EMILY DAVIDSON

Business Coach

Successful Round the World race crew member joins Merriweather 20 years after first experiencing winning coaching.

Merriweather’s approach certainly stands the test of time, as illustrated by new recruit Emily Davidson, now a seasoned business coach, who first experienced Merriweather over 20 years ago when the dream team of Richard, Malcolm and Nigel worked their magic on the Round the World Yacht Race crew of Compaq and moved them – almost overnight – from their frustrated mid-fleet position to serious top spot contenders.

Stepping in mid-race with a successful team-building campaign for Compaq, Merriweather recognised the potential to inspire, motivate and unify this crew of capable and committed individuals with varying motivations, and turned a dispiriting position for skipper Will, Emily and the crew into a highly motivated and positive outcome. The Compaq team defied expectations with their comeback and narrowly missed winning the whole race, coming in a brilliant second.

Emily, now a successful business coach in her own right, bases her coaching on the principles and approach from that impressive campaign, which showed her what great team coaching can achieve. She is delighted to now be joining Merriweather, back where it all began. 

" I experienced first-hand the amazing effectiveness of the Merriweather approach. In one coaching programme in Cape Town, Merriweather changed our fortunes - they enabled each crew member to strip back their motivations, helped us to build our understanding of our own and each others’ inner drivers, and build the cohesive, inspired, winning team that we became."

“With Emily joining the Merriweather team, we are responding to the growing number of high-profile women leaders requesting female-focussed coaches to support their leadership development and team building,” said Richard Merriweather. 

EMILY DAVIDSON: Who I Am

Endlessly curious about the people around me, I bring a wide-ranging background to my business coaching. Sharing my sense of adventure and curiosity with others is always at the heart of what I do. I’m driven to ask questions and explore the answers, all in service of nudging myself and those I work with out of their comfort zone. Whether it's yacht racing over the world’s oceans, inspiring young minds or supporting others to achieve their goals I gently challenge, push and support others to get to where they want to be.

" Today I employ the same principles when coaching high-achieving women thriving in successful, high pressure, often isolated roles where they are expected to have all the answers. I reflect what Merriweather did for us all those years ago in Cape Town. I use those learnings to support my clients in peeling back their inhibiting layers around inner drivers such as self-limiting beliefs to build understanding, connection and shared motivations for success."

Emily Davidson: What I've Done

My working life has been characterised by a series of positive step changes: Political lobbying and PR, racing around the world in the BT Global Challenge yacht race – and experiencing the Merriweather way, Royal Bank of Scotland integration project, teaching, world exploring with my family and setting up my own coaching business.

My experiences on the BT Global Challenge re-framed my outlook. The teamwork lessons I experienced with Merriweather, writing about my adventures on the race for the Financial Times, raising corporate sponsorship for my berth fee all underline my ‘give it your best’ attitude.

More recently I spent 4 years sailing and exploring the world with my young family. Setting off from the UK we crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans via the Panama Canal before selling up in New Zealand.

Now I have the privilege of coach high-achieving and successful senior leaders supporting them to make the best decisions for themselves and their organisations.

Emily Davidson: Qualifications

• Transactional Analysis 101 - Coaching Development
• The Coach Practitioner, ICF approved professional coach training with Coaching
  Development Ltd. 
• PGCE History - Roehampton Institute, University of Surrey 
• BA Hons: History and Politics – Queen Mary and Westfield College 
• Long Range Radio Certificate – Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Offshore First Aid and Offshore Medical Care Certificate – Maritime and Coastguard Agency 
• Diesel Engine Maintenance – Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
• RYA Dinghy Instructor - RYA
• Open Water scuba diving - SSI