Claire Baldwin, Joint Senior Manager, Manchester Deaf Centre

Claire Baldwin, Joint Senior Manager, Manchester Deaf Centre

After following Steve Allman on LinkedIn for a year or so and enjoying his relevant and funny posts, I decided to bite the bullet and book in a coaching session before starting a new job role – my second charity leadership job.

I wanted to start as I mean to go on, and talk through some areas I didn’t feel as confident about. From the start of our session, I felt comfortable and able to be open/honest. I’d informed him in advance of my accessibility needs as a deaf person which he had prepared for and checked that everything was ok (lighting/picture/ sound quality etc).

I felt listened to and understood throughout. Steve’s questions were insightful, and were a real eye opener as to some of my thought patterns. He provided useful analogies, tips and strategies and positive feedback which left me feeling much more confident and ready to get started in my new role.

He has the knowledge, experience and insight to understand and comment on the unique features, challenges and benefits of working in the charity sector.

As I’m self-funding sessions, committing to a package wouldn’t have been right for me so it was great to be able to book a one-off session – although it won’t be my last!

Claire Baldwin, Joint Senior Manager, Manchester Deaf Centre

Steve McClure, Head of Facilities, Havens Hospices

Steve McClure, Head of Facilities, Havens Hospices

I’ve worked with Steve Allman now for nearly a year. I have worked through difficult times and got through some tough ‘stuff’ including some major Imposter Syndrome. Steve has always asked the right questions that made me realise that I do have the answers I’m after, (most of the time!). I would thoroughly recommend to Steve to anyone that needs some positive inspiration and I will definitely be working with him again.

Steve McClure, Head of Facilities, Havens Hospices

Mandy Mahil, Chief Operating Officer, BUD Leaders

Mandy Mahil, Chief Operating Officer, BUD Leaders

I was sceptical about coaching in general but with Steve Allman, how wrong I was! Steve’s no-nonsense, straight to the point approach was refreshing. He understood me, my present and future goals really swiftly. He brought me much needed perspective, reframing and grounding, and even though it’s been a while since our sessions, I’m still reaping rewards. Thanks to Steve, I no longer feel ‘trapped’ in an industry sector. My only regret – not reaching out to Steve sooner!

Mandy Mahil, Chief Operating Officer, BUD Leaders

Karen Robson, CEO, The Care Collective

Karen Robson, CEO, The Care Collective

I connected with Steve Allman after following his thought provoking posts on LinkedIn. As a new CEO having a space to reflect and be challenged has been enormously helpful. The relationship felt comfortable from the off and it was easy to develop rapport and trust. Steve makes you feel like he has a genuine interest in you/ your work and despite completing our sessions I’ll stay in touch and follow more of his provocative posts. If you need someone who knows their way around the charity sector and its frustrating quirks Steve is your man.

Karen Robson, CEO, The Care Collective

Emma Collins, Head of Development, Twins Trust

Emma Collins, Head of Development, Twins Trust

I have always enjoyed reading Steve Allman’s posts on LinkedIn – very much no nonsense, make a lot of sense, and very relatable. And a good sense of humour!

I booked a one-off session with Steve to get an idea of what it would be like to work with a coach, not expecting (if I’m honest) to get much out of one session. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I got so much out of it in ways that I really wasn’t expecting.

Right away Steve was able to get a good picture of where I was at professionally, and when he fed back what he was hearing it was a real eye opener for me, allowing me to take away some important points for reflection. I would recommend even just one session with Steve, as it was something that (even many weeks later) I am still reflecting on, and using to help me make decisions about my professional next steps.

Emma Collins, Head of Development, Twins Trust

Ocean King, Community Executive, CharityJob

Ocean King, Community Executive, CharityJob

Steve kicked off our first-ever event, and it’s safe to say it was an overwhelming success! His talk on “How to Navigate the Minefield of Charity Leadership” was not only engaging but also provided great insights, offering valuable takeaways to our attendees.

Despite the event being virtual, Steve’s presence and energy made it just as engaging as an in-person event, and he had us all laughing at his jokes!

The communication process throughout was seamless, a refreshing change from the challenges often faced when organising and liaising with speakers, and he promptly posted a write-up of his talk on our website.

The feedback we received from his talk was amazing, and I can’t think of a better speaker to have launched our events. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Steve and recommend him to my colleagues every chance I get!

Ocean King, Community Executive, CharityJob