Articles / Leadership with Louise: Management Coaching and Insights
Development, Training & CoachingDiscover Leadership with Louise, offering practical management coaching and leadership insights. Learn how Louise Howells helps managers develop their skills.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Sat 10th January 2026
Leadership with Louise offers something increasingly rare in the leadership development space: practical wisdom from someone who has actually done the work. Founded by Louise Howells, this platform combines a decade of senior leadership experience with genuine insight into what managers actually face—and what actually helps.
In a field crowded with theoretical frameworks and abstract principles, Leadership with Louise stands out for its grounded, practical approach. Louise writes for managers who want to do better and stay human while doing it, offering real stories from the front lines of leadership, practical advice, templates, tools, and deep dives into what effective management actually requires.
Louise Howells brings substantial real-world experience to her work with leaders and managers.
Her background includes:
This isn't theoretical knowledge acquired through studying leadership from the outside. Louise has led teams, made difficult decisions, navigated complex situations, and learned from both successes and failures. She brings this practical wisdom to her work with other leaders.
"I've led teams, sat on senior leadership teams, managed multi-million-pound operations, and coached new and seasoned managers."
The Leadership with Louise platform provides multiple ways to develop management and leadership capabilities.
The Leadership with Louise Substack publication delivers regular insights directly to subscribers. Content includes:
| Content Type | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Real stories | Experiences from the front lines of leadership |
| Practical advice | Actionable guidance you can implement immediately |
| Templates and tools | Ready-to-use resources for common challenges |
| Deep dives | Thorough exploration of important topics |
The writing style reflects Louise's commitment to authenticity—straightforward, practical, and grounded in reality rather than theory.
For managers seeking personalised development, Leadership with Louise offers 121 mentoring sessions. These provide:
One-to-one mentoring works particularly well for managers facing specific challenges, transitioning into new roles, or seeking accelerated development.
Beyond individual mentoring, Leadership with Louise provides training for groups of managers. This can address:
Group training combines Louise's practical content with the benefits of peer learning and shared experience.
Workshops offer intensive, focused development on particular topics. These can be customised to organisational needs and delivered in formats ranging from half-day sessions to multi-day programmes.
Louise is available for:
Her speaking draws on the same practical wisdom that characterises all her work—real stories, actionable insights, and authentic delivery.
Several characteristics distinguish how Louise approaches leadership development.
Leadership with Louise prioritises what works over what sounds impressive. Rather than elaborate frameworks that look good in presentations but fail in practice, the focus is on tools and approaches that help managers navigate real situations.
"I write for managers who want to do better and stay human while doing it."
This commitment to humanity in leadership runs throughout Louise's work. The goal isn't to transform managers into something they're not but to help them become more effective versions of themselves—without losing their authenticity or wellbeing in the process.
Content draws on real experience rather than abstract theory. Louise shares what she's learned from actually leading, actually making difficult decisions, and actually developing as a manager over years of practice.
Leadership with Louise makes quality development accessible to managers who might not have access to expensive programmes or executive coaches. The newsletter provides free regular content; other services are priced to be accessible to individuals and smaller organisations.
Leadership with Louise serves several audiences.
Those transitioning into management for the first time face a steep learning curve. Leadership with Louise provides:
Managers with years of experience can still benefit from:
Louise's background in tech and digital agencies provides particular relevance for managers in these sectors:
Those who find traditional leadership development too corporate, too theoretical, or too disconnected from reality appreciate Leadership with Louise's:
Leadership with Louise addresses the full range of management and leadership challenges.
Multiple entry points exist for engaging with Leadership with Louise.
The Substack newsletter provides regular free content that delivers genuine value without requiring any financial commitment. This allows you to experience Louise's approach before committing to paid services.
Enhanced content is available through paid subscription to the Substack, providing deeper dives and additional resources.
For personalised development, one-to-one mentoring sessions can be arranged. These provide the most tailored and intensive support.
Organisations seeking to develop their management capability can engage Louise for training, workshops, or speaking.
Leadership with Louise represents a particular philosophy about how leaders develop.
Leaders often learn more from those who have done the work than from those who study it academically. Louise's practitioner background means her insights come from direct experience, not observation.
Leadership development works best as ongoing practice rather than one-time events. The newsletter model provides regular input that supports sustained development over time.
Engaging with Leadership with Louise connects you to others on similar journeys. This community aspect provides peer support, shared learning, and the recognition that you're not alone in your challenges.
Not everyone has access to expensive executive development programmes. Leadership with Louise provides quality development at accessible price points, democratising access to leadership growth.
Leadership with Louise is a leadership development platform founded by Louise Howells, offering a newsletter, one-to-one mentoring, manager training, workshops, and speaking. It focuses on practical, experience-based guidance for managers who want to develop their capabilities whilst staying human.
Louise Howells is a leadership and management coach with over 10 years of senior leadership experience and 20+ years in tech and digital agency environments. She has held roles including Operations Director and Head of Delivery, led teams, managed multi-million-pound operations, and coached managers at all levels.
Leadership with Louise covers the full range of management and leadership topics: managing people, managing yourself, managing upwards and sideways, and practical skills like running meetings, delegating, and communication. Content is practical and grounded in real experience.
The Substack newsletter provides free regular content, with enhanced content available through paid subscription. One-to-one mentoring, training, workshops, and speaking can be arranged separately through the website.
Leadership with Louise serves new managers transitioning into leadership, experienced managers seeking continued growth, managers in tech and digital environments, and anyone who values practical, authentic approaches to leadership development over theoretical or corporate frameworks.
Louise Howells is based in Manchester, UK, but serves clients and audiences globally through digital content and virtual sessions, as well as in-person services where appropriate.