Executive Coaching

The match is the one of the most important things we do. We begin with a discovery conversation to understand the leader - their context, development goals, style, and what they are trying to achieve. Based on that, we identify the coaches we believe are right for this person, in this situation, and at this moment. We make a considered recommendation, explain our reasoning, and arrange a chemistry meeting before any commitment is made. The leader always meets the proposed coach before an engagement begins.

Mentoring draws on the mentor's experience and expertise - it typically involves advice, guidance, and the passing on of knowledge. Coaching focuses on the leader's own thinking and potential. A coach's job is not to tell a leader what to do but to help them think more clearly, see more options, and act more decisively. In practice, experienced coaches do both - and we match coaches to leaders partly on the basis of whether the situation calls for pure coaching or more of a blend between coaching and mentoring.

Most engagements run for three to six months, with sessions every two weeks. This is enough time to establish a genuine working relationship, address a specific development need, and embed real change in how a leader operates. Some leaders choose to continue beyond that initial period; others return at a later stage when a new challenge arises. We design the engagement around what the situation requires rather than a fixed programme length.

No - the majority of our executive coaching is delivered virtually and works very well that way. In-person sessions are available and sometimes preferable, particularly in the early stages of a relationship or at key moments in the engagement. We discuss this with each leader and their sponsor and agree what makes most sense.

It is rare, but it happens. If a leader and coach are not working well together - for any reason - we address it directly and find a better fit. We would rather have that conversation early than have a leader persist with something that is not serving them. Ben and Tamsin remain personally accountable for every engagement, which means they are both close enough to notice and willing to act.

The content of coaching conversations is confidential between the leader and their coach. We share with the sponsoring organisation only that the engagement is proceeding and, with the leader's explicit agreement, high-level progress against their stated development goals. We adhere to ICF Ethics and do not share what was said in the coaching room. This is not just a policy - it is the foundation of the trust that makes the work possible.

Yes, and sometimes the greatest impact comes from combining different forms of development. Individual coaching can run alongside team coaching, for example, so that leaders are developing personally while the team works on its collective dynamics. We design programmes that bring together individual and collective work when the situation calls for it - creating a more connected approach to leadership development than either intervention alone.

Where a PE firm or board is the sponsor of an executive coaching engagement, we establish clear three-way contracting at the outset - between the coach, the individual leader, and the sponsoring organisation. This sets out what information is shared, what remains confidential, and what success looks like from each party's perspective. The content of coaching sessions remains confidential between the leader and their coach. What we share with sponsors is that the engagement is proceeding and, with the leader's explicit agreement, high-level progress against agreed development goals. This structure protects the leader's psychological safety (without which the coaching cannot work) while giving the sponsoring organisation the assurance they need that the investment is being well used.