Catherine Ackleson
Special Educational Needs Teacher, Coaching Client
If you're looking for a coach, I highly recommend Phillipa. She is a compassionate and empathetic person with a positive outlook and a gift for problem-solving. Phillipa is a skilled communicator and has impressive emotional intelligence. Above all, she is an excellent and active listener - perhaps the most important role for a coach. She truly listens to hear and understand, rather than listening to respond. Together with her hugely successful career path and her role as a mother, she is able to draw on a wealth of life experiences to help those who are seeking her guidance. No matter the issue at hand, Phillipa has always treated those seeking her support with tact, sensitivity and discretion - and always without judgement.
Hannah Conway
Director, Sound Voice
Phillipa has a special ability to draw out potential in people and ideas. She deeply listens, stimulates and supports new thinking with challenge and insight. She brings curiosity, excitement and depth of understanding; such a rare skill - being able to get to the heart of the matter with such instinctive perception.
Callum Given
Consultant and Strategic Advisor - Learning & Participation
Phillipa was my manager at Britten Pears Arts and was Head of the Department in my first full-time job. I worked with Phillipa for six years and over that time she became a close personal mentor, supporting me to progress both personally and within the organisation. Phillipa has a special way of making you feel understood, listened to, encouraged, supported and challenged, all with the perfect timing and precision – she knows exactly what you need, when you need it. There were times when working with her that I was stretched outside of my comfort zone. In those moments, I knew that she had my back and my best interest in mind. When you’re working with Phillipa it feels like you have an unwavering champion, with the rigour and experience to keep you on the right path, and the bravery to tell you when you’re at risk of straying. Through this she manages to get the best out of people at all moments. I believe that everyone needs a Phillipa, and I owe so much to her support in the earliest stages of my career and onwards.
Hazel Gould
Writer, Director, Facilitator
I have known Phillipa since I was a young artist at the beginning of my career. Over my working life she has been a constant supportive presence. She is thoughtful and deeply insightful. She listens carefully and is always able to identify the issues that lie at the heart of questions or problems. She approaches every project with great understanding, broad knowledge, kindness and wisdom.
Fiona Lambert
Director of Participation, City of London Sinfonia
I've known Phillipa since 1997 when I wrote a letter to Glyndebourne asking if I could do some work experience. She responded. She listened. She supported me to push doors open, never shied away from hard questions and gave me the confidence to see something in myself that I hadn't seen or valued before. I am so grateful that Phillipa was there when I was trying to start my career in the arts and, nearly 30 years later, I'm so glad that she's still there as a valued mentor, listener and friend.
Chris Taylor
Coaching Client
Having Phillipa as my coach really helped me explore a difficult life changing decision I had to make. She offered a safe space and conversation based on focused questions which allowed me to explore my own thoughts, actions and experience of life. A good coach will not give you the right answers but will simply ask you the right questions so you can find those answers within yourself. Phillipa does this in a very caring and professional manner which clearly shows her many years of working with people and her passion for getting the best from them.
Roger Wright
CEO, Britten Pears Arts
It is a privilege to have worked with Phillipa at Britten Pears Arts. For over twenty years she led the development of our music programme and made it a national resource for creative health and wellbeing and in particular deepened understanding of the ways in which music can transform lives. She is a creative thinker, an authentic and engaged listener and a wonderful mentor.
Katherine Zeserson
Facilitator, coach, advisor, mentor, musician & writer.
Phillipa combines deep compassion with bags of common sense and a lively curiosity. She listens deeply, with her whole heart and mind and brings both gentleness and rigour to her coaching practice. She is passionately committed to kindness, bravery and creativity and enormously skillful in encouraging others to amplify those qualities in themselves.
Sarah Zins
Deputy Chair, Britten Pears Arts
I have known Phillipa for more than 20 years. She is a person of the utmost integrity and brings her insight and rigorous thinking to everything she undertakes. Her calm authority inspires confidence and she has great empathy and sensitivity.