Principal-Led Advisory • New Zealand

Behaviour isn't the problem.
It's the lever.

I work with leaders, teams, and growing businesses to help them understand how human behaviour actually works in the real world. Thoughtful, practical, and grounded in more than 15 years of consulting and a lifelong study of philosophy.

Schedule a 20-Minute Chat → Explore What I Do ↓
15+ Years Coaching & Consulting Experience
100% Principal-Led You work directly with Leon
Practical & Human Focusing on abilities, not deficits
The Core Ethos
“Real change starts when you stop trying to change people, and start changing how you see them.”

Most corporate programmes focus heavily on deficits. They send around surveys, list everything that is broken, and leave you with complex templates that nobody uses once the workshop ends.

I take the opposite approach. I look for natural abilities and spot the behavioural patterns that others miss. When you understand how you and your team actually communicate, make decisions, and react under pressure, you can resolve long-standing friction quickly and move forward with confidence.

What I Do

Three Core Services

Whether you need personal clarity as a leader, the right person in a critical role, or a team that communicates without friction, here is how we can work together.

01

Leadership & Executive Coaching

Clarity, perspective, and honest feedback when you need an objective sounding board.

  • Leadership Sprints: Five focused sessions designed to help you work through a specific near-term goal, transition, or tough decision.
  • Executive Calibration: Ongoing, regular conversations to help you spot blind spots and stay grounded as your responsibilities grow.
  • The Maverick Frame: Tailored coaching for independent, high-conviction leaders who want to channel their natural drive without alienating the people around them.
Book a Coaching Chat →
02

Behavioural Recruitment & Search

Hiring for how people actually perform under real-world pressure, not just what is written on a CV.

  • Executive & Specialist Search: In-depth behavioural interviewing to find leaders and specialists who fit the true reality of the role and your culture.
  • Squad Search: Helping you assemble a team whose individual working styles and communication habits naturally complement one another.
  • Straightforward Milestones: Invoiced simply as 30% when an offer is signed and accepted, and 70% on the day your new hire starts work.
Discuss a Search Assignment →
03

Team Training & Workshops

Engaging full-day sessions designed to help teams adapt, communicate, and stay resilient.

  • Sales Teams: Full-day training using practical NLP and CBT concepts to help sales professionals understand influence, language, and personal resilience.
  • Operations & Leadership Teams: Focused sessions on shifting perspective, improving collaboration, and removing the friction that slows work down.
  • Nuanced and Practical: Interactive sessions shaped around your real operational challenges, never an off-the-shelf lecture.
Inquire About Workshops →
Recommendations

Reflections from Leaders

The people I coach and work with are relationships for life. Here are a few reflections from leaders I partner with.

“

Leon has one of the most brilliant minds and is a recognised expert in neuro-linguistic programming. His expertise has been instrumental in enhancing my own negotiation skills, and he has taught me how to positively influence others through keen observation. My life has been enriched by Leon’s boundless enthusiasm for understanding human behaviour. Thanks for the learnings!

CEO
Chief Executive Officer
Large New Zealand ISP
“

Leon has been a great executive mentor over the last few months. Firstly, by drilling down into what we want to achieve together, then helping focus on these outcomes. Leon comes with a great set of tools that I have been able to immediately apply in my professional career, and has had a direct impact on how successful I have been. Leon gets business and understands how to train and achieve influence. I would highly recommend Leon as a mentor, coach, and friend.

IT
IT Executive
Enterprise Systems
About Leon

An Untethered Approach to Consulting

I am an untethered consultant. That simply means I do not work from a corporate office, and I do not send junior staff to do the work. When we work together, you work directly with me.

I grew up in South Africa and have lived and worked in New Zealand since 2008. Starting in 2011, I’ve provided coaching, executive search, and consulting, underpinned by a lifelong study of philosophy.

Whether meeting in your office, over a coffee, or on a video call, I aim to bring a balance of logic, empathy, and practical behavioural science to every conversation.

“My focus is to help uncover your abilities, not list your deficits.”

Practice Governance

Catharsis Consulting Limited

An incorporated New Zealand business operating with professional standards, strict client confidentiality, and adherence to New Zealand privacy principles.

Principal Consultant Leon van Niekerk
Experience 15+ Years Coaching & Consulting
Location Auckland, New Zealand
Let's Talk

Schedule a 20-Minute Conversation

A straightforward conversation to talk through what you are working on, explore whether my approach fits your needs, and see where we might start. No sales pitch.

Book a Time on My Calendar

Pick a time that suits you directly through Calendly.

Open Calendar → Google Meet or over a coffee in Auckland

Send an Email

If you prefer to write first, feel free to drop me a note directly:

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