Meet Andrea Goodridge of Ad Florem
Leadership Coach and Facilitator
Putting yourself at the heart of leadership
With two decades’ experience of supporting Executives and Leaders, I’m more than aware of the core skills required for Great Leadership. I’m a true believer that Great Leadership starts with you.
That’s why I support Executives and Leaders to focus on leading themselves first. Then they’ll be in a much better place to lead others with confidence. It’s why my vision was clear when I founded Ad Florem in 2015: to put self-leadership at the heart of leadership.
You see, leadership isn’t what most people think it is.
You may have previously attended leadership development programmes or read books and articles on leadership. And you’ll have found the majority are focused on what I call the ‘external stuff’. Things that are going on around you, e.g., meetings, targets, challenges, change, strategies, performance etc.
The way I support Executives and Leaders is to focus on what I call the ‘internal stuff’. Things that are going on inside you, e.g., your innermost thoughts, beliefs, feelings, desires.
Andrea looks at Leadership in a totally different way.
However, this involves doing things different, and it involves showing up differently. It takes courage, commitment, honesty, intention, and confidence.
If you’re an Executive Director, Clinical Lead, Headteacher, Head of Department (or leader with another job title) and you’re nodding your head in agreement with this approach, you’re in the right place!
Just like my clients across the NHS, private health, Local Government, transport, consultancy, sports, education, engineering, and marketing. They describe me as a unique blend of warmth and challenge, otherwise known as challenging but in a nice way!
"Andrea asks great questions to get quickly to the heart of the issues."
When I started working with Andrea, I tried to keep everyone happy. I felt overloaded as I was taking on too much. This was leaving me, and my team overwhelmed, and work was seeping into my home life.
Andrea is very warm and easy to talk to. She asks great questions to get quickly to the heart of issues, and focused on my own behaviours and the steps I could take immediately to improve things.
Through the coaching experience, I’ve realised I can be more organised than I ever thought, once I create my own boundaries. Thanks Andrea, the coaching has been thought-provoking, positive but challenging, very practical and effective, and tailored to my individual needs.
Transport for Greater Manchester
"Your skill in peeling back the layers, really helped me look at my inner core."
When I started working with Andrea, I was unclear of my values and needed to revisit my vision and strengths. Andrea kept things simple and gave me the frameworks to facilitate my thinking.
What stood out for me in the coaching was the simplicity of getting to my core values. I had all the answers but needed to spend the time to look at them in detail without any other distractions.
Specsavers
Leadership can be a lonely and overwhelming journey, but it doesn’t have to be
I know it’s no walk in the park.
The pressure is on to attend back-to-back meetings, respond to ever-changing targets, deal with team issues, make strategic decisions, and manage constant change. And that’s before you start to support your team, engage with your peers, and develop yourself. It’s no wonder taking time out to focus on yourself doesn’t come natural for a lot of Executives and Leaders.
You don’t mean to put yourself last, but when there’s always something or someone else that demands your attention, it’s hard to find time for yourself.
From the outside it looks like you’ve got it under control …but on the inside you feel like you’re just going through the motions, without really feeling fulfilled or connecting to your work and relationships.
All your hard work and effort doesn’t translate into personal fulfilment, impact, and influence. Instead, you feel like you’ve got no energy and you’ve started to lose confidence in your abilities to lead.
While you tell yourself you’re ‘doing OK’, deep down you know you’re capable of so much more.
You are.
Imagine speaking up for what you believe in, managing your time and energy effectively, and inspiring your team? Picture yourself with renewed confidence, clarity, and a balanced work-life relationship ‘on your terms.’
That’s the transformation I offer.
This involves delving into your innermost thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and desires. And that’s because I have a unique perspective on leadership. One that focuses on your internal world. It’s about putting yourself at the heart of leadership by awakening your inner leader because this is the secret to Great Leadership.
And that takes time, effort, and emotional energy.
So, I want to remind you that you have a choice to make. As my Dad used to say to me: It’s either important, or it’s not. You choose!
You see, I don’t believe in middle grounds in decision making. When we stay in the middle, we float around wanting to do something different but never fully committing to it.
So, what will you choose?
You can remain trapped in a cycle of self-doubt, low energy, and an inability to switch off from the relentless challenges of your role. All while missing out on opportunities for personal and professional fulfilment and losing your sense of identity.
OR
You can choose to prioritise yourself by embracing authenticity, self-belief, focused intent, and personal fulfilment. Rediscover your motivation, unlock your full potential, and thrive as a confident leader. All leading to a state of well-being, enabling you to give your best to both your work and loved ones.
Whatever you choose, embrace it wholeheartedly.
If you choose YOU, let me help you thrive as a leader.
Andrea gets to the nub of the leadership problems
“Andrea has worked with me as a professional leadership coach on a number of occasions and I found the sessions to be of enormous value. Her approach is simultaneously kind, thoughtful and extremely professional, as well as being very insightful.
I really felt that she got to the nub of the problems and professional issues we were discussing. As a result I was able to engage with the issues we discussed and apply worked through solutions in the workplace to great effect.
I thoroughly recommend Andrea as a coach and endorse her skills without question.”
Consultant Surgeon and Clinical Director, Healthcare
Challenges you may be facing
- Feeling stuck in a rut: losing your identity and lacking a clear path forward, may lead you to struggle to find purpose and fulfilment in your role
- Being trapped in your head: dealing with imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and a constant negative inner dialogue may be holding you back, making you second-guess your abilities as a leader
- Lack of focus: spending too much time and energy on activities with little added value may be leaving you wondering about your contribution and impact
- Team engagement dilemmas: if you’re struggling to engage your team and seeking support in your development, you may find yourself using ‘busyness’ as an excuse to avoid addressing performance issues
- Burnout and overwhelm: years of pushing yourself to the limit without adequate rest and recharge may have left you unable to switch off from the relentless challenges and daily distractions in your role
As a result, you’ve started to put yourself last, which has left you feeling dissatisfied and disconnected in your work and personal relationships. I understand these challenges because, in my two decades of experience supporting Executives and Leaders, I’ve learned that leadership goes beyond the surface. That’s why I specialise in uncovering the power of the ‘internal stuff.’
So if you want a different result, it’s time to do something different. But, it’s going to take courage, commitment, honesty, intention, and confidence to focus on yourself and your leadership. But the rewards that you, your team and your loved ones get, will be worth it.
If you’re an Executive Director, Clinical Director, Headteacher, Head of Department, or Service Lead, and you’re nodding your head in agreement, then you’ll love my approach and how I can help you.
Choose to prioritise yourself and put yourself at the heart of leadership?
Remember Great Leadership starts with you.
Let's chat!
“Andrea really does know how to push your buttons! The leadership coaching has been great for this, as I’m used to mentors just telling you what to do. I feel so much better from the sessions – Andrea has showed me the value of taking time out to focus and reflect on yourself.”
Executive Director, Healthcare
Andrea's Leadership and Coaching Journey
My Journey: Two decades ago, my career in leadership development began with an amazing experience inspired by an exceptional leader in the public sector. She instilled in me the power of truly connecting with people, the importance of nurturing your team, and the value of curiosity in leadership. Instead of merely ‘processing stuff,’ she showed me how leaders can truly add value when they believe in themselves and find inspiration in their work. It’s this leader who inspired me to awaken my inner leader.
The Path Forward: This profound experience gave me the motivation I needed to embark on my personal development journey. Over the years, I refined my skills in Organisational Development, diagnostics, assessments, leadership development programmes, and coaching. My dedication led me to support senior leaders, clinicians, and councillors in the public sector.
A Leap into New Horizons: In 2011, I took a leap into private consultancy, broadening my horizons by collaborating with many organisations outside the public sector. Here, I embraced curiosity and began challenging conventional leadership practices and habitual leadership behaviours. Although I’d been doing this for many years, it’s here where I put together a framework around focusing on the ‘internal stuff.’
The Birth of Ad Florem: Equipped with this enriching experience gained in the commercial world, I founded Ad Florem in 2015 with a clear vision to place self-leadership at the heart of leadership. My mission was to guide Executives and Leaders in prioritising self-leadership, enabling them to lead others with confidence, feel fulfilled, and thrive.
The Name Ad Florem: Though it may sound grand, the name Ad Florem has a simple and amusing origin. It was created during a family dinner when we were brainstorming names for my business. My son suggested using a Latin word. That way, I’d have to explain every time someone asked, and everyone knows how much I love sharing stories. The only catch was that none of us knew any Latin! So, we decided to break our rule against using mobile phones at the dining table. With the help of Google Translate and some laughter, “Ad Florem,” which means “to flower” in Latin, was born.
The concept behind the name embodies my belief that when individuals get their foundations right by cultivating their core values and strengths; find the right environment including their organisation, manager, team, etc; and look after themselves and their wellbeing; they thrive. Bringing my leadership motto true to life: It all starts with you!
Qualifications and Expertise: I bring a wealth of qualifications and expertise to the coaching journey. Holding Level 7 qualifications in Coaching and Mentoring, and Action Learning Facilitation; I’m also an accredited Strengthscope, MBTI, Mental Toughness, and Emotional Intelligence practitioner. So, as my Dad would say “I know my stuff!”
The '5 Principles of Great Leadership'
My coaching philosophy is rooted in self-leadership. And that’s why I developed the ‘5 Principles of Great Leadership’ to guide Executives and Leaders in aligning their leadership with their true self. The principles are sequenced, so we always start with you and your ‘internal stuff.’ So when you’re an Executive or Leader who works with the ‘5 Principles of Great Leadership’ you’ll benefit from these outcomes:
1 Purposeful Alignment: Empowering Your Authentic Journey.
- Live in alignment with your purpose and values, focus on what you’re good at, and follow your dreams.
- Feel energised, authentic, and aligned.
- Have a renewed sense of motivation and purpose.
- Now, you’re in control of yourself and your career by Leading from Within.
- “Andrea’s coaching helped me rediscover my purpose and align it with my leadership. I now lead with a clear sense of direction and feel more motivated, and ready to take on new challenges.”
2 Confident Leadership: Harnessing Your Inner Voice.
- Speak up for what you believe in, make decisions based on your values, share what you truly think and feel, challenge the status quo, push back without coming across negative or defensive, contribute to projects, and offer new insights.
- Feel confident, self-assured, and positive.
- Have a belief in yourself and your abilities.
- Now you’re able to challenge your thoughts and beliefs by Leading with Alignment.
- “Thanks to Andrea, I’ve gained the confidence to lead with conviction and challenge the status quo. She’s been a true inspiration in helping me build my confidence as a leader.”
3 Effective Self-Management: Mastering Your Impact.
- Manage your time and energy, focus on things that have the greatest impact, do what you say you’ll do, say no to others overloading you, and hold yourself accountable.
- Feel fulfilled, impactful, and credible.
- Have a clear focus and a strong reputation for being intentional in your approach.
- Now you can do the ‘right stuff’ by Leading with Intention.
- “Through Andrea’s coaching, I’ve found fulfilment in my leadership role. I now focus on what’s important and confidently say no to distractions. My credibility as a leader has never been stronger.”
4 Clear Expectations: Building Trust Through Leadership.
- Give clarity and set expectations, have honest conversations, listen to others’ opinions, sense emotions in others, ask others for their opinions, deal with underperformance, hold your team to account, and inspire your team.
- Feel connected, assertive, and influential.
- Have a strong leadership presence built on trust.
- Now you can show up with others by Leading with Connection.
- “Andrea helped me develop a leadership presence rooted in authenticity. I now feel confident to have the ‘difficult’ conversations and engage positively with my team.”
5 Balanced Well-being: Nurturing Your Whole Self.
- Have clear boundaries, verbalise your needs and ask for help, disconnect from work and arrive home calm, and take time out to reflect, recharge and refocus.
- Feel happy, healthy and balanced.
- Have a belief in achieving work-life balance on your terms.
- Now you can give your loved ones the best version of yourself by Leading with Balance.
- “Working with Andrea has transformed my work-life balance. I’ve established clear boundaries with my work, prioritised self-care, and I’ve deepened my connections with my family. I can’t thank her enough for shining a light on the areas I’ve neglected for many years.”
But don't just take my word for it. Here's what some of my clients have to say
“It’s refreshing to say all this out loud! The leadership coaching with Andrea was great timing, as I’d had a lot of negative thoughts for a long time. It’s helped me address issues I’d been avoiding for many months. I’d not felt supported for the first 18 months of my Executive role. I felt alone and I struggled. I needed support, challenge, and someone who would listen. Andrea did all of this. The sessions have been worthwhile – I truly believe in coaching.” Executive Director, Healthcare
“I get a real boost from coaching! It’s been very thought-provoking and requires honesty, focus and deeper reflection than usual. Andrea has helped me to slow down and focus on myself and my Executive Leadership.” Headteacher
Choose to embrace the 'internal stuff', and awaken your inner leader?
Remember Great Leadership starts with you.
Let's chat!
I’ve had the privilege of supporting many Executives and Leaders, both independently and through their respective organisations. While some details can be shared publicly, please note that due to client confidentiality and contractual agreements, the names of some Executives and organisations are intentionally omitted.
Below is a glimpse of the organisations that have worked with me, along with Executives and Leaders from the UK’s largest independent Hospital Group, Professional Football Clubs, Academic Institutions, and many NHS Trusts and NHS National Bodies.
Andrea Goodridge Qualified Coach and Facilitator
Over the last two decades, I’ve supported leaders across the NHS, private health, Local Government, transport, consultancy, sports, education, engineering, and marketing.
These have included leaders with job titles like Executive Directors, Clinical Leads, Headteachers, Consultants, Heads of Department, and Managing Directors.
I hold Level 7 qualifications in Coaching and Mentoring, and Action Learning Facilitation. And have been recognised for my leadership work through many publications and awards.
So as my Dad would say “I know my stuff!”
Leadership and Personal Growth Blogs and Articles
For the last decade, I’ve been passionately writing about leadership and personal growth in my blog, centred on my ‘5 Principles of Great Leadership.’
These nuggets of wisdom are for Executives and Leaders who prioritise leading themselves first, offering them an insight into success and fulfilment.
My work has gained global recognition, featured in numerous national and international publications, reinforcing my dedication to personal growth and self-improvement.
A decade of blogging insights
Get Andrea's insight with Nudges for Leadership Success
My Nudges for Leadership Success are designed to help you lead yourself and others with confidence. But they’ll only work if you challenge yourself to make a change.
Every Monday, you’ll get my insights in the way of prompts, tips, and inspiration, aka my nudges! They will include a variety of reflective questions, ideas, and quotes.
And all I ask, is when you receive them – do something with them! Because if you want a different result, you have to show up differently, as well as do something different.
Get your ‘Nudges for Leadership Success’
I’m on a mission to empower individuals like you to thrive in your personal and leadership journey. My work is fuelled by your support, so if you believe in the content and ideas I share and would like to be part of this ongoing journey, you can support me by buying me a coffee – every cup counts!
Andrea and Ad Florem have won a few awards!
The Northern Enterprise Awards for Best Leadership Development Consultancy in 2019; The Influential Businesswoman Awards for Leadership Coaching Director of the Year (UK) in 2021; The Education and Training Awards for Best Leadership Development Consultancy UK, and Leadership Coaching Director of the Year (UK) in 2022; The Influential Businesswoman Awards for Business Skills Training Coach of the Year (North West England) in 2022; and The Education and Training Awards for Leadership Coach and Facilitator of the Year 2023 (Manchester).
A few places Andrea has been featured
