Leishman Coaching

I started Leishman Coaching in 2019 because, while I had a successful corporate career for many years,   I also made a lot of mistakes. So while I got there in the end, I wish I had someone to guide and coach me. 

I worked with some great leaders along the way but I always knew that it was difficult for them to be truly independent when they were coaching me.  I needed someone who was. Someone who didn't have conflicting priorities. Someone who could support my career ambitions and accelerate my learning.

There were things I just didn't know. 

In the last few years of my corporate career, I was privileged to work with a couple of incredible coaches. I learned so much from them and still remember the things they taught me. 

And so, I decided to retrain and become a coach.

What makes my coaching approach different is what I call the triple threat.

🔵 I have an extensive corporate and business experience.

🔵 I am an accredited professional coach, AND

🔵 I am a writer, so with me, it can be a one-stop shop - and you can be confident that your personal brand is supported by great career documents.

I have coached more than 500  clients since 2020, across a variety of roles, industries and countries.  

While I have an extensive background in financial services, I have found that the challenges people experience at various points in their careers, are both universal and global.  

I am a lifelong learner, a voracious reader and I regularly pick up new strategies and approaches which I put into practice in my coaching business.

Principal

Financial Basics Foundation

FBF is a national NFP focused on building financial literacy in young people in Australia. As a long standing charity, it has delivered free resources to Australian schools for more than 20 years.

Chair

CUA - Credit Union Australia Limited

Chief Operating Officer

General Manager, Member Experience

Chief Operating Officer (Acting)

Head of Customer Experience and BPR

Responsible for program management, change strategy, and execution of the ANZ Distribution Transformation major projects portfolio.
Business dimensions and scope: Program budget $75M. 800 branches, two call centres and 6,000 employees.

ACHIEVEMENTS

1. Carriage of the GM Distribution Transformation position for an extended period of time - full accountability for strategy development and execution.

2.Branch redesign program to support evolving customer needs resulting in 37 new look branches in 2013.

2. Ongoing development and build of customer management and home loan systems.

3. Development of change strategies and tools for ANZ staff and customers, culminating in the ANZ 'Better Ways to Bank' program.

Portfolio Change Director, Distribution Transformation

Management of all support functions including major projects and program office, investment slate, risk functions, vendor management, business information and improvement teams (Lean Six Sigma community). Business dimensions $40M opex, $100M+ in project capex and opex.

ACHIEVEMENTS

1. Development of a new strategic operating model for all support functions which delivered both a 25% reduction in overall run rate and an increase in stakeholder satisfaction of 20% over an 18 month period. 

2.Leadership of the Australian Retail Offshoring Program. Moved 1000 roles to Bangalore and Manila over a 3 1/2 year timeframe.

3. Capacity planning focus and re-engineering work supported productivity improvements of an average of 27% across all teams and a 20% reduction in customer complaints.

4. Successful Delivery of a number of key infrastructure programs including a new fraud management platform. Benefits exceeded all business case targets.

5. Reduction in vendor management costs of $21M over 2 years.

Head of Business Enablement, Australia Operations

Quest Limited

Responsible for developing a Pacific Operations Hub in Fiji to mitigate financial and operational risk in the region. Business dimensions Opex $6M* Capex $12M. 
*NB Low cost of labor drove relatively low opex in Fiji.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

1. Developed the Pacific Hub strategy and centralised functions from 12 Pacific countries and 2 Asian countries into Fiji.

2. Developed a strong company culture and employment brand. Benchmarked using the Hewitt's survey. Achieved Best Employer status for three consecutive years and moved staff engagement from 68% to 92%. Became an employer of choice in Fiji.

3. Led the company safely through the 2006 military coup and subsequent upheaval, followed by Cyclone Gene in January 2008. 

4.Achieved ISO 9001 2008 accreditation in 2008. 

5. Won a number of external awards including: DHL (Fiji) Exporter of the Year Westpac Services award in 2007 and 2008. Fiji Business Excellence awards in  2006, 2007, and 2008. These awards were an integrated part of the business strategy to develop our quality standards and employment brand.

6. Obtained government approval for 10 year tax free status in 2006.

7. Oversaw design and implementation of a building fit out with all the associated challenges of doing so in a politically unstable and  developing country.

Managing Director

Responsible for mortgage processing Australia wide and all major Mortgages infrastructure projects.

ACHIEVMENTS:

1. Remediation and successful delivery of two infrastructure projects.
2. Restored service levels in 2002 to achieve lead bank status with mortgage brokers.

Head of Mortgage Processing

Responsible for running the end-to-end mortgage business in New Zealand. Business dimensions Budget $170M. FUM $10BN. 

ACHIEVEMENTS:

1. Exceeded profit targets in 2000 and 2001.

2. Achieved market leadership with a new broker value proposition.

3. Staff satisfaction levels of 90%.

General Manager, Mortgages

Responsible for national team of 1000 operations staff across five locations. Business dimensions: 1000 staff. Budget 30M.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

1. Rationalised processing sites from five to three.

2. Managed national restructure to align to new business model.

Chief Operations Manager

Led national  team of 500 staff across 8 locations managing all back office transactions.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

1. Major site rationalisation - from eight locations down to three.

2. Reduced run rate by in excess of 20% over 18 months.

Head of Retail Operations

Responsible for leading and developing all new retail and business distribution strategies.

ACHIEVEMENTS: 
1. Multiple new initiatives including centralised credit and cash processing, network configuration strategy, and ATM profitability model.

Head of Distribution Strategy

Various retail and corporate banking roles

You know you need to work on your career,  but life gets in the way.

We’ve all been there. 
 ➡️ The resume that’s sat half-finished for months. 
 ➡️ The vague idea of "planning the next step" that never makes it to your to-do list. 
 ➡️ The creeping feeling that you could be doing more, earning more, or feeling more satisfied at work,  if only you knew where to start.

Since 2021, I’ve worked with more than 700 professionals to break through that stuck feeling. Whether it’s career direction, preparing for a move, stepping into leadership, or navigating a tough patch, I will help you cut through the noise and take real action.

With over 30 years’ experience as an executive, leader, parent, and business owner, I know the career game from all angles. My coaching is honest, practical, and focused on progress, whatever that looks like for you.

Here are some of the topics I coach on: 

🔵 Gaining clarity on where you are heading with your career and putting a plan in place.

🔵 Pinpointing why you are not getting interviews, jobs, or promotions, and working with you to close the gap.

🔵 Navigating the boardroom as a new or aspiring executive.

🔵 Learning the art of executive presence and high-impact communication.

🔵 Helping you get market ready if you are preparing to leave, between jobs, or returning to work after a break.  

🔵 Writing your career documents because you have looked at them so many times you are losing the will to live. 

🔵 Building a plan to help you come back from the brink when you are sliding backward down the corporate ladder, or have made a career-limiting mistake.

I am a qualified coach with more than 30 years' experience as a leader and executive, both in Australia and internationally.  

I know what good looks like, and I will work with you to help you get there. 

"Brigid offers a rare combination of "expert/practitioner" and "coach/mentor" that distinguishes her from other executive coaches I've worked with throughout my career" 
CEO, Melbourne, Australia

I share practical career advice here every week — follow me for free tips.
Or message me if you’re ready to make real change, and we’ll book a free discovery call.


🕸 Or check out my website for packages and pricing.

leishmancoaching.com

Losing your job is hard.

It feels personal.

Even though it rarely is.

And it doesn’t matter how many other people tell you that they went through the same thing, it still stings.

Especially if it is the first career setback you have ever experienced.

And you have always been a high flyer.

When you thought it could only happen to other people.

And if it’s happened more than once, you start to wonder if something is wrong with you.

People will be full of helpful advice.

And if their advice is wrong, they will suffer no consequences. 

This is your journey, and only you can walk it.

So take time to grieve and feel angry.

Take time out if you can, rather than leaping at the first opportunity. 

Only take advice from people who have walked in your shoes.

And then focus on what you need to do.

For you and your family.

Not for anyone else.

What's the worst career advice you've ever received?

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Brigid Leishman

The average adult span of attention in 2023 is 8 seconds. About as long as it has taken you to read this far.

And that number is declining.  So it becomes harder for you to stand out, make an impact, and achieve your goals, particularly when it comes to your career. 

To add to this complexity, you are probably a victim of this declining span of attention yourself. How many times have you told yourself you need to sit down and plan your career, rewrite your resume, or work on the stuff you know you need to fix to get you where you want to go?

The stuff that will make a big difference to your career trajectory, your earning power, or your ability to put strategies in place. Strategies to help you manage what is probably your biggest asset over the course of your lifetime. 

Your ability to earn an income. 

Here are some of the things I can coach you on:

🔵 Gaining  clarity on where you are heading with your career and putting a plan in place.

🔵 Pinpointing why you are not getting interviews, jobs, or promotions, and working with you to close the gap.

🔵 Helping you navigate the boardroom as a new or aspiring executive.

🔵 Helping you get market ready if you've decided to leave your current company, you are between jobs, or returning to work after a break.  

🔵 Writing your career documents because you have looked at them so many times you are losing the will to live. 

🔵 Building a plan to help you come back from the brink when you are sliding backwards down the corporate ladder, or have made a career-threatening mistake.

I am a qualified coach with more than 30 years experience as a leader and executive, both in Australia and internationally.  

I have a practical and straight-talking approach to coaching. I believe that real growth starts with honesty and challenging conversations. 

I have lived experience as a:

 ✔️ leader
✔️  executive
✔️  parent
✔️  board director 
✔️  mentor, and
✔️  business owner

I know what good looks like, and I will work with you to get you there. 

I post free career content 5x a week so hit the 🛎 at the top of this page to make sure you don't miss out 

If you are ready to get moving with your career, message me to set up your free no-obligation discovery call. 

🕸 Or check out my website for packages and pricing.

leishmancoaching.com

🔵 Career & Executive Coach 🔵 Recognised as a Top 20 Career Coach 2026 🔵 Helping Professionals Get Unstuck, Get Noticed, & Get Hired 🔵 Resume & LinkedIn Writer

If  you completed an  MBA mid-career — 30s/40s/50s/60s — it tells me more about you than you know.

And what it tells me has little to do with the MBA. 

Because choosing to do a post graduate degree while working full time (and often managing kids/partners/pets/ageing parents/mortgages) tells me so much more than the fact that you can complete a course of study.

It usually tells me you’re:

▶️  Disciplined. You are prepared to get up early or stay up late. Whatever it takes.
▶️  Organised. You can juggle work, life and deadlines without dropping everything (most weeks).
▶️  Consistent. You don’t just rely on motivation. You show up anyway.
▶️  Resilient. You can handle pressure and still keep moving.
▶️  Growth-minded.  you’re not coasting on what you learned in 2009.
▶️  Practical. You know how to prioritise. 
▶️  Accountable. You finish what you start, even when it’s inconvenient.
▶️  Strategic. You understand that reskilling is ongoing if you want to stay relevant. 
▶️  Humble enough to learn — and confident enough to not be the best and brightest in the room.  

Plenty of people are smart enough to get into an MBA.

Doing one mid-career, in the middle of a full life? That’s the bit that gets my attention. Especially as someone who has done it (when I had a five year old and 3 teens) and knows exactly how hard it is. Not academically as much. But physically and mentally for sure.

If you’ve done an MBA mid-career what was the most unexpected part? 

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Photo: Mt Nguaruhoe, NZ is the youngest vent in the Tongariro stratovolcano complex on the Central Plateau of the North Island and first erupted about 2,500 years ago! You are never too old to make an entrance!

Right now, if you're a job seeker, you are probably seeing many posts where people are announcing their new jobs. 

It's important not to let this get to you. Unless you know someone well, you don't know:

▶️ How long it took them to secure that position  
▶️ Whether it was the job  they wanted
▶️ How many rejections they experienced
▶️ The challenges they faced during their job search  

Their journey is unique to them, just as yours is unique to you. 

If you are actively putting in the effort and embracing discomfort, your own announcement will come in time. Remember, at least you are in the race.

"The only two sources of discontent in life are comparisons and expectations." - Unknown. 

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Stop taking credit for the work that other people have done!

When someone in your team delivers a piece of work, give them credit for it.

Here's how you can do that:

1. Let them present it, if that's at all possible.

2. If you have to present it, be really overt about the fact that 'Sam' in your team was the author.

3. Recognise them in private AND in public.

Because when you do this, you present yourself as a far more powerful leader than if you take all of the credit for yourself.

"Level 5 leaders look out the window to apportion credit… and in the mirror to apportion responsibility.” Jim Collins


Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Photo: Driving towards Auckland City at sunset. New Zealand

Testimonial Tuesday. His words, not mine! 🤷‍♀️ 

This fabulous client was referred to me through a contact and was an absolute pleasure to work with.

Here's what he had to say:

"Couldn't recommend highly enough!

I was introduced to Brigid through a recruiter to help create a narrative on my career. At our first meeting, Brigid brought to the table a level of insight, care, and challenge that created a sense of calm to help me through my job search. 

Her ability to create a connection with her clients, coupled with her understanding of human behaviour and executive experience - helped instill a new level of confidence in my job search, my experience and my interactions with senior leaders. 

The preparatory work provided helped me truly quantify my accomplishments and honed what I'm looking for in this next phase of my career. 

Brigid's talent in taking these inputs, providing challenge and insight; and then giving me the tools of a newly polished CV, Cover Letter template and LinkedIn profile - was a work of art.

I couldn't recommend Brigid and Leishman Consulting enough for the very human interactions, the exceptional tools and the confidence it's instilled.' 

Strategy & Transformation Executive | Sydney, Australia

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Photo: Sunset, Moreton Bay, QLD

The most overused word I see in executive resumes is 'Strategic'.

“Strategic leader.”
“Strategic thinker.”
“Strategic mindset.”

But I rarely see:
▶️ What specific strategies?
▶️ For what outcome?
 ▶️ At what scale?
 ▶️ With what impact?

Strategy isn’t a personality trait. It is a series of actions.

If you’re truly strategic, you can point to:

 ✅ Decisions you made
 ✅ Trade-offs you managed.
 ✅ Direction you influenced
 ✅ Results that you achieved

If you can’t… don't expect people to believe you when you tell them you are strategic 🤷‍♀️.

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Photo: Blue sky thinking on its own is fun. But it doesn't deliver outcomes.

Dearest Gentle Reader (Mum made me say that instead of 'Hi' because she has been watching Bridgerton - humans are weird)
 
Anyway, it's Floyd. Just popping in to say hello on this glorious Sunday because Mum says there's a lot of bad and sad stuff going on in the world.

We pups are pretty immune to bad stuff because we pretty much stay off social media, preferring instead to live in the moment.

I am coming to you from under the pillows on Mum's bed because I am not allowed up here. Unless the blue blanket is on the bed, and it most definitely is not on here. So I am hiding.

Mum says that we all just need to focus on the things we can control and not waste our precious energy worrying about or getting involved in the things we can't control.

That works for me. Unless you have treats. In which case I will be putting my nose wherever it needs to go!

Have a great Sunday.

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

“Follow your passion” might be the most overrated career advice out there.

Passion is a wonderful thing.But it’s more often found in:
▶️ your family
▶️ your friendships
▶️ your hobbies
▶️ the things you choose to do in your free time

Not necessarily in your job and that's ok.

For most people, a great career isn’t built on passion.

It’s built on three much more practical things:
Capability – what you are genuinely good at
Demand – what the market actually values
Opportunity – where relevant roles exist

I’ve worked with many highly successful professionals who didn’t start out “passionate” about their work.

What happened instead was this:

▶️ They became very good at something.
▶️ They started solving meaningful problems.
▶️ They saw the impact they were having.
▶️ And over time, they developed a deep sense of engagement and pride in their work.

Sometimes passion follows mastery, not the other way around.
In reality, most people aren’t looking for a job that fulfils every emotional need in their life.

They’re looking for a role that:
▶️ challenges them
▶️ recognises their contribution
▶️ pays them fairly
▶️  allows them to build a good life outside work

And that is a perfectly reasonable definition of a successful career.

A better career question might be:
“Where can my strengths create the most value?”

That’s usually where the best opportunities appear.

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Three unexpected types of people who can help you with your career:

▶️ People who are doing the job you would like to do next or in the next few years.

▶️ People who are running small businesses and who have had to learn how to network because, without it, they would not survive.

▶️ People who you don't necessarily think are awesome, but who are nice people with big networks.

If your list of networking contacts is limited to hiring managers and recruiters, you are missing a big opportunity.

The most unexpected people and conversations can lead you to the most unexpected conversations.


Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Photo: Sunsets are a great reminder that tomorrow is a brand new day and an opportunity to make that call that you have been avoiding

“I don't really do social media.”

I often hear this from senior leaders.

But there's a  hidden cost of not having a strong professional and online presence:

▶️  You’re invisible to opportunities - LinkedIn, when done well can become your passive job search.
▶️ Your reputation is limited to only the organisations you've worked for and your existing network. 
▶️ Recruiters can’t find you easily 
▶️ You enable others to write your narrative when you don't write and control it yourself.
 
Many senior roles are never advertised. They are secured through networks and relationships.

If you’re not visible, it's harder for you to even be considered.

Stop thinking about LinkedIn as self-promotion and more like an extension of your resume and professional brand. 

If they can't see you, it's much harder to find you!


Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Photo: Stop hiding your light under a bushel. Unless you don't want to be found.

The most capable people are often the worst at talking about their achievements.

I see this all the time. Senior professionals who have:
▶️ Built teams
▶️ Delivered major projects
▶️ Solved complex problems
▶️ Led significant change

But when they are in an interview and are asked:
“Tell me about your achievements.”

They struggle to articulate their value.  

High performers can downplay their contribution because they are often:
▶️ Collaborative
▶️ Humble
▶️ Focused on the work rather than self-promotion

But interviews are not a time to play small or to be modest. 

Hiring managers are trying to answer one main question:

What impact will this person have here?

That means you need to be able to clearly articulate:
▶️ What the problem was
▶️ What you did
▶️ What changed as a result

Not the whole project. Your role in the outcome.
You can be both authentic and confident at the same time.

The strongest candidates are not the loudest.
They are the ones who can clearly explain the difference they made.

If you can't articulate your value, you are leaving it to others to make an assessment. And most of the time, they will under-assess.

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

If you are a leader, this post may make you feel uncomfortable.

If you are going to continue to cut cost.

And you are not cutting effort through automation or simplification.

You have to cut some of the work out.

Because when your processes are manual or highly reliant on humans, you have fixed capacity.

Your people will run out of space.

And then their performance will suffer.

So when you decide to cut costs, and you review that project list.

Don’t just pay lip service by stopping only projects that used little to no resources.

Make the tough calls. 

There are always things you have to keep doing.

Projects driven by regulation or to keep the lights on.

But there are always things you can stop. Even if you don’t want to.

Because if you want to retain a talented workforce who will help you to take your business where you want it to go.

You have to make hard decisions.

It’s part of your job as a leader.

And when you don't?

We see you.

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

"He is very good at managing up." This statement is generally not intended as a compliment. 

If you work in a corporate environment, it doesn't matter how good the culture is. There will always be politics. Because humans are involved.

Thinking that you can ignore the politics and just focus on doing a good job is one option, but it’s risky.

You don’t have to play the game to be good at office politics. But it's a great idea to understand it.

Here’s how you can get started 

1. Practice your observation skills. Listen to what is said and look for what is done. Look for gaps in those two things. That might look like:
"We'll circle back on that" And then they don't.

2. Look for the influencers. This is less about positional power in individuals but  the power to influence others - no matter where they sit in the hierarchy.

Clues: Who does the CEO or leader of your division listen to in meetings? Watch who they look to when a key question is asked or when they are looking for input?

3. Start to build relationships with key players. This is about as sophisticated as starting with a cup of coffee and getting to know people on a personal and professional level.  Work out how you can help them to achieve their goals. Offer support. Over time, you can build support for your ideas BEFORE you bring them into a decision-making forum. 

Know the players.

Learn the game.

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Write this down:

“If they want more detail, they will ask for it.”

So many people worry that they need more detail in their resume.

That they will miss some crucial detail when answering an interview question. 

That people will want more detail. 

That they will have the time and the interest to read more detail.

That they will continue to listen when you drone on after they specifically asked you to be brief.

They won’t. 

In fact, there more detail you include, the less impact you and your documents will have.

You will generally always be more fascinated with yourself than others will be.

Keep it tight. 

And I promise you that if they want more detail they WILL ask.

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Stop Writing Your Resume Like It’s 2010.

I haven't met many resumes that I liked.

It's not that they are bad.

It's that they are outdated and almost anonymous - full of generic and irrelevant information

They still focus on:
 ❌ Responsibilities
 ❌ Job descriptions
 ❌ Generic competencies
 ❌ Long summaries

Great  resumes in 2026 focus on:

 ✅  Commercial context
 ✅  Scale and complexity
 ✅  Risk and governance
 ✅ Decisions owned
 ✅  Outcomes delivered

If your resume doesn't demonstrate with evidence how you reduce risk and create value?

It’s not doing its job, and it's unlikely to get you a job.

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Photo: Waiheke Island, Auckland, NZ

Let's talk about specialist leadership. Because not everyone wants to manage large teams.

And not everyone CAN manage large teams but often feel they 'need to' to progress their career.

If this is you, it's ok. Just be clear about what you bring to the table if it isn't. large scale leadership.

More organisations are now valuing skills like:

▶️ Deep technical expertise
▶️ Program ownership
▶️ Regulatory expertise
▶️ People who can influence and negotiate across disciplines and functions
▶️ People who are great coaches

This is specialist leadership.

✅  High impact.
✅  High trust.
✅  High visibility.

It is just as credible and defensible as buliding a career as a generalist who manages teams.

What specialist skills do you value?

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Photo: Credit Jason Cornelius. Sometimes the best way to articulate your value is to get laser focused on what it is that you do better than anyone else you know.

District Manager CO/ID/OR/UT/WA

Testimonial Tuesday: Her words, not mine 🤷‍♀️ 

"Brigid Leishman is, quite simply, the magician of the personal branding and career assets world.

What sets her apart is not just her technical skill in CV writing, making every word count; but her ability to see the commercial narrative beneath the titles and achievements. She doesn’t just polish documents - she uncovers positioning. 

Her depth of experience and understanding of how senior careers evolve allows her to distil complexity into clarity, transforming a broad career history into a sharp, compelling market proposition.

Her knowledge of executive markets and personal brand building is unlike anything I have encountered before. Brigid’s process is rigorous, yet intuitive and kind — she asks the questions others don’t and draws out differentiators you didn’t even realise were there. The result isn’t just a stronger resume- it’s a refined identity.

Most impressively, her process makes what can feel like an overwhelming rebrand into an efficient and energising exercise. Working with Brigid is an investment in confidence and clarity. 

If you are repositioning, stepping up, or reshaping your executive narrative, she is the partner you want with you."

Risk Executive | Financial Services | Sydney, NSW


Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

Using this feature on LinkedIn could be bad for your job search. Here's what it is and why it is not a good idea for job hunters to use it.

LinkedIn introduced the ability to add things like Career Break, Study, Travel, Parenting Leave or similar as a role in your Experience section. 

It is certainly a good approach in terms of destigmatising taking time off. 
It explains a gap and shows what you’ve been doing.

But if you are actively job hunting, there is a problem.
Recruiters rarely search for people with titles like:
• Career Break
• Travelling
• Studying
• Parental Leave
They search for job titles and areas of expertise.

When you add “Career Break” as your most recent experience, LinkedIn’s algorithm often treats that as your current role.

Which means your profile may not appear in searches for the role you actually want. Your real job title gets pushed down the hierarchy and becomes less visible.

In other words, you are making yourself harder to find.

If you want to explain a break (and you absolutely should), there are better options:

▶️ Mention it briefly in your About section.

▶️  Explain it in interviews or networking discussions.

▶️  Reference it in a cover letter if it is appropriate for your situation.

But keep your most recent professional title as the top item in your experience.

LinkedIn is a search engine for recruiters and hiring managers.

Your job title is one of your most powerful keywords.

Don’t replace it with something they will never search for.

Hi. I'm a career and executive coach who also writes resumes and LI bios.

I publish original content about careers, leadership, and job search. 

Follow me, or message me if you'd like to learn more about how coaching could work for you. Or follow the 🔗 to my website at the top of my profile page for packages and pricing.

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