On HR Insights, we strive to bring our listeners conversations they are asking for. Avid listeners of the show may remember that this summer, we have been running our HR Resilience Report in collaboration with The Resilience Institute . Initial results highlighted a recurring theme of mindful leadership. As HR continues to take on more responsibility in an ever-changing world of work, engaging with a leadership coach can provide invaluable support and shift your perspective to be more mindful during times of change. In this episode, our CEO and Host of the show, Stuart Elliott , is joined by Nina Donovan , Head of UK and Europe at OSC Leadership Development . Nina is an experienced executive coach who works with senior leaders and facilitates leadership teams through complex periods of change. Together, Stuart and Nina explore how high-stakes environments shape leadership behaviours, and the practical frameworks leaders can use when navigating career shifts. They discuss the reality of “loneliness at the top,” with senior executives often feeling pressure to have all the answers and why building the right support system is so important. Nina also shares her perspective on what to look for when beginning a coaching relationship, how to find the right coach, and how to approach coaching as a long-term journey rather than a quick fix. The conversation then turns to leading through uncertainty and how to pace change effectively, communicate with transparency, and maintain trust without creating unnecessary anxiety. Nina explains how she draws on both psychodynamic thinking and neuroscience to help leaders work with emotions rather than against them. The discussion concludes with a look at the growing role of AI in coaching, what it can offer today, and what it might mean for the future of leadership development. If you’d like to continue the conversation or explore coaching opportunities with Nina, you can connect with her on LinkedIn or reach her directly at
[email protected] . Key Timestamps: 01:30 – An introduction to Nina 05:05 – Navigating change through a career shift 08:22 – Loneliness at the top 14:38 – Different leadership styles 15:42 – Beginning a relationship with executive coaching 18:06 – Common blind spots seen with Senior Executives 21:19 – Executive coaching is not a quick fix 26.14 – Balancing communication during times of uncertainty 29:40 – AI in executive coaching 30:31 – Using neuroscience to complement change 38:45 – Finding an Executive Coach You can listen to and download HR Insights from Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Please subscribe so the latest episodes are directly available! You can also join our HR Community by following us on LinkedIn . Thank you for listening and please do review and rate us wherever you listen!
