Question 1

What is self-leadership?

Accepted Answer

Self-leadership is the practice of becoming an effective leader of your own life. We are often taught how to lead others, but rarely how to lead and support ourselves.

Max Wilson’s methodology and framework help you become aware of what’s keeping you stuck, gain clarity on what needs to shift and find the courage to take meaningful action.

Question 2

Who is Max Wilson?

Accepted Answer

Max Wilson is a former barrister and university lecturer turned award-winning ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC®). He specialises in self-leadership coaching for high-achieving men, and in facilitation and training for teams. He is director of MAX WILSON COACHING LTD, a company registered in England and Wales.

Question 3

Who does he work with?

Accepted Answer

Max works with high-achieving men — including lawyers, founders and professionals — who are successful on paper but feel a misalignment inside.

From the outside, your life may look successful. You have built a strong career, earned respect and become the capable, dependable person others rely on. Yet beneath the surface, something no longer feels right and you’re ready for change.

Perhaps burnout, anxiety, a relationship change, bereavement, redundancy, a health scare or a milestone birthday has interrupted the cycle of work, achieve, rest and repeat. Or perhaps the realisation arrived more quietly: the success you worked so hard for does not feel the way you expected it to.

You may struggle to switch off, overthink decisions, carry too much responsibility or feel guilty when setting boundaries. Or perhaps, you lack purpose. You know something needs to change, even if you cannot yet describe what ‘more’ looks like. You are curious, open-minded and ready to take responsibility for what comes next — but you do not want to navigate it alone.

He also works with organisations that want better self-leadership, psychological safety and workplace wellbeing.

All of his work is LGBTQ+ inclusive.

Question 4

Is coaching the right fit?

Accepted Answer

You’re likely the right fit if you:

• have experienced a wake-up call or growing realisation that your current path no longer fits;
• have achieved conventional success but still feel that something is missing;
• are open-minded, curious and interested in personal growth;
• are willing to challenge old beliefs and inherited definitions of success;
• value authenticity, meaningful connection and a sustainable way of living;
• are ready to take responsibility for your choices and create change; and/or
• feel called towards something more, even if you cannot yet define it.

Question 5

When might coaching not be the right fit?

Accepted Answer

My work is supportive, reflective and appropriately challenging. It is not highly directive, confrontational or focused solely on performance optimisation. It requires curiosity, honesty and a willingness to take personal responsibility.

We’re probably not the right fit if you:

• Want someone to simply tell you what to do
• Are unwilling to take ownership of your choices and actions
• Have no genuine desire to change, grow or engage with the process

Also, if you are experiencing acute mental health difficulties that require clinical treatment, coaching may not be the most appropriate form of support at this time and I will encourage you to seek help from a suitably qualified mental health professional. However, coaching can work very effectively alongside therapy, so if you’re unsure, please do get in touch and we can explore together whether coaching is right for you.

Question 6

Where do sessions take place?

Accepted Answer

Most coaching is online. Walking coaching is in person from Golden Fords Café in Chantry Woods, near Guildford in Surrey. Team training can be delivered online or on site. MAX WILSON COACHING LTD is registered in Guildford, Surrey.

Question 7

How do I start?

Accepted Answer

Book a free discovery call through the contact page and tell Max a little about what you’d like to work on. You’ll then have a relaxed, no-pressure conversation about your goals and whether working together feels like the right fit.

Question 8

What is 1:1 coaching with Max Wilson?

Accepted Answer

Private integrative coaching for high-achieving men who are ready to deconstruct what no longer works and rebuild a life that fits. Sessions are a confidential, non-judgemental space to reflect, see blind spots, and create practical next steps — with support between sessions.

Question 9

Who is 1:1 coaching for?

Accepted Answer

It is for men who feel stressed, overwhelmed or misaligned — often after a high-pressure career in law, business or another demanding field. If the life you are living no longer matches who you are, and you know you cannot make the shift alone, this work is designed for you.

Question 10

What outcomes do clients typically see?

Accepted Answer

Clients commonly report greater joy and purpose, reduced stress and better sleep, stronger confidence, more fulfilling relationships, and clearer focus at work. The aim is sustainable change — not a drill-sergeant overhaul.

Question 11

How do we begin 1:1 coaching?

Accepted Answer

Start with a free discovery call. If you both decide to work together, Max will explain the shape of the coaching, practicalities and next steps.

Question 12

Where does walking coaching take place?

Accepted Answer

Walking coaching starts at Golden Fords Café in Chantry Woods, in the North Downs near Guildford, Surrey. You meet, grab a drink, then walk in the Chantries — a setting that supports reflection as much as conversation.

Question 13

Who is walking coaching for?

Accepted Answer

It is for people who live in the South East of England, or who can travel to Guildford, and who want personal growth combined with time outdoors. It is a good alternative if you prefer movement and nature to sitting on a video call.

Question 14

How do I book a walking session?

Accepted Answer

Use the form on the walking coaching page, or visit the contact part of this site. Say that you are interested in walking coaching and a little about what you want from the work.

Question 15

What facilitation and training does Max offer?

Accepted Answer

Max delivers training, team coaching and speaking on self-leadership, psychological safety, public speaking, authenticity, high performance, resilience, DEI, healthy masculinity and mental health. He draws on a background as a barrister, senior lecturer and ICF-credentialed coach.

Question 16

Who is the training for?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are designed for organisations and teams. Max facilitates for everyone, with a specialty in helping men in organisations become effective self-leaders through tailored group programmes.

Question 17

How do we enquire about training?

Accepted Answer

Use the training page form with a short brief — audience, aims and format. Max will reply to see whether there is a fit.

Question 18

What is The Vulnerability Club®?

Accepted Answer

The Vulnerability Club® is a monthly online sharing circle for GBT+ men who want a tribe without the traditional alpha or drill-sergeant style. It is a confidential, judgement-free space to explore life’s challenges, share openly and support one another.

Question 19

When does The Vulnerability Club® meet?

Accepted Answer

The group meets on the last Tuesday of every month for a 90-minute sharing circle on Zoom, facilitated by Max Wilson.

Question 20

Who is The Vulnerability Club® for?

Accepted Answer

It is built as an alternative to conventional men’s groups for GBT+ men. If you’re tired of surface-level conversation and would like to connect and share with GBT+ men on a deeper level – this group is for you!

Question 21

Where do I join The Vulnerability Club®?

Accepted Answer

The Club has its own website, separate from this coaching practice. Just click on the tab above or use the contact form for more information.

Question 22

What is the Sovereign Self Programme?

Accepted Answer

The Sovereign Self Programme is a twelve-month small-group coaching journey for high-achieving men. Max guides the group through his three-part self-leadership framework so you can reclaim time, energy and a more authentic way of leading your life.

Question 23

How is the programme structured?

Accepted Answer

Over twelve months you’ll join a maximum of eight men for live 2 hour group coaching sessions and mastermind classes on Zoom. The work is supported by action steps, a private community chat, peer pods, video resources, check ins and progress audits.

Question 24

What is Max Wilson’s story?

Accepted Answer

Max qualified as a barrister and later taught as a senior lecturer. High-pressure work, the “Man Box” and a need to mask took a toll on his health, including panic disorder. Inner work led him to retrain as a self-leadership coach so other men do not have to wait for rock bottom.

Question 25

What is the Man Box?

Accepted Answer

The Man Box, a concept developed by educator and activist Paul Kivel, describes the rigid, often unspoken rules about what it means to “be a man”: be tough, stay in control and suppress emotion. Max’s work helps men step outside that box, drop the mask and lead themselves with greater honesty and care.

Question 26

Is the discovery call free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The first conversation is a free discovery call. It is a chance to tell Max where you are and see whether you are a good fit — with no pressure to work together if it doesn’t feel right.

Question 27

How do I get in touch?

Accepted Answer

Use the contact form on this website. Max reads every note and will write back. Check your inbox and spam folder for the reply.

Questions, answered

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