Executive coaching
Once you experience coaching, I genuinely believe that it can infiltrate positively into the very core of your being and your interactions with everyone and everything around you.
The transformative power of Coaching and a coaching philosophy
I have witnessed how coaching transforms individuals and teams as they become more aware, present, connected, purposeful, courageous, and accountable for their unique change journey. I have witnessed how a coaching philosophy transforms organizations as they tap into the potential to connect and serve those within and beyond their organization. These are big claims, I know. However, thankfully there is a robust and increasing evidence base that supports the transformative power of coaching.
My experience of being coached
While the robust evidence base that supports coaching effectiveness is welcome, I can personally attest to the transformative power of Coaching in my own life. Coaching has helped me successfully transition from 20 years of corporate life to a career as an executive and team coach. I think and feel differently about every aspect of my life. I am now doing things that I could only have dreamed of several years ago, including co-authing a book and various book chapters, writing academic papers, tutoring on team coaching at Henley Business School, and collaborating with some of the best executive and team coaches I know.
Executive coaching
What is executive coaching?
The Internation Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential”.
What impact does my work have?
I help executives, from CEOs to senior leaders to:
- Awaken to what is stopping them from becoming the best possible version of themselves
- Realise and tap into their innate potential, creativity and resilience
- Evaluate or renew their sense of purpose towards career and life
- Consider what living life to the full means to them and those they serve
- Build a better relationship with themselves and their thinking
- Improve personal and professional relationships
- Become more courageous
- Reflect on what the future requires of them
- Celebrate and own their unique strengths and story
- When needed, rewrite their story
- Develop their confidence and quieten the ‘inner critic’
- Prioritise changes that can best serve their desired future
- Embark on a journey of discovery, reflection and behavioural change
- Make the hard decisions required to take charge of their career and life
- Get practical by focusing on areas such as – leadership style, presence and impact, team leadership, stakeholder management, emotional awareness and agility, career planning, interview preparation, communicating, presenting with impact, improving confidence levels, resolving conflict, managing change, leading change, developing personal resilience and mindfulness practices
How to find out if executive coaching with me is right for you?
Before I agree to coach anyone, I insist upon a 30-minute discovery call (often referred to in coaching as a chemistry call) to ascertain if the coaching partnership is something both parties want to enter into. During this call, I discuss the following six areas:
1.
Executive Coaching - What it is and what it is not
For me, it is essential to explore what a potential coachees experience has been of coaching, good, bad or indifferent. At this stage I also explain mainly through storytelling the difference between coaching and therapy.
2.
Employer, Coachee and Coaches ‘intent’ towards coaching
During the discovery call, I like to explore what has brought the potential coachee to the point of considering coaching. I also explain why I am so committed to my work as a coach.
3.
Importance of connection ‘The 30% factor’
A key reason for a discovery call is to ascertain if the coach and the potential coachee can connect at a deeply human level. Research has demonstrated that the strength of the relationship is the main factor that determines successful outcomes.
4.
Coaching Credentials
- + 20 years Commercial Experience at a senior level in a leading multinational PLC
- Qualified Professional Coach, Researcher & Author
PCIC Henley Business School
MS in Coaching and Behavioural Change
PCC Professional Certified Coach (ICF) - Coaching style: warm but challenging; commercial edge; latest neuroscience; storytelling; focus on coachee achieving personal and organisational potential
Coaching is still considered an unregulated industry that is developing toward a profession. Given this backdrop, I want to give my clients the comfort that I am doing everything possible to stay ahead of whatever future standards are introduced. This has resulted in my completing the Henley Professional Certificate In Coaching (2016), the Henley MSc in Coaching and Behavioural Change (2018) and the ICF Professional Certified Coaching (PCC) accreditation (2021).
5.
Coaching Approach
- Importance of Confidentially
- Code of Ethics (ICF) including Legality factors
- My focus on a coachees ‘way of being’, ‘way of thinking’ and ‘way of doing’
- Regular Independent Supervision – by Paula Wilson (see here)
- Indemnity insurance in place
Several essential factors underpin my coaching work. These include the importance and rules surrounding confidentiality, ethical practice as outlined by the ICF Code of Ethics (see here) and the role of professional supervision. It is my privilege to be supervised by the brilliant Paula Wilson, a highly experienced and well-qualified executive and team coach (see here).
In summary, my coaching approach can be summed up as follows:
My approach
Creating psychologically safe, non-judgemental, and generative spaces for individuals, teams, and organizations to develop their:
6.
Agreeing Next Steps
- Permission to coach
- Suggested 6-8 sessions, 60-120 minutes each at 3-4 week intervals
- Dates, times & location agreed at the end of each session, investment (virtual, in-person or hybrid)
- Agree objectives, what success would look like, how we can measure and who else needs to be involved
- Liaise with company sponsor as applicable
Provided we have established an appropriate level of connection and have openly discussed the various components of the coaching journey, I leave it up to you.
Many people want to start as soon as they can, others need time to think about it and others decide that coaching or coaching with me is not want they need or want. I’m very happy to refer potential coachees to other coaches in my network.
Do you do life coaching?
While most of my work is with senior executives, I also coach various other individuals. I believe a breath of coachees helped me stay grounded and relevant. To learn more about how coaching can help different people, I would recommend watching the ICF Video “Experience Coaching: Rediscover Your Best Self, Achieve Your Dreams, Change Your Life”.
My invitation to connect
To book your free 30-minute discovery call, please feel free to drop me a line.
"This is a compelling and important contribution to the team coaching literature that is extremely clear and easy to follow."
EMCC Master Practitioner, Executive Coach and Coaching Supervisor
Dr Alison Hodge
Team coaching
I feel deeply privileged to be considered a thought leader and global expert in the fastest growing area of coaching.
Speaking
It is my honour to share with others my passion for how humans can collaborate and perform at the highest level.
Publications
I desire to research and write words that evoke awareness and challenge the status quo on how human beings can collaborate better.
Collaborations
I collaborate on delivering global individual and team coaching assignments and other activities.
If you want to say hello, discuss anything I have written about on this website, or explore how coaching with me and those I partner with, could benefit you, your team(s) or organisation, I would be delighted to hear from you.
In the last several years, here are some of the companies I have been honoured to work with
