Simon Howden

Confidential Sounding Board
&
Leadership Advisory

I offer one-hour advisory sessions built around a simple truth: anyone carrying leadership responsibility already carries the answers to their most complex challenges, they simply need the space, close attention, and confidentiality to find them.Leading is inherently isolating. When navigating high-stakes decisions, operational friction, or critical transitions, you rarely need another generic framework or standard coaching checklist. You need an independent sounding board with real-world commercial depth to think out loud, cut through the noise, and regain complete clarity.


What a session looks like
We take an hour. There is no rigid agenda or predetermined checklist. We start directly with what is currently front of mind, and I follow it, through conversation, structural inquiry, and identifying what remains unsaid.
Rather than offering generic advice, I bring disciplined presence, commercial perspective, and behavioural focus. We examine how you frame the challenge, where alignment has stalled, and where the mental and physical tension of leadership is driving the impasse.Some sessions move rapidly to a decisive pivot. Others are more exploratory, unravelling complex interpersonal, structural, or commercial dynamics. Both deliver immediate, actionable clarity.Who this is for
Leaders, business owners, and professionals carrying responsibility who are navigating:
- High-consequence decisions under pressure or incomplete
information.
- Entrenched team, partner, or organisational friction.- Key transitions: scaling, exiting, restructuring, or stepping into a broader remit.- The need for an objective, confidential sounding board completely independent of their business, board, or team.What this isn't
This isn't clinical therapy, and it isn't a rigid coaching program with milestones and homework. It is a discreet, high-calibre space to think out loud with an experienced sounding board who has sat in the executive chair and understands the weight of commercial decision-making.
How I Got Here
My perspective is built on lived leadership experience, not just theory.
Over a 13-year period, I purchased, scaled, and successfully exited my own business. I have served as an Executive Director overseeing more than 300 people, and acted as an interim Managing Director leading operations across multiple countries. I know firsthand what it feels like to carry full commercial accountability, navigate board friction, and steer organisations through acute transition.That commercial background is formally underpinned by a Master’s in Conflict Management and Resolution, accredited qualifications in Behaviour Analysis, and a Master Practitioner certification in NLP.Being in the room through intense friction and operational impasses taught me that leaders rarely need someone to tell them what to do. With the right focus and disciplined reflection, complex challenges untangle quickly.How it works
Format: 60-minute confidential sessions
(Online via secure video, or in-person by arrangement)
Frequency: Flexible (Single diagnostic or ongoing advisory)
Engagements:
>    Introductory Advisory Session: Complimentary / By invitation        or short application
> Retained Advisory: Standard commercial rates upon        consultation

MINI FAQ'sDo I need to prepare anything before the session?
No preparation is required. Come with whatever topic, decision, or situation is currently top of mind.
What if I don’t know exactly what the core issue is?
That is completely normal. Most leaders arrive with an acute sense of tension or competing demands; untangling the root cause from the operational noise is precisely what the hour is for.
Is there an obligation to continue after the session?
None. The hour is dedicated entirely to your clarity. There is no expectation or requirement to commit to ongoing work.
How is confidentiality handled?
Complete discretion is foundational. As an independent practitioner with a background in mediation, all discussions are held in strict confidence, completely insulated from internal politics, boards, or stakeholder agendas. If required by your organisation’s governance or the sensitivity of the matter, a Confidential Undertaking can be provided prior to our conversation.


Request a Session

Confidential 60-Minute Advisory
Sessions are limited each week to ensure complete focus and discretion. To ensure alignment, introductory sessions are scheduled via invitation or a brief confidential note.

Professional DisclaimerAdvisory and sounding board sessions provide independent strategic perspective, behavioural inquiry, and conflict resolution frameworks. Consultations do not constitute formal legal, financial, tax, or clinical psychological advice.