Spotlight on Lucy James - Mastering Mindsets

We had a brilliant response to our recent feature on Irene Poku; therefore we’re continuing to shine a light on the Mastering Mindsets family. This month, we’re delighted to introduce Lucy James.

Lucy joined Mastering Mindsets in 2022, bringing with her a rich career across finance, education and recruitment. With over a decade of coaching experience and more than 200 leaders supported, she’s a trusted partner to a wide range of clients in the UK and internationally.

She has coached across multiple sectors, facilitated leadership programmes worldwide and is an accredited Insights Discovery practitioner. Lucy also specialises in parental transition coaching, supporting parents before, during and after parental leave.

Here’s a closer look at what drives her work:

How did your career lead you into coaching?

I began my career in financial services, managing high-profile marketing campaigns in fast-paced, target-driven environments. I was keen to apply my understanding of high performance and leadership in a new setting, so I swapped Canary Wharf for a struggling secondary school in a deprived area of London. The school went on to be rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in all categories.

This experience sparked my passion for organisational change and ultimately led me to executive coaching. Before completing my coach training, I studied Person-Centred Counselling at the Metanoia Institute, which still shapes my approach today. Creating a non-judgmental, reflective space for clients is at the heart of my practice.

What’s your favourite quote?

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” — Carl R. Rogers

What trends are you seeing in return-to-work and parental leave coaching?

There is a growing recognition of the pressures working parents face as they balance family life with professional demands. After juggling six weeks of summer holidays myself (and with half term on the horizon!) I’m keenly aware of the logistical strain many clients experience.

I’m seeing more organisations invest in structured return-to-work and parental leave coaching, recognising the importance of helping employees re-engage with confidence after time away. Checking in with parents and acknowledging pressures beyond the workplace is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s essential.

And outside of work?

I live in Hertfordshire with my husband, two young daughters and a bonkers cat called Gina. I’ve recently taken up swimming and I’m proud to report I can now manage a decent front crawl!

We’re seeing first-hand the value and impact of return-to-work and parental leave coaching. These are areas which are rightly becoming a priority for many businesses, so we’ll be taking a closer look at return-to-work and parental leave coaching in our next issue of Mindset Matters.

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