Leadership, culture and performance are all shaped by how well we understand ourselves and that includes our brains and emotions.
I bring neuroscience, emotional intelligence and CBT to life for teams and organisations, translating them into everyday practice so participants leave equipped to think differently and act with intent.
“Sophie presented “The Neuroscience of Performance” to my team. It was a highly insightful, thought-provoking and engaging session. It brought a fresh perspective to how to work better and she shared models and practical tips. We look forward to other sessions with her. I highly recommend Sophie ” – PwC
Format and Design
I offer a wide range of formats from keynote talks to workshops and webinars.
Follow-up sessions including one-to-one and team coaching can be added to reinforce learning as behaviour change requires practice.
My interventions are designed around how the brain learns best.
Each session focuses on self-awareness and behaviour change rather than information overload that will be forgotten tomorrow.
Through thought-provoking content, storytelling, practical models and tools, I create ‘aha’ moments that shift perspectives.
Then, reflection and discussion deepen understanding and aid retention, so participants leave with actions and commitments, not just notes.
You can pick up a session from popular ones below, or I can tailor the content to your goals, audience and context.
Let’s speak to discuss what would work best for your team and organisation.
“I had the opportunity to attend 3 workshops led by Sophie. She provided pre-course materials and interactive activities. Her work on neuroscience and emotional intelligence was integral to each session. I appreciated the academic references Sophie provided and suggestions for further reading, and I particularly enjoyed the interactive elements and chances for group discussion. Thank you Sophie.” – The Foreign & Commonwealth Office
“The 20-minute coaching session was useful as it enabled me to check my progress, highlight my next steps and reinforce my commitment to change. A worthwhile exercise following on from the webinars.” – Foreign And Commonwealth Office
Content
Thriving teams and lasting performance are intentional.
Each can be delivered as a standalone talk, modified or combined into a programme
Leading self: ‘Change starts from within‘.
This section focuses on understanding and regulating emotions and energy, building confidence, agency and making better decisions.
Popular sessions include:
The neuroscience of self
Discover how your brain shapes your focus, motivation and engagement and learn to work with it, not against it. Leave with practical tools to respond rather than react, manage your stress and energy and lead with greater clarity and confidence.
Emotional intelligence: A powerful leadership tool
Emotions aren’t obstacles to performance, they are enablers. Learn how to understand and regulate your own responses, and develop the emotional intelligence to manage yourself and lead others.
Diving deep into the 10 emotional intelligence competencies
Understand how to stay calm under pressure, make confident decisions, build trust based relationships, and lead with flexibility and optimism in complex, uncertain environments.
Identify your strengths and development areas and leave with a personal plan to strengthen your emotional intelligence skills.
Managing stress and energy to remain effective
Not all stress is harmful, yet if chronic and unmanaged, it limits your brain’s ability to perform.
Leave with practical tools to regulate your stress and energy to stay calm, focused and resilient under pressure.
Leading teams and organisations: ‘No man is an island.’ -John Donne.
This section focuses on building diverse teams, strengthening communication, expectations, trust and collaboration, mastering feedback and creating psychologically safe environments where people can contribute and innovate.
Popular sessions include:
The neuroscience of leading high-performing teams
Discover how to shift from a threat-based to a reward-driven culture and what that shift does for innovation, motivation, agency and collaboration.
Leave with practical strategies to model the right behaviours and create the conditions where teams perform at their best.
The power of trust: The foundation of team effectiveness
Trust is the cornerstone on which high-performing teams are built. Explore Stephen Covey’s 13 behaviours of high-trust leaders and leave with concrete ways to strengthen trust and address obstacles.
Leadership through communication and relationship skills
Understand your leadership style and learn to adapt your communication with empathy, curiosity and active listening so messages land well.
Leave with practical strategies to build stronger communication and relationships to improve collaboration, connection and cohesion.
Building effective teams
Discover how to build teams that are greater than the sum of their parts, through complementary strengths, talent management and the behaviours that create cohesion. Leave with practical strategies to drive team performance.
Working in a culturally diverse environment
Understand the positive impact of diversity and inclusion through neuroscience and Hofstede’s 6 cultural dimensions.
Leave with practical strategies to collaborate effectively across teams, departments and international locations.
The paradox of high-performing cultures: Being human
Understand why a human-centred culture outperforms and what it takes to build one.
Leave with strategies to lead with both employees and results in mind.
Leading change: ‘The brain doesn’t like uncertainty.’
This section focuses on understanding the brain’s natural resistance to change and sharing practical tools to stay grounded, adaptable and solution-focused.
Leading through uncertainty
Discover why change is often threatening to the brain.
Learn strategies to navigate and lead through uncertainty with confidence.
Let’s speak to discuss your goals and tailor make a session to your needs.
“Sophie’s professional insights on navigating the cross-cultural aspects of working in an international environment are valuable. During her interactive seminar, participants obtained useful tools to realise their own work styles, and learn how to work more effectively. Understanding the cultural nuances and being emotionally intelligent is key as it affects how we communicate at work. Lots of positive feedback.” – L&D Team Shell
Collaboration
I regularly work with Hilary Scarlett, delivering her ‘Neuroscience and Change for Leaders’ seminar.
Hilary is a renowned international speaker, consultant and author on change management and neuroscience. Her 3rd edition Applied neuroscience for organizational change is a must-read.
“Really great course and positively empowering! Many thanks. Really invaluable stuff for personal growth and supporting others in our role as leaders!” ‘Neuroscience and Change for Leaders’ participant
Why me?
- The transformative power of ‘e-motions’:
Emotions are the engine of change around insights. My sessions don’t just inform; they shift mindsets, behaviours and actions. - Real-world business experience:
20 years in senior corporate roles means I know exactly what it feels like to sit in a workshop and retain very little. Therefore, I’ve designed my sessions differently with content and practical tools grounded in real business context so participants recognise the situations and apply tips immediately. - Science-driven methodology: Understand → Rewire → Perform.
Every session is built around how the brain learns and changes. I combine neuroscience, emotional intelligence and cognitive behavioural therapy to help participants understand and shift the emotions, thoughts and behaviours that drive performance. Everything is created around how we naturally process and retain information so change actually happens. - My style – Caring yet challenging:
I create a safe, engaging space where participants reflect, question and take responsibility for action.
I bring energy, warmth and intellectual rigour to every session.
As a bilingual, binational professional, I encourage diverse perspectives and open dialogue.