A Little About Me
Born into a large family in Devon, I grew up on Dartmoor. This place made me really appreciate nature, space and challenge. In my teens I supported others and this theme then continued strongly in my first and long career with the young men and women I worked with in the military; providing pastoral care and guidance, always putting my team first.
In my second career in the international corporate world, I mentored and coached many of my work colleagues as a business leader for nearly 15 years, travelling widely. Always looking to grow people personally and professionally where I could; being supportive and encouraging of true potential, especially those starting out on their career.
So, I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with a diverse mix of people, ages and led varied business types, with plenty of challenges along the way. I was widely recognised as a strong motivator, empathetic leader, honest and engaging; this has been at the heart of everything I’ve done. And had quite a few laughs on the way too!
So, finally, over six years ago, I decided to start my third career; to become an executive and life coach, whilst continuing to mentor others, including career starters in schools and universities. As a result, I am now professional coach within the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) with global accreditation - and fulfilling my true passion.
My Approach
My coaching is focussed on working closely with and supporting those people, often but not exclusively the young, who seek a way to grow both personally and or professionally. To make the right choices in life which provides them with a firm footing for their futures - and one which will truly fulfil them. This includes those seeking to transition from education, or from one career to another one; occasionally following a surprisingly different path. Critically, my coaching style is open-minded, non-judgmental and independent, treating everything that is said in complete confidence. This will allow you absolute freedom of thought to explore, to think deeply and to find your own way with my committed help.
Stepping through my tried and tested approach and building rapport quickly, this will allow you to get to know yourself much better; to start to build a foundation of new confidence and refreshed perceptions. This will be followed by focusing on what you really want and then to move your way towards it, with my close, non-judgemental support. It’s a true, collaborative partnership, built on mutual trust, honesty and transparency.
Interact
In my sessions, I will help separate the emotional wheat from the chaff. In daily life, thoughts are cluttered with to-do lists and our minds are overwhelmed with a mess of small, endless emotional incidents. Under these conditions, trying to reflect on your aspirations is like trying to write a difficult essay on a desk cluttered with pens, books and papers.
Grow
Scheduling coaching sessions allows you to set aside the time you need to (figuratively) sit at an empty, clutter-free desk and allow you to write on a crisp, clean sheet of paper. When you dedicate time to charting your needs and wants, you can see beyond the clutter and gain a clear perspective of where you are and where you’d like to go.
Connect
A coaching session will typically take place as a conversation – around an hour at a time and normally within one to six sessions - between us we’ll focus on helping you discover answers for yourself. After all, people are much more likely to engage with solutions that they have come up with themselves, rather than those that are forced upon them
Testimonials
‘My confidence was an area I felt was hindering my career development as I was often critical of my own abilities. Adam conducted these sessions in a very informal and friendly manner, instantly putting me at ease. Adam quickly identified where my confidence issues stemmed from and worked through these together in a variety of ways, also offering excellent support. I would highly recommend Adam and his coaching sessions to anyone who feels they may benefit from it. I have recently been promoted to a managerial position, I believe my success in gaining this role was helped in part due to the coaching I gained from Adam.’
— Dave (early 30s)
‘Our sessions have been focused on career progression and professional development. In the first of these sessions I was unsure of what areas of business I was most interested in and where I wanted to take my career. Through my sessions with Adam, and his use of various coaching techniques, I have been able to narrow my focus and understand the areas that I would like to progress into and now have a clearer plan. Adam is a very thorough coach who always know what questions to ask to prompt the right thinking in order to achieve the aims of the sessions. He is very thoughtful and has a good understanding of the issues/challenges facing whomever he is coaching and how best to tackle these.’
— Jacob (early 20s)
‘As part of my development goals… the confidence piece has been significant. It’s difficult to pinpoint all specific examples, but this has enabled me to push through many more barriers and results have been delivered faster and with greater quality as a result. As a graduate I’ve found that some people can be dismissive when they learn of my position, however, having the confidence to demonstrate the skills I can bring to a team has often been a great tool to mitigate this.’
’What’s worked well for me is building a really strong relationship with Adam and feeling comfortable talking about relevant personal topics in a safe space. Being able to speak freely about my thoughts and ideas has helped to establish both the important themes that needed to be addressed but also those that could be discarded.’
— JD (Early 20s)
‘In relation to my goals… career wise I have a clearer direction of travel, if I decide to go down a different avenue I know what I need to do in order to be successful in that change. I can break down barriers….,manage people’s expectations and provide reassurance. By doing this, it changes the mood of meetings. I am more aware of how I interact/ react and as a result I recognise when I need to reset and adjust my approach.’
’Adam's independent perspective, non-judgemental approach allowed the discussions held with the him to be confidential; that really helped. I was able to express what I truly felt.’
— Laura (Mid 30s)
‘Adam has been great. It has been amazing how he has navigated through the information I give in each session to arrive at clearer answers, thus giving me a better direction in my life. I have had two sessions so far and there has been a remarkable change in my attitude towards life in general, especially in terms of my goals and what I want in life. If anybody is feeling a little loss and wanting direction, I highly recommend Adam as your life coach.’
— Charlie (late 20’s)
‘Thank you for taking the to meet up over the past couple of months. I’ve much enjoyed being the beneficiary, (collaborator in!) of your coaching experience, your perspective, your challenge, and indeed your well placed thoughts. All blended together with a smile and lashings of good humour! It has been invaluable to me personally to help me re-orientate, focus on what is important, develop an approach to place me in control of my decision making, and see a clear way forward. The perennial truth of coaching, the alchemy of helping and supporting me in this case to grapple with the questions to which only I have the answer. I trust you’ll be able to bring your experience to bear for the benefit of many others in the future.’
— Simon (40s)