Creating Space for Progress

What I do:

  • Design sessions: virtual or in person

  • SWOT workshops for staff & trustees

  • Away Days (planning and leading)

  • Coaching high-performance teams

  • Stakeholder input and strategy sessions

  • Panels and roundtables

  • Innovation sessions

  • Focus groups (DEI, consumer experience, product prototyping, and more)

  • Sticky messes and impasses

At an idea generation event (UK) a female charity consultant with dark hair explains an organisational resilience challenge to a team that Diana coached and facilitated. Behind their collaboration table is a design thinking whiteboard with post-its.
A team of four young, smiling women hold up flip charts which are covered in sketches and ideas, during the charity innovation event Diana Squires facilitated at KPMG

Building on 15 years of practical experience in programme design and entrepreneurship, I upskilled with a business Master’s in Innovation, Creativity and Leadership. This layered in principles from psychology, corporate best practice, leading academic research, and mixed methods from the creative industries...a smoothie of insights from around the world that energises me every day. 

To facilitate powerful idea generation and development, I draw on a wide range of proven methodologies that truly bring out the best in teams. "I never knew I could be so creative" and "I can't believe I never thought of that!" are things I hear over and over again. Let's talk about what problems need solving and who you'd like to bring together. I'd be honoured to help design the right approach for you.

A male and female charity trustee face each other in chairs, their knees almost touching as they engage in a Board Away Day designed and facilitated by Diana Squires. They have open body language and are listening actively.

Case Study

Three brunette business women sit in front of a post-it idea generation board. They are brainstorming strategies at a creative problem-solving event that facilitator Diana Squires organised for Scotland’s SAMH charity.

Charity in the Midlands

The CEO and Chair of a small UK charity approached me to facilitate a Board Strategy Day at a critical inflection point for the organisation. Governance of this non-profit had broken down, due to conflicting views of its mission and divergent ambitions for its charitable objects. I designed a session to mediate these differences and tackle the interpersonal conflict head-on. The trust that the Chief Executive and Board Chair placed in me was an essential ingredient. During the process that I facilitated, I heard one participant say, “I never thought I would change my mind, but suddenly I see the valid points on the other side.” Another participant said at the start, “My goal today is to convince everyone to go in the direction I think is right.” By the end, several options had been explored and all but one agreed to support the direction that had emerged as most viable and mission-aligned. The individual who did not support this outcome decided to resign from the Board and allow the remaining group to move forward.

“Thank you for helping us reach a consensus! I am excited for the future.”

Chief Executive

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  • “Diana was a superb facilitator from start to finish. With natural passion she guided us clearly through the day, was specific about how to approach the task, engage with our team and involve the charity. She instilled confidence when time was running away and ideas were not yet completely formed. A wonderfully kind, energetic and knowledgeable partner.”

    Corporate Coach and project participant

  • "Diana has a genuine gift for helping people find their voice and use it with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Her coaching session struck a chord with inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs who face anxiety or impostor syndrome. She effectively addresses how to lead the change you’re seeking to make in the world."

    Dr. Bola Olabisi

    CEO, Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network

  • “The work we did validated and expanded our ideas. The different perspectives that we hadn’t considered were really helpful. That day’s outputs took us on a journey to articulate the things we wanted to change. A year later, that journey has culminated in the birth of a programme I’m now director of.”

    Sarah Fullick

    Assistant Director of Knowledge Transformation, Trussell (aka Trussell Trust)

  • "Diana is a first-class public speaker and a skilled and deft facilitator. She has creativity in her lifeblood and I’m delighted to recommend her."

    Ed Mayo MBE

    Former CEO of Pilotlight

FAQ

  • Everything is up for discussion, especially if you are with a charity. The best way to start is to share your desired objectives and the budget you have in mind.

  • Working with people who inspire me. Causes that make a tangible difference in the world. Stories worth telling. Teams that value excellence. Room for big ideas.

  • Less social media, more conversations. LinkedIn is it for me!

Ready to work together?

Contact Me