About Lauren

I believe the best way forward sometimes starts with a pause.

Executive coach, facilitator, and organizational culture specialist.

I’m Lauren McCreery, founder of Swerve Coaching & Consulting.

I work with capable leaders and organizations who are carrying a lot. I help them see the bigger picture, make clear decisions, and keep delivering.

I’ve coached more than 250 leaders, from new managers to CEOs, and spent more than a decade in HR and organizational development before founding Swerve.

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Lauren McCreery, founder of Swerve Coaching & Consulting

The backcountry

Lessons from the backcountry.

I learned to lead in the backcountry, taking groups of youth on multi-week canoe trips through northern Ontario and Quebec, some lasting as long as 36 days.

Wind, weather, an injury, or a broken piece of gear could change the plan in a moment. So could the team. Each person brought different strengths, but weeks in close quarters tested everyone’s patience. On the hardest days, how I led influenced whether the team pulled together.

The hardest calls were about timing and people: when to push on, when to stop, and how to bring everyone with you. Leaders face those same choices every day.

Lauren McCreery on a hiking trail looking out over a mountain lake

That’s the thinking behind Swerve

The best leaders don’t control every situation. They steady the people in it.

Organizational experience

Built inside organizations.

I began my career in financial services, then spent more than a decade in senior HR and organizational development roles in provincial and municipal government. From the centre of a provincial government, I helped lead system-wide culture and change work aimed at shifting how people think and work across the entire public service. I’ve also led teams of my own and guided strategy, culture, and change in large organizations.

Along the way, I’ve waited tables, worked in retail, and spent summers leading canoe trips as a camp counsellor. I’ve seen organizations from the front line to the executive table.

No leader works alone. Strategy, culture, talent, relationships, and change all shape what a leader can achieve. That’s why my work looks at how you make decisions, work with others, respond to complexity, and create the conditions for people to do their best work.

Credentials

Training and experience.

  • ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
  • iPEC Certified Professional Coach (CPC)
  • Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP)
  • 2,000+ coaching hours with 250+ leaders
  • Master of Public Administration, Dalhousie University

The move

From Toronto to Canmore.

In 2021, I moved from Toronto to Canmore with my dog and two suitcases.

The move reflected something I value: stopping to rethink where I’m headed and being willing to change direction. Swerve grew from that same philosophy.

Working together

Candid, caring, and empowering.

Whether I’m coaching one leader, facilitating a leadership team, or guiding a planning process, you can expect the same approach.

I listen closely, ask questions that sharpen your thinking, tell you what I see, and keep us focused on results.

Leadership Check-In

Take a few minutes to check in.

Twelve questions across six leadership practices to help you notice where you’re strongest and where to focus next.

Take the Leadership Check-In

Swerve, don’t swirl.

Tell me what you’re working on, and we’ll see whether we’re a good fit.

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Or start with the Leadership Check-In →