Leadership & Executive Advisory Program

Strengthen your leadership with experienced guidance

Leadership becomes more demanding as responsibility increases. Many leaders initially gain promotion through their technical expertise, but find that being a subject matter expert isn’t enough. Leaders must make difficult decisions, earn trust, communicate with influence, manage competing priorities, and guide others through uncertainty.

I provide Leadership and Executive Advisory services to leaders seeking thoughtful, evidence-informed guidance as they navigate complex workplace challenges. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, I help leaders better understand themselves, strengthen their leadership effectiveness, and make decisions that support both their individual and organizational success.

Many people searching for executive coaching are looking for practical guidance from someone who understands leadership. My approach builds on coaching by combining psychology, leadership assessment, workplace expertise, and strategic advice tailored to your situation.

What is the Leadership & Executive Advisory Program?

The Leadership & Executive Advisory Program is personalized consultation, training and support for managers, directors, executives, business owners, and both emerging and established leaders who want to strengthen their leadership and navigate complex organizational challenges.

The biggest misconception about leadership is that a leader should have all the answers. Leadership is rarely about having all the answers. It’s about making sound decisions when there are competing priorities, limited information, and significant consequences.

My program combines executive coaching, leadership assessment, and professional advisory services to help leaders understand how they lead, recognize patterns that influence their effectiveness, and develop practical strategies for continued growth.

Who is the Leadership Advisory Program for?

My leadership advisory program is designed for professionals whose success depends on leading people, influencing decisions, and delivering results through others. I work with:

• New supervisors and managers
• Business owners and entrepreneurs
• Senior leaders preparing for expanded responsibilities
• Technical experts/individual contributors moving into leadership roles
• Professionals leading organizational change
• Directors and executives
• Public service leaders

Many of my clients have already built successful careers as subject matter experts. Leadership requires a different set of skills, including communication, judgement, influence, delegation, and the ability to bring out the best in others. Ultimately, I work with leaders at any level who are seeking greater confidence and effectiveness in complex environments.

What leadership challenges can this program help address?

Leadership challenges rarely have simple solutions. Decisions often involve competing priorities, organizational expectations, interpersonal relationships, and long-term consequences.

This program can help you navigate challenges such as:

• Transitioning into a new leadership role
• Building trust with a new team
• Leading former peers
• Delegating effectively
• Leading diverse teams
• Improving team communication
• Managing conflict constructively
• Fostering psychological safety
• Managing difficult conversations
• Navigating organizational politics
• Addressing performance concerns
• Leading through organizational change
• Managing competing stakeholder expectations
• Reducing the risk of burnout while maintaining performance

Leadership development is not about becoming someone else. It’s about understanding your strengths, recognizing your blind spots, and learning how to respond effectively to increasingly complex situations.

What does the Leadership & Executive Advisory Program include?

Every engagement is customized to your goals, responsibilities, and organizational environment. A typical engagement includes:

Leadership Assessment

We begin by developing a thorough understanding of your current role, leadership responsibilities, professional goals, and the challenges you are facing.

Psychometric Assessment

Where appropriate, I use scientifically validated leadership assessments to provide objective information about your leadership style, strengths, motivations, and potential areas for development.

Many professionals receive minimal actionable feedback because their bosses don’t have the bandwidth to provide it. Plus, often, leaders receive limited feedback as they become more senior. Psychometric leadership assessments can provide valuable information that is difficult to obtain through day-to-day performance reviews alone.

Assessment Feedback and Interpretation

Receiving assessment results is only the beginning.

Together, we examine what the findings mean for your leadership, how they may influence your relationships and decision-making, and where opportunities for growth may exist.

The goal is not simply greater self-awareness for its own sake. It is helping you apply that knowledge in practical ways.

Personalized Leadership Strategy

Based on your assessment and our conversations, we develop practical strategies that support your goals.

Depending on your needs, we may focus on:

• Strategies to improve your leadership effectiveness
• Communication strategies
• Team leadership
• Decision-making and setting priorities
• Organizational influence
• Stakeholder relationships
• Performance management and navigating obstacles
• Your ongoing career progression

Ongoing Executive Advisory

During your leadership journey, the challenges you face will change over time.

Our meetings provide an opportunity to discuss emerging issues, prepare for difficult conversations, evaluate important decisions, and consider different approaches before taking action.

This creates a safe, confidential space to think through complex situations with an experienced advisor.

Why do experienced leaders benefit from executive advisory?

One of the biggest realizations leaders have is that leadership often becomes more isolating as their responsibilities increase.

When leaders become more senior, colleagues may become less willing to provide candid feedback. Decisions become more visible, mistakes have greater consequences, and competing demands increase.

Having a trusted advisor provides an opportunity to examine important decisions, consider alternative approaches, and reflect on situations before they affect your team or organization.

According to the Centre for Creative Leadership (CCL), executive coaching is associated with improvements in leadership effectiveness, goal attainment, and well-being. The value comes not simply from conversation, but from structured reflection, objective feedback, and practical application.

Why work with Dr. Helen Ofosu?

Dr. Helen Ofosu is an expert in Industrial and Organizational Psychology with more than 25 years of experience helping leaders and organizations improve workplace performance.

Her experience spans the public, private, and non-profit sectors, including work with the Public Service Commission of Canada, the Department of National Defence, Global Affairs Canada, and organizations across Ottawa's technology sector and legal sector.

She is also the author of How to Be Resilient in Your Career: Facing Up to Barriers at Work, published by Routledge in 2023.

Her work combines leadership assessment, executive coaching, HR consulting, organizational psychology, and workplace consulting.

Dr. Helen’s experience as a consultant, business owner, and I/O psychologist gives her a strong understanding of how organizational culture, workplace expectations, and access to opportunities influence leadership experiences. She supports leaders navigating complex workplace environments, organizational change, the challenges of leading diverse teams, and the implications of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

This combination of professional expertise, lived experience, and practical judgement allows her to help leaders understand not only what is happening, but why it is happening and how to respond effectively.

Frequently asked questions about the Leadership & Executive Advisory Program

Is the Leadership & Executive Advisory Program executive coaching?

Executive coaching is an important part of many engagements. This program goes further by combining coaching with psychometric leadership assessment, organizational psychology, workplace consulting, and strategic advisory services.

Do you use leadership assessments?

Yes. Where appropriate, I use scientifically validated psychometric assessments to provide objective information about leadership strengths, motivations, and development opportunities.

Do you work with new leaders?

Yes. Many clients are preparing for or have recently entered leadership positions and want support during this important transition.

Do you work with experienced executives?

Yes. Experienced leaders often seek advisory support when navigating organizational change, difficult leadership situations, expanded responsibilities, or complex workplace challenges.

Do you understand the federal public service?

Yes. I have extensive experience working within and alongside the federal public service and understand many of the leadership challenges associated with large, complex organizations.

Book a Leadership & Executive Advisory consultation

Leadership becomes more complex as responsibility grows.

If you are preparing for a new leadership role, managing an increasingly demanding position, or looking for an experienced advisor to help you think through important decisions, I invite you to contact me or schedule a confidential consultation to discuss how the Leadership & Executive Advisory Program can support your goals.

Contact Dr. Helen Schedule a Confidential Consultation