It all started with an Accidental Leader
I am Jenny, the founder of B-Intentional and this is my story that takes me from Accidental leader to Intentional business owner!
Wearing sunglasses in an office with the lights off was not where I envisaged my leadership journey taking me. Gone were the days when work was my comfort zone, a space where I excelled, thrived under pressure, and relished thinking outside the box to solve problems. At that point in my career, I would have given anything to put down the weight of owning a business, just for a day.
I had sought out leadership positions from early in my career, but had never been wholly prepared for how to lead effectively. I therefore acted on instinct, defaulting to my typical response to responsibility; to be there for others and to make myself the 'go to' person for professional and personal worries. I was unaware of the need for building boundaries, and, as a result, I had unintentionally created was a culture of co-dependency through the way I led. Well-intentioned as I was, I’d inadvertently placed a ceiling on others' potential by scooping up challenging workload and the most difficult tasks to save them time and worry.
As I sat in sunglasses, I felt I had no choice but to keep going. I was in survival mode, desperately trying to keep my migraines under control whilst keeping many plates spinning both at work and at home. And honestly, I think I’d still be sitting at that dark desk in sunglasses if a coach hadn’t truly seen me: seen where I was, and helped me realise I was choosing my reality.
It was confronting. It was scary. But it gave me back the one thing I had lost: choice. And with that came control. As a result, I made the incredibly difficult decision to leave the business and prioritise my health. That moment was the beginning of everything that followed; a new lens on leadership, a new way of seeing myself and others, and a new understanding of what would have been possible had I been prepared effectively to lead. It inspired the Sikhona approach and ultimately led to B-Intentional, a space to help others break the cycle of Accidental Leadership and lead with vision, clarity and conscious design.
From Accidental to Intentional
The beginning of B-Intentional
That difficult turning point marked the beginning of a new chapter. One where I started to rebuild, with intention.
Through training, coaching, and deep reflection, I began to reimagine what leadership could look like when it was purpose-led, not pressure-led. I explored how sustainable leadership isn’t about saving others, but about seeing others; seeing their potential, their strengths, their agency. What if I had understood then what I know now...how to create effective boundaries, how to empower others and balance my passion for making a difference with self-care?
This insight became the foundation for our work. We realised how many other leaders, particularly in people-focused industries, were walking a similar path: unintentionally creating dependency, carrying too much, and slowly burning out. They weren’t poor leaders, they were accidental leaders, shaped by circumstance, leading through instinct rather than by conscious choice.
We wanted to change that. And so began B-Intentional.
The Sikhona Approach
The name Sikhona is rooted in the Zulu greeting, meaning “I am here to be seen.” When we greet others with presence and purpose, we return that with Sawubona, “I see you.”
This is the original name of the business and remains at the heart of how we work today. We create spaces where leaders can be truly seen, free from judgement or pressure, and in doing so, begin to see themselves and their teams in a new light. Sikhona is our methodology. One that helps shift leadership from reactive to reflective, from default to deliberate.
When we slow down and get intentional about how we lead, everything changes: the way we shape culture, develop people, make decisions, and care for ourselves.
Leadership Development Strategy
Middle Leadership Development Programme
Middle Leadership Development Programme
LEAD Programme
Our Signature LEAD Programme provides bespoke roadmaps designed for organisations to ensure leaders, at all levels, are prepared for their leadership roles. Embedding this strategy builds capacity, confidence and impacts teams, culture and the wider system they work within.
Middle Leadership Development Programme
Middle Leadership Development Programme
Middle Leadership Development Programme
Middle Leadership Development Programme
Moving into leadership is often unplanned and unsupported. This course will provide the critical support for aspiring and middle leaders so that they have the tools they need to lead with impact, create cohesive teams and positively shape culture.
Keynotes at Leadership Events
Leadership and Executive Coaching
Leadership and Executive Coaching
Intentional Leadership Keynotes
Inspiring intentional leaders with engaging, interactive keynotes that offer new perspectives on leadership and strategy.
Bespoke design for clients based on their unique needs and the challenges that their leaders are facing.
Leadership and Executive Coaching
Leadership and Executive Coaching
Leadership and Executive Coaching
A new lens on leadership
Step out of the day-to-day firefighting, and look at the big picture.
Our B-Seen Coaching model enables leaders to gain clarity about their leadership, and how to take intentional steps to overcome challenges and move towards their aspirations.