Testimonials
I have worked with Jo for many years through a range of organisations and leadership roles.
Jo is unique in working through a process with individuals to identify issues, strengths and supporting you to establish your personal strategies to increase your impact and focus as a leader, while making sure you are kind to yourself.
Jo doesn’t just talk about theory but uses reflective practice and is solution focussed which was ideal for me.
I had heard so many positive experiences from people who had received coaching from Jo, so I asked to be referred to her for some support.
I was (and still am) going through an extremely difficult time at home, and I was struggling to manage my emotions and control the overwhelm!
Jo helped me immensely to make sure i was focusing on me. To make sure I was taking care of myself.
Jo taught me coping mechanisms and reassured me all the time. Jo still checks in with me now even though the coaching sessions ended last Autumn!
One of the first things Jo said to me was that I wasn’t alone, and that has stayed with me until this day. Sometimes, you can feel like you’re fighting a battle on your own, but Jo helped me to realise that nobody is alone.
Jo is incredibly understanding and experienced. Jo has so many techniques and methods to help support you in whatever it is you need help in.
Jo is extremely confidential, so you can trust in her that whatever you are discussing won’t be shared.
I still use the techniques that Jo taught me in my coaching sessions whenever I feel overwhelmed with challenges, and they actually work!
Thank you so much for your support Jo! I will forever be grateful.
If you are feeling a bit stuck, struggling to figure out what’s next in your career, then do not hesitate to contact Jo.
Jo has a very relaxed coaching style, and the sessions felt more like a chat as she makes you feel so at ease. She is warm and friendly, but behind this, she has a very professional and structured approach.
That’s the beauty of coaching with Jo! She knows how to structure the conversation to get to the heart of the issues.
The sessions length and location can be tailored to a time, date a place that suits you.
It was so uplifting to speak with someone who really understood some of the issues I brought to our sessions – particularly as a female of a certain age!
She really does know her stuff, and I left the sessions in a much better headspace. Jo isn’t afraid to tackle some of the more difficult subjects or questions if she feels it is relevant and will help.
I feel I know myself a lot better since my coaching sessions. She also gave me tools to use outside of the sessions, such as tackling negative thinking patterns and reframing situations which I still use to this day.
Jo is so knowledgeable about human psychology, workplace dynamics and relationships and I would highly recommend her to anyone considering coaching. You won’t regret it!
I have had the pleasure of knowing Jo over a number of years when she has delivered training on a variety of subjects in my company.
However, more recently, I was specifically referred to Jo for some coaching when I had been struggling with a particularly stressful project.
The management style of the project was at odds with how I manage my work load and I was trying to explain to my managers why this was an issue and this had lead to a number of uncomfortable conversations and a trip to HR!
When I started to explain to Jo the background of the project, she immediately zeroed in on my extensive and excessive levels of stress and how I was verging on burnout.
She put me at ease and allowed me the space to unload my issues, and guided me through a process of understanding why I may be experiencing the stresses and that this was normal.
During these conversations, we explored a number of neuro-diverse responses that I had been exhibiting, and it became quite apparent that I was certainly on the ADHD spectrum.
I have to say, at 59, this was a bit of an epiphany for me and came as a huge relief as I could now clearly understand why this particular project was so hard for me to work on.
Jo’s knowledge of the neuro-diverse spectrum and how these affect our working styles and how being self-aware allows us to manage our responses was insightful and very knowledgeable. She gave me a number of techniques (breathing and tapping) to manage my stress and to de-escalate meetings where I felt my concerns were not being heard.
I think we had 3 sessions in total, and I felt that in every session, she came prepared for the next set of queries or frustrations with techniques and advice and, most importantly, an empathy and sense of humour that allowed me to engage fully with her.
I would not hesitate in recommending her, she is well read, has a thirst for new ideas and a keenness to share this with others.
I just wanted to pass on my thanks….you may or may not be aware that I purchased your ‘Land your Dream Job’ course in preparation for moving on. It was excellent and gave me the confidence and reassurance I needed to take the next step.
I felt it was really important to let you know how you helped me achieve a fantastic new role, so thank you ?
I was going through a tough time back in 2022 after having been diagnosed with skin cancer and, unfortunately, had to have my left ear amputated due to this. I also had a couple of bereavements that year and endless issues in my relationship where I felt I wasn’t being supported or listened to by my partner.
I just tried to bury my head in the sand with all that was going on at the time, and I was on the verge of losing my job due to all the stress I was going through. I was signed off on the sick for six weeks by the works occupational therapist, and that’s when Jo came in!
I had a few sessions with her, and she honestly taught me so much about myself, why I was feeling the way I was and most importantly, how to deal with issues going forward.
She is so warm, friendly and welcoming and made me feel instantly at ease within a few minutes of chatting to her! Not ever, for one second did I feel silly asking her anything, and she was so patient and understanding.
I would recommend her in a heartbeat. She is certainly my future “go-to” should I ever need any advice or guidance again.
Jo, I can’t thank you enough for helping me deal with my feelings and emotions and come to terms with life in general when I was at my lowest!
You really helped me more than you will ever know, and I cannot thank you enough! x
Jo’s coaching sessions really helped me to rationalise my thoughts following what I found to be a particularly challenging period in my career. Her friendly and warm demeanour gave me the confidence to talk openly about these difficulties without fear, reflecting on situations objectively to use these past experiences in a positive way.
The great easy to use techniques Jo gave me along the way have given me belief that I am able to achieve all that I want to achieve.
Jo has provided me with coaching support for the last five years. In that time, she has helped me to clarify the direction in which I want to take my professional life and business, whilst providing me with a framework for making change happen. Jo has challenged my assumptions and preconceptions in a highly constructive way, providing an environment in which I have felt comfortable exploring and testing my thoughts and ideas.
She has employed a number of creative and dynamic methods to stimulate my thinking and to reinforce the fact that I am accountable for making change happen. This, combined with being asked to commit to completing actions by agreed deadlines, has really helped to ensure that my plans have crystallised to a point where I have seen immediate results.
She has also been a regular contributor providing coaching tips and advice to over 6000 clients per week. I would strongly recommend Jo in both large corporate and small business fields.
I found the whole experience of working with Jo on a one to one, really worthwhile and took a lot from it. Jo is very experienced and professional and gave me a structured approach and detailed further coaching session.
Jo would definitely be a coach I would recommend to others.
I have never been able to speak confidently in public, which was affecting confidence and my business as I wasn’t able to deliver training sessions on the services I provide.
I worked closely with Jo on a 1:2:1 basis and after just one session, not only was I able to deliver a speech at my daughter’s wedding (something I would never have thought possible before), but I have now been able to expand my business to include training delivery, something that I could never have imagined previously.
I highly recommend Jo, she gets you to think about things in a different way which has been a turning point for me.
The year I spent receiving coaching from Jo was fantastic. I went through many significant life and career changes in this time, with unconditional support from Jo throughout.
Jo’s style of coaching and her understanding of me personally, really helped me achieve clarity and focus on the goals that I wanted to accomplish both personally and professionally.
I learned many techniques which have served me well following our coaching and will continue to do so indefinitely. I would highly recommend Jo, to anyone thinking about Professional Coaching.
Jo is very personable, professional and genuinely cares about her clients achieving results. Thank you, Jo.
Jo’s professional and conscientious mentoring proved critical in the making of a major decision regarding my career steps. With her advice and considerate feedback, Jo enabled me to realise my own career ambitions and assisted me identifying my short and mid-term goals so that I am now better positioned to take the necessary steps to achieve them.
Additionally, under Jo’s tutelage on a work-based professional development programme, I was methodically and comprehensively introduced to a range of management, leadership and mentoring concepts, which were supported by real-life applications.
Her instruction in this field has granted me a great number of skills and tools to help me take my leadership standard to the next level. I know that I would not be the leader I am now without Jo’s input.
I have worked with Jo for the past 2 years and she has been instrumental in providing senior and exec coaching at Northwards.
Jo brings passion and energy which engages the most skeptical of people. I love how Jo cuts through the theory and makes it simple and relatable.
We continue to work with Jo in delivering a Leadership Programme to our senior managers and I look forward to even more positive outcomes!
Jo’s Get Clear course and 121 sessions have helped me massively shift my perspective and find a job that aligned with my values, purpose and non-negotiables.
I’ve had the best recruitment experience because I went in with the right mindset, had a 2-way interview, and asked lots of questions to ensure we were the right fit for each other.
As a result, they were delighted with me and vice versa.
Praise must go to Jo Banks who has been extremely professional, strong and influential throughout our time working together. It is obvious that Jo has elevated credentials within the HR and People Management sector and I feel that I have personally benefited from working with her and I would not hesitate to recommend or ask for her experienced view in the future.
Jo has many strings to her bow and is highly proficient in coaching and development and if there is ever an opportunity to benefit from this coaching in the future on a professional level, I would certainly be the first person to step forward and embrace this to enhance my skills which in turn would benefit the business. I see a lot of value in what she does.
Jo’s coaching has been the catalyst for profound change in my life.
Jo’s approach was unique as she tailored her approach to ensure I got the full benefits of the coaching sessions.
Building trust and a positive rapport with Jo happened quickly and easily which I believe ensured I received the full benefits of the coaching.
The sessions empowered me to build my self confidence while also setting career goals and building self awareness.
Jo brings a wealth of knowledge/ experience with her and was always respectful, positive, supportive, trusting and provided clear feedback while reinforcing key messages throughout the sessions.
When I started coaching with Jo, I was struggling with competing work and home priorities; I had started to become stressed.
Jo was great at helping me understand what was going on in my body and mind and gave me really useful practical exercises which I still use and share.
Over a number of months working with Jo, I was able to work out my priorities and get control of my situation.
Using skills Jo taught me I earned myself a promotion with a new organisation, a job I wouldn’t have had the confidence to apply for if I hadn’t worked with Jo.
Jo was easy to talk to, she understood me very quickly. She’s knowledgeable and she has an enthusiasm that rubs off on you.
I can’t recommend her enough.
Thank you, Jo, for your support and coaching guidance.
I can’t quite find words to accurately express my gratitude for the time spent with Jo unpicking and making sense of issues, in order to implement strategies to take forward and achieve goals.
Jo’s logical approach, supported by factual science, enabled an understanding of feelings and behaviours and gave clarity to the behaviours of other people. It was fun exploring different areas, similar to a friendly chat, between friends, as well as informative with lots of light bulb moments.
Jo will support you in reaching answers; however, you must be prepared to put in the work, to dig deep and be brave on occasion.
Following our sessions, I can say hand on heart that I feel much more equipped and confident to apply the knowledge and techniques Jo shared, building on a foundation with greater understanding to live a more fulfilled, calmer and happier life.
There is plenty of work to do to create new habits, but it’s work I’m happy to undertake for both big and little me.
Jo is an inspiring coach, and I have thoroughly benefited from our sessions, which focused on my professional and personal goals.
Jo is a fantastic listener, insightful and non-judgemental, who supported me in challenging my ways of thinking by offering valuable tips, new perspectives and techniques to help manage situations I was facing at the time.
The sessions helped me be open and honest in order to get the most out of them. I feel so much better after the sessions I had with Jo, and I use the knowledge and advice whenever I need to.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Jo to anyone.
Jo is an incredible coach and mentor, totally committed to improving your professional and personal life. By keeping you focused and accountable, yet providing an unbiased point of view, she provides you with a clear vision of where you are going, helping you to define what you want and where you want to be. She takes the time to understand your goals, dreams and aspirations, always finding new ways to support you.
She is a dynamic woman who by coming from her heart, has an excellent ability to connect with people, inspiring and nurturing them to move in a positive direction. Jo is a great listener, and asks the right questions to lead you to very solid decisions, making you look at things in new ways. Jo helped me to prepare for a major employment transition and supported me through the transition.
She has helped me to focus and prioritise. I have been better able to look at problems in different ways, thus finding very meaningful solutions. I am a better leader today because of the coaching I received from Jo.
I was confirmed to be perimenopausal a couple of years ago at 57.
There was a sense of relief that it wasn’t just me going mad, but there was a reason. However, I felt so irritable, mood swings, anxious, emotional, night sweats and hot flushes and crying all the time and never seemed happy. I felt I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.
I took some time off work and was convinced I had come to the end of my working career; how could I hold my job down when I could just about get out of bed and couldn’t face the world?
I was offered some sessions with a coach but didn’t hold out much hope. I was introduced to Jo, and from our first session, my life was transformed!
It was fantastic to get an understanding of what was going on in my mind and body and Jo gave me the tools to educate myself and change bad habits. Cooking from scratch, drinking water, exercise, a 15-minute daily walk, and a good multivitamin are some of the things I still do to this day, and I can’t believe how good I feel!
Anybody going through the menopause or just struggling needs a Jo in their life. I can’t thank Jo enough for what she has done for me. My life has totally transformed, and I will be forever grateful. God bless you, Jo!
I’m now an HRBP at a new company and I absolutely love it! With Jo’s help, I secured several interviews and received 3 job offers within a month of leaving my previous employer! Wasn’t the plan, but I saw a few things I liked and thought I’d give it a go!
In the end, I found a perfect match, and I am so so happy! Really, I haven’t felt like this for ages and I cannot wait for Monday morning to come!! Jo’s help with the CV writing in particular got me in front of people. I always thought I’d “be alright” if I got face to face with people and with a bit of luck too it’s worked out perfectly!
Good luck with everything and for one last time, thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.
Have you ever been told what a great job you’re doing? And then a week later been told that you’re being made redundant?
Well, it happened to me and it completely took away my confidence in my own ability. I met with Jo and she was able to completely restore my self confidence due to her vast experience of dealing with people in this situation.
Jo is lovely and will share her knowledge with you so you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back out there with your confidence restored. Jo is highly recommended.
Jo’s open and approachable style made it really easy for me to share those issues that were holding me back at being the best version of me I could be. Jo helped me recognise and identify the internal negative thoughts and limitations I was placing on myself and by applying the simple easy to use techniques she taught me I have been able to address these and feel more effective in my role than ever.
Reading the regular blogs that Jo sends out act as an ongoing top up and reinforce my new positive outlook – I can’t wait to read the book !!! Thank you for your support Jo.
Jo helped me enormously with my own personal development ina challenging but supportive environment.
Anyone looking for behavioural insight, a change in career, direction or leadership coaching should definitely consider Jo. She is highly skilled and comes with my highest recommendation.
I emerged from Jo’s management development programme refreshed and revitalised. Jo’s interactive workshops combine her wealth of business knowledge and understanding of leadership attributes to nurture talent, promote confidence and develop high impact managers.
From Jo I learnt the importance of considering rationale when faced with seemingly intractable challenges and the power of effective decision making to create profitable relationships.
Jo’s charismatic delivery inspires and empowers her delegates, challenging the conventions of typical management programmes.
Jo is an absolute pleasure to work with, a true professional with a wealth of knowledge and experience.
A great listener who is highly skilled at what she does, but more importantly, she genuinely cares about her clients and her passion and positivity shines through.
I would have no hesitation in recommending Jo to any business/individual.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jo recently as part of our organisational change journey and through some personal coaching.
I’ve really enjoyed working with Jo – she has a great coaching style which has lead to excellent outcomes. I now have a toolbox of great techniques thanks to Jo’s help.
I received coaching from Jo last year after leaving my job of 20 years.
Jo helped me build confidence to step out into the jobs market. She helped me with my CV, got me interview ready and importantly, helped me understand the current job market.
Jo has a very friendly and approachable style and tells you what really works.
Jo Banks is a real inspiration, and just when you need someone to give you a much needed boost, you know you can turn to Jo to give you great ideas, confidence and some real know-how to help you in your job search.
Jo transformed my CV to make it concise, attractive and effective. I also had some fantastic one-to-one sessions with her where she was able to identify the areas where I could improve and be more impactful in an interview situation.
Jo puts you at ease, is really intuitive and gives you space to think and reflect so that you are able to get solutions that are personal and individual to you. It’s not a one-size-fits all approach – Jo really does make it about you, and that’s really important when it comes to preparing for interviews – because a job interview is all about you.
I would recommend speaking to Jo about career advice and about preparation for landing that new job!
Today I have accepted a role as a Project Manager with Marks and Spencer following redundancy in September. At the time I was recommended your Your Dream Job course and I just wanted to thank you.
It was a huge help in grounding me and stopping the expected panic setting in. I kept to your method and didn’t apply for just anything and was considered about what and where was right for me. And it paid off!!
Thank you, I will and have recommended the course to my network. It was well worth it. Thanks again,
I just wanted to let you know that I have just secured a fabulous position after my second job interview.
Without all the support from you and the Dream Job Course I don’t think I would have got this, so thank you so much.
