leadership coaching

“Leaders are people who are able to express themselves fully. By this I mean that they know who they are, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how to fully exploit their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses. They also know what they want, why they want it, and how to communicate what they want to others, in order to gain their co-operation and support. Finally, they know how to achieve their goals. The key to full self-expression is understanding oneself and the world, and the key to understanding is learning – from one’s own life and from experience.”

Warren Bennis, On Becoming a Leader

purpose

The purpose of my leadership coaching is to assist leaders to define and occupy their roles
thoughtfully and authentically in order to optimise their unique contributions to their
organisations and the world.

The process, although always tailored to the client’s precise situation and requirements,
typically involves:

  1. a life history review to kick start the self awareness process by identifying key influences and patterns
  2. reviewing current situation and identifying strengths and weaknesses (often with 360 degree feedback)
  3. defining development objectives
  4. working collaboratively to achieve those objectives
  5. monitoring progress to ensure joint accountability for results
  6. reviewing development achievements, planning for ongoing (independent) development  and sharing feedback at the end

my approach

My coaching style is characterised by:

  • the view that leadership is a process of discovering one’s own signature style ‘from the inside out’ and deploying that fully in one’s role and organisation
  • the belief that my clients have the resources within them to achieve their potential, and that my professional task lies in assisting them to access those resources and apply them optimally
  • equal understanding of organisational context (‘content’) and of human behaviour (‘process’)
  • enough structure to be focused and accountable, but enough flexibility to be responsive
  • an in-depth knowledge and practice of mindfulness which I can weave into our work as appropriate
  • deep and active commitment to my own continuous learning and development

typical client issues

  • managing change (personal, organisational and global)
  • honing purpose and leadership signature
  • navigating increasing complexity/ambiguity of role and expectations in uncertainty
  • managing relationships (with boss, peers, own team, wider stakeholders)
  • making a high impact in a new role
  • career and life planning
  • optimising contribution to the world by fully leveraging one’s leadership footprint

timeframe

I typically work with leaders over 6-12 months and approximately 10-15 sessions, paced about every 2-3 weeks for 1-1.5 hours (all variables tailored to individual preferences).  I work primarily on Zoom.