How I Coach You

I believe coaching is for high performers who want to fine-tune the way they work and "see over the hill".

I will help you move ahead in your work.  Coaching will help you find out where to go next. It will save you time, by helping you focus and think through decisions, and make them sooner.  It will reduce the time you may waste not doing something because of a mental barrier. It will allow you to explore.

When I coach you, I give you the time and space to imagine the ideal future and the steps to take you there. It may help you see something you didn't see before, and simplify the way you think.

Every (work) dilemma is made of pain and dreaming. I will help you talk through both until you know what to do, what works for you - what is right for you.

My clients say that after I coach them, they get things done, that they wouldn't have otherwise. They see what gets in their way. They find words for things unsaid before.

My coaching style is to listen deeply and without judgement, to allow you to be who you are, and to trust you to find your own way.

My experience with techniques from mindful meditation, creative arts, cognitive behaviour therapy, NLP, assertiveness training and Gestalt brings depth to the way I coach.  I am qualifying for the Practitioner Diploma with the Academy of Executive Coaching in London.

My business experience of fifteen years in the financial and software sectors give me an understanding of the corporate world that some of my clients work in. I coach people who work in a wide variety of sectors: banking, arts management, software, healthcare, languages, publishing, international affairs, accounting, music, sports, education, travel, creative arts, marketing.

I coach internationally, with clients in London, New York, Switzerland and Europe. I meet clients face to face, or I also coach over the phone or Skype.

Your Questions

I often get asked these questions about the way I do Executive Coaching:

1. I am sceptical. Is this like psychotherapy?
2. How is this different to talking to friends and family, or to someone at work?
3. Does having coaching mean "I have a problem", "I am stuck"?

1. Is this like psychotherapy?

Not quite. This is about talking about your work, the present and the future. It is about planning the ideal future and making it happen. There is the part of releasing fears, which may be similar, but in executive coaching we don't delve in the past a lot, or on your family history. You have the choice at any point if you wish to talk about something or not. Executive coaching gets you to look over the hill, to how your working life will be like when you move to the next level.

2. How is this different to talking to friends and family, or to someone at work?

Friends, family, or work colleagues or managers tend to offer advice, from their own experience, and that of others. When I coach you, I will get you to take your own advice. I will ask you questions to guide you to what works best for you, not for someone else. I will give you the time to talk through what preoccupies you and your vision for the future, with minimal interruptions, so you can reach the natural conclusion of your thoughts.

3. Does this mean "I have a problem", "I am stuck"?

If you are being coached, it doesn't mean "you have a problem". It means you are already doing well, and you want to move to the next level up. In my experience, the people who are most willing to be coached are already high achievers, who want to see what's next for them.

Testimonials

What My Clients Say:

"The session I had with Irina helped me to resolve a work situation that had been concerning me for some time. Irina's guidance led me towards a clear understanding of the problem and its solution, both of which I had been struggling to articulate. Through positive reinforcement Irina helped me to consider the value I bring to my role, thereby giving me the confidence to seek a resolution for the issue in question. The coaching with Irina helped me find the right question and attitude to ask for my promotion, and I did get promoted straight away to my ideal role and title. 

I would recommend Irina to anyone who seeks to overcome work-related concerns or even to identify them, as she will help you to progress towards a realistic solution. Although Irina's work experience is in a different field than mine, this did not matter as her coaching skills are fully transferable to any industry and she was able to grasp straight away my concerns through her thoughtful and perceptive analysis." A.C. Art Gallery Curator

"Irina is a perceptive business coach and I would thoroughly recommend her. In the space of an hour, she helped me elucidate a major sticking point in my business endeavours and to come up with concrete action items working towards a solution. I was very impressed with her approach and its results, and I would certainly seek Irina's coaching again."  D.C. Senior Marketing Strategist


"Irina is a highly intuitive facilitator. Her approach to coaching is practical and has a pragmatic framework, while allowing for insights and ideas to surface seemingly effortlessly. I would recommend her to anybody who needs some clarity and help in refining their thinking. Expect to be pleasantly surprised."  V. K. Parliamentary and Stakeholder Manager, Big Lottery Fund


"You are an amazing Executive Coach. Yesterday was my first session with you and I was so fascinated to see the realities in my life and career, and I got a glimpse of the way forward. I am so looking forward to my next appointment with you. I know it is not going to be easy for me. But you make it so interesting. Thank you." M.C.N. Teacher