Building a culture of confident communicators

Written By Julia Pardoe

Client: An international law firm

Overview: Julia initially delivered a series of workshops aimed at improving communication skills among their legal professionals. This initial engagement evolved into a long-term partnership encompassing workshops, group coaching, and one-on-one leadership development, now entering its third year.

What we delivered:

Three foundational workshops covering:

  • Fair and consistent communication

  • Identifying and overcoming communication barriers

  • Regulating emotions in high-pressure situations

8-week small group coaching programme (five cohorts to date, with a sixth cohort beginning in September), focusing on:

  • Building self-awareness

  • Increasing confidence

  • Strengthening presence and clarity

  • Effective feedback

  • Managing conflict

  • Navigating complex workplace dynamics

  • Optional 1:1 sessions to deepen learning

Targeted 1:1 coaching

  • For individuals seeking to boost confidence in communication

3 bespoke online sessions

  • Focused on increasing confidence when presenting

Impact:

From the evaluation feedback, participants shared that they:

  • Felt more confident speaking up and presenting to senior stakeholders

  • Became better at managing difficult conversations and emotional dynamics

  • Valued the safe, tailored coaching space and practical tools they could apply

Participant feedback:

“I now feel more confident in managing challenging conversations and expressing my ideas clearly.”

“The topics and discussions went beyond what you’d expect from a ‘standard professional communication’ course — it was in-depth, personal, and genuinely thought-provoking. I felt like I was being truly helped and developed, not just handed generic advice. The programme is brilliant.”

Outcomes:

  • 100% felt the programme improved their communication awareness and skills

  • 100% felt the coaching space allowed them to learn and grow

  • 88% felt more confident navigating communication challenges

Why it worked:

My approach is rooted in coaching and underpinned by practical frameworks. I tailor sessions to the people in the room, understanding that communication is rarely just about skills, it's about identity, power, emotion, and cultural nuance. This work helps people not just communicate more effectively, but lead more confidently and connect more meaningfully.

Julia Pardoe