I feel very lucky to have been coached by Debs.  Not only did my coaching experience have a huge impact on me at a pivotal stage of my career, but it gave me the tools and an approach which I have taken with me and regularly use, both for myself and those I manage.  Debs coached me for a year when I was taking on extra responsibilities but also considering a career and lifestyle change. It was a stressful period, and I really looked forward to our coaching sessions, as Debs’ calm and assured manner created a space for me to step back from the hectic day-to-day and made me feel comfortable and confident to be honest both with her and myself.

Debs’ coaching really accelerated my growth as a leader by enabling me to probe and fully understand my vision and values, and how to put these in to practice in every day challenges in an authentic way.  It was really valuable to have a space to test out ideas and reflect honestly on what worked and what didn’t.  I really valued her logical yet open approach, which helped me explore what I was looking for in y next steps and embrace my ambitions, whilst setting clear and achievable next steps.  Debs provided just the right balance of challenge and support, which ensured I remained focused on my goals.  As a result, I successfully changed career and have been promoted several times since.

Danielle, Programme Manager in a North London council

Having coaching from Debs gave me a much-needed boost of confidence as I was settling into a new job.

I was allowed to guide each session, talking about different aspects of the job and how I approached them. With just a few simple questions, Debs was able to get me to understand my priorities and what I wanted to get out of the job, rather than just what was expected of me. It was a different way of thinking for me but one that’s really helped me get the most out of my work.

As well as the bigger picture, we also had time to discuss how to navigate the day to day – handling emails, managing multiple priorities, increasing responsibilities. We talked through different approaches, and what ones might work for me.

There is no magic fix, but having someone listen while you talk through work problems is very effective at putting things into perspective. And when you’re guided to finding the answers yourself, it’s even better!

Lynn, medical charity, North West London

Debs offered an invaluable service to ELAM at this stage of our development (end of fourth year as a new school). Although we are an outstanding provider as rated by Ofsted in June 2017, we still have a lot of work to do to make sure our processes are as streamlined as they possibly can be. Debs’ session for staff was beautifully planned and really clearly focused on improving outcomes for our students and also for our staff’s development. Staff are already talking about implementing strategies offered from this meeting. The SLT briefing Debs offered us was incredibly useful to give us an opportunity to step back and reflect on the way we engage in meetings and interactions across the school. She’s given us a very clear action plan with tangible outcomes that are going to transform the way we operate as a school. I could not recommend her coaching training enough!

Camilla J, Assistant Principal, East London Academy of Music