If you are wondering whether investment in executive coaching would promote your business growth, some case studies might help you in making a decision.

Although confidentiality prevents me from going into too much detail, I think the following examples will give you an idea of how executive coaching can achieve good results in a variety of business situations.

Quite a complex case I was called in to assist with was that of an operational team within a large organisation who were experiencing conflict with other teams. Personal development profiles were produced before coaching was undertaken, and the overall objective was to create awareness of the different personalities and working styles within the team, and also of their impact on other teams.

Understanding each others styles and strengths and weaknesses improved working relationships and communication within the team. Regarding their impact on others, they realised they needed to seek the agreement and support of other teams before attempting to implement change, and this was written into formal procedures.

At the other end of the scale, I work with people who want to set up their own business or who already have a business, but are feeling stuck. One such individual was unhappy with her existing level of turnover, but had no idea where to start in order to increase it. The objective of the coaching was to explore what potential and options she had, to decide on a goal, and assess the implications on both work and personal life. Coaching helped her to become aware of the steps involved in achieving her various goals and an increased confidence in making the necessary decisions.

My final example had worked successfully for several years in a sales role in a large corporation, but now felt he was in a rut and was wondering whether to change jobs or even careers. During coaching we looked at his situation from a number of different angles with a view to opening up new possibilities. In a very short space of time he had rediscovered his enthusiasm and generated a sizeable increase in business. The last time I spoke to him he was looking at promotion possibilities.

These are just three simplified examples of how executive coaching has enabled people in very different businesses to look more objectively at their circumstances and move forward in a more successful way. Their stories illustrate the effectiveness of executive coaching and why I enjoy my role as coach so much.

Andy Britnell

Andy Britnell has worked as a professional musician, a cheesemonger and in hotels, including Claridges and the Savoy in London. He spent 15 years with BT, latterly designing and delivering international management, sales and graduate development programmes. He now lives in Cornwall, UK, where as well as enjoying the surf and the coastal footpath, he runs a training and coaching practice specialising in sales, customer service and personal development training for the private and public sectors. He is an accredited coach and trainer of the Insights Discovery System which is a model based on the pioneering personality profiling work of Carl Jung. Using colour as a common language for better understanding of self and others, it helps people operate and communicate more effectively. Andy gains great satisfaction from helping his clients to grow and learn, and from the rapid progress they make in their business and personal lives. He works constantly on his own development and practises Ki Aikido, the ancient Japanese art of working with energy.