When do you get the opportunity to focus on yourself;
to gather and test your thinking without being judged?
A good coach will not tell you what to think,
but will help you to find more ideas than you ever knew you had.
I am Duncan Aldred, a Meyler Campbell – trained executive coach, having completed Meyler Campbell’s course in February 2015. My tutor was the inspirational Ann Orton.
I draw on experience gained in a many-faceted career in a law firm in the City of London, including 30 years as a partner in that business.
I was a graduate recruitment partner and an assessor at the firm’s partnership assessment centre for 20 years; for 10 years, I managed part of that firm (attending Harvard Business School’s course, ‘Managing Professional Services Firms’), led the firm’s finance disputes practice for over 20 years, and was an accredited mediator with ADRGroup.
My client – facing role involved planning the approach to disputes and dispute resolution. I have been privileged to work closely with many clients with hugely varied approaches to business and decision making and to observe what has and hasn’t worked. I learned from the most senior decision makers of 7 British and European banks and from the incomparable Jean Todt (then at Ferrari’s F1 team), who created calm and drew the very best from each one of the people around him.
My clients have been solicitors (working in – house and in private practice), executives from other fields of business, and senior individuals from the education and charity sectors, a member of an Italian luxury goods family and a BAFTA – winning comedy writer. These different people have all had some things in common: they have all used coaching to unlock their thinking, to make their goals clear and to gather and direct their energy for achieving those goals; and they have all learned more about themselves along the way.
A number of the people I have coached have been in the process of stepping up from one role to another; I have helped them to focus on what their new role requires and what they will actually do to fulfil their organisation’s objectives.
My short book, ‘If You Only Had Time, What You’d Learn from an Executive Coach’ was published in Summer 2021.