Colleagues within today’s organisations are constantly being challenged to lead and grow business results in an economic, political and digital environment, where consumers have greater choice and transparency of where and how they buy services than ever before.
As coaches we have a thorough understanding of our clients’ businesses and the dilemmas they face.
Whatever the leadership challenge, our focus on the professional and personal context means we can quickly relate to individuals and their business scenarios.
Individual coaching
We believe that successful coaching starts with good ‘chemistry’ & agreed objectives.
We provide a supportive environment to help identify the objectives of the individual. By asking purposeful questions, coaching can provide the nudge needed to consider alternative ways of leading.
As all clients have different priorities, each coaching program is completely bespoke. We use a range of tools and different coaching models to help leaders reach their goals.
The coaching process
Our coaching process is designed to help leaders grow as individuals and to support them in leading transformation in their organisations.
+ The Coach / Client Relationship
We provide a supportive, high-trust, confidential relationship with coaching clients, joining the objectives of the organisation and the individual leader. Successful coaching starts with a good ‘chemistry’ between client and coach.
+ Timelines
A coaching process has a beginning and an end and lasts usually between 6 — 12 months. At times, the process is shorter if there is a very specific and urgent need.
+ A Clear Objective
Coaching objectives are agreed with the client early on in each assignment and include the organisation’s perspective.
+ Understanding Your Needs
It is essential to understand how the coaching client is currently perceived in his/her organisation. “360 degree” feedback is usually collected either through interviews or through an online assessment for this purpose.
+ A Dynamic Approach to Coaching
At the appropriate times, we introduce tools, models, articles, books and exercises to support the coaching client’s growth. We use any theory to explore and address current real-life issues the coaching client is facing so they quickly translate the learning into practice.
+ Tailor-made Sessions
Coaching sessions are conducted in person and/or by phone or video communication. As clients have different priorities, each coaching program is tailor-made.
+ Assignments
In order to achieve the goals of coaching, clients commit to doing specific assignments between coaching sessions. Examples of this could include working to build new habits, practicing new skills, journaling, reflecting on assumptions and beliefs, or requesting feedback from colleagues.
If you would like any further information on the coaching process, then please get in touch.
When we work with multiple clients in your organisation, we look for themes and share these with you. Clients tell us they value these insights and use them as a data point in their work on people and culture.
Team coaching
Team coaching is a process by which a team coach works with a whole team in order to help them improve both their performance and how they work together. Team coaching also attends to how teams develop their collective leadership to more effectively engage with all their key stakeholder groups to jointly transform the wider business and system within which they exist.
Often the goals of team coaching include:
+ Improving alignment and effectiveness
+ Developing senior leaders
+ Increasing accountability
+ Assimilating a new leader
+ Transitioning through an organisational change.
The team coaching process
Our team coaching process helps leaders develop their collective capacity to lead, focusing on both what is going on inside the team, as well as how the team connects with and meets the needs of its stakeholders.
+ More than a ‘one-off’ event
In our experience, it takes months, not days, for leadership teams to learn how to work together effectively in service of their stakeholders, purpose and goals. For this reason, we work with teams over the course of six months to a year in order to effectively support them in achieving their desired outcomes and to provide enough time for the team to integrate their learning.
+ A systemic approach
We draw on a systemic view of organisations and the body of work on group dynamics in our work with teams. We attend to both the inner and outer worlds of leaders to help them recognise and transform the patterns that are holding them back.
+ Working together with you
As in all coaching, team coaching is a partnership between coach and client. We aim to model the collaborative behaviours that your team wants to develop within the coaching engagement. From end-to-end, every engagement is designed and delivered with you, not to you.
+ Balancing the focus
Clients report that team coaching allows their teams time and space for dialogue and to consider their combined impact as well as the opportunity to agree their collective purpose and metrics. As coaches, a key part of our role is to ensure that a team attends to both the ‘hardware’ (the strategy, goals, systems and processes) and the ‘software’ (the team dynamics and relationships) that support team effectiveness.
Board Effectiveness
Successful and effective Boards are required to dedicate time and attention to team dynamics, as well as the structures and processes that support them in functioning well together.
We support Board Chairs in reviewing and developing Board effectiveness. We are often asked to help Boards answer the questions:
+ What is required of Board membership in this organisation?
+ Do we have the skills we need on the Board for now, and for the future?
+ Do we have the meeting patterns and governance needed to be effective?
+ How do we communicate effectively to enable sound decision making?
We coach Boards to raise their performance in order that they are at their best in service of their stakeholders.
Board members meet infrequently and often have to form effective working relationships over a limited period of time. We help Boards quickly become high performing by supporting them in collectively:
+ Clarifying the expectations their stakeholders have
+ Clarifying their purpose and goals
+ Addressing meeting effectiveness
+ Exploring team dynamics and Board culture
+ Ensuring effective stakeholder engagement
Board effectiveness interventions are designed on an entirely bespoke basis to meet your needs.
