Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

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Welcome to Life in the Lead.

We believe that understanding people, building trust and developing strong relationships are fundamental to effective leadership and personal growth. We take the same approach to protecting your privacy.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information when you visit our website, contact us, book our services, purchase products, complete assessments or subscribe to our communications.

Our legal business details are:

Company: Michelle Claire Smith Ltd, trading as Life in the Lead
Company registration number: 14840535
Registered office: 306a Stourbridge Road, Catshill, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B61 9LH, United Kingdom
Website: www.lifeinthelead.co.uk
Email: Enquiries@lifeinthelead.com

We are generally the data controller for information collected through our own website and business activities.

Where we deliver services on behalf of an organisational client, data protection responsibilities may differ according to the agreement and nature of the service.

We process personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 and applicable amendments.

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2. Information We Collect

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Depending on how you interact with Life in the Lead, we may collect:

• Personal and contact details: Name, email address, telephone number, organisation and job title.

• Booking information: Appointment details, meeting preferences and information supplied through Calendly or our website.

• Purchase information: Products or services purchased, billing details, transaction references and order history.

• Assessment information: Responses to behavioural assessments, communication questionnaires and other development tools, together with the resulting reports.

• Coaching and training information: Information voluntarily provided when participating in programmes, coaching, workshops or consultancy.

• Marketing information: Newsletter registrations, communication preferences and relevant engagement information.

• Technical information: IP addresses, device and browser information, website usage information and cookie preferences.

• Correspondence: Emails, enquiries, feedback and customer service communications.

Payment card details are processed through the relevant payment service provider. We do not need to receive or store your full payment card details to administer an order.

Please avoid including sensitive personal information in general enquiry forms unless it is necessary for the service and we have explained how it will be handled.

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3. How We Collect Your Information

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We collect information when you:

• Contact us or complete an enquiry form.

• Book a consultation or appointment.

• Purchase a DISC assessment, resource, coaching session or programme.

• Complete an assessment or questionnaire.

• Request a free DISC quiz or downloadable resource.

• Subscribe to our newsletter.

• Participate in training, coaching or consultancy.

• Interact with our website, subject to applicable cookie requirements.

We may also receive information from an employer, organisational client or assessment provider where necessary to deliver an agreed service.

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4. Why We Use Your Information

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We use personal information for the following purposes:

Purpose

Lawful basis

Responding to enquiries and arranging requested services

Contractual steps or legitimate interests

Processing purchases and delivering products or services

Contract

Managing bookings, customer relationships and service communications

Contract or legitimate interests

Maintaining financial and accounting records

Legal obligation

Delivering assessments and development programmes

Contract or legitimate interests, depending on the arrangements

Protecting our website and business systems

Legitimate interests or legal obligation

Sending newsletters and promotional communications

Consent or legitimate interests where electronic marketing rules permit

Using optional analytics and advertising technologies

Consent where legally required

Handling complaints and legal claims

Legitimate interests or legal obligation

Our legitimate interests include providing effective customer service, administering our business, improving our services, protecting our systems and maintaining appropriate business records.

Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Where additional legal conditions apply to sensitive information, we will identify and satisfy those conditions before processing it.

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5. DISC Assessments and Development Reports

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Life in the Lead offers DISC behavioural assessments and other personal and professional development resources.

These may be delivered using Maxwell Leadership assessments provided through PeopleKeys, alongside other assessment providers where appropriate.

Assessment information may include questionnaire responses, behavioural preferences, communication styles and personalised development reports.

We use this information to:

• Deliver the assessment purchased or commissioned.

• Prepare and provide assessment reports.

• Support coaching, training and development conversations.

• Help participants understand their behavioural preferences and communication approaches.

Assessment reports are generally received by Life in the Lead before being supplied to the relevant customer or participant.

Where an organisation commissions assessments for employees or teams, we will explain the intended recipients and uses of identifiable reports before assessment information is collected or shared.

We do not routinely disclose an individual's identifiable assessment report to another person or organisation outside the agreed arrangements or another lawful basis.

DISC assessments are development tools. They are not medical diagnoses and should not be treated as definitive judgements about a person's character, abilities or suitability.

We do not use DISC reports to make solely automated decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects on individuals.

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6. Children and Young People

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Some of our resources and assessments are designed for teenagers and families.

For participants under 18, we require a parent or guardian to arrange the purchase or registration and provide appropriate involvement and permissions.

Where a child's personal information is processed, we take additional care to explain how it will be used, limit collection to what is necessary and apply suitable safeguards.

We do not use children's assessment information for unrelated marketing.

Parental involvement does not replace any additional legal requirements concerning a child's privacy rights or the lawful processing of their information.

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7. Free Resources and Newsletter Subscriptions

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When you request a free DISC quiz or other downloadable resource, we use your email address to provide the requested material.

We may also invite you to subscribe to our newsletter, which may include leadership insights, communication resources, events, assessments and information about our services.

Requesting a free resource does not automatically subscribe you to unrelated marketing.

Where permitted by UK electronic marketing law, we may contact existing customers about our own similar products or services, provided the applicable requirements are met, including appropriate opportunities to opt out.

You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe link or by emailing Enquiries@lifeinthelead.com.

We may retain limited suppression information to ensure that your marketing preferences are respected.

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8. Website Analytics, Advertising and Media

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Our website is built using Wix.

We use or may display services including:

• Wix website, shop and email marketing functions.

• Calendly for appointment bookings.

• Google Analytics for website measurement.

• Meta/Facebook Pixel for advertising measurement and related marketing purposes.

• YouTube and Vimeo for video content.

• Buzzsprout for podcast content.

• Facebook Live or embedded Facebook content.

These services may process technical information or use cookies and similar technologies.

Where consent is required, optional tracking technologies will be used only after the appropriate consent has been obtained.

Some embedded media providers may collect information when their content is activated. We aim to provide appropriate privacy controls and information about these services.

Further information is available in our Cookie Policy.

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9. Sharing Your Information

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We share personal information only where reasonably necessary and lawful.

Recipients may include:

• Website, hosting and e-commerce service providers.

• Appointment booking providers.

• Payment processing providers.

• Email marketing and communication platforms.

• Assessment providers, including PeopleKeys and relevant Maxwell Leadership assessment services.

• Video, podcast, analytics and advertising service providers.

• Professional advisers, accountants and relevant authorities.

• Organisational clients where sharing is necessary, lawful and consistent with the agreed service arrangements.

We do not sell customer contact lists or identifiable assessment reports to third-party data brokers.

Some advertising technologies may involve sharing online identifiers or website interaction information with advertising providers, subject to applicable consent requirements.

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10. International Transfers

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Some of our service providers operate internationally and may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally in circumstances requiring safeguards, we use appropriate legal arrangements, such as applicable UK adequacy regulations, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or the UK Addendum to approved contractual clauses, as appropriate.

You may contact us for further information about the safeguards relevant to your information.

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11. How Long We Keep Information

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We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the relevant purpose, subject to legal and contractual requirements.

Our normal retention approach is:

• Purchase and accounting records: Normally six years after the end of the relevant financial year, or longer where legally necessary.

• General enquiries: Normally up to 24 months after the last meaningful contact, unless an ongoing relationship or another legitimate reason justifies longer retention.

• DISC assessment reports and related working records: Normally up to 12 months after completion of the relevant service, unless a different period has been agreed or is legally justified.

• Coaching and training administration records: Normally up to three years after the service ends, unless longer retention is necessary for legal or contractual reasons.

• Newsletter records: While you remain subscribed, with limited suppression records retained where necessary after unsubscribing.

• Cookie consent records and website technical information: According to the relevant technology, legal requirements and documented retention settings.

Information may be retained for longer where reasonably necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or anonymise it securely.

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12. Protecting Your Information

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We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information.

These include access controls, secure service providers, appropriate account protection and limiting access to those who need information for legitimate business purposes.

Although no internet-based system can guarantee complete security, we take reasonable steps to reduce risks and respond appropriately to suspected personal data breaches.

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13. Your Privacy Rights

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Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• Be informed about how your information is used.

• Request access to personal information held about you.

• Request correction of inaccurate information.

• Request deletion of information where applicable.

• Request restriction of certain processing.

• Object to certain processing, including direct marketing.

• Request transfer of information where the right applies.

• Withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.

• Exercise rights relating to applicable automated decision-making.

To exercise your rights, contact Enquiries@lifeinthelead.com.

We will respond within the applicable statutory timescales.

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14. Complaints

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If you have concerns about how we handle your information, please contact us so we can investigate.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Website: www.ico.org.uk

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15. Changes to This Policy

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We may update this Privacy Policy when our services, technologies or legal obligations change.

The date at the top identifies the latest version. Where appropriate, we will bring significant changes to your attention.

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16. Contact

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Michelle Claire Smith Ltd, trading as Life in the Lead

306a Stourbridge Road
Catshill, Bromsgrove
Worcestershire, B61 9LH
United Kingdom

Email: Enquiries@lifeinthelead.com
Website: www.lifeinthelead.co.uk