How it works

How it Works

Step 1: Short preregistration - (5 minutes)
You outline the decision you’re facing. This ensures you’re routed to the right intake and the right level of support.

Step 2: Confirm fit and secure your spot
You complete payment to reserve capacity. If a different service is a better fit, I’ll redirect you before any work begins.

Step 3: Focused Intake
You complete a structured questionnaire tailored to your service. If anything is unclear, I’ll follow up before analysis starts.

Step 4: Strategic Analysis
I analyse your situation using the decision framework I developed advising senior leaders, including during the UBS–Credit Suisse merger.

Step 5: Clear recommendation and next steps
You receive a direct recommendation with implementation guidance. Format and timing depend on your service, written brief, session plus brief, or extended advisory.

How decisions are assessed

Your situation is reviewed using a disciplined decision lens. The assessment focuses on five things:

Decision framing
Clarifying what this decision is really optimising for, not just the surface choice in front of you.

Readiness and timing
Assessing whether this move is actionable now, later, or not at all given your position and real constraints.

Risk filtering
Separating real constraints from perceived ones, and identifying which risks actually matter.

Leverage and power
Identifying where influence, optionality, and negotiating power truly sit.

Execution with containment
Defining next steps that move things forward while limiting downside exposure.

You don’t need to learn a framework or adopt a new model. You answer the questions honestly. I take responsibility for the analysis and judgment.

Case Studies

Promotion Denied, Path Unclear

Deciding whether to push, wait or disengage

Situation
Laura was told she wouldn’t be promoted this year. Feedback was positive but vague. “Strong performer.” “Maybe next cycle.”

The risk
She didn’t know whether this was a temporary delay or a quiet signal she was capped. Waiting blindly risked losing time and leverage. Pushing without clarity risked damaging relationships.

What we did
We clarified how promotions were actually decided, tested whether sponsorship was real, and prepared direct talking points for a career conversation.

Outcome
The conversation confirmed the path was unlikely. Laura stopped over-investing internally and began exploring external options deliberately, without regret or panic.

Stay or Leave Under Uncertainty

When safety and stagnation look the same

Situation
Nina’s role survived a restructuring, but her remit quietly shrank. She was told to “be patient” while leadership figured out the new structure.

The risk
Staying felt safe. But every month that passed reduced her visibility and leverage. Leaving too early risked overreacting.

What we did
We assessed whether the role still had a future path, who would need to actively sponsor it, and what signals would indicate recovery versus slow sidelining.

Outcome
Nina stayed temporarily, but with clear conditions and a defined exit trigger. When those signals didn’t materialise, she moved on without second-guessing the timing.

High-Stakes Exit Timing

Leaving without burning leverage

Situation
Sophie was considering leaving after a series of leadership changes. Nothing was formally wrong, but her exposure was increasing and decision-making had become erratic.

The risk
Leaving too soon could look impulsive. Waiting too long could leave her carrying risk without protection.

What we did
We mapped the decision dependencies, identified what needed to happen before exiting, and prepared talking points to manage perception while she positioned her next move.

Outcome
Sophie delayed her exit briefly to contain risk, then moved deliberately when conditions aligned. She left with her reputation intact and her options open.

Prefer to decide independently first?

Some career decisions can be resolved without advisory support. Others require judgment through execution.

If you are still clarifying whether a change is necessary, the Career Decision Library offers self-guided frameworks designed to resolve one specific decision at a time.

These diagnostics apply the same decision framework used in advisory work, adapted for independent use. They are completed in one or two sittings and produce a documented, defensible conclusion.

Use the Library when you want clarity before engaging support, or when your situation does not require real-time strategic dialogue.

→ Explore the Career Decision Library