Claire Moody

Executive coaching has become one of the most widely used professional development tools in organisations today.

Yet many people still feel unsure about what an executive coach does, in fact what is an executive?

Some people imagine coaching is just a motivational conversation. Others assume it is only for senior executives or people who are struggling.

In reality, executive coaching is much simpler and much more practical than most people think.

An executive coach helps people build clarity, confidence and progress through structured conversation and reflection.

In this article, we explain what an executive coach does, what happens in coaching, and why the process is so effective.

If you would like to explore our executive coaching course options, you can view them here.

In This Article You Will Learn

In this article, you will learn what an executive coach does in practice, how coaching sessions work, what a coach does and does not do, and why coaching is such an effective support for

Executive coaching has become one of the most searched development tools in the professional world, and it’s easy to understand why.

Work has become faster, more demanding and more complex. People are expected to deliver results, manage relationships, stay confident under pressure and keep improving, often without much space to pause and think clearly.

That is where executive coaching comes in.

Executive coaching is not a luxury or a vague conversation. It is a practical, structured process that helps people build clarity, confidence and sustainable progress in their professional lives.

In this article, we’ll explore the real benefits of executive coaching and why so many individuals and organisations now invest in it.

If you would like to explore our executive coaching course options, you can view them here:

In This Article You Will Learn

In this article, you will learn what executive coaching is, why it works so well, and the key benefits people experience over time. You will also understand

Coaching has become one of the most effective development tools used in organisations today. Yet even now, many people still aren’t fully sure what coaching actually involves.

Some people assume coaching is just a “nice chat”. Others think it’s only for senior leaders. And many people feel nervous about it because they don’t want to look like they’re struggling.

So let’s make it simple and clear.

Coaching is a structured process that helps people build clarity, confidence and action.

This article explains what happens in coaching, what to expect, and why it works. If you’ve ever considered coaching (or you’re being offered it through work), this will help you understand what the process really looks like. Take a look at our coaching services here, there are a few variations

In This Article You Will Learn

In this article, you will learn what happens in a coaching session, how coaching works over time, what a coach does (and doesn’t do unless asked), what you can talk about even if you feel

Military spouses and partners may face multifaceted barriers to finding and maintaining work. These challenges are not caused by a lack of ability, ambition or motivation. They are often shaped by the demands of military life, frequent change, and the reality of living around postings, tours, and unpredictable timelines.

Relocation, limited childcare availability, isolation, mental health pressures and gaps in accessible training can create a cycle where career progression becomes disrupted and confidence gradually drops. It is common for military partners to feel like they are always restarting, always rebuilding, and always trying to find stability in a lifestyle that rarely stays still.

The ILM recognised Empowering Military Partner Programme exists to change that. We provide employability support that is practical, supportive and realistic. The course includes coaching, led by Claire, look here to find out more. Because military partners deserve careers that work alongside military

Through my coaching experience one of the biggest misconceptions about coaching is that it is only for people who are struggling, failing, or “not coping.” This is not true, in reality, coaching is often most effective for people who are already performing well but want more clarity, better focus, stronger confidence, and more consistent progress.

In fast-paced workplaces, people can feel stuck even when they are capable. They may appear productive on the outside, yet internally they are dealing with overthinking, stress, dips in motivation, or uncertainty about direction.

So coaching offers a structured space to slow down, reflect, and create an action plan that supports personal development and sustainable results.

As we all know coaching is not about being told what to do. It is about strengthening thinking, building self-awareness, and improving decision making so that change becomes intentional, not reactive. Tand there is nothing wrong with mentoring in the same

One of the biggest misconceptions about decision making is that better decisions come from having more information, more experience, or more confidence. In reality, the quality of our decisions is often shaped by the quality of the questions we ask ourselves and others.

In fast-paced, high-pressure environments, decisions are frequently made reactively. Powerful coaching questions slow the moment just enough to create clarity, challenge assumptions and support more intentional, values-based decision making. This is why powerful questioning sits at the heart of effective coaching, leadership and performance.

In This Article You Will Learn

• What a powerful question is in coaching
• How powerful coaching questions influence decision making
• Why powerful questioning is critical in high-pressure environments
• Examples of powerful coaching questions used in decision making
• How great leaders and managers use powerful questions to support clarity and ownership

What Do We Mean by “Powerful Questions”?

One of the biggest misconceptions in management is that coaching requires long conversations, complicated frameworks, or becoming a professional coach. In reality, coaching skills for managers are practical workplace skills that help employees think for themselves, take ownership and commit to action. When done well, coaching improves performance, confidence and relationships, without adding unnecessary paperwork.

In This Article You Will Learn

• Coaching skills for managers are about creating the right intervention, so the employee owns the outcome
• Coaching is not therapy, and it is not the same as mentoring or giving advice
• The most effective managers coach through listening, emotional intelligence and powerful feedback, not by talking more

What Do We Mean by “Coaching Skills for Managers”?

Coaching skills for managers are the communication and intervention skills used to help employees think, reflect and act, without the manager solving the problem for them. The manager creates the conditions

New Year’s Eve carries a particular kind of energy. It sits quietly between what has already happened and what feels possible next. In leadership, coaching and training, this moment is often framed around change, goals and resolutions. But that familiar approach isn’t always the most helpful.

For coaches, trainers and leaders, New Year’s Eve offers a different opportunity: reflection without pressure, learning without judgement, and development without urgency.

This article explores how taking a different angle at the year’s end can lead to stronger coaching conversations and more sustainable learning in the year ahead.

In This Article, You Will Learn

• Why New Year’s Eve is a powerful moment for coaching reflection
• How end-of-year pressure can undermine learning and development
• What a healthier coaching focus looks like at this time of year
• How reflection strengthens performance more than rushed goal-setting
• Practical coaching questions to use as the new year begins
• How leaders can support

Training is essential. It builds knowledge, introduces new ideas, and gives people the tools they need to perform better.

Training is essential. It builds knowledge, introduces new ideas, and gives people the tools they need to perform better.
But there’s a hard truth many organisations overlook:

Training alone doesn’t change behaviour.
Coaching does.

People don’t automatically behave differently because they know something.
Behaviour changes when people think differently, take ownership, and apply the learning consistently, and that’s exactly where coaching makes the difference.

This guide explains why training on its own isn’t enough and shows how coaching transforms skills into real-world habits that last.

In This Article, You Will Learn

• Why training often fails to change behaviour
• The difference between learning knowledge and changing habit
• How coaching turns training into daily action
• What happens when organisations combine both
• Practical principles to drive real behaviour change

Coaching is now a core leadership skill, but that doesn’t mean it comes naturally. Many managers want to coach well, yet unintentionally fall into habits that block thinking, reduce ownership or create dependency. These coaching mistakes are common, understandable, and easy to fix, but only when managers know what to look for.
This guide highlights the most common coaching mistakes and shows you how to avoid them, so you can strengthen your coaching conversations immediately.

In This Article, You Will Learn

• The most common coaching mistakes managers make
• Why these mistakes block learning and ownership
• What effective coaching actually looks like
• How small changes improve performance and confidence
• The key principles that prevent coaching from becoming “telling”
• Simple techniques you can use right away

What Do We Mean by “Coaching Mistakes”?

Coaching mistakes are the habits that take a conversation away from genuine coaching and into something else, teaching, advising, directing, fixing,