“I would recommend Karen to any senior executive who wants to find different ways of looking at their business. Ever challenging and insightful, Karen worked with me to create and structure new approaches that have had a major impact on me and my team.”
Mike Berry, UK Country Manager, Talent Agency
“Karen was brought on board initially to help with changes in our company structure and succession plan, initially carrying out the Hogan Assessment. I found the outcome to be hugely beneficial in guiding us on utilizing skill sets accurately and looking at where there could be room for further work as the company changed and progressed. Her approach was warm, professional, experienced, and knowledgeable, and her attitude was always open and positive.
The Hogan assessment was thorough and a revelation in my eyes as to how I and colleagues work, and gave understanding to possible reasons why clashes may happen. This gives greater power to identify habitual traits and triggers and change unwelcome or unprofessional behaviours and create a more cohesive workplace and productive overall company. I cannot recommend highly enough.”
Jo Wallace – Sugar Studios Limited Director
“Karen’s [Influencing and Persuasion] workshop was insightful and mind opening. Before the workshop, I was not entirely sure what to expect but from the offset I felt comfortable and assured about the structure of the course and how this would be beneficial. This gave me insight into different learning styles and how to incorporate these methods into the workplace. I am happy that I was given the opportunity to go to this workshop as the tools that I have gained can be utilised inside and outside of work. Karen is very professional, personable and overall, a great course leader; her experience and dedication is visible and greatly respected.”
Uchenna Ibe, Finance Manager at MDM Props Limited
‘I knew Karen from my time at a previous company where Karen was an operations director and a sponsor who displayed great enthusiasm to lead teams and projects in the right way. After almost 10 years later I was looking for answers around how to lead more effectively in a post recession age where loyalty, risk taking, and personal responsibility within a trusted team environment all appeared to be under serious threat. Karen put together a course outline which worked on self-awareness and how my understanding of myself could be used to positively address those questions. After 3 months I found that I had a better grasp of my motivations and was far better equipped to deal with leadership challenges using various tools covering personality types, to conflict styles, to reframing. Karen’s approach is thorough, measured, and fun at the same time. I have no hesitation in recommending Karen to develop or refine leadership skills and am looking forward to an ongoing partnership with Assiem to further my development.’
Stuart McKenzie, Programme and Project Manager, Financial Services
“I employed Karen to help develop my self-awareness and impact and to clarify my future career options. The sessions were enormous fun and highly stimulating. Karen was very flexible to ensure each session met my expectations and she was very effective in identifying my needs and guiding me effectively. I emerged with various useful tools and a clearer idea of the direction I wished to take. Overall a thoroughly worthwhile experience.”
Stephen Hyams, Actuary & Trustee
“I would highly recommend Karen for anyone who is looking to work through personal or professional challenges that they are currently encountering. She is incredibly personable and supportive which makes her easy to open up to and be completely honest with. She has changed the way I see and approach difficult situations thus resulting in a more positive result in a short period of time.”
Priya Nepoleon, Account Director
“I found the whole [Leadership Development] programme to be incredibly helpful. The 1-2-1s were a great place to talk through specific situations and get external advise/perspective on real world situations. The group workshops were great for us all to learn new ideas and techniques with everyone able to contribute questions that challenged and evolved our personal understanding of the techniques and knowledge provided.”
J, Team Lead
“We asked Karen to provide an MBTI workshop at our recent company offsite. It was enlightening and entertaining. We are a diverse group and the insights from the workshop enabled us to better understand each other and to figure out how to work together more effectively – exactly what we were hoping to achieve.”
John, Chief Operating Officer, Equity Investments
“I was in a funk, feeling lost, not really knowing what I needed but sure that something had to change. Karen was great at establishing what I would benefit most from. She asked a lot of honest and probing questions which helped me to unveil the core reasons for some of my issues. Not only was her coaching approach from a scientific perspective but also a personal one where she took time and effort to really understand me and what inspires, motivates or scares me. With her background managing large teams in big companies she connects well with challenges in the workplace and gave me really helpful ideas on how to deal with stress, pressure and communication. Since the coaching sessions I feel like I am far better equipped to deal with my problems in a healthy way, the techniques she suggested have led to better communication with my peers and even at home. I feel more in control of my life and more confident in who I am.”
NDJ
“On hearing about Assiem I was at first very apprehensive yet keen to have an open mind. I previously had issues dealing with heated and confrontational situations and needed a better way to communicate. Karen made me feel relaxed and kept our sessions informative and fun. She took the time to really understand my needs, worries, anxieties and offered up positive and constructive solutions, along with small exercises I could perform on my own. With a few weekly sessions, accompanied with constant learning and development I now have the tools to handle confrontational situations in a calm and considerate manner. My time with Karen has been a positively wonderful experience which has given me a new lease of life inside work and in my own personal life. I would recommend Karen to anyone who needs to make a necessary life adjustment.”
David Francis, Account Director
“I’ve only had one conversation with Karen so far and my friends and colleagues have already noticed the difference in me. I was constantly anxious and worrying about every possible issue that could arise at work and in my personal life, and now I have a completely different perspective.”
Executive Coaching Client
“Karen has a number of strengths, chief of which is her ability to get the best out of people. She is an excellent people manager but is also able to build powerful business cases through the use of complex management information and customer feedback. Karen can see the bigger picture but understands the detail and is an effective change manager as a result. Her breadth of experience means that she is highly flexible and can tackle a wide range of roles. Her enthusiasm and commitment make her a safe pair of hands.”
Lisa Harlow, Associate Director, Financial Services
“Performance orientated with the customer firmly at the centre of her drive for continuous improvement, Karen had the vision to build and the drive to push the Contact Centre senior management team to a 20% gain in productivity and 20% drop in required headcount in less than 10 months. New management information was created to accurately track and correct performance and as a strong advocate for the balance between people and business goals the whole team was challenged and developed throughout the changes.”
Vince Thomas, Associate Director, Financial Services
“Karen combines a thorough understanding of the detail, with a strong strategic vision. Her energy and drive are considerable, resulting in a positive impact on those working with and for her.”
Matt, Associate Director, Project Mgt
“Karen is committed to investing in her people and spends a lot of time thinking about how to develop individuals, how to communicate effectively with them and how to meet their needs within a business framework. She also looks at the impact of change on the larger organisation and looks at ways to manage the potential issues that change brings. Karen is happy to allow her staff to be ’experts’ within their technical discipline and she gives them space to use their expertise while guiding them from a management perspective. This can be very liberating for individuals and allows them to flourish under her guidance. She is very clear on what she expects from people and is balanced in her feedback using a range of techniques to get the best from individuals.”
Director, Financial Services
“Karen is a great stakeholder / sponsor to work for as she understands project methodologies and how her influence can result in successful deliveries. In addition to directing the strategic objectives she is able, due to her outstanding knowledge of business processes, to answer the most detailed of questions.”
Neil, Project Manager, Financial Services
“Karen has a background of project and process management and she brings these skill sets to all aspects of her work. She is methodical in looking at changes to the team, business processes and at the introduction of new systems or products. She is able to drill down into subjects and discover key areas of risk or concern. Karen then uses this approach to plan for the future, putting together detailed plans for the business and having clear goals and milestones for the team. Karen works hard to measure progress in all areas of her work and reports back to senior management so that there is always a sense of control and progress within her teams.”
Director, Financial Services
“Karen managed to drive through many amazing changes, pushing the boundaries whilst building a great working relationship between the Operational and Sales departments.”
Senior Executive, Sales Specialist
“I have never used Assiem before [for a personal need] and was naturally sceptical about whether they could really help me prepare for a difficult situation. I needn’t have worried, they were extremely thorough in drilling down to uncover what my key issues really were, and determining how best to help me address them. It didn’t stop there, all throughout the process they were keen to ensure I had the correct mental tool kit to face my challenge ahead. And it worked perfectly. I was fully prepared on the day for any adverse eventuality that might arise and was confident that nothing could go wrong…all credit to [Karen at] Assiem.”
Glenn Steward, Director, Trading Edge Company
“I have really valued and appreciated the time I get to spend with Karen each week, and have been able to focus on the team building and communication aspects that have been so daunting in the past. Karen has been challenging the way I approach things, giving me ideas of things to try, and has been very supportive. For the first time in several years, I feel as though I am learning again, and that is a wonderful feeling! Karen was one of the best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, and she really helped me understand more about myself and my role, and I can’t thank her enough for that.
Karen exudes an attitude of empathy, calmness and confidence that creates trust, engenders loyalty, builds teams and encourages others to strive for their best.”
Kate Terry, now Head of Pension Operations, Fujitsu
“The long-term benefits are a fuller understanding and appreciation of colleagues with whom we may on the surface share little in common. As team leader, I now feel less tense in my leadership role, as I now I have a better appreciation of my colleagues’ working preferences. Karen’s approach to our half-day INSET Workshop was perfect. She paced her delivery just right, and interspersed visual activities with discussion, anecdotes and practical tasks, to maintain a brisk working environment. Karen’s calm and highly professional approach created the atmosphere of trust essential to the development of a greater understanding of others. It is always challenging to deliver novel and relevant INSET to teachers who spend their working lives disseminating information and skills to others. The content of the INSET certainly achieved this, and stimulated a great deal of debate and original thought both at the time, and subsequently over the vacation and new term.”
Emma, School House Mistress
“Personable, Karen can talk to anyone at any level. Junior team members are often surprised by her grasp on the everyday issues they face and her willingness to discuss them openly and challenge back appropriately. Karen genuinely believes in a team approach, which is an asset when it comes to developing others.”
Vince, Associate Director, Financial Services
“[The MBTI Workshop was] more than expected – practical division between types – and the activities revealed a lot. I had a sudden realisation on why I feel there can be a stampede to decisions in [our company]. As a perceiver, I want more time but we have a majority of judgers. I understand why I work so well with certain members of the team. Karen was excellent.”
Lucy, Lawyer, Financial Services
“[The MBTI Workshop was] a great session, lots of explanation and examples to help understand and apply.”
Chris, Trader, Financial Services
“[The Workshop was] Interesting, thought-provoking and shows how we can combine our approaches to work effectively together. We had frank and enlightening conversations about behaviour and its effects on work ethics, as Karen created a relaxed atmosphere, with constructive use of humour.”
Bev, School Teacher
“The workshop is non-confrontational and informative, giving a real insight into how I work and how others work – not everything I had assumed was true! I think it will help the team work “smarter” when tackling issues or projects as they arise.”
Sarah, School Teacher
“The workshop gave me an insight into analysing my own and others personalities from a different angle. It gave me an insight and acted as an “eye-opener” about certain aspects of myself. Karen was very friendly and created a very relaxed atmosphere, and was happy to answer our questions.”
Henry, School Teacher
“[The workshop] helped us think through how others might react to actions and behaviours …. the practical examples helped us think through where our preferences lie. Karen was very good – controlling a somewhat rowdy group well!”
David, Client Service, Equity Investments
“I have worked for many people, for several different companies, in my working life and only have very few I look back on with admiration but Karen is definitely one of them. I have learnt many things from her and will really miss her honesty, professionalism, attention to detail, loyalty and encouragement.”
Gill, Manager, Financial Services