Dr Sue Mitchell is a former evolutionary ecologist and expedition leader. She is an experienced executive coach, keynote speaker, facilitator and author of The Authority Guide to Engaging your People. Sue is a co-founder of the IDG Edinburgh Resilience Hub.
Sue focuses on inner sustainability and adaptable leadership to help you work effectively in a flexible workplace and thrive through change and uncertainty without stress. Her mindset approach gives you tools to raise wellbeing, engagement and performance: Bring out the best in yourself and others around you to create the positive, high trust culture and environment where people can excel, collaborate and achieve your purpose. Diverse audiences engage with her story-based keynote message: Recognising your human reactions to change and uncertainty gives you the power to take control of your mindset, make wiser choices and set yourself up for success in achieving your purpose no matter what curve-balls life throws your way.
Sue's unique perspective combines a spirit of adventure with the rigor of scientific thought and the value of mental, emotional and sensory perception. She brings a unique blend of science, leadership and coaching to her 121 coaching and in-the-room or virtual engagements that include interactive and insightful keynotes, think-tank sessions and masterclasses. She draws on her unique experience from leading expeditions to remote parts of the world, sailing across the South Pacific Ocean, scuba diving and training scuba instructors, growing up in Africa and the UK, a multi-cultural working experience including her scientific research career that included a post-doc at Edinburgh University and a fellowship at a Max Planck Institute in Germany, as well as running a self-catering business and her leadership consultancy.
As a Fellow of the Professional Speaking Association of UK and Ireland (PSA UK&I), Sue has earned recognition for her expertise and community service. Sue was the PSA UK&I Regional President Scotland for 2019-2020. Sue has contributed in a range of voluntary roles over the years including Chair and treasurer of her local Community Council, numerous committee positions in sports clubs, National Instructor for the British Sub Aqua Club, mentoring for the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Sport Scotland Leadership Programme, the Association for Coaching Edinburgh branch 2007 - 2013, and board member of the Edinburgh branch of Women in Banking and Finance. Sue set up and ran the Edinburgh Hub for Women in Sustainability in 2019 to 2021.
Sue has over 20 years’ experience as a trainer, facilitator, speaker and coach and her practical approach is supported by academic ability and diverse knowledge. Sue holds qualifications in Executive Coaching and leadership, several psychometric assessments including Emotional Intelligence EQ-i2, Mental Strength MTQ Plus, Leadership Styles ILM72 and others. Her academic qualifications include a PhD in Evolutionary Ecology and Masters in Marine Environmental Protection. Her research included postdoctoral Fellowships at a Max Planck Institute and Edinburgh University on understanding systemic interactions and evolutionary strategies for success involving genetics and environment.
CPD Accredited Speaker
Dr Sue Mitchell is an accredited CPD Speaker with CPDSO. When relevant to organisers, delegates can receive CPD certificates for attending her talks. There is no additional fee for this benefit.
Author
When relevant to organisers, delegates may receive a signed copy of Sue’s book The Authority Guide to Engaging your People.
Harnessing the power of inner sustainability, systems awareness and adaptable leadership to achieve effective outcomes through complex challenges, with high performance and high wellbeing.
What is Inner Sustainability?
Inner sustainability is about leading yourself to be your best in all areas of your life and work, in ways that find balance and peace within yourself. It's about learning self-leadership and awareness of your mindset (mental models) that shape how you perceive and interpret the world around you which determines how you think, feel and behave, interact with others and respond to situations. It is about taking control of your mental and emotional wellbeing, so that you can be confident, perform at your best and bring out the best in people around you, stay healthy and resilient, and make the most of your life, work and relationships.
What is Adaptable leadership?
Adaptable leadership is about having a clear purpose and focus on where you want to be, combined with the confidence to be flexible and adapt to immediate circumstances as required to keep going. It is about always keeping in mind your ultimate destination and holding determination and a deep belief you will get there in the end no matter what curveballs life throws your way.
At the same time, it is acknowledging your route to reach your destination is not pre-determined and you can change how you go about it, and perhaps change the destination in light of new knowledge you couldn't access previously. It's about: being open to change; adapting to different situations; noticing the opportunities in your challenges; recognising that the solutions to challenges may lie in a different part of the system; being open to listen to different perspectives and embrace diversity of thought; having courage to take calculated risks and make decisions that are best for the team or organisation while maintaining respect for others.
Resonate
Resonating is more than aligning purpose, passion, values, motivation and attitudes. When we are aligned and in harmony can we pull together in the same direction - towards our common purpose. When we resonate we do all that AND create double the energy, enthusiasm and power for action.
Trust
Trust is the invisible glue that makes relationships work - and hence leadership, since leadership happens in relationships between people who are inspired to follow a common purpose.
We nurture trust with our clients as we partner together to deliver success in terms that are relevant to you. In our coaching sessions and other events, we aim to create an environment of trust that encourages open conversations.
We aim to help you nurture trust in yourself and earn trust from others. We support you to nuruture trust within your team(s) and organisation. Trust is the foundation for strong relationships, a sense of belonging, listening to and valuing diverse perpsectives for effective decision making, learning from mistakes instead of blame, effective collaboration with colleagues and effective leadership..
Contribute
Take action and make things happen for the common purpose and good of the group.
We feel it is important to show up, take part, make things happen and give back to the community.
