Let’s talk

LEADERSHIP + CONSULTING SKILLS

Good people.
Better at the work
that matters.

Practical development for leaders and consultants who need to think clearly, influence well and perform when the stakes are high.

Gareth Russell, founder of Russell People Partners
Gareth Russell, Founder

GOOD COMPANY TO BE IN.

British CouncilNHSBritish Heart FoundationFinancial Ombudsman Service

Development built around
the work people actually do.

A request for training isn't always a training problem. So I start with questions: what's happening now, what needs to happen differently, and what's getting in the way?

Then we build the right response around the work itself, not a generic programme we hope fits.

The real learning
happens after
the workshop.

An insight is a starting point.
What you do with it is what counts.

I like good ideas and sound evidence. But development shouldn't feel like an academic exercise. It should be relevant to the work, enjoyable to take part in and practical enough to use straight away.

The goal is simple: give people things they can actually do differently — then build confidence by doing them.

Start with the work.

What are people facing — and what do they need to do better?

Keep what helps.

Useful ideas. Practical tools. Nothing there that’s doesn’t need to be.

Make it usable.

People should leave knowing what they can do differently — that afternoon, the next morning or whenever the situation arises.

SELECTED EXPERIENCE

A few recent projects.

35,000staff supported

Department-wide Data Capability Strategy

Led discovery across approximately 250 stakeholders and designed a competency framework and capability roadmap for staff across the UK and overseas.

41Police, Fire and Crime Panels

National Governance Capability Programme

Led four senior subject matter experts to develop bilingual guidance and learning resources for every panel across England and Wales.

3,000+NHS managers reached

Leadership support under pressure

Co-designed and delivered virtual leadership support circles for managers across the NHS, bringing peer support and practical development into a demanding working environment.

“Gareth was exceptional — one of the best facilitators for training I've had”

Consulting skills workshop participant

Gareth smiling at the summit of Montserrate, with Bogotá and the mountains behind him

Hi, I'm Gareth.

I've spent almost 20 years around learning, leadership and organisational change — first inside government, and since 2018 working independently with organisations and their people.

I've built a learning function for a 20,000-person government department, shaped a £250m Civil Service learning procurement strategy and trained more than 5,800 people since going independent.

What interests me isn't training for its own sake. It's the point where someone sees a difficult situation differently, tries something useful and gets a better result.

My work spans leadership development, consulting skills, executive coaching and bespoke programmes. I tend to work best with smart, experienced people who don't need another model for the sake of a model — they need ideas they can use.

Got good people who need to get better at something?

Tell me what you're trying to change. I'll tell you whether I think I can help.

Start a conversation

CREDENTIALS & ACCREDITATIONS

Accredited Foundation Executive Coach · MBTI Certified · Harrison Assessments Certified