about

Kaleidoscope Development is led by me, Emma Pearson. I consider myself to be a “European Brit” in that I have spent over two-thirds of my life living outside my native UK, mostly in continental Europe. I currently live near Geneva (Switzerland), and have worked as a business psychologist for the past 20+ years. I have stayed close to my Psychology roots throughout my career, specialising in working with individuals, teams and organisations who are eager to maximise their talent and potential.

Emma_round-bubblesA bit about me: I have an unshakeable belief in people, in their talent and potential, their goodwill and best intentions. People have tremendous skills and gifts to bring to the work environment. Typically, where individuals, teams or organisations are less effective than they might be, this is not due to a lack of goodwill or even skill. This belief might seem naïve, and perhaps not very business-like, but through my personal and professional experiences, this belief is stronger than ever. Invariably, people have enormous contributions to bring, but face barriers – either within themselves or in their interactions with others – that dilute their impact.

I believe that people have the same fundamental desires, hopes, fears and concerns: they want to feel connected, to contribute, to be heard, to learn, and to leave a lasting, positive mark as they move on. They want to do well, to be their best selves. I believe that unless people’s hopes and desires are discussed and shared, and their fears and concerns explored, people cannot bring their full talent, energy and potential to their daily lives.

As a business psychologist, I understand that much can prevent us from fully living our potential. I also understand how to unleash talent and creativity, and the personal and organisational barriers that prevent this unleashing. People’s lives, careers, teams, organisations and societies suffer from this untapped, unused passion and skill. And in today’s world of complexity and “white water” change, we need all the passion and creativity, collaboration and connection we can get.

A bit about my professional path: I have lived and worked in a number of European countries as well as in the US, and business has taken me to the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. Most of my career has been spent consulting with large, global organisations where I was brought in for my expertise in Organisational Talent. Working for a global talent consulting firm, I specialised in the assessment and development of senior leaders and their teams, and had the opportunity to help establish the company’s Swiss presence. I managed a team of consultants and support staff for the office, then took an EMEA Region role leading a core business segment. In 2009 I joined a global life sciences organisation as Talent Director for the European Region, then in 2011 moved into Organisation Development supporting significant change initiatives. I established Kaleidoscope Development in 2013, to help individuals and organisations who recognise that it’s time to accentuate people’s power, passion and potential so they can best serve organisations and the world – and in so doing, live their lives to the fullest.

How I Work