An insight into life as a leader

As part of my work as a leadership coach, I have conversations with people about their leadership journey. I'm interested in finding out what leadership means to leaders — the ways that they want to show up, and the things that matter most to them.

In June 2024 I met Philippa McKee at the Common Purpose Nature Recovery Leadership Programme where she was part of one of the peer coaching groups that I facilitated together with other leadership coaches.

The below interview between myself and Philippa has been recorded on 2 May 2025.

As a way of introducing yourself, could you tell me about you in a way you have not told before?

I grew up as the middle child of three. I have two brothers. It meant that from a young age I valued skills including compromise, communication and diplomacy. It motivated me to try hard and to make an effort.

I have always loved being outside and how my love for nature has shaped me and then has become my career.

The way I’ve enjoyed being outdoors has been different over the course of my life. When I was a child I played in nature. When I was a teenager I explored nature. As an adult I have appreciated nature.

Could you describe what your role involves?

ACT delivers various projects, including climate change, health and wellbeing and nature recovery initiatives. I am in the Nature Restoration team, I lead a team of two that are my direct line-reports, plus a squad of 4 that I support. I very much enjoy helping the next generation of professionals develop and grow in their careers.

It’s not always easy for me to refer to myself as a leader. Often leadership is seen as individualistic but in my work it has to be collaborative.

That’s the type of leadership we need! It’s called eco-leadership.

How do you do collaboration?

Meeting face-to-face with stakeholders, ie community members, landowners and being in dialogue with each other. Allowing time for communication and relationship building. Making an effort and really listening to stakeholders needs.

What did you need to unlearn / learn as a leader?

I needed to review and change some of my preconceptions around how things ‘should’ be done at an operational level, different ways of doing things. I also needed to learn how to use more engaging and accessible language that stakeholders could understand. I used to be conflict avoidant, but in order to progress and move things forward, I needed to learn how to address a conflict or challenge. I think things through a lot and sometimes I need to find my own words, my own settings and timings for things. And that’s okay.

What do you most enjoy in your work?

I feel very motivated by working with people and seeing their progress, in particular landowners and communities. I enjoy when the fulfilment of a commitment or promise has been met. And then there is the landscape itself and doing something with love and purpose for nature and the people who live on the land. I also enjoy giving praise to a team member for a big piece of work that’s come together and has gone really well.

Who are you becoming as a leader?

Someone reasonable and reliable with genuine and grounded aspirations to serve the needs of stakeholders.

What do you mean by grounded aspiration?

I want to always really understand the value and purpose of what I’m doing.

The work has to always be connected to the landscape and the community. This is hugely important: to value, respect and understand what it must have been like for people who have lived on the land for a long time.

What is your leadership calling for now?

Listening. Many people think they communicate well but often they don’t. When a discussion or debate is going on, we often go immediately into problem solving mode and ask questions rather than continue to listen. Listening is about paying attention to what people are saying without wanting to fix immediately. This type of listening requires self-awareness. I call it ‘listening with your whole self’.

Encouraging others to come into the nature restoration industry. I can see myself in the role of mentor. Mentoring graduates into this role and giving them an opportunity to learn about nature restoration on the job. I would love to see more learning spaces in which several generations collaborate and learn with and from each other.

As someone who received coaching as part of the Common Purpose Leadership Development Programme, would you recommend leadership coaching to others?

Yes, absolutely. Coaching is so helpful when you are in a space where you don’t know the answer, when you are out of your comfort zone and you have a coach who supports and guides you to understand yourself better, to find your own answers and ways forward.

More about Philippa McKee

I work as a Woodland Coordinatorfor Argyll Countryside Trust (ACT). I joined ACT in 2022 and my role has evolved over the last 3 years, I work in the Nature Restoration team, principally I work on developing control programmes for Rhododendron ponticum which is threatening the biodiversity in our native woodlands. Previously I worked as an Environment Advisor for Forestry and Land Scotland. I worked in operational forestry for 15 years after studying at St Andrews and Newcastle Universities. The aspects of my career that I enjoy the most are the landscapes and the people, they offer the most compelling motivation to work with a purposeful and conscientious approach.