Clarity and calm judgement when leadership decisions carry real weight.
Working with boards, founders and leadership teams through advisory, coaching and structured development when complexity rises and clear thinking matters most.
Is This You?
You’ve achieved a lot - but something in your leadership or organisation isn’t lining up the way it should.
Leadership feels heavier than it used to: You’re carrying responsibility for people, performance and direction in an environment that’s noisy, fast-moving and increasingly difficult to influence - with less certainty and margin for error than there once was.
Space to think has disappeared: You’re pulled into the day-to-day, juggling competing priorities, with little room to step back, apply effective governance, and make clear, considered strategic decisions.
Your team isn’t moving as one: Things feel misaligned. Tension lingers. Ownership isn’t always clear - and progress feels slower and more draining than it should.
Judgement is being tested: Decisions that once felt straightforward now involve more trade-offs, more scrutiny, and more consequences - requiring clearer thinking and firmer conviction.
Pressure is constant: The pace never really lets up, expectations keep rising, and there’s little time to properly switch off before the next thing arrives.
And despite being surrounded by people, it feels like you’re carrying it alone.
When leaders reach this point, it isn’t failure - it’s a signal.
A signal that clarity, alignment and a different quality of thinking are needed.
This is where strategic partnership - through advisory support, coaching or structured development - helps you regain perspective, sharpen judgement and move forward with confidence.
How We Can Work Together
“Leadership isn’t about having all the answers - it’s about creating space for clarity, sound judgement and meaningful process.” - Alec Pearson
I work with boards, founders and leadership teams in different ways, depending on the level of responsibility, complexity and change they are navigating. Some engagements are advisory and board-level. Others are delivered through coaching, team development or structured programmes. The common thread is creating clarity, strengthening judgement and enabling better decisions when they matter most.
Board & Strategic Advisory (NED / Advisory Roles)
✔ Independent challenge and calm judgement at board or ownership level
✔ Strategic and leadership oversight during growth, transition or increased complexity
✔ Support with governance, decision-making, leadership effectiveness and alignment
This work is often engaged when decisions start to carry more weight, complexity increases, and leaders want an experienced, independent thinking partner around the table.
Executive & 1-to-1 Coaching
✔ Personalised coaching for founders and senior leaders navigating complexity, pressure or transition
✔ Space to think clearly, test judgement and lead with confidence and credibility
✔ Grounded, practical support informed by real-world leadership and board experience
This is often how leaders work with me when they need perspective, challenge and clarity - alongside thoughtful advice and experienced judgement - rather than being told what to do.
Team & Group Development
✔ Support for leadership teams to improve alignment, trust and shared ownership
✔ Coaching-led work that addresses communication, decision-making and performance
✔ Particularly effective during periods of change, growth or friction
This work helps teams move from working alongside each other to pulling in the same direction, driving alignment and performance.
Workshops & Diagnostic Tools
✔ Focused workshops that build insight, capability and momentum
✔ Use of tools such as CliftonStrengths®, Belbin® and the Energy Leadership Index™
✔ Often used to support wider coaching or advisory engagements
These are designed to get people aligned and moving forward — not as abstract away days, but grounded in real, live challenges.
Proven Impact
“Independent non-executive directors are consistently linked to stronger governance, improved risk oversight and higher-quality decision-making in complex environments.”
Institute of Directors (IoD)
“Most coaching clients earn back more than they invest, with average financial returns of 3.4× their coaching spend.”
International Coach Federation (ICF), Global Coaching Client Study
“Weak challenge and governance are repeatedly cited as contributing factors in major organisational failures.
Reinforcing the importance of independent board oversight.”
UK Corporate Governance Code
“Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making that impact last in your absence.”— Sheryl Sandberg
Structured Development Pathways
When leaders and teams want to turn clarity into action, the work often takes shape through one of three established development pathways. Each provides structure, focus and accountability - while remaining tailored to the realities leaders are actually facing.
These pathways are designed to support different contexts - individual leadership, team alignment and business growth — and draw on proven coaching frameworks, diagnostic tools and measurable outcomes.
Across all pathways, clients benefit from:
✔ Recognised professional development, with up to 25 CPD hours
✔ Structured support via a proven coaching platform (The Curve®)
✔ Clear, measurable outcomes aligned to their goals
Leadership Development
A structured pathway for leaders who need to strengthen judgement, presence and strategic impact as responsibility grows.
Team Development
A proven approach for leadership teams needing greater alignment, trust and shared ownership during change or growth.
Business Growth
A focused pathway for founders and senior leaders who need space, clarity and structure to move from reactive management to sustainable growth.
Why Work With Me
Depth of experience, not theory
30+ years in business, with over 15 years developing leaders, leadership teams and organisations - bringing perspective shaped by real operational responsibility and long-term pattern recognition.
Development delivered to recognised professional standards
My work meets formal CPD requirements, allowing leaders and organisations to evidence development that is rigorous, externally recognised and grounded in real-world application - not just insight or reflection.
Trusted at scale, across roles and sectors
I’ve supported more than 5,500 professionals in leadership, management and strategy development, from emerging leaders to senior executives and board-level conversations.
About Alec
With over 30 years’ experience across business, leadership and governance, I work with boards, founders and senior leaders when decisions carry weight and clarity matters most. My background spans multiple sectors, alongside more than 15 years developing leaders and leadership teams through periods of growth, pressure and change.
I bring a calm, grounded presence to every engagement - whether at board level or in executive coaching - combining structured thinking, insight and constructive challenge to help leaders strengthen judgement, align people and move forward with confidence.
I’m an ICF Professional Certified Coach, a Chartered Manager (CMI), and a Fellow of The Institute of Leadership.
Over the years I’ve supported over 5500 professionals to lead effectively, build aligned teams and grow resilient organisations. My work also meets recognised CPD standards, allowing leaders to develop while earning formally accredited CPD hours.
Alongside client work, I write The Strategic Leader and host the Beyond Leading podcast, where I explore the realities of leadership, strategy and decision-making in today’s organisations.
I’ve had the privilege of supporting leaders and teams across global corporates, professional services firms and high-growth SMEs - including organisations such as Barclays, L’Oréal, DLA Piper, Linklaters and a range of founder-led and international businesses.
Alongside coaching, I also serve as a Non-Executive Director and Board Advisor, bringing independent challenge, governance insight and strategic perspective to help organisations strengthen resilience and growth. Learn more about my NED & Board Advisory work.
Latest Insights & Conversations
Explore my latest thinking on leadership, strategy and performance.
Stay up to date with my latest thinking on leadership, strategy and performance. Here you’ll find new articles and conversations exploring the decisions, pressures and dynamics shaping modern leadership - from clarity under pressure to team culture, judgement and the realities of leading in complex, fast-moving environments.
The Strategic Leader
Stay up to date with my latest thinking on leadership, strategy and performance. The Strategic Leader, on Substack, brings together new articles and insights that explore the pressures, decisions and dynamics shaping modern leadership in complex, fast-moving environments. If you’d like these insights direct to your inbox, you can subscribe via Substack.
Beyond Leading
A podcast I host exploring the realities of modern leadership, clarity under pressure, identity, performance and the decisions that define how people lead in complex times.
Leadership, Teams & Performance — Recent Conversations and Applied Insight from my YouTube Channel
