Long-time RG client, Simon Tyler (The Simplist) has won global attention and recognition with his ‘mind and performance-shifting’ coaching. His coaching & mentoring impact and workshop facilitation help his top calibre corporate clients and teams revolutionise their performance by applying the discipline of simplicity.
With an ability to rapidly connect and get to the heart of any business matter, Simon cuts through the seemingly endless complications and frustrations to inspire clients to take positive, purposeful and meaningful action.
Through his published work, “The Attitude Book”, “The Impact Book” and “The ‘Keep It Simple’ Book”, Simon has become recognised as an authority on the psychology of simplicity, specifically regarding leadership, team performance, business relationships, organisational turnaround, and performance development in the constantly shifting workplace.
The fresh insights, renewed confidence and added value Simon can bring mean he is hired and trusted by some of the world’s most senior executives. He has coached over 900 executives and facilitated or spoken at over 1,000 live and online events and has been transforming attitudes and action in several leading and evolving global corporations, including ANZ Bank, Archetype, BP, BT, Castrol, Centrica, Cisco, Coutts, DuPont, HSBC, John Lewis Partnership, Lloyds Banking Group, Marks & Spencer, Morgan Stanley, O2, PPG, RBS, Rolls Royce, VW Group.
Having held board level marketing roles and built people- based consultancies, Simon became a professional coach in 2002. Over his 20-year, 6,000+ hours coaching career, Simon has become a passionate advocate of Simplicity, Impact and Attitude and his pragmatic and stimulating books, articles, speeches, webinars and coaching style reflect that ethos.
Simon is a master practitioner in behavioural transformation in teams and across entire organisations, incorporating leading edge psychometrics to deepen learning and accelerate collaboration and team working.
As a facilitator he combines an intuitive, inspirational, and entertaining style, tackling personal and company issues and communicating in simple yet extremely effective terms. He is a quick thinker and outstanding listener, with unquestionable presence, warmth of personality, sharp interview technique and humour. His coaching clients often engage him beyond their one-on-one work to develop their extended teams and deepen the impact of simplicity. Simon’s natural and responsive style means that no matter how big the audience, he enables individual participants to get involved, stay involved and simply learn their own way.
How did the lockdown years change your business?
Through the Covid lockdown years I successfully adapted, blended and honed my approach, maintaining and enhancing my impact as a virtual coach and facilitator via online video formats, alongside in-person events, helping clients and their teams re-set their ways of working and perform brilliantly in the hybrid world. Recognition for this came in winning the FMGlobal 2022 Executive Coaching, Expert of the Year, absolutely chuffed!
Working solo from my home office has been rewarding and at the same time intently lonely. Staying connected, sourcing inspiration, staying motivated has been a challenge throughout. Even now, as we all develop today’s hybrid version of online and in person connection, getting the balance right is a constant conundrum. Perhaps for the better?
The speaking and events side of my business ceased completely in March 2020 and 3 years later it is still not back to where it was. Events seem to be organised on shorter notice (and cancelled just as quickly). The nature of company conferences has changed, as such my involvement in such has changed. More often now I am engaged in different ways; coaching internal staff in presentation skills; in-effect stage managing; acting as moderator/MC for events; finding better ways to influence and inspire audiences in the room and, at the same time, live-linked by video.
Who knew that after 30 years I’m still reinventing myself!
How have you created balance in work and life in today’s hybrid environment?
I’ve become more determined and clearer about when I am at my best and when I am not. I am more confident in declining work and being clear with clients on how they can get the best from me as their coach, facilitator, or event speaker. That means fee structures, rates, depth of involvement are different almost every time. Perhaps for the better?
In turn this has meant being clearer and more purposeful about how I mix my life and work. The hours and days I am ‘full on’ are more widely interspersed with (and being comfortable in) longer spells of what used to be referred to as ‘down-time’. I have noticed the places and environments where I work best; where my concentration is heightened, where creative spontaneity gets released. Not always sitting at a desk, staring at a screen wishing for fingers-on-keyboard magic. Dog walking is up; writing is re-flowing; being honest with how I’m thinking and feeling about a current challenge means I am less often overwhelmed and more often able to produce outputs that hit the point.
What lies ahead for Simon Tyler, the Coach, Facilitator and Speaker?
I simply don’t know!
The last few years have taught me many things, not least to loosen the grip on forcing the future, finding a new balance between heading towards a desired outcome and allowing things to be exactly as they are.
My village cricket team, for whom I am the groundsman, is struggling, for results and for players, the future looks bleak. My children are grown up and travelling their own life paths, needing less of me. My journey is even more about me, at my best as often as I allow, handling whatever life throws up, gracefully, adapting happily. It’s all a choice, tough though it may be at times. Perhaps for the better?