Today, as the end of 2009 seems to be fast approaching, I decided to reflect on my ten years of executive coaching in both the private and public sectors.  In 1999 I was very excited about my new career.  I was in the throws of selling my language school and had begun coaching colleagues and small business people. 

Do you remember your first client? 

I remember my first real client who was a small business owner who wanted to increase his sales and manage his team of people more effectively.  He was very creative and the experience was such fun for both of us.  He knew I was just starting out and this made the sessions relaxed yet still focused on his own goals and aspirations.  I am in contact with him today as a colleague and service provider.  In 2000 having done a three year coaching course I sold my school and went into full time coaching.  It felt great to be free and working from home, even if it was a little daunting at first. 

I needn’t have worried as I soon managed to build up my clients and got my first internal coaching contact from a large travel firm who employed me for eight months.  The following year I worked for a wide variety of companies coaching managers, executives and teams.

I think that being part of the UK International Coaching Federation really helped to establish strong links to the community and I was invited to present at the first two coaching conferences.

My biggest break came in 2003 when I was asked to join an international team of coaches to roll out a coaching programme for Airbus in France, Germany, Spain and Bristol in the UK.   I was delighted to receive such an excellent opportunity and this contract lasted for three years.  It also gave me the freedom to run coach training for managers in the public sector, and in particular in Education.

Some of the most rewarding work has been for the past eight years where I have been involved with running coaching courses for the Institute of Leadship and Management.  With Julia Miles of Quality Education and Development (QED) we have trained over 150 Kent County Council staff  for the ILM Levels 3 and 5 in Coaching & Mentoring.  In Newcastle and Surrey I have also run ILM courses for more than 100 heads, teachers, learning mentors, AST’s and university staff.  This means that coaching is slowly being embedded in the education system and the results are very encouraging.  More open discussion, staff taking ownership and responsibility for their development and coaching being recognised as a real support for those taking on promotion and added responsibilities. 

It is largely thanks to Julia www.qedcoaching.co.uk and the case studies and input from our ILM participants that I have now written my latest book “Coaching Skills for Leaders in the Workplace”  – this book has been validated by the ILM as a recommended course book for the levels 5 & 7 Coaching & Mentoring in Management.  It has been fun to write and I am looking forward to receiving feedback and comments from both contributors and coaching professionals.

So, all in all I am pleased with the way the past ten years have panned out.  I have gained in knowledge (Coaching Supervision Diploma 2007) and experience both at home and abroad but always feel there is so much more to learn.  I enjoy coaching with ”Clean Language” and have now received a total of eight days training to take this forward for the future. 

So as 2009 draws to a close I end with this quote:

‘We ourselves may feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. but if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop’   Mother Teresa

I am promoting my latest book on workplace coaching.  Are you a trainer or do you work in HR ? – Please review my latest book “Coaching Skills for Leaders in the Workplace” by How to Books  – you will receive a FREE copy of the book if you reply with your postal address to my profile on linkedin or this blog.  Many thanks.

It has been very gratifying to be able to connect to many people via linkedin and ecademy and to exchange ideas on how to market books and products. There is just so much out there it can sometimes seem a bit daunting.  I do think that investing time in e-networking can be helpful.   It allows people who you may not have seen for a while to re-connect and see what you are up to.  Also there is a wealth of talent/information to draw on and you can feel safe in the knowledge that services have been personally recommended by a colleague. 

I have been invited to do a podcast and a video interview about my book so this is also a great way to raise your profile.  I am lucky in that I know Petra Tiziani who runs a great video production company IDarena.com so I am assured of a good service.  Other ways of networking are to join face to face networking clubs such as The Chamber of Commerce, BNI, BRE or Business Link. 

A colleague Sean Toole has started a Property Networking Club in Brighton’s Metropole Hilton which I was invited to speak at last week.  I spoke to about thirty people on having ”The mindset of a winner”  and I explained how when we start a new project so many people want to tell us that it’s not possible or that the idea isn’t sound etc..I continued by telling a couple of my own stories about how I built up three businesses by not listening to those who would put down my idea.  I surrounded myself with people who supported me and used an acronym I developed:

 IDEA  I=idea D=determination E = enthusi-action A= authenticity 

This helped me to keep focused and develop my ideas from a seed to a strong tree that had firm roots, manageable branches and healthy leaves.  How did I do that – well that’s my next book!

Jackie