From strong candidate to board-ready
Senior executive, Lombardy, Italy
Where it began
It started with English.
After an online tutor that felt impersonal, the client wanted something more substantial. As the work went deeper, English lessons became executive coaching: structure, presence and calm under pressure.
The starting point
An experienced senior executive, competing in English for a global role through several interview rounds with finance, operations and HR leaders. The expertise and judgement were never in doubt. The aim was to make sure they came across fully, in a second language, under pressure and on camera.
What we did
Mind: realistic interview simulations built around the panel's real priorities: a global matrix redesign, winning over resistant regional leaders, linking business decisions to cost, risk and cash flow. Every answer in a clear problem, action, result structure, kept to three or four minutes.
Voice: a few high-impact upgrades rather than a rebuild: a deliberate pause in place of linking every idea with "and", and vocabulary that sounds like a global function head.
Presence: posture and eye contact for video interviews, worked from a baseline recording.
Body: Ba Duan Jin, the Eight Brocades, practised outdoors by Lake Garda after each simulation. Sitting meditation had always felt hard; as a moving meditation, this worked. It is now a routine at home before high-stakes calls.
The result
Five interview rounds passed, calm and ready at every stage.
After the first combined session, the client wrote to say how much more relaxed they felt, and what a welcome surprise the qi gong had been.
Book a free diagnostic"Working with Karen has been much more than improving my English. She combines language teaching, executive coaching and practical techniques to help you perform at your best under pressure. Through my interview preparation she helped me structure my answers and communicate my experience with far more clarity and impact. She also introduced me to qi gong and breathing techniques that helped me stay centred and approach each interview with a calm, focused mindset. I would highly recommend her to anyone preparing for a high-stakes professional opportunity."
Senior executive, Italy