Coach
“Jon is smart, insightful and kind - a great combination in a coach”
What I bring
The best coaches draw on their experience and attributes alongside their training. Twenty five years as an MD in corporate ventures turn-arounds and start-ups gives me reserves of empathy and insight that benefit clients wrestling with similar challenges. And my inherent strengths as a strategist, idea generator and creative thinker can help my clients generate new possibilities and the blue-prints to achieve them.
I’ve since trained with Meyler Campbell in their highly respected Mastered program which equips senior executives to coach leaders. The course covered an extensive range of techniques and tools for coaching individuals and teams, alongside the invaluable experience of coaching a group of CEO’s over several months.
I also have first hand experience of being coached. when I was stepping up to new roles, making choices about transition, and leading my teams through both rapid growth and urgent crisis. Coaching was transformational for me, and ensured I was a better leader, colleague, husband and dad.
This blend of attributes, training and experience is at the core of my coaching, and fits well with the disruptive and creative leaders I love to work with.
My Approach
I specialise in coaching leaders - CEOs, senior executives and team leaders - who often gain the most from the process despite their demanding schedules.
I particularly love working with game-changing leaders: “Pirates” who are seeking to disrupt their industry, galvanise their team or transform their organisation from within; “Firefighters” who are facing existential challenges in the next 3-6 months; and “Explorers” who are taking on new roles or assessing new directions. I help leaders like this to survive and thrive. I’ve written more about how to coach pirates here.
Their objectives are typically focused on driving business change, building confidence in specific skills, achieving work-life balance, building a high-performing team or defining their goals and a plan to achieve them. We can also go deep, addressing the issues that in their self-belief or self-awareness that are holding them back
My approach is bespoke for each client, starting with an extensive discussion to establish clear goals. From there each process relies on openness, confidentiality, and commitment to create the time needed to meet, reflect, learn and take action.
Overall my role is to be wholeheartedly supportive and non-judgemental, while being a candid catalyst, an astute observer and an attentive thought-partner.
What people say…
“Jon’s brain works super-fast. I love that! it works really well for me and I love the pace and energy. He has an excellent coaching style which put me at ease immediately“
CEO, UK Live Events Venue
“I feel like I can speak to Jon in a trusted and safe space. We really nailed a specific and urgent issue that I’m tackling as well as quite a deep dive into my imposter syndrome. We had a great session. I felt lifted by it. It’s impossible to quantify the positive impact of his coaching at this pivotal moment.”
CEO Media Industry Start-Up
“Jon is very engaged and in-the-moment - he has a wonderful manner and is a pleasure to work with. He set expectations very well, asked excellent questions and quickly got me talking about the issues I need to tackle”
CEO and Technology Investor
“I really appreciate Jon’s ability to listen and digest my rambling thoughts, and then help me conceptualise them into a roadmap for action”
MD, UK Production Studio
“Meeting with Jon gives me better clarity of thought and much needed inspiration. He gave me some good tools and ways of thinking to help me take timely positive action. Another tremendously valuable session and I will sleep better because of it”
CEO, Health Care Start-Up
Jon is highly empathetic and has a wonderful way of creating coherence out of my most garbled reflections, which helps me build a sense of confidence and validation. He’s smart, insightful and kind, which is a great combination in a coach. He has challenged me to feel more confident in embracing uncertainty”
Senior executive building a portfolio career