How does it work?
Essentially, coaching works through your hard work
I will focus, challenge, give feedback, create tension, and support but only you can do the hard yards; I’ll be working with you but be under no delusions – you do the work but hopefully in a more focussed way with less wasted effort. Because coaching relies on your work and commitment it does not come with any guarantee of success but hopefully my client endorsements show that I will create the right environment for your success.
My normal methodology is to start with a complimentary ‘chemistry session’ to discuss how coaching works, to clarify the distinction between coaching, mentoring, and therapy, to explore your needs, and our working together; a connection is important, if that can’t be established then I am not the coach for you.
My sessions are usually delivered through online virtual meetings but I frequently blend these with face to face meetings. The sessions are generally monthly though less frequent ‘top up’ sessions are available where monthly sessions are no longer needed but ongoing work is appropriate.
The second session revolves around clarifying what we are each going to do, agreeing points like the level of challenge you require (high or very high?!), commitment to delivery, and hopefully continuing the discussion started in the chemistry session around your goals and developing clarity around what success will look like – only by doing that will you know that you’ve achieved it.
In future sessions we will revisit your goals confirming or adjusting as appropriate, reviewing progress against targets set at the previous session, exploring obstacles and solutions, I will offer feedback and challenge as appropriate, and we will enter the Zone of Uncomfortable Debate if that’s where we need to go. We will then review and set targets for the next session and so on until your goals are achieved.
High performing leaders frequently live with Imposter Syndrome; should that emerge will shall deal with it. Frequently the removal of that issue alone can unleash tremendous energy and provide the forward impetus to drive delivery.
It may be that your objectives are very clear and achieved swiftly over say six months, it may be that your goals evolve or are replaced as we move forward in which case more time may be required. For some clients my leadership and boardroom experience becomes a valuable foil and the relationship evolves to a blend of coaching and mentoring; I currently have coaching relationships that have lasted years.
In addition to coaching I also offer input on strategy and non legal boardroom advisory (mentoring and access to my network) though this generally develops out of the coaching relationship. In helping you to develop strategy I will bring focus to the successive objectives of resilience, positioning, and profit; it is easy to lose the way by focussing on profit too early so undermining both resilience and positioning and ultimately either failing completely, or under performing.
What might we work on?
Anything, but frequently one or more of:
Richard adds significant tangible value through his coaching partnerships, his astute strategic thinking, backed up with his experience leading service led businesses puts him in a strong position to positively challenge business leaders until both parties are confident they have reached the optimum outcome.
Get in touch
Send me an email and let me know when you’d like to chat, I’m free at some point most afternoons and would be delighted to speak with you and discuss how we could work together.