About Great Coaching Services

A dream is a goal with out a deadline …. Thinking without acting is day dreaming …… Acting without thinking is either instinct or stupid !

We help you harness your thoughts and support your actions so your dreams become reality

Our Philosophy

The essence of Great Coaching is about assisting others to be their unique best, in their chosen contexts.

It's about our professional and dedicated team of coaches partnering our clients to deliver positive results in a practical down to earth way.

It is also about providing an environment and framework to support the coaches to be excellent coaches for our clients. We do this by providing continuous professional development and by sharing resources and working as a team. In effect – each client has their experienced coach PLUS the back up of a whole team of coaches. The original 4 coaches alone have over 36 years coaching and people development experience between them.

Our vision is for everyone we touch to have an understanding of the true benefits of coaching.

Our mission is to bring the benefits of Great coaching to as many people as we can touch and add value to. We keep our prices competitive (we don't spend lots on advertising or premises) so that we can keep coaching affordable to more people. We also offer group coaching workshops which meet more people's budgets.

We keep it simple. Often the best things in life are! You don't need fancy jargon or complex procedures. It's you – your coach, your goals and behind the scenes a wide range of experience, tools and techniques which are there to be drawn on as appropriate to support you.

Great is all about

G – going for it goals and dreams. Know what you really want and take action steps to live your dream not dream your life.

R – releasing from negative beliefs and behaviours. Enahncing your self belief and learning strategies to overcome fears which could otherwise hold you back.

E – energy. When you do what inspires you and makes your heart sing – your energy changes and every one knows it. We help you orient your life/business round what gives you energy and not what takes it away.

A – all about you. Your agenda – not the coaches'. Imagine having someone support you who has no agenda for you – except that which you want for yourself ! We don't get ego trips telling you what to do – it's not our style and our egos don't need it.

T – tailored coaching teaming up the right coach and method of coaching to best suit you. You are unique and our approach is bespoke to your preferences needs and your order of priorities. Only experienced coaches can deliver such coaching without following pre programmed formats.

No rigid boxes

Unlike some coaching organisations which provide rigid programs and exercises which clients must follow, we are passionate about enhancing each individuals potential and believe that this can only be done by delivering coaching and additional support in a way as bespoke and unique as each client.

Our coaches therefore adapt the way they coach to suit each individuals learning style, personality preference, beliefs and pace. For example one entrepreneur may want creative high level coaching whereas another another may want very practical small steps.

Only a very experienced coach can deliver such valuable bespoke support.

Great coaching is fun

When humour is involved your creativity increases and things stay in perspective. We are professional yet down to earth with a good sense of humour and we like you to enjoy the process of coaching.

What type of coaching?

We encourage new clients to do the wheel of life and wheel of business exercises to establish their priorities for coaching. Only if we can add value, we will suggest the appropriate coach or coaches.

Value of a team taking a holistic approach

If someone signs up for business coaching and is allocated to a business coach but then has an issue at home with their difficult teenager. The coach will have sufficient training to assist them with non directional coaching around what they can do to change the situation with their son or daughter. If the coach thinks more specialist coaching is required then they would contact Ronnie one of the coaches who has done a lot of work relating to teenagers to gain further tools and tips to assist – or if it were appropriate – perhaps recommend a session with Ronnie on that particular issue.

Likewise in Life coaching – if a client is having coaching to deal with divorce and they have a problem managing their team at work – they may want some of the coaching sessions to include Career coaching. We would not refuse to coach on this as it wasn't on the agenda – instead we will add value by being flexible in the ways we support you and refer to another coach if need be to provide that extra support.

Confidentiality

Everything a client discusses with their coach is confidential

If a coach is looking for further perspectives from another coach in the team then the clients identity remains confidential – only the situation is shared sufficiently to gain the coaching supervision.

Our experience

In addition to being fully trained coaches, the coaches bring skills and experience from the fields of business development, financial services, Professional advisers, interpersonal and organizational communication, life skills training, consultative Selling and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). All the coaches have run businesses and worked with large and small organizations. This testimonial sums up the approach we would take with someone in business:

"I write to express my grateful thanks for the support Ben has given over the past few months and the enormous help he has been to me.

Not only does he know how to structure and run a successful business, he also has an immense understanding of human psychology and what motivates people. He does this by asking some key questions, which whilst challenging, lets the business owner develop his own ideas from within.

Ben has been key to helping me develop a clear strategy to grow my business."

Michael Davey ALIA (dip) MSFA, MIFP
Director

How we got started by Fiona Sutherland

I discovered coaching in the 90's when I was director of an IFA practice within a large accountancy firm in the north of Scotland . As the Training and Competence officer for the firm I kept hearing that “coaching” rather than training was the best way to help advisers perform better in their roles. I bought some books and started to learn basic coaching skills.

As a financial adviser I would always start my fact find by asking clients questions like “what are your life plans?” “what do you want to be different in your life 10 years form now?” “what is really important to you?” It was amazing to me how few people really stopped to think about where they were going and what was important to them. The few who did were well on track to achieving their goals. They also seemed to have far more choices financially and be more happy in general.

Working closely within an accountancy firm with 12 offices I also noticed accountants swamped by pressures of work while others in a similar environment, sometimes the same office, would seem to be excelling with even heftier client case loads. I realized that the way people think had a lot to do with it.

Around that time I was, as they say, doing a lot of personal development on myself. While there is a huge amount of wisdom in many spiritual paths, I felt those paths were too difficult for many to follow as they lacked the practical steps which individuals need to take to start to overcome their fears, break habits of limiting beliefs and begin to recognsie as Mandela made so famous “our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate but that we are powerful beyond all measure”.

All the signs and coincidences were pointing to Life coaching. I trained with Coach U – founded by the Genius Thomas Leonard – himself once a financial adviser. It was comprehensive – 8 weeks just on listening ! 36 modules in total on many different aspects and contexts for coaching which I took over roughly 2 years putting them into practice along the way.

I hired my own coach and went through some major changes including divorce and in November 99 relocation from Aberdeen to Surrey to a perfect role 3 1/2 days a week business coaching and developing IFA's leaving some time for my own coaching practice then called Great Life Coaching. I coached many people in many contexts but was gravitating to mainly coaching business owners and professional advisers. In 2003 I left my part time employed role to concentrate on Great Business Coaching and moved my main home to Poole.

Since then I am absolutely delighted that the other coaches on the team have joined me. I have come across a lot of other coaches and luckily for me (and them) the coaches on the team are exceptional. They have huge integrity, excellent coaching skills, share my vision for brining the benefits of GREAT coaching to many and we have a lot of fun working together. I sincerely hope you will enjoy the experience too.

Life's a journey not a destination – make yours a fun one!