Sally is uniquely world-experienced in building resilience, emotional fitness, and quality sustainable practices in leadership. Her experience across multiple countries leading high-performing teams in high-pressure outlying remote environments has amplified her ability to know what it takes to connect a conscious leader to their team, with outstanding results.
Having spent decades on diverse projects in every climate imaginable, Sally discovered the critical aspects of authentic leadership and team alignment. She has now blended research-based, proven methodology with her pragmatic approach and ability to 'be herself' to create the transformative Align & Shine program. There, she guides formerly flustered, confused, and internally insecure leaders, to tap into their true classic selves, without the need to conform to outside pressures, helping them become bold, present, courageous, and energized leaders who genuinely connect with their team AND their business.
Sally is co-author of Resilience in Leadership, Pt 1 of the book series, leader of both community and international hardship projects, and accredited in scientifically proven Human Behavioural Profiling and Meta Dynamics ' thinking-based methodology, adding to her Practitioner of Coaching credentials.
Most importantly though, Sally, Founder of Team Resilience Method, is now on a mission to show striving leaders how to shine, gain clarity and create a ripple of positive change, from the inside out.
Sally Higoe, Leadership Coach
Please tell us a bit about you and your life and why you do what you do... we’d like to get to know you better.
I’m an only child who grew up with a supportive and encouraging single mum. After completing tertiary education, I spent many years living for me and seeking adventure – from humble beginnings waitressing in 5-star establishments to managing chalets in the Alps, a hotel in Canada, interiors of super yachts, personal assistant to a billionaire and then managing a remote luxury establishment in western Australia.
Always wanting to do something for me. I’d worked for many Companies in many leadership roles, travelled and worked around the world for over a decade- & felt like I had a good grasp on life, what’s important and what would make me happy. In a lot of my roles, I felt stifled, and what’s always stood out for me and something that I’ve always been lucky enough to notice is that I know me, who I am, my strengths and stretches and I’m happiest when I’m being me. I love leading teams, bringing them together and sharing knowledge with others on how they can be the all-round best version of themselves so they can create space for others also to shine.
So I wanted to share with other people how they could also do that. The world is a better place when people are being true to themselves... they’re more open, more forgiving and kind and less judgemental - & this promotes creativity and support and light-heartedness - & that’s what I want my children to be surrounded by (I have two gorgeous kiddies by the way – Miss 8 & Mr 10). That’s the world I want them to live in. So I ventured out on my own to help others discover their greatness, their unique individual self, their place in the world, and dove headfirst into coaching – enrolling in a Master of Coaching.
What is your business name and how do you help your clients?
My business is Team Resilience Method and I help responsive leaders find their voice and understand their strengths so that they can use all of this to reach their full potential.
My programs for both leadership and team development specifically help leaders find their authentic groove to create a world-class culture that’s sustainable and builds longevity. I’ve developed a powerful model that builds the 4 key dimensions of critical business success into the 3 pillars of focus. The 3 pillars are:
Self-Awareness
A deep self-awareness is an essential trait to build- & it will help you understand your emotions, your needs & habits, what you truly value and how all this affects your actions. We can then pinpoint how you really want to feel on a daily basis and how your goals relate to those feelings. I use Behavioural Profiling and the Emotional Fitness Formula to ensure my clients have high self-awareness and are comfortable leaning in to uncertainty.
Communication
Communication refers to both internally, with yourself and externally with others. We achieve this by looking at the states of being that have produced your results so far, your mindset strategies and who you’ll need to be, to reach your goals – we do this with behavioural profiling (and this can include a cross section of the team profiling) to gain an in-depth understanding of why miscommunication is happening and the exact form of communication that each person prefers and uses and to improve it with each other.
Trust
Trust is developed through self-awareness and healthy communication which builds confidence and respect. It is also created by implementing effective and purposeful systems, goals, guidelines, and structure. We bring in the right systems – and ONLY the ones that are needed.
Who and what inspires you and your work to be the best that you can be?
I believe culture is changed and created through relationships. If we can improve the culture in which we live – that is the feel of a place - then there is a ripple of ongoing positive affects across all areas of our life. And even if we are solo entrepreneurs, we still have a culture in our business. It’s the social norms and behaviours that we adopt most regularly - that is the culture of a one man show.
I believe it’s about the right to be unique. Without the pressure to conform to society’s expectations. Acceptance in others will increase self-acceptance – or vice-versa... it doesn’t matter which comes first. When you can accept that everyone’s different, you give yourself permission to own who you are – to tap into your own uniqueness and embrace it – own and love it. And I’ve certainly noticed that when a person can do this, others find it very admirable. It;
lowers judgement, increases respect
opens the mind to new ideas which create opportunities
improves self-confidence and trust
helps you make better decisions – be more objective
And when you really get that you can’t force others to feel or think the same, you naturally become more peaceful and calmer – this is attractive to others, and again, leaves you open for new ideas and actually better health as well.
This belief is what inspires me.
How do you stay motivated?
For me it’s all the things I just mentioned. Balancing it so I feel fulfilled, this gives me motivation. We all have different needs, different things that motivate us so it’s a matter of working out what it is for you – depending on your dominant behaviour type and what you value most - so it’s really important to discover that about yourself so you can attend your own needs, fill your love bucket, and meet your personal needs. When you’ve mastered this, you don’t need motivation... you have inspiration
If you could share one message with our readers, what would it be?
There are so many factors that test the way we respond in life.
There are so many times when you have to lean in, when you may fall, when you have to get up, when you have to try again.
…When you can see and accept that, half the battle is won.
These same factors are also opportunities.
Opportunities to prove that you can trust and rely on yourself.
…You simply have to look out for them and bring awareness to them.
So along with a focus on trust, learning very clearly first-hand the importance of self-awareness is imperative.
Through being self-aware, and consistently finding ways to build trust within yourself, you are also building your muscle of resilience...and I believe, this will help you get anywhere!
"The best way to predict the future is to create it” ‒ Peter Drucker
