1:1 Coaching
Be heard, with safe space for reflecting, exploring (even smiling!) - and start instigating action, knowing your value.
Get in touch directly for executive coaching or private coaching, or via your manager or HR. Here’s how coaching works and see below for client stories.
“You seem to know exactly what’s needed and when. You get the right thing out of me just at the right time! ”
CLIENT stories:
When a senior technical staff member was competent but lacked confidence to be assertive with clients:
This person needed to be heard, to explore ambitions and inhibitions and to look at options available.
Exploring the personal and professional ‘stories’ we tell ourselves, plus her specific stumbling blocks, helped her to look outwards and learn her own value.
After 3 executive coaching sessions and many deep breaths, within months her career had jumped two levels.
When a successful software salesperson needed to present a new product at a conference it highlighted his urgent need to overcome a paralysing fear of public speaking:
He needed to identify the triggers and background to the fear, unravel the meaning given to the fear and develop strategies to handle it.
This was not to just cope with speaking in public, but to use his talents and expertise and recognising how he was valued, to successfully engage a large audience enthusiastically and with confidence.
After two half day sessions and only 5 days later he presented at that conference!
When an it solutions business had post-restructuring fallout, one manager was negative, unfocused and railing against ‘the system’:
This manager needed to focus on targets and driving the team’s sales.
Despite an initial suspicion of the coaching, after 4 sessions the manager adapted better to changes, growing in confidence.
He focused on the day-to-day priorities and enthused gratitude towards the company for recognising his value and investing in his development.
When an international building trade supplier lacked a culture of coaching, with a directive, abrupt approach causing hostility and lack of staff development:
Their 3 tiers of management needed to develop coaching as a skill.
A bespoke coaching skills programme was designed for each tier, with a consistent thread throughout, working within work shift patterns and commercial business routines.
Over 4 months of facilitated workshops and wrap-around tools, all managers and supervisors had acquired the understanding and some ability to support their teams by adopting a coaching approach and preventing the team not feeling valued.
Managers rapidly reported back team cohesion, feeling valued and unexpected progress with existing and fresh team members.
Speaking
“You were the best and most useful speaker at the conference.”
“I honestly left feeling taller. A really motivating and energising event.”
A passionate speaker, Clare Haynes is invited to UK and international events.
Clients, in-person and online:
Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT)
Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA)
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
Association of Project Management (APM)
Women in Project Management (WIPM)
Institute of Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
Women in Logistics
Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
CURRENT SOUGHT-AFTER TOPICS:
Traits of a high-performing leader
Performance mindset
Dealing with Difficult Conversations
“Businesses and employees need what you just presented.”
group coaching and workshop facilitation
Think, sit back and take part in a session tailored to you, drawing people out of comfort zones, un-picking tangles, feeling valued and seeing fresh choices.
The planning, creative ideas, structure and organising is taken care of and you can participate to get the outputs you need. Frequent 5 STAR feedback shows how even the most reluctant get on board!
And for walking workshops, click here.
“Exactly what we needed and you expertly hand-held us to get to that point where everyone felt involved, important and moved forward, thank you!”
“It was incredibly useful! I always feel hesitant and unsure whether such sessions are actually going to help. But I wanted to say how wrong I was and how valuable I found it.”
client stories:
When the housing management arm of a local authority needed to reassess priorities ahead of a stringent external audit:
The volunteer board of 8 needed to unite with a heightened focus, by developing their leadership and united front during a facilitated away day.
They adopted coaching techniques and gained a greater understanding of team dynamics and feeling valued.
They bonded more than usual, explored their strategic priorities and set clear ongoing actions, individually and as a united team.
When an international airport company was implementing their new company-wide financial reporting system:
11 Finance managers needed to generate ideas for leading changes, both within their teams and with internal customers.
After 2 days of facilitated idea-generating and learning, they better understood how to identify and use the psychology around resistance to change.
They could then implement more comprehensive internal communication required to support the system change and avoiding teams not feeling valued.
When two organisations needed to work together but were coming from different, sometimes obstructive, visions and cultures:
25 staff needed a uniting programme that would avoid not feeling valued, aid mutual understanding, boost learning and confidence.
They spent facilitated workshop time acknowledging skills and skill gaps, comparing strategic intentions, exploring needed actions, behaviours and accountability and examining resourcing and language patterns.
They fed back that ‘It brought energy to the conversation and was facilitated in a very lively and engaging way that made the whole room feel comfortable!’
When a college needed management training, but on a tight budget and nothing seemed available for their sector:
The diverse middle management team needed a bespoke facilitated programme. They were consulted on the design at every stage, regarding the learning approach, subject matter and how to avoid the team not feeling valued.
A 5-Pillar programme to up-skill them with limited time and budget, supporting them externally but being managed internally, had follow-through activities to embed learning.
When a property consulting firm needed to unite small teams across Europe and for them to pick up skills quickly:
17 staff needed a focused addition to their away day that was engaging, skill-building and feeling valued as a team and individually.
They experienced facilitator-led activities covering rapport-building and personal effectiveness and marketing psychology.
The animated selfies, a record of their workshop, showed the integration of cultures and energies.
meetings
Rather than chairing or worrying that no-one is leading, concentrating on just your own contribution makes a meeting so much less painful and much more productive!
Or having someone objective in charge - when it’s vital, political, complicated or emotionally charged - makes it more orderly, less awkward and with meaningful outputs.
An external facilitator’s job is:
Safely steering the conversation
Stopping people speaking over others
Keeping to time
Preventing tension over the contentious
Making sure objectives are met
Warding off time-wasting
Encouraging hearing all the voices
Saving you hours of skirting around issues or revisiting the same debates, having a neutral, prepared, assertive and experienced chair can make meetings more than just manageable, by maximising the talents around the table.
“Having an external presence took the pressure off and allowed us to speak more freely”
CLIENT stories:
WHEN the board and senior leadership were at cross purposes:
The 5-strong Senior Leadership Team found The 8 Board members constantly changing expectations or making it difficult to execute strategic direction.
By having the neutral person guiding the quarterly and sub-board meetings, both parties took time to understand the workings and needs of the other.
The dynamic became much more relaxed within 6 months and The Board reported feeling more valuable and involved. The Senior Leadership Team and their senior managers reported feeling more appreciated and respected.
The parties fed back how they felt part of a solid wider team and how the work pace had picked up, with far fewer blocks, plus ways to overcome hurdles.
WHEN A cross-departmental project Team struggled to work together:
The team comprised specialists from 1 creative and 1 analytical function. It suffered from a lack of cooperation, when actions seemed to have been agreed in meetings but not executed.
With an intervening neutral facilitator they were able to firstly confide their concerns and aspirations. Then careful constructive and exploratory conversations unfolded across 2 meetings.
The team widened understanding of each others’ motivations, skillsets, breadth of experience and fears and limitations.
A fresh energy, a united perspective and a sense of ambition evolved. The team began to perform within weeks and surpass original targets.
WHEN a new management structure unsettled the middle managers:
A change in company ownership led to a restructure which altered most of the processes the 17-strong middle management were used to.
Whilst the 6 senior managers were less affected or already familiar with the new ways of working, the majority of the workforce felt the effects.
Working with all 23, in three meetings across one month, key issues were identified and solutions suggested.
They created a plan which encompassed compromises and new ideas which could meet the needs of both groups. By the end of the quarter, most of the disruptions had stopped and progress made faster than expected.
WALKING THE TALK
Taking individual and group coaching a step (!) further - literally, on foot - you get results faster, you’re not self-conscious, it’s a brain-body activity which regulates thinking and feeling and reduces tension and stress.
Imagine a journey through riverside parks, enjoying beautifully-kept gardens with water fountains, walking canalside, exploring a country park, crossing a weir, noticing street art, crossing bridges and an aqueduct! It’s all science-backed.
We cover an easy-paced 6 - 7 miles, we grab a coffee and we take a comfort break, it’s surprising what ideas, thoughts and inspirations come up in only half a day. And you can take photos to remember certain moments too.
The Walking Coaching location is up to you and the time feels extensive as the exploring flies by! It’s refreshing, gets faster results and rejuvenates you to take action.
“I really enjoyed our session. Felt completely exhausted after but in a good way!”
CLIENT stories:
WHEN A RESOURCING MANAGER FOUND his MANAGER IMPOSSIBLE TO WORK WITH, HE NEEDED CLEAR OPTIONS:
A manager couldn’t engage the senior manager in conversations regarding priorities and tasks, suffering daily verbal and email abuse.
In 2 x two-hour on-foot sessions in nature reserves, he re-directed energy away from frustration, lack of confidence, confusion and overwhelm.
He identified strengths, needs, priorities, where he was valued and his future-career plan.
As well as managing the relationship more confidently, within 8 weeks he had quit and started a new job, within a supportive team.
WHEN A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION WAS CLOSING, THE TEAM FELT FRAGMENTED AND CONCERNED FOR THEIR FUTURES:
The team of 7 were suffering from mixed levels of motivation, having lost their team bond and facing redundancy, with still months of work to deliver before closing.
In a morning walking workshop, on foot in a countryside setting - with a pass-the-parcel/treasure hunt task too - they were guided to share and celebrate successes, challenges, best memories and key learning.
There were sad and happy tears and they left feeling valued, uplifted, re-bonded, unified and confident about themselves and their futures.
WHEN A HEALTH VISITOR NEEDED TO CHANGE ROLES AND FELT STUCK CHOOSING BETWEEN OPTIONS:
A health visitor needed a different work pattern, when new developments at home made current work hours and responsibilities untenable.
An experienced nurse, with multiple options but strict time contraints, she found it hard to see a clear direction.
After a two-hour coaching session, on foot on the outskirts of the countryside, she concluded what suited her best and where she would feel valued.
The plan took form, with flexible options, for now and in future, giving her the confidence to confirm her next role with her future employer the next day!
WHEN A CONSULTANCY NEEDED TO MASTER SPECIFIC SKILLS, THEY NEEDED A FAST POWERFUL EXPERIENCE TO HELP PROMPT PRACTICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT:
The team of 10 enjoyed being outdoors in unusual local territory, using the environment to stimulate their thinking.
A 3-step whole-day coach-steered walking workshop enabled them to notice barriers to skill acquisition and the impacts of hybrid working, to reflect, and explore how to promote in-team learning.
They capitalised on the stimulation of the change of scenery and the twist in team dynamics.
They returned to work refreshed, feeling valued as a team, with ideas to implement to change their culture of learning, sharing and teamwork.