Programme N° 01 Lead Strong 1:1 Executive Coaching · 12 Weeks

Get unstuck in twelve weeks.

A 12-week programme for senior leaders stuck in reactive mode, going blank under pressure, or running patterns they can't break.

Format 1:1 · weekly
Duration 12 weeks
Investment £3,600
Cohort Eight per quarter
01 · The Premise
High performers don't fail suddenly.
They get stuck quietly.
What I see, again and again
02 · Who It's For

Six signs your brain has developed a stuck pattern.

One of these probably sounds like the room you've been sitting in for months.

i.

Reactive leadership

Firefighting instead of leading. The amygdala's overwhelming the prefrontal cortex, locking you in threat response.

ii.

Going blank

The mind goes blank in high-stakes moments. Stress hormones are shutting down working memory and verbal fluency.

iii.

Running perfectionism

"I should be able to handle this." Chronic amygdala activation around mistakes is creating ongoing threat sensitivity.

iv.

Poor decisions under pressure

When stakes rise, you default to impulsive or overly cautious choices. The amygdala is hijacking control from the PFC.

v.

Stuck in performance mode

Still delivering — but it's taking more than it used to. The brain's in energy-conservation mode, degrading decisions before you notice.

vi.

Capped at your stress tolerance

Board meetings. Fundraising. Mergers. You need the brain to stay online at pressure levels that currently overwhelm it.

Plate i · The architecture
03 · The Method

Pause. Reset. Go.

A three-phase architecture across twelve weeks. One method. Three movements. One outcome — new default patterns under pressure.

PauseWeeks 1 – 4 Diagnose. CliftonStrengths and FITT16 reveal how you're wired. We map the amygdala-PFC patterns keeping you stuck and measure your current stress tolerance.
ResetWeeks 5 – 9 Retrain. Weekly coaching applying your retraining protocol. Daily brain-retraining exercises. Blindfolded movement work. Real-time intervention for high-pressure moments.
GoWeeks 10 – 12 Rewire. Integration of new neural pathways. Prevention protocols so old patterns don't return. Readiness assessment for higher pressure. Final roadmap.
04 · In Their Words
"
Renewed focus and confidence at a point in my career when I really needed it. A genuine 1 + 1 = 3 moment.
Martin Malins · Lead Strong client
05 · The Patterns

Six brain patterns we retrain.

Each engagement begins by identifying which one is yours. The protocol is built around it.

i. Reactive Leadership

Amygdala in chronic threat mode

PFC can't access strategic thinking. You're firefighting, stuck in execution, can't think big-picture.

How we retrain

Amygdala downregulation. PFC strengthening through strategic decompression. Leadership architecture redesign.

Most leaders notice the shift by week four.

ii. Going Blank

Stress hormones shutting down working memory

Mind goes blank in high-stakes moments. You lose access to what you know when it matters most.

How we retrain

Stress-response reconditioning. Working memory restoration. Real-time intervention. Progressive stress exposure.

Noticeable by week three. Significant shift by week eight.

iii. Perfectionism

Hyperactive fear-of-failure circuits

"I should be able to handle this." Second-guessing. Shame about struggling. Chronic threat sensitivity.

How we retrain

Threat-response recalibration around evaluation. Separating identity from performance. New feedback loops.

Identity shift by week six. Behavioural change by week ten.

iv. Performance Mode

Chronically depleted prefrontal resources

Running on autopilot. Decisions feel heavy. Functional but not sharp. Energy-conservation mode.

How we retrain

Cognitive capacity restoration through rest protocols. Realignment to operate from strengths. Sustainable rhythms.

Energy shift by week two. Decision quality by week six.

v. Burnout

Structural brain changes from sustained stress

Running on empty. Can't slow down. Not just tired — chronic stress has changed your brain's structure.

How we retrain

Amygdala regulation and PFC restoration. Structured rest as the mechanism for neuroplasticity. Tolerance rebuilt from depletion.

Physical shift by week two. Cognitive restoration by week eight.

vi. Decisions Under Pressure

Threat system overriding strategic evaluation

Impulsive or overly cautious choices when stakes are high. Amygdala hijacking control.

How we retrain

Decision-making circuit rewiring under controlled pressure. Pattern interruption. PFC resilience in high-stakes simulations.

Quality lift by week five. Consistent new pattern by week ten.

06 · What's Included

Twelve weeks of structured retraining.

Everything below is held inside a single price. No upsells.

i. Twelve weekly 1:1 coaching sessions 60 minutes each, across 12 weeks
ii. CliftonStrengths psychometric assessment Gallup-certified — how you're wired to lead
iii. FITT16 personality assessment Purpose, drivers, alignment
iv. Amygdala-PFC pattern diagnosis Conducted in week one
v. Daily brain-retraining exercises Matched to your pattern · 10–15 min/day
vi. Unlimited between-session support WhatsApp and email
vii. Executive Performance Reset Playbook Your personal dashboard, protocols, training guide
viii. Pre-meeting prep calls 15-minute calls before critical moments
ix. Strategic clarity frameworks Playing to Win · Essentialism
x. Progress assessments at week 4 and week 8 And a 30-day post-programme check-in
Investment
£3,600

Twelve weeks. Weekly sessions. One price.

Book a discovery call

Limited to eight clients per quarter.

Exit An exit point at week four. No questions.
Returning A 35% reduction if the same pattern resurfaces within twelve months.
Pace A fast-track option condenses the work into eight weeks. Same price.
Enrolment Includes a Board Presentation intensive — 90 minutes on staying sharp under scrutiny.
07 · How We Measure

Three questions we measure against.

Progress isn't a feeling. It's the answer to these — at week one, week twelve, and after.

i.

Can I resist the threat response?

Measured against high-pressure simulations, emotional reactivity to criticism, and your ability to stay strategic when challenged.

ii.

Can I stay curious in uncertainty?

Measured against your response to ambiguous situations, question-asking under stress, and comfort with not-knowing.

iii.

Can I ask questions when my mind is screaming?

Measured against your ability to engage the prefrontal cortex when the amygdala is activated — staying present in conflict.

08 · In Their Words
"
Working with John has been life-changing for me.
Ralph Shorthose · Redhouse Bank
09 · The Invitation

Tell me where you're stuck.
If Lead Strong is the fit, we'll know inside fifteen minutes.

A discovery call is a fifteen-minute conversation. No preparation. No pitch. An honest read of whether the work fits the moment you're in.

i. You tell me where you're stuck.
ii. I map the brain pattern keeping you there.
iii. We decide together if it's a fit.
Book a discovery call Or take the diagnostic
Catalyst Growth Coaching · Lead Strong End of programme