Leading on Purpose
Taking you from disconnected and disillusioned to feeling authentically connected to your purpose, your values, and your vision for leadership
An 8-week group coaching programme for compassionate women leaders in the arts ready to reconnect to their purpose, reimagine their future, and reinvigorate their leadership from the inside out.
You will leave the programme with greater clarity on your roadmap towards creating more collaborative, compassionate cultures that will enable you and your colleagues to truly thrive.
>> LEADING ON PURPOSE IS OPEN FOR REGISTRATION. SIGN UP NOW TO BE PART OF THE 2022-23 COHORT! <<
Are you ready for change?
The uncertainty of the pandemic has thrown so much up in the air, prompting many of us to reassess what we value and the kind of life we want to create for ourselves.
We've seen how the crisis has thrown light onto how old models of leadership have fed into the structural inequalities and lack of humanity that have excluded and exhausted so many.
And, for many, it’s unearthed a sense of dissatisfaction that may have long been lurking beneath the surface, but that we were all just too busy with the day-to-day of leadership and looking after others to address.
Perhaps you're one of them.
- Feeling like you’re constantly busy and overwhelmed, but not necessarily moving in the right direction?
- Unclear about your future goals and leadership philosophy?
- Tired of trying every leadership trick in the book on for size, yet still feeling like you're just playing around the edges of leadership?
- Fed up with giving all your energy in an environment where you feel isolated, unfulfilled and unsupported?
- Looking to reconnect to your sense of joy, clarity and purpose in your role as a leader?
You’ve been reading the books, watching the videos, and listening to the podcasts, so you know all the theory. But that just isn’t cutting it when you’re still feeling like your style of leadership just doesn’t fit.
I know you’ve had enough of crowbarring yourself into those old leadership models. That you don’t know where to voice these niggling feelings of doubt, because it turns up the volume on that sneaky voice in the back of your head that says you must be doing something wrong.
Trust me, you’re not the only one.
It's time for a change in how we view leadership.
It’s time to unleash your style of leadership.
- Leadership where you feel energised and excited about the projects you’re working on, even when things get busy
- Leadership where you and your colleagues feel a genuine sense of collaboration and shared purpose
- Leadership where everyone feels fully supported - where different perspectives, lived experiences and ways of working are valued and respected
- Leadership where you know you are creating a positive impact in the world and developing the leadership potential in those around you, without feeling like you need to work all the hours to prove your commitment
And I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to do it alone.
If you’re ready to be part of a small cohort of women working together to explore what leadership could look like, and how you can step into leadership that aligns with what you believe, instead of constantly being in service of the vision of others or compromising your values, then Leading on Purpose is for you!
“I feel like the programme helped to give so much more substance to my leadership philosophy, and to feel more confident in having a philosophy at all!”
How did it all start?
Picture this...
Picture this...
It’s early 2020. I was one of so many people in the arts who had been made redundant, and I was scraping by on low-paying freelance projects without much idea of what I was going to do next. I was seeing so many people struggling, with too many leaders in the sector failing to recognise and address the pandemic of anxiety and burnout that was accompanying the public health crisis. It’s fair to say I was feeling pretty disillusioned.
But this wasn’t where that disillusionment started.
In almost 15 years of working in the arts within different organisations and varying scales, I’d witnessed so many examples of awesome women going the extra mile to support their teams and do amazing work. Women who were hiding their talents and giving their all in service of leadership that lacked vision and compassion.
I’d sometimes felt isolated and embattled myself, trying to fight my corner and take the lead in toxic working environments because I felt so committed to the mission those organisations wanted to achieve. As someone who believes passionately in the power of the arts to give voice to untold stories and genuinely make the world a better place, it broke my heart. I was feeling uncertain about my future in the arts, and had no idea how to fix these broken systems.
To be honest, by late spring 2020, I’d pretty much had enough.
But, as the pandemic reached its height, I realised that I wasn’t alone. So many women in the arts were coming up against that same crisis of uncertainty and disillusionment that I had experienced. So many were battling against their lack of confidence, their people pleasing tendencies, their exhaustion - trying to find a balance that allowed them to care for others without totally losing sight of themselves.
I was coaching women who, like me, had come to a point of desperately needing to make change. They wanted to turn this crisis into an opportunity to create more compassionate leadership cultures where everyone is supported and encouraged to thrive, including themselves.
I realised that I could bring to bear my unique combination of context and lived experience as a cultural professional and coach to help women shape a new leadership philosophy in alignment with their values and their vision for the world, while maintaining that vital balance between ambition and self-care.
That's when I decided to create Leading on Purpose.
"It's a weekly investment in self-development that future you will be so glad you made"
About Leading on Purpose
Leading on Purpose is an 8-week group coaching programme for women who are ready to envision a new form of leadership for themselves and for the world. The programme is structured around three key themes:
Connection
In Connection, we look at connecting to ourselves and each other; exploring how the support of your peers can help you to reconnect more deeply to your own core values and beliefs.
compassion
We look at what a more compassionate form of leadership could look like, and how to balance care for others with care for ourselves, so that we feel fully resourced to make change.
clarity
Clarity is all about how we bring our values more fully into our leadership practice and the world, our best next steps, and the support we can put in place to help us to take them.
Meet your coach
I'm Annette Corbett.
I help compassionate, creative women to break free from the feelings of overwhelm, burnout and dissatisfaction that come from constantly working to service the vision of others instead of their own. I support women to find focus and clarity around their own vision, so they can step into a more joyful and fulfilled life on their terms.
Almost 15 years ago I was a Legal PA. I was pretty well paid, working in an office that had an in-house gym and swimming pool, believe it or not! But, I just couldn’t summon up motivation any more managing diaries and hand-holding for stressed-out senior partner man-babies when I felt so disconnected from whatever the results might be. I was hating it.
Things started to change when I spent some time volunteering as a theatre steward and I realised that what I did care about was being part of creating amazing experiences through culture. That’s when I ran away from my corporate job and started working in the arts.
I’ve since gained experience across theatre producing, fundraising, arts management and cultural policy. I’m a qualified coach, facilitator and strategist, and also run my own creative consultancy called Rough Information, working with groups and organisations to foster cultures rooted in equity, humanity and compassion, with wellbeing at their heart.
I formally established my independent coaching practice in 2020 because I was so tired of seeing amazing, intelligent, talented and compassionate women wearing themselves out supporting others and neglecting to look after themselves. I could see so much potential for world-changing positive impact if these amazing women I was working with could give themselves permission to step up to centre stage and realise just how bloody awesome they are!
That’s why I now dedicate my energies to pursuing my real passion: helping overwhelmed women leaders in the arts break out of the burnout cycle and unleash their inner awesome, so they can unleash the awesome in others without cracking up, giving up, or compromising their core beliefs.
How does the programme work?
Over the course of 8 weeks we’ll work together as a supportive group to help you define the guiding principles that drive you, and to envision your own authentic leadership philosophy that supports you to make the positive impact you want to see in the world, while bringing you more joy and fulfilment.
Interactive tools, guided group work, and independent reflection will support you on your journey from uncertainty to clarity. You’ll leave the programme with a clearer sense of a leadership style that works for you, and a roadmap for how you can step into that vision of leadership.
Programme structure
Weekly 90-minute group Zoom calls
Wednesdays 11am-12.30pm
16 Nov '22 - 18 Jan '23
(with an optional additional week over the Christmas break)
Alongside weekly group Zoom workshops, participants will also have access to videos, additional resources and prompts, plus check-ins between sessions and a private group to share progress and stay in touch.
Leading on Purpose includes over 16 hours of group coaching time, plus weekly videos and opportunities for additional support. To work with me as a coach 1:1 on that basis would cost close to £2,000, but if you join Leading on Purpose you get all this plus access to resources you can take away with you for only £897.
Also, you’ll become part of a tight-knit cohort of other awesome women like you. And having that space to share your challenges, reflect on your progress, and celebrate your successes together - and that’s priceless!
If you're joining the programme as an individual and the £897 investment makes the programme inaccessible for you, but you know you're ready for the transformation, get in touch to have a conversation about how we can make the programme more affordable for you
“Annette’s facilitation creates such an easy-going space, but also one that is full of dynamism and possibility”
Join early for these juicy bonuses!
For people who sign up by Sunday 6 November, I’m offering bonuses worth over £250.
follow-up 1:1 support
2 x 30 minute or 1 x 60 minute private 1:1 coaching call to check in on your progress and help you maintain momentum after you leave the 8-week programme.
membership DISCOUNT
A special group alumni rate entitling you to three months' discounted access to the Compassionate Women's Collective monthly membership community when it relaunches in January 2023.
What makes Leading on Purpose different?
Leading on Purpose is not your average leadership development course.
I don’t come to each session with a fixed script, and cookie cutter solutions. I know that everyone brings different backgrounds, life experiences and levels of privilege to the programme, so I believe in being truly responsive to what you need to progress. I want to help you access the inner wisdom that helps you understand what you need, not try to bend yourself out of shape fitting into what I think might work for you. So much of the power of the programme comes from exposing you to different ideas, perspectives, and experiences.
And that’s why I always keep the cohort small – so I can create a space where everyone feels heard, seen and respected, no matter what they bring to the table.
None of us have all the answers alone, but together I just know we can change the world!
"...you felt like you could bring anything to the sessions, that you would be heard, and that you'd be given lots of opportunity to listen and support the other group members..."
Course Pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the time commitment?
One 90 minute Zoom call each week on Tuesday evenings 6.30-8pm or Wednesday mornings 11am-12.30pm. To get the most from the programme I’d recommend attending all of the calls, but if you can’t make it they will be recorded so you can catch up on the replay. Outside of those calls, it’s up to you to engage as much or as little as you like – I know everyone is super busy, so I’ve designed everything to be as flexible as possible.
What if I can't make a call?
All group sessions will be recorded and shared, so you won’t miss out on any content. There will be some breakout exercises, which won’t be recorded, but all the materials will be shared and you can also keep in touch with your fellow leaders in between the sessions.
Can I ask questions?
We’ll do our best to leave plenty of time each week for questions and discussion, and we’ll spend some time at the start of each workshop reviewing the previous week to pick up on anything that might have come up for you between sessions or for anyone who wasn’t able to attend live. I’ll also post a Q&A thread to the group so we can make sure we pick up on everything we want to cover.
Will there be homework?
How do we stay in touch between calls?
You'll get regular updates to make sure you have all the information you need, and we're always just an email away if you have any questions. All videos and materials will also be shared in a private group, where you can also keep the conversation going with the rest of your cohort.
Do you issue refunds?
It’s a small cohort, and I really want you to commit to engaging with this programme, so I don’t offer refunds once people have started the course and have access to all the content.
Will there be men on the programme?
In a word, no. This is a space for women (including trans women). I do work with men in my practice as an associate coach, but in my own business I choose to work with women, and I’m committed to preserving that dynamic. I firmly believe that the challenges we face as women are different, and that it’s vital we create spaces in which we feel we can openly and honestly share our experience of those challenges.
“I gained greater leadership confidence, improved empathy and listening skills, and clarity about the support I need to be my best self”
Still have questions about whether Leading on Purpose is right for you?
Book yourself in for a free call to discuss what kind of support you’re looking for and whether Leading on Purpose is a good fit.
“Annette held the space with honesty, grace and kindness”
Annette Corbett
Clarity + Leadership Coach | Helping women leaders in the arts escape the burnout cycle + unleash their inner awesome, so they can practice more compassion in their life, leadership and wellbeing without cracking up, giving up, or compromising their core beliefs | Group Coaching & Membership