Meet your coach
I’m Jenny Jenkin, an accredited leadership coach trained in a wide range of approaches and techniques. I specialise in coaching women leaders in HE and I am particularly inspired by the Time to Think approach (Nancy Kline).
Perhaps more importantly, I’m rooted in the HE sector. I’ve navigated the old and new university world for over thirty years, starting as a junior registry officer in a bustling London university before working my way through a tapestry of roles – from Policy Officer and Project Manager to Director of Student and Academic Services, and finally as Secretary and Registrar.
Higher education is a place of contradictions. Thrilling and frustrating. Fulfilling and exhausting. Inspiring and, let’s be honest, sometimes maddening!
I’ve ridden this rollercoaster through multiple restructures, worked with more vice-chancellors than I care to remember, and somehow managed to maintain some semblance of a life alongside it all (even if that sometimes meant collapsing on the sofa with a glass of something fizzy after another day of putting out fires!).
What I’ve learned is that the challenges you’re facing – whether it’s –
- the isolation of leading your team through major change, when everyone looks to you for certainty
- the frustration when your expertise is overlooked, despite knowing your perspective is vital
- the constant pull of urgent tasks that prevent the strategic thinking your role demands
- the anxiety that surfaces at critical moments—before key presentations, during difficult committees, or amid restructuring rumours
…..aren’t unique to you. They’re baked into the complex ecosystem of university life.
But here’s what really excites me: there is another way that can really shakes things up – for the better. Not through grand transformations or endless new initiatives, but through creating space for strategic thinking, building genuine relationships across institutional boundaries, and finding your authentic voice in a system that wasn’t built for us.
This is the journey I now help other women leaders navigate – moving from constantly reacting to purposefully leading, from surviving to truly thriving.
I recognise:
The isolation of leading your team through major change, when everyone looks to you for certainty;
The frustration when your expertise is overlooked, despite knowing your perspective is vital;
The constant pull of urgent tasks that prevent the strategic thinking your role demands;
The anxiety that surfaces at critical moments:
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- before high-stakes meetings
- when you are ‘in the spotlight’ for an important talk
- in the chaos of rumours of restructures and real and seismic change.
But, I know that it doesn’t have to be like this!
It is possible for you to thrive at work despite the chaos and frustration
Feeling back in control is amazing, energising and liberating. And it is within your gift!
Your expertise CAN be recognised and valued at the highest levels
Giving yourself time to think and hear your own wisdom reveals options you’ve not yet dreamt of.
After every session with Jenny, I come away feeling full of clarity and confidence. She has an incredible way of helping me declutter my mind, guiding me back to what truly matters, and bringing structure to my thoughts. She challenges my self-made limitations and helps me see things from a fresh perspective
Head of University Department
Jenny is a truly great coach. Clear, kind, knowledgeable and thought-provoking in all the best ways
Director of Professional Programmes
The Power of Pareto Thinking
When I set up my own business a few years ago, I chose to name it Pareto Thinking, inspired by Vilfredo Pareto’s eponymous principle.
The Pareto Principle is a powerful concept that’s shaped my approach to leadership and life. Which probably warrants some explanation….
Vilfredo Pareto, was an Italian economist who noticed that 20% of the pea plants in his garden produced 80% of the peas. He went on to observe that 80% of Italy’s wealth was owned by 20% of the population. Some time later, management consultant Joseph Juran developed these ideas and posited that 80% of effects stem from 20% of causes. I give you the 80/20 rule.
In my 30 plus years in the HE sector, I’ve seen this principle play out time and time again:
- 20% of tasks often produce 80% of results
- 20% of research projects likely generate 80% of impact
- 20% of student support initiatives probably create 80% of the positive outcomes.
So if 20% of our efforts deliver disproportionate value, surely the remaining 80% can be put into a ‘park it’ box?
This is where Pareto Thinking comes in. It’s not about neglecting 80% of your work! It’s about identifying and focusing on the vital few tasks, projects, and initiatives that truly drive results. And then scrutinising the 80% – some of it may have intrinsic value that doesn’t get counted in the way that other indicators do.
It’s about purposefully NOT giving equal attention and effort to everything.
And when you need to wrest some control back, this really works.