32 Skyline | Edition 8 | Winter 2025
In an increasingly challenging market, firm principals and business leaders are facing more pressure than ever. Competition is increasing, client expectations are evolving, and firms must balance higher service and proposition demands with the pursuit of growth.
Paul Fenn
Director Business Development Skipton Building Society
It is against this backdrop that more leaders are turning to coaching and mentoring – both to refine and test their own thinking and to develop healthier, more resilient businesses. For me, the decision to develop my coaching and mentoring skills emerged over time. Having spent many years within the industry leading a diverse range of people, I wanted to improve my support and development skills, not only for technical answers, but for strategic guidance, clarity, and even reassurance with their career progression
After completing a Post Graduate Certificate in Business and Executive Coaching, those conversations evolved into more formal structured coaching and mentoring relationships, with a wide variety of colleagues, and in recent years, business owners and leaders. This breadth of experience has given me a better cross-sectional view of what leaders in our sector are most concerned about – and what they often feel unprepared for.
The topics can be varied. While most leaders want to talk about growth, efficiency, or team management, I’ ve also had my fair share of more personally driven topics. These moments and conversations remind me that mentoring is fundamentally about people, not processes. Businesses can’ t run and don’ t exist in isolation from the personnel, and leaders often need support and help navigating both.
Questions business leaders should be asking themselves
When a principal decides they want to elevate their business to a new level, their first instinct is often to look outward – toward markets, competitors, or new revenue streams. Yet true transformation must also consider the internal challenges, with a set of fundamental questions that leaders should be asking themselves before altering their business strategy.
The first is about purpose. What are you actually trying to achieve – and why? Many business leaders can articulate what