Ten years in leadership development. Over fifteen years leading.
My Story
I trained as an organisational psychologist because I was fascinated by a simple question: why do some people thrive in leadership roles and others struggle, and what can we do about it?
I spent ten years applying that research in demanding settings across the UK — executive assessment at KPMG and Accenture, leadership development at Deutsche Bank, team coaching at BT, and a middle leadership programme at AIB Capital Markets in Dublin.
Then I crossed over.
For seventeen years, I sat on the other side of the table — as Head of Department, then Deputy Head, Academic at leading independent schools in London. I wasn't advising leaders from a consulting room anymore. I was one — accountable for academic outcomes for hundreds of pupils, the development of dozens of teaching staff, and the strategic direction of the school.
That changed how I do this work. Reading about leadership and living it are not the same thing. Recommending a difficult conversation is not the same as having one. Doing leadership with integrity — day after day, in the small decisions no one sees — is not the same as writing about it in a report.
Principles
WHAT I BELIEVE ABOUT LEADERSHIP
Leadership is a journey about the self, as much as it is about guiding others.
Effective leadership is learned, not inherited. The people I work with aren't born leaders. They're people who've decided to take it seriously.
Self-awareness is the rate-limiting factor.
Every leader I've ever worked with, including me, gets stuck at the boundary of their self-awareness. The work is mostly there.
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.”
— Carl Jung
Honest counsel, grounded in evidence.
I work from validated instruments, peer-reviewed research, and my own experience leading and being led. Heightened self-awareness, an astute listening ear, and a non-judgemental safe space to explore and deal with issues. The result is that leaders move forward with increased insight, to go about their work ethically and sustainably.
Principled leadership is a serious professional matter.
Ethics in leadership tends to be either assumed ("of course they're a good person") or marketed (a values statement on the web page or in the strategy document). Neither is enough. Real principled leadership — the moral courage and self-regulation to do what matters when the pressure is on — is a genuine leadership capability. Leaders, by their actions and behaviour, speak louder than words. This, in turn, creates the climate in which teams operate.
Chartered Organisational Psychologist (CPsychol);
Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS)
Registered on the British Psychological Society's Register of Qualifications in Test Use (RQTU)
MSc Occupational Psychology
MBTI Certified Practitioner
Collaborations
Forge-LR helps leaders make sense of what's happening and what needs to change. Through executive coaching, team coaching, leadership training and development, we create the space for leaders and leadership teams to think, challenge, learn, and grow.
FOUNDER, FORGE-LR
Martin Knights
Martin Knights is an experienced and versatile coach who instinctively looks for the good in every situation. As a former Royal Marine and Senior Educational Leader, he brings a unique blend of skill, experience and expertise to the table. He is versatile, solution focused and is constantly seeking ways to learn and develop new skills to become a more efficient coach. He deploys a developed understanding of human and team behaviour and this allows him to provide effective coaching and support. He enjoys working with school leaders and their leadership teams, striving to embed their authentic and inspiring leadership presence to enable extraordinary commitment and positive outcomes throughout the school community.