Creating 'Space to Lead': Reflections on a year of coaching for diversifying talent pipelines in higher education

By John Melton, Strategic Partnerships Portfolio Lead; and Nicola Parkes, Senior Consultant / 28 November 2025

About 18 months ago, Strive Higher convened Estates and Residences Directors from several UK HEIs to discuss a critical question: how can we diversify talent pipelines in estates and facilities management? The outcome of those conversations led to the launch of Space to Lead.

Space to Lead was a 12-month coaching pilot, offered at no cost to participating universities. Upon conclusion, 11 participants have received 115 hours of free coaching from Strive Higher. Our motivation was clear. Across the higher education sector, senior leadership teams are still not representative of the diversity of the staff who make our campuses thrive. We believe that if we want a more inclusive sector, we have to invest in creating the conditions where future leaders from all backgrounds can develop, grow and progress.

Now that Space to Lead has concluded, we wanted to share what we set out to do, what we and the participants learned along the way, and what it revealed about the power of focused, one-to-one coaching to unlock leadership potential across higher education.

Why we created Space to Lead

In our work with universities, we see the expertise, dedication and creativity that colleagues in estates, residences and facilities bring to their institutions. These teams keep universities running (from sustainability and capital projects to residential life and hospitality), but their leadership pipelines can often be narrow.

We convened a group of Estates and Residence Directors to discuss why this might be. Two challenges were surfaced by the group: First, how to enable people from under-represented backgrounds to progress into senior roles where their perspectives are urgently needed. And second, how to give those already in management positions the tools and confidence to navigate increasingly complex institutional environments and lead authentically.

When we thought about what we, as a consultancy supporting the HE sector, could do to help meet these challenges, coaching felt like the right approach. Coaching creates space to pause, reflect and focus on self-development. It’s about enabling individuals to recognise their own strengths, build resilience, and define what leadership means to them. And with that, Space to Lead was launched.

How the programme worked

Over twelve months, participants from several UK universities were matched with professional coaches from our team. Each received regular one-to-one coaching sessions designed around their personal goals. Participants were nominated by their Directors, and that sponsorship was a vital element ensuring the development was seen, supported and valued.

We also convened group sessions where participants could meet, share experiences, and reflect collectively on their progress. This blend of individual and community learning proved powerful: coaching is personal, but leadership growth happens in context.

Our coaches brought deep sector understanding alongside professional coaching expertise. That combination helped participants explore not just how to lead, but how to do so in the realities of our sector with its layered hierarchies, shifting policies, and people-centred challenges.

What participants told us

When the programme concluded, participants completed evaluations and joined a final reflection session. Their feedback was candid, generous and inspiring.

A clear message emerged: the coaching experience exceeded expectations for almost every participant. Many of them spoke of significant increases in confidence, clarity and self-belief.

“It has been a supercharge in my confidence and clarity,” one participant reflected. “I’ve learned to fix my crown solidly on my head.”

Another said,

“The answers were within me – coaching gave me the space to find them.”

Participants described developing a greater understanding of their own leadership style, values and goals. They recognised patterns of behaviour that held them back and developed strategies to move forward.

“I now feel significantly more assured in my ability to make decisions,” one participant noted. “I’ve also improved my ability to delegate and become more resilient in the face of unforeseen challenges.”

Some shared that they had stepped into new or interim leadership roles during the year; progress they directly attributed to the focus and encouragement the coaching provided. Others spoke about being able to influence more effectively in their organisations, and about feeling equipped to advocate for themselves and others.

Many also described the impact of having (often for the first time) a confidential, external sounding board: someone to help them clarify thinking, challenge assumptions and reflect on what kind of leader they wanted to be.

“Very rarely do we, especially in senior roles, have a space to be open about our limitations,” one participant said. “This allowed just that.”

The power of representation and self-advocacy

A recurring theme throughout the year was representation and what it means to be one of very few people of colour, women, LGBTQIA+, or people from working-class backgrounds, in senior professional groups across estates and facilities.

Participants described the emotional labour of being “the only one” in the room, and the confidence coaching gave them to see their presence as a strength, not a vulnerability.

“At senior management level there are not many people who look like me,” one participant shared. “I’ve learned to scan the room, stand tall and create my own narrative. I want to be seen.”

Others highlighted how coaching helped them recognise and address the subtle barriers to progression, from imposter syndrome to unconscious bias, that can inhibit leadership growth.

One participant summed it up powerfully:

“Everyone is just a person. Regardless of titles or accolades, my voice in the room matters.”

These insights underline how leadership development is inseparable from inclusion. Confidence and capability grow most strongly when individuals feel their identity and lived experiences are respected and valued.

What Directors observed

We also sought feedback from the senior leaders who nominated individuals for the pilot. Their reflections confirmed the participants’ feedback and revealed the organisational ripple effects, small but noticeable, of the programme.

Every Director who responded said the programme met their expectations and that they had seen a difference in the people they put forward. They noted visible increases in confidence, proactivity and strategic perspective.

“I’ve discussed with staff the positive impacts,” one Director said. “They’re more positive and confident about their abilities and prospects.”

Another commented that coaching has had a direct impact on how they lead their teams and influence across the organisation.

Directors also emphasised that sector-wide initiatives like Space to Lead could complement internal talent pipelines, offering fresh perspectives and supporting the inclusivity goals that many universities are now prioritising.

What we learned

For us as facilitators, the Space to Lead journey reinforced key lessons.

1. Coaching creates the reflective space leadership needs

   Participants repeatedly described how rare and valuable it was simply to have protected time to think about themselves. In a sector defined by constant operational pressure, the discipline of reflection often falls away. Coaching provided a structure to provide that.

   
   

2. Accountability drives progress

   Many participants spoke about the motivation that came from knowing they would revisit goals with their coach. That sense of gentle accountability without judgement helped them take consistent steps toward growth.

3. Confidence is developed, not delivered

   Confidence was a near-universal outcome, but it wasn’t delivered to participants. It was uncovered. Through conversation, questioning and practice, individuals rediscovered self-belief that had been obscured by workload, systemic or institutional biases, or self-doubt.

4. Networks matter

   While one-to-one coaching was at the heart of the programme, participants valued connecting with peers across other universities who understood their context – in fact, most all agreed there could’ve been more of these opportunities in the programme. Several expressed a strong wish to continue meeting informally as a network to share ideas and support one another.

   
   

5. Small interventions can support big changes

   Perhaps the most encouraging finding was how much change participants achieved with modest inputs of time and resource. The combination of specialist coaching, management support and personal commitment proved transformative.

The bigger picture

Across UK higher education, there is growing recognition that inclusion must extend beyond academic and student domains to encompass professional services leadership too, yet these senior teams often lack visible diversity.

Initiatives like Space to Lead show that change is possible if the sector works collaboratively and invests in people’s growth. They also demonstrate that leadership development doesn't have to be large-scale or expensive to be effective. What matters is intention, structure and trust.

Closing reflections

The Space to Lead pilot has now concluded, but we hope its legacy continues. Participants left not only with enhanced confidence and leadership skills, but also with renewed focus for their careers. Some have already moved into new roles.

For us, the pilot has deepened our conviction that the sector thrives when it makes space for people to lead. When under-represented voices are heard, when leadership feels accessible, and when development is shared as a common good rather than a competitive privilege, everyone benefits.

As one participant put it near the end of our final group session:

“I wish everyone could have this experience. It’s changed how I see myself and how I lead.”

We couldn’t agree more. We’ll continue the conversation with universities and membership groups across the sector to see how we can support further cohorts of this programme. As we reflect on this journey, we are proud of what has been achieved and grateful to every participant, coach and Director who made it possible. Together, they showed what happens when we invest in potential, create time to think, and truly make space to lead.

If you're interested in exploring coaching for you or your organisation, please get in touch.