OUR MISSION

EMPOWERING LEADERS TO NAVIGATE PIVOTAL PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL TRANSITIONS, ENABLING PURPOSEFUL PROGRESSION AND SUSTAINED PERFORMANCE.

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WHAT WE VALUE

HUMAN CONNECTION

We create identity-aware, trauma-sensitive, inclusive spaces where trust, safety and authenticity can grow.

Our work honours lived experience, social context and fosters attuned, meaningful relationships.

RESULTS DRIVEN EXCELLENCE

We support leaders to achieve sustainable results through clarity, regulation and grounded decision making.

Our approach blends psychologically-attuned understanding with pragmatic, commercially effective strategy.

CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT

We emphasise self-awareness as the cornerstone of effective leadership.

Our psychologically attuned, inclusive approach builds insight, regulation and resourcefulness that support long-term growth - personally and professionally.

PURPOSEFUL PROGRESSION

We help leaders align professional growth with identity, values and life context - enabling purposeful progression that feels intentional, balanced and authentic.

WHAT WE DO

  • Typically, this may be for high performing or high potential individuals who have the ability to play a key strategic role in the organisation either now or in the future.

    Example coaching topics include:

    • Developing your authentic leadership style

    • Influencing and Impact

    • Navigating senior stakeholders

    • Building confidence to grow

    • Creating a meaningful personal development plan and taking action

    • Strategic use of time and energy

    • Sustainable leadership including resilience and wellbeing strategies

    • Creating followship and leveraging your team

    • Managing self and others through change

    • Is this really what I want? And why?

    *Self-funded places are also available. Please get in touch to find out more.

  • —For parents returning from maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental or extended caring leave

    —Rebuild confidence, professional identity and sense of contribution

    —Plan the transition and manage competing priorities

    —Re-engage with work in a sustainable, supported way

  • Design and/or facilitate Leadership and Management skills. Whether you need to design something new, refresh existing content or simply bring in an experienced facilitator to deliver your pre-designed material.

    Recent topics include:

    • Confidence & Assertiveness

    • Feedback Mindset

    • Personal Brand & Authentic Leadership

    • Managing Through Change

    • Impact and Influence

    • Resilience & Wellbeing

    • Emotional Intelligence

    • Time Management & Delegation

    • Milestone programmes and events For graduates through to Senior Director

  • Dedicated learning for leaders and managers which would typically include;

    • Coaching mindset,

    • Coaching behaviours and

    • Coaching skills.

    Often connected to performance, feedback mindset and resilience strategies

  • Group coaching / facilitated peer coaching or action learning sets for target groups typically at a point of transition e.g.

    • Those on a progression pathway,

    • Parental returners,

    • Those recently promoted or

    • In response to a change within the organisation

WHO WE ARE

LAURA BIRCH

Founder & Director

Laura Birch is an experienced Executive Coach and Facilitator who supports leaders through pivotal transitions with clarity, confidence and sustainable high performance, enabling more purposeful progression. Her work helps individuals and organisations strengthen leadership capability while balancing ambition with wellbeing.

Experience and Sector Reach

With more than 18 years’ experience, Laura has coached and developed individuals and groups across the employee lifecycle, from graduate level through to Managing Director and Partner. Her work includes coaching more than 60 Directors through their transition into Partnership within the Big4 accountancy firms, alongside coaching, learning design and facilitation across law, banking, pensions, public sector, retail, media, health, construction and pharma.

Approach, Specialisms and Personal Style

Laura has shaped the strategic direction and designed and facilitated leadership development programmes for key talent across industries. Her work spans leadership identity, confidence and assertiveness, feedback mindset, sustainable ways of working, influencing and impact. She has also led programmes for working parents, delivered 360 feedback debriefs, partnered with HR Directors to embed stronger coaching cultures, and supported others to build coaching capability via in-house coaching modules and tutoring on Coaching Level 5 apprenticeship programmes.

Laura creates a supportive yet challenging space that helps people strengthen relationships, navigate competing tensions, and develop the mindset, beliefs and behaviours required for purposeful progression. Described as empathetic, inspiring and pragmatic, she tailors her approach to each client’s needs and goals and particularly enjoys working with individuals who bring an open mind and a growth mindset.

Personally, Laura is a proud solo parent by choice who values the power of breath and meditation, exploring new places, and spending time with family and friends. Her mission is to spread goodness by inspiring personal growth.

Credentials

  • ICF (PCC)

  • EMCC Senior Practitioner Level Coach

  • Myers Briggs practitioner

  • EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 Practitioner

  • CIPD Level 7

  • Mental Health First Aider (Mental Health First Aid England)

  • Reiki practitioner levels 1 and 2

  • Coaching Supervisor (available from 2027)

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY….

  • "Laura provided invaluable support to me during a significant career milestone, offering a thoughtful balance of insight, empathy, and pragmatism. In our one-to-one coaching sessions, Laura helped me to identify key leadership strengths while also exploring areas for personal growth, uncovering their root causes, and developing actionable strategies to address them. Her support has had a lasting impact on how I navigate the challenges of senior leadership and strategically lead both myself and others. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for an executive coach."

  • "I cannot speak highly enough of Laura as a coach. Empathetic, relatable, frank when needed, and a wonderful source of positive energy and clarity. Laura not only helped me understand and work through some key development areas, but she went the extra mile in supporting me through some interesting ups and downs on that journey"

  • "The coaching skills workshop prompted a meaningful shift in how I approach conversations, moving away from jumping in with answers towards creating space for others to think and work things through themselves. I found the session engaging and thought provoking and Laura was a stand out facilitator, bringing a gently challenging style that encouraged deeper reflection while remaining easy to listen to and learn from throughout"

  • "Your energy, clarity, and facilitation skills are frequently cited as key drivers of high satisfaction, with many noting how you make content relevant and encourage open, honest discussion across diverse groups"

  • "I especially appreciated how personable Laura was throughout the session - her warmth made it easy to stay present and connected. As someone who is neurodivergent, the way she offered clear, concrete examples was incredibly helpful"

  • "Excellent balance of concentrated listening and then impactfully joining the dots in our sessions"

  • "Laura was rapidly able to put me at ease. She listened to me, challenged me at times, and used frameworks to good effect to help me make sense of my challenges and the way forward"

  • "Laura helped me to link challenges and issues to personal development and behaviours, and gain practical suggestions and techniques to develop quickly"

  • "Laura supported me through a promotion process, which I was successful in. The coaching gave me confidence in decisions that I was required to make. It made me feel supported and encouraged and overall provided me with a range of new tools and techniques which I've been able to use and recommend to others"

  • "Laura is excellent at holding the mirror up, helping me to understand why I respond in certain ways - and then talking through tools and frameworks that I can use. She combines "technical" coaching with empathy in a way that really resonates"

  • "What sets Laura apart is her holistic approach, showing that true professional success starts with personal wellbeing"

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE TESTIMONIALS ON OUR LINKEDIN PAGE

ASSOCIATES AND FRIENDS OF THE PROGRESSION PLACE

Our accredited associate coaches and leadership development professionals allow us to deliver at scale without compromising quality.

We also collaborate with qualified therapists, HR practitioners, yoga teachers and sound specialists to offer broader wellbeing and performance support.

GET IN TOUCH

If what you’ve read has sparked your interest, we’d love to hear from you.

Feel free to connect on LinkedIn or get in touch at laura@theprogressionplace.com to arrange an initial exploratory conversation.

Alternatively, fill out the contact form here and we’ll get back to you.