Lesley Garrick

Lesley is a self employed coach, consultant and facilitator who is passionate about working with people and organisations to improve their work and working lives. Lesley works mainly in the public sector in the UK (health, education, Universities, non-departmental public bodies etc). She has worked as a management consultant for 15 years, and for ten of those years was employed with Hay Group where she was an Associate Director.

Prior to becoming a consultant, Lesley was a senior manager in the NHS in Scotland for ten years. Lesley joined the NHS as a National Management Trainee in 1991, and spent time working in a range of general management roles across the NHS. This included a secondment to work with the Chief Medical Officer on the Acute Services Review, and then as an NHS Advisor within the Scottish Executive. Her last role in the NHS in Scotland was as Hospital Manager at Inverclyde Royal Hospital in Greenock.

Lesley has a BSc(Hons) in Geography, an MBA, and a PhD in Geography. She has a certificate in Health Service Management and a postgraduate certificate in Executive Coaching. Lesley is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, is a member of the Institute of Directors, and a member of the Association of Coaching.

Lesley spends her time away from work with family, friends and is a coach in a karate club.

Lesley has a well developed network of experienced colleagues, and works with them to deliver services and support to clients when needed.

  • “Lesley has proved to be a valuable source of independent advice and expertise across the whole range of issues associated with job sizing and organisational structure. Her rapid appreciation of the emerging roles and their place in our structure is impressive and I have appreciated the level of support and challenge she is able to provide me with in this crucial area. My managers have indicated that in their dealing with her, Lesley is well informed, experienced and able to offer her expertise in a confident and helpful manner”.  

    Elaine Tait Chief Executive, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
  • As an experienced head teacher I found the coaching sessions delivered by Lesley to be 'time well spent' as they resulted in high quality personal and professional development.  Lesley had the coaching experience to rapidly develop a strong connection with me based on confidentiality, trust and mutual respect. Through well-structured dialogue these coaching sessions facilitated self-reflection and generation of new insights. In addition they were productive with clear outcomes action points and time scales. Lesley was supportive and empathetic but also offered open and honest challenge.

    SCEL Fellow
  • I wanted to thank you sincerely for the sessions, I got far more out of it than I expected, you've given me much food for thought, some great ideas and brilliant tips for keeping myself strong through this transition.

    Career Transition Senior Manager from Public Sector after Career Transition Coaching
  • “Feedback from our participants about their experience of being coached and engaging with Lesley has been consistently positive. She brings a wealth of experience as well as a flexible approach to coaching (offering challenge and support) that allows her to effectively work across the differing needs and contexts of our participants.”

    Lesley Whelan Depute CEO and Director of Programmes at SCEL
  • The impact of your involvement has been evidenced by a refreshed take on my professional role and a re-vitalisation of purpose and aim in my perceived role as a professional educator. My horizons have been broadened by an increased awareness of the strategic importance of the headteacher role and the opportunity it presents to 'make a difference' to so many people's lives.

    Jim McCrory Headteacher at St Anthony's Primary School Armadale and Fellow of the Scottish College for Educational Leadership
  • Lesley's coaching sessions increased my ability to perform and made me a more effective as a leader; in my school, across the authority and in the wider context of educational leadership.

    SCEL Fellow