Paul Jefferies

‘I run my own executive coaching and consultancy business, specialising in business transformation through coaching. My connection with Henley goes back to 2006 when I did my MBA there, and this was the start of a fantastic learning journey.

‘It’s such a magical place, and you feel a sense of nurtured learning. It’s calming, and they always take a holistic approach to you. I love the breadth and diversity of the people you meet at Henley, people from all walks of life; it makes for such a rich tapestry of learning, from which all benefit.

‘I’ve been lucky enough to have a long corporate career, leading large teams, and looking back, I’ve used coaching a lot, but without knowing that’s what it was! Then, in 2018, because of a company restructuring, I had an opportunity to take a new and very different path, and I set up Pebble Associates with my business partner, with a view to focusing on coaching as an enabler to individual, team, and organisational change.

‘I went to an Open Day at Henley and was invigorated and inspired by the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching programme which I completed in 2020. Subsequently it was a natural step to complete the Team, Board and Systemic coaching in 2021.’

‘Through my work I encountered lots of teams, especially in my manufacturing clients, and it seemed like a natural extension of what I was doing to learn more about how I could adapt to team coaching.

‘I particularly wanted to understand how to develop team coaching skills in the face of multiple relationships and multiple interactions; to learn about the tools, techniques, and frameworks which allow you to support and nurture a team towards high performance.

‘Naturally, I came back to Henley, and enrolled on what was the first team coaching programme. It seemed as if we were breaking new ground, and I felt privileged to be a part of it. What I really loved was the way Henley professionalised this new area of coaching, giving me effective skills, tools, and techniques which gave me the confidence to offer my professional qualification as a Team Coach.

‘Firstly, I still interact with other members of my cohort, as I learned so much from every member of the group, through the mix of learning and practical workshop experience.

‘Acquiring the knowledge and understanding of the tools and techniques has given me a confidence to move my business forward and I’ve really enjoyed the transition to partnering with another coach and the collaborative experience of co-coaching. I’ve been on a huge personal journey, too, and have learned so much about my own strengths and skills through listening and reflection.

‘But it would be remiss of me not to mention the two course tutors – Paul Barbour and Lucy Widdowson – who are fantastic, and bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and insights to the group. I must commend Henley on the guest speakers, notably Professors Peter Hawkins, Andrew Clutterbuck and Andrew Kakabadse who add an extraordinary breadth and depth to the learning.

‘Our business is growing rapidly, and I continue to grow as a coach, benefiting from the experience and reflections I derive from the coaching interactions.

‘If you don’t know Henley, get along to an Open Day, engage, and be inspired! And be ready to go on a journey of self-discovery!’

Find out more about Henley's Professional Certificate in Team, Board and Systemic Coaching here.