and grounded. I have more self-care, more self- respect and more clarity in how I lead myself and my work. The programme was highly relevant to my real work and leadership context. The practical tips and conversations gave me things I could actually use in the situations I was facing. I would recommend Aligned Authority to other women because it helps you step back from the anxiety and pressure, see things from a different perspective and find better ways to lead.

Working with Karen helped me find myself again. When I started, everything felt draining and exhausting, and I didn’t know where to begin. Karen listened deeply, brought in the right tools, and helped me turn confusion into clarity. I now feel more confident in what I bring, clearer about my strengths, and more motivated about my career path. I’ve also changed the way I lead my team — creating more space, delegating more effectively, and helping others step into meaningful projects and grow. The biggest shift is that I no longer feel like I have to hold everything together myself. I have a clearer path, stronger boundaries, and a renewed sense of energy and purpose.