When clients reach the end of their executive coaching programmes I conduct a formal review of the outcomes they’ve created compared with their coaching objectives and their sponsors’ objectives.
My clients have reported a wide range of benefits. Some they worked hard for, some came to them unexpectedly, but all made a significant difference to their performance and experience of leadership.
Here are some examples of what they say:
In line with my coaching objectives, we developed a new strategy for the organisation. There are very few conversations I now feel unable to have (and they are driven clearly by strategy and by the needs of the organisation), I have taken some very difficult actions during this year, and I’ve learnt that it’s better to take action swiftly than to delay. My awareness of my own power has grown. I have much greater self-awareness of who I am, what I am good at, and what kinds of activities genuinely unlock my potential and confidence.
I now have a far better understanding of how my leadership is for other people, and I understand the extent of my power/influence on others. I have greater respect for the professional abilities of others, I recognise the limitations of my own skills/knowledge, and celebrate what others bring to the team. I’m kinder. I’m clear about the approaches and behaviours that I value in others. I’m clear about my expectations of others, and my team expect to be accountable for their actions and performance. I’m far better at delegating and at using questions to help others discover the solutions rather than diagnosing and directing myself. This has happened in the context of an extremely challenging year, with some difficult members of my team.
I’m proud of the strategy process we undertook, the difficult questions we asked ourselves, the decisions that we made.
Lindsay’s coaching approach is holistic, adventurous, intense, deep, challenging, exciting and full of practical experiment. She provides total support and engagement, and positive regard. I always felt that she had prepared well, held me to account, and made a completely safe space for me to explore. She’s also fierce and challenging, and asked the most difficult questions! She’s wise, sharp, calm and inspiring.
CEO, charity
Lindsay watched me drowning and she taught me how to swim. She is challenging, she asks searching questions (whose answers are sustaining), she’s thought-provoking, patient and deep. She is surprisingly firm, but easy to accept. She has coached me to see my strengths and believe in them, and she has given me greater confidence in my ability. As a result of the coaching programme, I’ve become more focused and more disciplined. … The coaching programme also helped me understand why people react the way they do, and what is hard for them. In the context of corporate benefit, my organisation has achieved a successful outcome in terms of strategic planning .
Senior Executive, FTSE100 company
As a result of the programme my motivation and my confidence in my own judgment have increased, I have become more focused, and I am better able to deal with successes and failures and also with conflicts in myself and others: I do not shy away from conflict as much as I did. I now meet situations head on and this has been a breakthrough for me. I feel calmer and I now reflect more, and I have gained more clarity. I have become a stronger leader. My team has become more cohesive, more consensual and more effective, and it has more order and structure. I am being clearer with them about parameters, and I am taking more of a big picture view .
Senior partner, City law firm
Having had coaching previously with no real impact, the experience and transformation in me has exceeded expectations, providing renewed energy, vigour and optimism for me and the future of the business. The impact on my team, colleagues and peers has been positively noticeable and the 360º feedback towards the end of the coaching programme quite simply blew me away and boosted my confidence to a new level that I thought I would struggle to regain. My talent, capabilities and self-belief to continue to succeed have flourished throughout the process whilst battling against severe industry downturn and recession. Simply, it has put me on the highest platform to build, grow and develop the business in the future.
Divisional Director, engineering company
During my coaching programme with Lindsay I developed the skills, perspective and tools to enable me to develop and pursue a career plan, and revisit or adjust this over time. This came at a critical point in my career and has proved invaluable.
I’ve made some breakthroughs on issues that were unconsciously holding me back, and I’m getting a clearer sense of who I truly am. I’m able to continue this work now that the coaching programme has finished. I’ve reconnected with aspects of myself I had lost touch with through work pressures. It’s helped me realise that a lot of the work I have learned to do well is not satisfying me. I now have greater confidence that who I am as a professional doesn’t fit just anywhere, nor should it, but is highly valuable to the right organisations.
Lindsay is focussed, self-disciplined, unselfish, unshowy, nurturing, empathic and strong.
She excels at being present. She seems to have the ability to pay attention to the full spectrum of human communication, notice what’s important, how ever subtle, then choose and calibrate actions she can take that serve her client.
She can get personally engaged in a powerful moment, without losing herself or moving from her place as coach. She has empathy and openness with discipline. She also brings awareness of how complex organisations and senior roles within them can be.
It is as though she were the Head Gardener at a nature reserve, semi-wild and loosely managed. It grows itself, while Lindsay protects the land, and acknowledges the sun, soil and rain that are already there. She encourages and joins in with pulling weeds, digging up stumps and battling invasive species – and she suggests what can fill the gaps.
ICT Director
Lindsay and Val [Valerie Stevenson] delivered a one day workshop for the RCN’s internal coaches focusing on coaching for wellbeing.
The workshop was developed and facilitated with great skill and care. Both co-created a safe, non-judgemental environment where our coaches could explore their own wellbeing, and feel confident and comfortable when encountering wellbeing with a coaching client.
The day was highly experiential and provided coaches with a practical framework to encourage emotional and physical resilience, support them to integrate wellbeing into their coaching practice and generally raised awareness around the importance of wellbeing.
The workshop was a valuable opportunity to engage our coaches and enable them to spend time together to explore coaching specifically around health and wellbeing.
Giving our coaches permission to talk about health and wellbeing in their coaching practice has helped to build their confidence around health and wellbeing conversations, but don’t take my word for it, this is what some of our coaches said:
‘Using an integrative approach and having permission to talk about it in my coaching practice has made me feel much more confident as a coach’ ‘Absolutely feel that this learning has offered more insight into coaching around a wellbeing issues’ ‘Facilitators blended evidence with practical case studies’ ‘Thorough, clear and concise. Pitched at the right level, especially given the wide range of coaches/backgrounds/experience’ ‘A really good day – I enjoyed the content, the experiential learning opportunity and feel this will benefit me in my role as coach’ ‘Excellent day with a great mix of theory, group work and coaching practice’.
Royal College of Nursing
I keep in touch with clients after their coaching programmes have finished. I am always interested to hear how their coaching has supported their careers, their experience of leadership and their enjoyment of being in their role, and I am curious to hear how they have sustained their coaching results. They often let me know that the changes they enjoyed during and immediately after coaching have lasted and developed with time. Here are some examples of what clients have said between 6 months and 6 years after the end of their programmes:
The one big thing that changed was my presence and leadership, which gave people confidence and encouragement. The team’s working efficiently and at a high level. Now my confidence isn’t in doubt at all.
Divisional Director, engineering company
I’m calmer and more resilient. The coaching helped me steer my boat amongst the warships. The team’s talent is being released – and I’ve been selected to coach senior managers on the basis of the changes that people noticed in me
UNICEF leader
I’m now clear about what I want to achieve and I’m more willing to put myself out there. I’m taking more risks and I’m constantly conscious of developing the team
UNICEF leader
I know what’s important to me: there are no more ‘shoulds’. I feel very much strengthened by knowing what’s important and not feeling emotional about it: it just is what it is.
Senior executive, FTSE 100 company
I step back and assess what’s going on, and my confidence and gravitas continue to grow. My boss and I both know I can deal with whatever comes up. I know who I am.
Executive, FTSE 100 company
If these benefits speak to your issues and you think coaching could support you in addressing the your leadership challenges, please get in touch .
