Specialised support to assist senior leaders achieve personal and professional success.
What is executive coaching?
There are many definitions of coaching. Our favourite is:
A collaborative, solution focused, result-orientated and systematic process in which the coach facilitates the enhancement of work performance, life experience, self-directed learning and personal growth of the coachee.
Anthony Grant
Who is it for?
Our clients are board members, business owners, directors and senior leaders in private and public sector organisations. If you are looking for coaching for an intact team, then please visit our leadership team coaching page.
We offer face-to-face and/or online executive coaching. At the moment, most of our clients are choosing to work with us online, using Skype / Zoom or telephone.
What topics are addressed?
The focus is likely to change as the coaching relationship evolves. However, typical subjects that may arise include:
- Developing an authentic leadership style
- Handling complex and challenging relationships
- Managing the transition into a new role
- Making important career decisions
- Happiness at work & professional development
- Developing personal presence and impact
- Improving emotional and social intelligence
- Building self-confidence and self-esteem
- Managing oneself under pressure
Approach
Good coaches provide their clients with a balance of support and challenge. Deep listening skills and the capacity to ask profound, thought-provoking questions provide a foundation of support and trust. At the same time, the coach is also there to help the client acknowledge the truth about themselves. Experienced coaches use ‘challenge’ skilfully, sharing their observations and feedback appropriately.Frequently, a client will come to coaching wishing to develop skills or seeking to change ingrained patterns of behaviour. Coaching helps achieve this, but such outcomes are best achieved if the coaching conversation goes deeper and looks at the way a person thinks, feels and relates to the world. If the coaching can bring about a shift in mindset, then changes in behaviour will follow.Coaching is fundamentally a relational process; the quality of the relationship itself is key to the success of the work. As such, a strict agreement of confidentiality is set at the outset and trust is established quickly. Every client is different, so a way of working is found that suits the personality and temperament of the individual.
How do we get started?
The first stage is an initial meeting (face-to-face or online) during which we discuss a client’s requirements. After this, we’ll put in place a structure for our coaching sessions. A standard structure would include 8 one-to-one sessions carried out every 6 weeks during an initial 12-month period. Where there is an urgent need, such as a period of change or transition, the sessions can be more frequent and the initial period shortened. Coaching is tailored to the needs of the client and progress is measured periodically throughout the duration.
What are the outcomes of coaching?
The start of the coaching process includes a ‘contracting’ stage. This is when coaching goals and success criteria are set. The relationship is then dedicated to achieving these outcomes.Coaching is a form of facilitated self-reflection. The coach enables the client to have the conversation they need to have with themselves. For this reason, there are deeper layers of learning that take place through the coaching process: the client learns, through being coached, how to coach themselves.John Whitmore defined coaching as ‘unlocking potential to increase performance’. Whilst the method and content of different coaching relationships may vary, the intention is always to assist the client find solutions and strategies that will increase their effectiveness at work and fulfilment in life.
Contact
Tom has been coaching face-toface and remotely for nearly two decades. Call him today for more information and a complimentary discussion about your needs on 07720 286 696. Alternatively, get in touch via our
contact form.
“I felt I could be totally open and frank … we developed a good relationship based on mutual trust”.
Managing Director, Leveraged Finance, Deutsche Bank
