Leadership Stories Unveiled: Caroline Beardall

We sat down with Caroline Beardall, Founder of The Head Gardener, for the latest instalment of our Leadership Stories Unveiled series.

Caroline, we’re interested in learning about your career path that led you to become The Head Gardener. Could you also share the inspiration behind this unique concept?

The concept of HEAD Gardening wasn’t a flash of brilliance but something I noticed one day. I was looking out of my bedroom window, and I realised the garden outside was like looking at my team, my job, and the work needed with each of them. The reality I could see was that there were some toxic elements, some of it was totally out of hand and a mess. However, there was some beauty too… as well as a fabulous plant that was doing its best but clearly in the wrong place! It made me wonder how all of this could be so, and how to improve those elements that needed support, help, pruning, and cutting back to let in light. I remembered that nature and gardens grow, as we humans do. The weather and storms, the sunshine and nutrients, the soil, the animals, they all have an impact on or from the garden or the human…. and it grew from there! It was more a question of ‘I have to do this’ than choosing to!

Your 8-step ‘gardening’ model stands out in the coaching and consulting landscape. How do you ensure its continued innovation and effectiveness?

The model is built on the concepts behind garden design and achieving the ‘perfect garden’ whatever that means to you. So, whilst the model is generic, it’s adaptable to any sector or stage of life, and desires or goals for individuals, teams, or organisations. It is also something very easily accessible for anyone to understand, even though it’s based on the power of the unconscious mind and neuroscience because if you know what a garden is, and you have some idea it needs work to develop it, then you instinctively can start to be a HEAD Gardener is too! The results of my work are evident in the outcomes and experiences people achieve. I start by creating a vision of what the garden needs or wants to look like, and then apply tools and take steps to help the client achieve that vision.

As a HR leader, what qualities do you believe are crucial for effective leadership? We’d also love to hear about your leadership philosophy and how it has evolved over your varied career.

Hope and reality are the key starting points for effective leadership and in the right proportion. Over my leadership career, I have moved from being a self-driven leader to a more mature ‘others first’ leader, the servant leader if you like. I believe that to lead successfully, people need to want to follow you, hear you, and support you. They only do that if you really have their best interests first. You can be a success and a poor leader – so many people have shown us that in public life and I have seen it too often in my career! But for me, leadership skills and perspective mature as we do. It is imperative to lead oneself well (authentically and honestly) before leading others well.

My career has gone from my first career as a nurse, through workforce and HR roles, project management and leadership roles across health and Government, (UK based), then more latterly into senior People Leader roles – as HR Director, Regional CPO for the NHS in the South East (250 000 workforce), then invited to be a Partner at a global consultancy which I did for a couple of years and saw that with my values of authenticity and my strong relationship with the truth, it would be better for myself and my clients for me to lead my own coaching and consulting practice in the area I have excellence.

Can you share an instance where the Head Gardener’s intervention led to a significant transformation within an organisation?

I have several! But here are a few snippets! I am delighted to say that the Chief Nursing Information Officer’s national role in the NHS was one of my first HEAD Gardener coaching clients. She was delighted with the work we did together. This led to her clarity of vision and strategy for the NHS in England – so I call that significant!

I have others who need help with big changes, like the moving of location that a hospice was undertaking, and the work that managers and C-Suite leaders needed to consider about themselves and their teams to leave one area well and land in the new place physically, emotionally, and mentally well.

I also work with organisations on the recrafting of People Strategies, and operating models. I also undertake discovery projects to then ‘re-landscape’ the garden – oops! I mean organisation!

Based on your experience, what are the most common hurdles individuals encounter in their personal development? How does your coaching methodology address these challenges?

Everyone is an individual of course with their own unique experience of life and learning. Having said that, everyone has a past, and that can either help or hinder growth. We then affirm our previous perspectives or indeed counter views that clash with our presumptions and learned behaviours. One of the key hurdles’ individuals face, is the confidence to grow or discard aspects of themselves that serve them or conversely hold them back. Inner honesty is the liberator or captor in almost all cases. This assumption of what is ‘true’ shapes our confidence, which in turn impacts our competence and capacity, so the answer to your question is psychological. We all have experiences – good and bad – which we can see in the coaching mirror and use, carry, support, and be, as well as what we need to free ourselves from so we can thrive. As you can see, if you take that approach, how is it NOT like a garden that needs planting, maintenance, pruning, and the right environment to grow?

How does the ‘Head Gardener’ role facilitate cultural transformation within organisations? What role does coaching play in this process?

In my experience, facilitating groups to be themselves in a safe environment and to have the generosity to respect, allow, and enable others to be so too is very much an art based on science – a bit like healthcare, where some are the art of caring and some are the science of medicine, but it is the blend that creates the outcome and experience. So, as the Head Gardener I always use coaching techniques and questions in the journey to cultural transformation. Sometimes it’s reverse brainstorming, ideation, or impact and effort maps. There are countless tools in my shed! And each has its own way of addressing issues such as visioning, trust building, clarity, or empowering and deepening teaming. The key here is that each tool has a purpose, but as we know, many tools can be used for other tasks that they were not created for, and can be successful, coaching is always the space where growing people can achieve a higher level of performance and sustainable success. Coaching is a leader’s not-so-secret superpower!

What are some of the biggest challenges you face as ‘Head Gardener’, and how have these experiences influenced your coaching philosophy?

One of the top challenges in my role as ‘Head Gardener is overcoming the misconception that my work is horticultural! It’s about cultivating work success, not gardens. This misunderstanding can lead to the perception that the model and engagement with HEAD Gardening might be frivolous, yet nothing could be further from the truth. My journey is one where I am hard working and prepared to challenge and share truth even when difficult, and that way others can break through to find the way forward for their brand recognition, growth of product line, reputation and bottom line — I do this work to spotlight others’ accomplishments, their capacity to inspire and lead, and that way, truly improve the experience and outcomes of the world of work.

A wise piece of advice from a seasoned friend has shaped my coaching ethos: prioritise purpose over profit. While financial compensation is essential, it’s not the endgame. My coaching style is rooted in generosity, placing others first, and upholding integrity and dependability. I dedicate my full array of skills and experience to every client, aligning with driven, diligent, and high-standard individuals. This synergy allows me to deliver my best for their enhanced success.

Given your extensive experience as an Executive/Senior Manager Coach, what key advice would you give to aspiring HR leaders aiming to make a substantial impact in their organisations?

The first piece of advice is ‘What does your gut tell you?’ Early on in our careers, we might not trust it quite as much as when we have many more years of experience. However, there is usually a guiding light inside you (even if it is faint or uncertain) and following that light is usually more impactful, respectful, and liveable than not.

Secondly, if there is a chance to speak and you have something to say, say it! You’ll only wish you had after if you don’t! If there isn’t an opportunity, but you have something to say, create one! You don’t need to have the thoughts entirely polished, let others build on them, challenge them, or support them, but it won’t have any impact if you don’t verbalise it!

Thirdly, a combination of opportunity and permission seeking. Always say yes to an opportunity if you can. You never know where it might lead, and the impact you can have by being involved. Permission seeking comes from David L Marquet’s ‘Turn the Ship Around’, a book which taught me (and millions of others!) to say to your superiors, colleagues, professional (and personal) connections ‘I intend to….’ not ‘is it OK if I….’ Why give the power of the choice away? Own it, and hey, you might get support!

As a postscript – Make sure you have an underpinning foundation of ‘know your trade’. You need to be technical/knowledgeable on the front foot for any of the 3 pieces of advice to work. Make sure you learn the content and then you can frame it for maximum impact.

Can I have a PPS?….Watch others… see the role models you respect, and those who repel, and ask yourself why? Why do they do what they do? Why are you drawn to them or away from them? What is it about them you recognise in you?… But mainly, be you! You are unique and the best person at being you ever! So be it! Be proud to know that you are the only person in the world who is going to be you. This is the most rewarding role you can have! Whatever your life may be, make it count!

In your view, what is the most significant challenge facing HR professionals today, and what strategies would you recommend tackling it?

The most pressing challenge for HR professionals today is arguably the rapid pace of change. As agents of people management, we’re navigating a society in flux, where disparities in opportunity persist and sometimes expand. Technology offers a powerful ally, aiding us in countless ways, making adaptability, innovation, resilience, and staying relevant the real tests.

HR leaders must be clear on their operational models, ensuring agility to match market shifts. It’s crucial to be actively engaged in business dialogues, adopting a stance of ‘how can I facilitate change’ rather than ‘that’s not possible’. HR should speak candidly about the consequences of various actions, while also keeping an eye on emerging trends that could be leveraged for improvement.

Managing people is arguably the most complex task—humans are unpredictable, diverse, and extraordinary. They’re not static like data on a spreadsheet; they’re unique, with their own choices and voices. They may act unpredictably, express without intent, and courageously face their fears. While we have systems to categorize professions and define the employer-employee relationship, it’s vital to remember that being entrusted with the role of shaping a thriving business through its people is one of the most rewarding positions to hold.

How do you foresee the future of work, especially in terms of employee well-being and organisational culture? What role do you think HR will play in shaping this future?

The future of work is in a constant state of flux. Studies indicate that as new generations enter the labour market, there is a growing demand for varied forms of recognition and rewards, with an increased focus on well-being and ‘health wealth.’ The concept of a single career has given way to individuals potentially pursuing up to five different careers within their lifetime. Employers are now challenged to consider how an individual’s talents can align with and enhance the company’s mission, and what conditions are necessary for them to perform at their best.

Key trends such as hybrid working have become the norm, balancing the benefits of remote work with the innate human need for social interaction. As routine tasks become increasingly automated, HR’s role is pivotal in navigating the ongoing changes. HR must actively engage in workforce planning, skill development, and talent management to foster an environment where change is not only managed but embraced. As somewhere people might want to go to explore this further, the CIPD Festival of Work, scheduled for June 2024 (Excel, London), will be showcasing some insights into the evolving landscape and strategies for leading and managing the workforce of the future, oh and did I mention I have been invited to be there!

Could you tell us about your book, ‘The Beginner’s Guide: Cultivating Success in Individuals, Teams & Business’? What motivated you to write it, and what insights do you hope readers will gain?

I had to write my book, I couldn’t not! I wanted to share with everyone a way to grow; whatever the sector or seniority! My belief is that we can all improve our lives, professional and/or personal, for the benefit of ourselves and others. Whether your world looks like a vast estate with many formal and informal gardens in it, kitchen garden, flower cutting garden – as a large multi-national / global group might be, there are also those people who are single-handed practitioners or feel like a small cog in a vast wheel, and they have their own ‘back garden’ or ‘window box’ that is their garden. Small yes, but just as joyful.

It all needs care, guidance, leadership, and environmental management. For example, some ‘plants’ like acid soil some alkaline…. And so, it is with people. When I was a nurse I was very much a surgical nurse, not the physician side of medicine, and we all lean to the arts or numbers, and life is about a combination of all these opposites and continuums, so I wanted to reach out and help people as much as I possibly can – by working with them and walking with them on their journey, or, as the book explains, give you the model and you can self-teach! Why not? Gardeners do?….. They start small, learn and grow….. so, my plea is, if nothing else, notice that nature has the answers if only we could understand the language and seasons of growth and rest and try and apply that to your life, at work and in life.

 

Keen to learn more? We are delighted to announce that Caroline will lead one of our HR Director Boardroom sessions later this year. In collaboration with Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP, you’ll gain insights from Caroline’s extensive expertise. This exclusive event is designed for senior HR Leaders and will be chaired by Suzanne Caveney, Legal Director at Eversheds Sutherland. Together, they will explore the theme ‘Cultivating Success – for you and your business.’

You can expect the following key takeaways from this session:

• Strategies to nurture and maintain a culture of success that encourages teamwork, creativity, and outstanding performance in your organisation.
• Techniques to effectively adapt and navigate through evolving situations and obstacles that could impact your success.
• Guidance on cultivating what benefits you and your team, while ‘weeding’ out elements that lack clarity, confidence, or competence.
• Insights on addressing and remedying cultural toxicity in a more effective, swift, and enduring manner.

To learn more about this session, please email amanda.underhill@ashleykatehr.com

 

Caroline started her professional career as a nurse, and then reasonably quickly moved into HR and Organisational Development. She has worked for the Department of Health, Ministry of Defence, Scottish Executive Health Department and in a range of NHS providers, implementing new services and developing service improvements. Prior to her roles, as Director for Organisational Effectiveness for the NHS regulator for providers of care and improvement agency and Executive / Senior Manager Coach, she was a Board Director for HR and OD, leading strategies focused on staff engagement, inclusion, leadership development and wellbeing. She also has gone on to be Regional Director of Workforce (Chief People Officer) for the South East of England NHS (250 000 workforce, 9 million population) and was then invited to be a Partner at a global consultancy. The breadth and depth of her skill and experience allow her to work across the public sector, with third-sector organisations and corporate settings.