Shields Advisory. COMMUNICATIONS & COACHING

Communications advice and coaching shaped around your goals.

Senior communications advice, practical support and coaching for the people leading your business.

Amy Shields in a yellow jumper, holding a mug and smiling at the camera

Find the support you need

The right approach depends on what you’re looking to achieve. We can focus on one service or blend several. I work virtually and in person with clients in the UK and internationally.

Get in touch

Build

Communications strategy

When you want to build your reputation from the ground up, strengthen it as you grow or make more of the story you’ve already started.

You may be a founder looking to establish your reputation, introducing a new CEO and vision, entering a new market, or wanting to raise your profile with colleagues, customers, policymakers and the media.

I help you shape your narrative, identify the stories that matter and put your communications priorities into practice. That might mean developing a strategy, building relationships with journalists, raising your profile internally and externally or working alongside your team.

What I can help with

Corporate narrative, messaging and communications strategy
Corporate positioning, stakeholder engagement and thought leadership
Financial and corporate announcements
Executive communications, speechwriting, leadership profile building
Media relations and spokesperson preparation
Communications function design, social media strategy and governance
Communications reviews, measurement and effectiveness
AI visibility reviews and communications governance

Who it’s for

CEOs, founders and communications leaders.

Ways to work together

Free initial conversation
Defined projects
Day-based support
Ongoing strategic advisory
AI visibility and communications governance reviews

Let’s discuss your communications challenge

Crisis readiness

When you need confidence that your business is ready to be tested.

A cyber incident, product or safety issue, leadership problem or unexpected media story can quickly put your reputation and your people under pressure.

I help identify where you’re vulnerable, prepare your teams and put practical crisis plans in place. We can clarify responsibilities, develop response protocols and test how your business would handle a difficult situation.

What I can help with

Crisis communications readiness audits
Crisis protocols, playbooks and holding statements
Decision-making roles and escalation processes
Spokesperson and leadership preparation
Crisis simulations and exercises
Identifying emerging issues before they escalate

Who it’s for

CEOs, founders, leadership teams, communications leaders, and risk and operations leads.

Ways to work together

Free initial conversation
Readiness audits
Defined projects
Half-day or full-day simulation workshops

Let’s talk about crisis readiness

Navigate

Change communications

When your business is changing and people need to understand what it means for them.

An acquisition, business sale, restructure or leadership change can bring commercial opportunities, competing priorities, uncertainty and difficult questions.

I help you shape the story, anticipate stakeholder questions and plan communications from early preparation through announcement and implementation. Whether you’re working with a deal team or managing organisational change, the aim is to build understanding, protect relationships and bring people with you.

What I can help with

Change narratives, messaging and communications plans
Stakeholder mapping, colleague engagement and message sequencing
M&A, disposal, integration and restructuring communications
Leadership and manager briefings and toolkits
Communications support through implementation

Who it’s for

CEOs, CFOs, M&A teams, communications leaders, and People and Transformation teams.

Ways to work together

Free initial conversation
Defined projects
Day-based support
Interim delivery

Let’s discuss your change

Retained communications leadership

When you need experienced communications advice without making a permanent hire.

Your business may be growing quickly, your communications team may be stretched or a major project may need experienced leadership. You need a trusted sounding board, someone to establish a communications function or senior experience alongside your existing team.

I provide retained advice, regular support or more hands-on leadership for a defined period. I’ll work alongside your people to set priorities, lead delivery and strengthen your communications capability.

What I can help with

Senior communications counsel to the business and its leaders
Leading communications strategy, priorities and delivery
Building and strengthening communications functions and teams
Interim leadership during recruitment, transition or major projects
Overseeing agencies, suppliers and budgets
Developing and mentoring communications colleagues

Who it’s for

Founders, CEOs, communications leaders and leadership teams.

Ways to work together

Agreed days per month
Interim assignments
Ongoing strategic advisory arrangements

Let’s explore what support you need

Perform

Leadership coaching

When you’re stepping into a bigger role, navigating change or deciding what comes next.

Leadership can be demanding, particularly when expectations are shifting or decisions are difficult. Sometimes you need space to work through a challenge, test your assumptions and reflect on how you want to lead.

My one-to-one coaching offers time to think, with support and honest challenge. We work on the issues that matter to you and can draw on my corporate experience through mentoring where useful.

What I can help with

Stepping into new or more senior leadership roles
Executive presence, influence and personal impact
Decision-making, difficult conversations and leadership relationships
Navigating uncertainty, organisational change and career transitions
Leadership assessments, stakeholder feedback and 360 diagnostics
Executive mentoring

Who it’s for

CEOs, founders, leaders at every level and People leaders seeking coaching for colleagues.

Ways to work together

Free chemistry call
Individual hourly sessions
Structured coaching programmes, typically six sessions over three to six months
Mentoring
Leadership diagnostics and debriefs

Arrange a chemistry call

Team coaching

When you have talented people at the table, but ways of working are getting in the way of results.

You may be bringing a new leadership team together or finding that priorities are pulling in different directions. Decisions might take too long. Difficult conversations get avoided, or people spend so much time collaborating that little moves forward.

I help leadership teams understand what’s getting in the way. Through facilitated conversations, practical exercises and diagnostics, we tackle unhelpful patterns, build trust and turn shared ambitions into action.

What I can help with