Charity Chat

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

Very motivating coaching session, insightful and extremely helpful, thoroughly recommend Steve Allman. Felt revitalised after the session, with a clearer perspective on everything. Whatever your role get in touch, you won’t regret it.

Alison Pearson, Community Engagement Officer, ActivLives

Really enjoyed working with Steve. He asked all the right questions and I left our meeting feeling more energised and clearer about what I wanted to achieve. Highly recommended!

Elena Laguna, Director of Volunteer Experience, St John Ambulance

Steve Allman lives charity, breathes charity, and eats… well, biscuits. He’s a brilliant consultant, wildly passionate about social good and brings a depth of hands-on experience to the conversation.

We held a Nonprofit Power Hour session with Steve to reflect on our charity’s journey through survival, stability, and explore our approach on what comes next which will be pivotal to furthering our reach and impact of our work.

Steve instantly developed trust and understanding, his calm and comforting approach effortlessly put us at ease. Steve’s thought-provoking questions and well positioned pauses challenged and validated in equal measure.

Closing off with a collection of insights, Steve tied off the hour leaving a positive impact and contributions that will shape our work for years to come.

Zoheb Shariff, Chief Executive Officer, Mosaic 1898

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

I approached Steve for some career guidance and coaching as I was lost and unfulfilled in my career but didn’t know why.  Steve listened to my values and helped me to discover and explore my motivations, pairing those with job options that I’m qualified for.

I only spent a few hours with Steve as these sessions provided me with more than enough value to be able to re-evaluate my position.  I left my time with Steve feeling re-energised and motivated.  I found a new role quickly that aligned with my motivations.

Thomas Smith, Curriculum Coordinator, Suffolk New College

Steve was a sounding board for me when I was navigating some difficult decisions.  I appreciated being able to book a one off session, to sense check my thoughts with an experienced charity professional.  He gave clear, well thought out input and I found the process very helpful.

Sue Prytherch, Chair, SMART CJS

I have followed, laughed and screamed at Steve Allman’s insights for many months (for free) like the rest.  Two weeks ago I invested in a 1 to 1.  Just me, and my challenges.  I got more way more time, and actionable advice than I expected in return for my investment.  I was challenged, AND got some empathy along the way (both were needed).  A number of suggestions have already seen the light of day (well, they became part of a Board paper) and are taking us forward.  If you love the public, no cost, ‘LinkedIn Steve Allman’, then I urge you to work with the private version of the same person!  It will be worth every penny.

David Evans, UK Country Director, Ace Africa

I was referred to Steve for a 2-hour session to help with my next career move following a charity restructuring.  I would highly recommend his coaching services.  Steve provided practical and emotional support and advice that has really helped me determine potential career path.  His approach is laid back, funny and friendly – it’s like a chat with a friend who happens to be a brilliant charity sector coach.

Maya Alexander, Development Coordinator, Ministry of Stories

Had a really fun hour long coaching session with Steve Allman. Lots of laughs and so much for me to take away and reflect on, including some immediate concrete actions to address work/life balance.

Steve asked such perceptive questions which got right to the heart of the issues I’ve been dealing with and shared some useful tools and frameworks to help me address them.

Jacqui Sherlock, Head of Policy, Youth Futures Foundation

I booked a standalone coaching session with Steve Allman and was amazed at how much was accomplished in just one hour, coming away with fresh insight and clarity across several areas of my work life.

He asks really good questions and gets to the key issues really quickly, making the most of limited time without it ever feeling rushed.

No matter where you are in your career or what your challenges might be, I wholeheartedly recommend Steve Allman and hope to be able to work with him again.

Stephanie Jarman, Strategic Director, Nine Collective