One to One Coaching
Breaking through to the next level
Grainne was engaged by a client who wanted to move up from Director to Managing Director level. Together they identified that while the client had all of the technical skills to perform at the next level, it was their confidence and the impact of their communication that needed to develop for them to be seen by the organisation as a high performing senior executive. The coaching strategy focused on re-scripting internal dialogue, experimenting with different communication styles and having the client’s self-belief mirror the hugely positive perception others had of them. Within 12 months, the client scored highest of their peer group in a competitive selection process to become an MD, had taken on a much bigger role and was playing a key part in the transformation of their company.
Exceptional expatriate transition
Grainne was engaged to support the first 100 days of a highly valued, highly rated IT executive who was relocating from the US to the UK. The outcome being to help them accelerate through the learning curve and get to ‘full power’ as quickly as possible. The coaching strategy was to co-create a proactive induction plan to understand the organisation and its dynamics and to know and be known by the team. Grainne acted as a sounding board for what the client was observing, helped formulate questions and queries and helped synthesise their thoughts into a year one strategy. Coaching also created time and space for the executive to manage personal as well as professional elements of relocation. The relocation was very successful with the client being seen as top talent and a key hire who went on to radically change the IT organisation.
Impactful Board-level Performer
The goal for this client was to fully ‘take their place’ at the Board table by developing executive presence and renegotiating some key working relationships. The coaching strategy was to conduct a thorough stakeholder analysis, look at patterns of behaviour with those stakeholders and experiment with new approaches. After six sessions with Grainne, the client had transformed a number of key relationships, was given more accountability for significant global, multi-divisional projects, had received the backing of the CEO on key proposals they had initiated and felt better equipped to operate at Board level.
New to role, new to sector
Grainne started working with the client prior to their start date to plan how they would approach building relationships and creating impact with peers on the Executive Team, the HR function and wider organisation. Together they worked through the process of getting oriented with the organisation, developing a three month, six month and 12 month plan to provide a value adding HR service whilst improving day to day operational efficiency. Grainne was a thought partner devising a new HR structure and coached and supported the client to gain the support of the CEO and Board for the changes they proposed. Within their first year, the client was seen to be performing at a very high level and is driving change through the organisation through high quality, strategic HR.
Team Development and Facilitation
Building a high performance team
Grainne was engaged by the Operations Director of a Private Bank who was new to the organisation and had been brought in with a brief of having the team they had inherited become a ‘better, cheaper, faster function’ adding more value and having more impact with same resources. Grainne and the leader created a one day workshop to kick start change and build relationships. The workshop covered team purpose, shared goals, setting common priorities as well as sessions to understand individual personality types and preferences in the team dynamic. The team evaluation of the day was very high and the leader was delighted with the outcomes, together they felt well set up to take on changes and challenges ahead of them.
Exceptional facilitation and presentations
Grainne is an experienced facilitator and presenter having worked with groups as small as 5 and with audiences of up to 300. She works with a number of firms on management development, has presented at public events and regularly works with leaders and their teams to discuss and work through issues, challenges and opportunities.
Workshops and Masterclasses
Strategic Talent Management and Leadership Development
A small private bank approached Grainne to help them develop their Talent & Leadership Development strategy. She worked closely with the Group HR Director and the Learning & Development Manager to define the future talent profile the firm required and to benchmark what competitors were doing to identify and develop talent. They created a strategy focused on succession planning for critical roles and internal talent development and successfully enrolled the Board in supporting their recommendations. Grainne then designed and delivered a one-day master class on Strategic Talent Management for the firm’s HR generalists in order to have them execute the new strategy. Following the success of this master class, Grainne later developed leadership development sessions for high performing high potentials within the firm.
Developing Strategic Leaders
A global Financial Services firm wanted to accelerate the develop of their Directors into impactful strategic leaders. Grainne developed and led several one-day events focused on personal leadership, communication & thinking styles, employee engagement, resilience and emotional intelligence.
Client Testimonials
“I have worked with and hired Grainne on a number of occasions for different reasons. She is an excellent personal coach/mentor and combines this with an extremely strong understanding of the commercial side of an enterprise. Couple this with her strong interpersonal skills and pragmatic approach and you will quickly see the benefits that she adds to the development of your senior people..” CFO Banking Division, Close Brothers Group
“Grainne combines warmth and imagination with business awareness. As a coach, she is empathetic, quick to understand and helps to create new possibilities for those she works with. She encourages individuals to balance personal authenticity with business imperatives. She is highly experienced in her field and draws on a range of models and ideas to inspire. She is energising and a catalyst for personal change.” Director, YSC
“Grainne is an excellent executive coach, combining personal and practical experience and insights with a range of approaches and models to suit any situation. She engenders a strong sense of ambition, energy and focus enabling new possibilities to emerge and high level achievement in a short space of time. I would strongly recommend Grainne for executive coaching and particularly for those moving into new and challenging senior roles”. Director of People & OD, British Heart Foundation