I am so pleased that we invited Gill to facilitate our team day. Gill was excellent in working with us before the event to help us more clearly decide what we wanted to achieve, and how best to achieve it. Her guidance in this was much appreciated. She completed the IWAM surveys in plenty of time to ensure that we could all reflect meaningfully on the results. Moreover, I really appreciated the time she took to explain the meaning of the results to both me as a manager and the rest of the team. The actual team building day was a real success. I was so impressed with Gill’s ability to read the room and the different personality types, and respond appropriately. I have no doubt Gill’s competence and confidence as a facilitator was a key reason for our successful day. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Gill as a facilitator.

As part of Telstra’s Leadership Program “The League”, I was able to interview for a coach. When I met with Gill I realised I would be working with someone with whom I could be completely transparent, but also be challenged and guided through my journey. Gill understood immediately what I needed to do, and stretched my thinking beyond the workplace, challenging how I show up personally and professionally.

Gill provided challenge in our meetings, with actions and approaches I could try post sessions and then to help with my actual program delivery Gill provided tools and articles that helped me through a challenging year. Gill’s style is caring, thoughtful and respectful, and I trusted her completely. I continue to seek her guidance both as a friend and a coach.

I could not have successfully transitioned to the Leadership role I now hold without Gill’s guidance, challenge and confidence in me. The coaching relationship was a critical part of my transition.

My redundancy from VHA was not a huge surprise as I expected strategically that my role in internal communications would be centralised. However, unemployment was hardly what I wanted or needed. Particularly as I’d been headhunted to join Vodafone just six months earlier.

The coach assigned to me was Gill McDonald. She was comforting yet challenging in our initial phone meeting – we discussed the best way she could help and I found that flexibility positive during a time of flux.

Gill really helped clarify my thinking about options and encouraged me to share my rationale. We shared a lot of personal and professional reflections which I found really important and supportive, particularly as a working parent.

My situation then moved into a different space: I was asked to consider a new and bigger role in VHA in territory I hadn’t “officially” worked in before: HR. Gill guided me through the job description and I was able to openly discuss my strengths and weaknesses with her. I had doubts about the role and indeed, my suitability.

It was so helpful having her intellectual rigour, experience, insight and personal warmth at this critical point. It gave me a lot of confidence and clarity ahead of a successful interview.