As an executive coach, I have clocked up hundreds of hours working with senior people to take control of the impact they want to have on the people around them – be that their teams, their boards or their clients.
I believe we can hold a narrow and perhaps limited view of ourselves – I help my clients gain a greater sense of who they really are and what matters to them. We work together to access a wide range of choices when communicating that sense of self to others in service of individual and business outcomes. The pressures of organisational life mean people can feel isolated. I truly believe in the power of the coaching partnership; my clients leave with increased confidence, self-belief, and in turn, renewed vitality and drive positively affecting all areas of their lives.
Who do I work with?
I specialise in working with mid-level and C suite leaders who are stepping into a new role or perhaps are facing new challenges or larger remits in some way. They are very visible in their organisations and are often feeling it! My systemic coach training means I also work with leadership teams, coaching each team as an entity and enabling it to build awareness of team productivity and positivity and ultimately, move towards increased high performance as a team. See here for more on Team Coaching.
How do I do this?
Research shows it’s not the models or techniques that matter most, but the quality of the coach–client connection. So I focus on the relationship first and foremost. I really listen, no rushing, fixing or judging. I acknowledge and validate. I reflect back carefully. People feel properly heard, sometimes for the first time in a while.
I hold a systemic lens throughout, meaning I look at the client in his or her different contexts. I might employ different techniques from talking methods to experiential exercises in order to vary the form and energy of the coaching session, but always in service of the client’s objectives, and to facilitate fresh thinking. We may do this online, in-person, walking and talking, separately or together – whatever environment most suits my client. After all, it’s a rare chance to step out of the business, slow down and reflect.
My style is warm, grounded and incisive. I support fiercely and challenge robustly. I hold my clients in what Carl Rogers’ called ‘unconditional positive regard’ which creates an atmosphere of profound safety and respect. We’ll set clear objectives at the beginning of the coaching programme and review them regularly to keep the work focussed and results-orientated. Within that, there is always space to address what emerges. My clients’ needs evolve as the sessions and partnership evolves.
Experience:
15 years’ and hundreds of hours coaching experience in private, third and public sectors, at all levels of the organisation.
Close to 7000 hours working with leaders in the training room
International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredited and certified coach
ACTC – Advanced Certificate in Team Coaching accreditation from the ICF (one of under 100 people in the UK)
Professional development training in Organisation Relationship Systems Coaching, Intergrative Psychotherapy, Gestalt Coaching, Non-violent Communication, MBTI, DISC profiling.
You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself – Nelson Mandela
I look forward to working with you!
Enlightening, reflective, challenging and self-assuring. Jess was very flexible and helpful catering around a very busy schedule. The insight, methodologies and frameworks were “spot on” every single time and I am greatly thankful for her guidance. I found the sessions very powerful as they helped me shape my thought process to be able to apply different executive strategies to cater for any scenario.