"Denise has challenged my thinking, helped further develop my leadership approach and provided an external perspective on key business decisions.
She has the ability to ask questions others don't"
Julian Minett, CEO,
Spencer Group
Leadership coaching for organisations
Develop the leaders you have. Build the teams you need.
Your business needs leaders who can make good decisions, have difficult conversations, develop their people and deliver results without everything landing on their desk.
But as businesses change, the demands on their leaders change too.
I work with organisations to help experienced managers and senior leaders strengthen their leadership, build more effective teams and grow into what's expected of them next.
Book a Clarity Call
Is this happening in your organisation?
You have good people in leadership roles. They're experienced, committed and capable.
But perhaps you're noticing that:
- A Head of Function is working hard to hold everything together, rather than leading a team that takes ownership.
- A collaborative, people-first leader struggles to challenge poor performance or set firmer expectations.
- Difficult conversations are being avoided until small problems become bigger ones.
- A senior manager spends so much time firefighting that there's little space for strategic thinking.
- Someone with real leadership potential needs support to step into a bigger role.
- You want to develop and retain a valued leader before frustration or burnout makes them consider leaving.
These aren't always problems that another management training course will solve.
Sometimes what's needed is the space to examine how someone leads, challenge established habits and develop a different approach.
That's where individual executive coaching can make a real difference.
What we work towards
Coaching is tailored to the individual leader and the challenges facing your organisation.
Together, we work towards:
Stronger leadership and accountability
Helping leaders set clear expectations, delegate effectively and develop teams that take greater ownership.
More confident conversations
Supporting leaders to address performance, boundaries, conflict and difficult decisions constructively.
A more effective leadership team
Helping leaders improve communication, clarify responsibilities and create better working relationships.
Greater strategic focus
Supporting leaders to step back from constant firefighting, prioritise effectively and make time for the bigger picture.
Sustainable performance
Helping valued leaders manage the pressures of their role, build resilience and lead in a way that supports both performance and wellbeing.
Development and retention of talent
Supporting capable people as they step up, take on greater responsibility and see opportunities to grow within your organisation.
The aim isn't to change someone's personality. It's to help them become a more effective version of the leader they already are.
What clients say
18 months ago I was lucky enough to work directly with Denise on a personal development level, in a year that I stepped up onto the GLT and not long after I'd been appointed into my first NED role. I find her a superb coach and sounding board who is willing to challenge you to really think about what it is you want out of your career and life. She is definitely someone whose number I'd always want in my phone.
Louise RixChief Retail Officer, DFS Group
Why work with me?
I've been on both sides of the leadership conversation.
Before becoming a coach, I held senior leadership roles in retail with organisations including Next, House of Fraser and Arcadia.
I understand the pressure of delivering results, managing people, making difficult decisions and being accountable for performance.
I subsequently built a career in senior recruitment and executive search, working with major organisations including Selfridges, Starbucks and Sainsbury's.
That experience has given me an unusual perspective on what organisations expect from their leaders, what makes people effective and where even very capable individuals can struggle.
I've been coaching senior professionals and leaders since 2006.
My professional background includes:
- ILM Level 7 qualification in Executive Coaching
- Licensed DISC practitioner
- Experience working with Insights and other profiling tools
- Membership of the Association of Business Mentors
- Extensive experience in senior operational leadership, recruitment and executive search
I'm not there to tell your leaders how to run their departments.
I work as an independent thinking partner: listening, questioning, challenging assumptions and helping them develop practical approaches to the situations they're dealing with.
Calm when calm is needed. Direct when direct is needed.
And always with the realities of the business in mind.
How organisational coaching works
Practical, confidential and focused on real leadership challenges.
An initial Clarity Call
We start with a conversation about the leader, the challenges they're facing and what the organisation would like to see change.
Agreeing the objectives
We identify clear development goals, with an optional three-way conversation involving the leader and their line manager or HR sponsor.
Understanding the individual
Where useful, I work with profiling tools your organisation already uses, such as Insights, or introduce appropriate tools, including DISC, to support greater self-awareness.
One-to-one coaching
Coaching typically takes place fortnightly over three or six months.
Sessions focus on live challenges, giving the leader an opportunity to reflect, consider different approaches and put their learning into practice.
WhatsApp support is available between sessions within agreed boundaries.
Reviewing progress
We review progress against the agreed objectives and identify how the leader can sustain their development beyond the coaching programme.
Coaching conversations are confidential. Any feedback shared with the organisation is agreed with the leader in advance and focuses on the development goals and progress.
Sessions are available online or, where practical, in person.
Frequently asked questions
Who is organisational coaching suitable for?
Heads of Function, directors, senior managers and high-potential leaders who are stepping into greater responsibility, navigating change or looking to improve their leadership effectiveness.
Is this different from management training?
Yes. Training usually focuses on teaching particular knowledge or skills.
Coaching focuses on the individual leader, their thinking, their behaviours and the real situations they're facing.
It can complement an existing leadership development programme rather than replace it.
How do we measure the value of coaching?
We agree the objectives at the outset and review progress during and at the end of the programme.
Depending on the brief, measures may include leadership behaviours, team accountability, performance conversations, delegation, reduced escalation and the leader's capacity to focus on strategic priorities.
Can coaching work alongside our existing development programmes?
Absolutely. I can build on your organisation's existing leadership development activity and profiling tools, so the coaching supports rather than duplicates the investment you've already made.
How is coaching funded?
Organisational coaching is generally funded through leadership development, HR or learning and development budgets. I invoice the organisation directly.
Is coaching confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is an important part of the coaching relationship.
At the outset, we agree what progress information may be shared with the sponsoring organisation, while protecting the privacy of individual coaching conversations.
Invest in the leaders you want to keep.
You've invested in finding and developing good people.
Now give them the support to grow into the leaders your organisation needs.
Whether you're preparing someone for a bigger role, supporting a leader through change or helping an established manager strengthen their approach, let's talk about what's happening and what success would look like.
Book a Clarity CallDenise MatthewsExecutive & Business Coach
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Elevate Coaching
167-169 Great Portland Street, Fifth Floor, London, W1W 5PF.
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Address:
Elevate Coaching
167-169 Great Portland Street |
Fifth Floor, London, W1W 5PF.
Contact:
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