Work With Shirisha
Most people arrive here because something is not adding up.
Shirisha Nagendran is an Executive Coach and the leading voice on political literacy at work. This is her coaching and political intelligence practice.
They are capable, experienced, and doing most things right. And yet: the situation is not resolving. The feedback does not fit. The room keeps reading them in ways they cannot quite see or control.
The work I do is about making those invisible dynamics visible. Below is what that looks like in practice.
Something politically charged is happening right now. Or you need a thinking partner who has been in the room.
This track is for directors, VPs, and CXOs navigating complex organisations. The work here is part coaching, part advisory. Shirisha brings 19 years of experience navigating complex organisations from the inside, 13 years of coaching practice, and a full-time independent practice since 2023.
She is not observing political systems from the outside. She has lived inside them, and she has built the only body of work on political literacy at work that she knows of.
There are three ways to work with her at this level.
You are building your career and navigating the complexity that comes with it.
The coaching work is about you: your clarity, your direction, and how you are showing up in the environments you are navigating. Whether something has shifted or you know it needs to, this is where we start.
Shirisha holds the ICF PCC credential and has been coaching full-time since 2023. She works with people at genuine crossroads: redundancy, burnout, relocation, a career that has drifted from what they actually want. The work is about getting clear on where you are and what the next move looks like.
There are two ways to work at this level.
Not sure where to start?
If you are a senior leader, a director, VP, or CXO, and something politically charged is happening right now, the six-month engagement is usually the right container. It gives the relationship time to build before the diagnostic work begins. If you want to start with three months and see, that is a considered place to begin.
If you are a mid-career professional navigating a career decision, a transition, or the early complexity of moving into leadership, Career Growth and Navigating Transitions is where to start.
Use the form below to describe your situation. Siri reads every enquiry personally and responds within two working days.
A note on availability
This is a boutique, intentionally limited practice. Every offering has a capacity cap, and those caps exist so the work remains what it should be: careful, specific, and genuinely useful.
The senior track in particular runs at very low capacity. A maximum of two clients in the six-month engagement at any time. When a track is full, Shirisha maintains a short waitlist. If you are considering reaching out, sooner is better.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between political intelligence work and coaching?
Political intelligence work focuses on the external system: what is actually happening in the organisation around you, who holds influence, where the risks are, and what to do about it. Coaching focuses on your internal experience: your clarity, your direction, and how you are showing up. The two are complementary but distinct. If something politically charged is happening right now, political intelligence work is usually the right starting point. If you are navigating a broader career question or crossroads, coaching is the right container.
Which offering is right for me?
If you are a senior leader and something politically charged is happening right now, a restructuring, a new environment, a significant move, the six-month engagement is usually the right starting point. It combines the inside work with the Political Intelligence Audit, which maps the landscape around you and delivers a concrete Situation Report. If you want to begin with a shorter commitment, the three-month engagement is the right entry point. If you are a mid-career professional navigating a career decision or transition, Career Growth and Navigating Transitions is where to start. If you are not sure which track fits your situation, use the enquiry form to describe what is happening. Shirisha will tell you honestly where to begin.
How does this work compare to standard executive coaching?
Most executive coaching focuses on your internal experience: your mindset, your goals, your growth. Shirisha's political intelligence work goes further: it focuses on the system around you. What is actually happening politically, who holds real influence, why decisions are going the way they are, and what to do about it. This is analytical and diagnostic work, not just reflective. It draws on 19 years of navigating complex organisations from the inside, 13 years of coaching practice, full-time since 2023, research in organisational behaviour and gender, and direct pattern recognition from working with senior leaders globally.
Does the Political Intelligence Audit require the six-month engagement?
The Audit is available as a standalone engagement for existing clients and warm referrals. For new clients, Shirisha's strong preference is to conduct the Audit within the six-month engagement, after the coaching relationship has had time to build. The diagnostic work is significantly richer when she already knows you and your environment. If you are an existing client and want to commission the Audit separately, write to Shirisha directly.
How do I get started working with Shirisha Nagendran?
Use the enquiry form in the section above to describe your situation. Shirisha responds within two working days. If your situation clearly fits one of the offerings, she will direct you there. If it is less clear, she will say so honestly. This is an intentionally limited practice — every offering has a capacity cap. If you are considering reaching out, sooner is better.