1-1 Exec & Leadership Coaching: From Clarity to Impact
1-1 Exec & Leadership Coaching: From Clarity to Impact
‘I was frustrated with myself and getting nowhere fast with my team. They were capable, but they weren’t stepping up - and I was being quietly undermined by senior stakeholders. The strange part? I was gaining traction and recognition outside the organisation. Internally, I felt stuck. Coaching helped me realign, reset, and reclaim my voice as a sector lead’.
The paraphrased words of a Senior Leader and coachee of mine, after one programme of coaching. They have subsequently gone on to have two more.
Imagine
Imagine - if you had time to think—not just react?
To lead with presence—not pressure?
To reconnect with the version of you that knows exactly what matters most?
Most leaders don’t need more strategy decks or performance frameworks. They need something more human: a pause. A mirror. A space that helps them get clear—and someone in their corner asking the right questions at the right time.
That’s what a coaching journey with me offers.
A confidential, high-trust partnership designed to help you lead with clarity, courage, and lasting impact.
The 1- Leadership Arc: A Three-Phase Journey Built Around You
A1:1 coaching experience is typically delivered over 10–12 sessions. It forms the foundation of a wider leadership arc—from personal clarity to professional contribution and beyond.
Whether you’re stepping into a new role, facing increased complexity, or simply want to lead with more ease and alignment, the journey offers the space and structure to move forward intentionally.
Phase 1 – Clarity (Sessions 1–3)
In this first phase, we begin by slowing down - so you can see clearly.
Together, we define:
Your leadership goals - strategic, relational, and personal
The gap between where you are and where you want to be
What’s going on beneath the surface - identity, beliefs, values, mindset
Phase 1 Review
After session 3, we pause.
What’s working? What’s shifting?
What do you need from the next phase of the arc?
This checkpoint allows us to refocus and go deeper with purpose.
We also reflect on how the coaching partnership is working - what’s already useful, and how we can deepen the impact.
Phase 2 – Strategy (Sessions 4–6)
Now we move into forward motion. These sessions are practical, focused, and grounded in your real-world context.
We might work on:
Preparing for high-stakes meetings or presentations
Navigating complex relationships or stakeholder dynamics
Sharpening strategic thinking, prioritisation, or leadership rhythm
Each session is an interaction on the journey so far; ‘test and learn’ if you like.
Ad hoc sessions can be added where needed to support specific events or challenges.
Midpoint Review
After session 6, we pause. What’s working? What’s shifting?
What do you need from the second half of the arc?
This checkpoint allows us to refocus and go deeper with purpose similar the the phase 1 review - but with greater trust; higher challenge and support if needed.
How’s this working for you and what need to remain the same or change?
Phase 3 – Integration (Sessions 7–9)
This is where the deeper shift takes root.
You begin to:
Influence more confidently and clearly
Move through conflict or complexity with calm
Lead others without losing yourself
Find yourself and accept more challenge.
Future Focused Review - Ahead of Phase 4
As we approach the final stretch, I ask:
If we never worked together again, what would you want to get from our last session(s)?
This question helps surface what matters most—now—and sets up a meaningful close.
it’s amazing what comes up and out’’ when you add finality; not fear but urgency.
“I need a plan… I need to chat about what I’ve done and how I repeat it” or, as is often the case “I want to talk about what we do next - together”
No matter…
No matter the focus on the final phase and the final session itself, I will recommend we have a break of 2 -3 months between one programme and the next. A settling period, time for reflection and embedding.
The next programme will be even better.
You’ve grown, we’ve grown, your ambition has grown and you are ready for more.
Final Sessions (10–12): Continuity and Growth
You leave with:
Clear understanding of what’s changed—and how to keep it going
Anchors and practices to support your growth
A renewed sense of leadership presence and direction
Real Results from Real Leaders
I work a lot with qualitative feedback and meaure less quantitavly than you might expect; why - because my clients know when they are winning. but it’s important that you know I help you to deliver.
One of the main ways in which the value of my coaching practice evidences itself,along with greater work life balance and purposefulness, is through career progression.
This often comes as a result of greater clarity, enhanced performance and confidence - to Struve forward body, or to have rear influence on life, work and a thriving planet. Here are some high level examples of career progression of some of my climate in the past 2 years:
‘J’ recently secured a place on an international Charity Board.
‘Z’ moved from regional to Divisional Commercial Director in Banking
‘B’ progressed from programme lead to digital transformation director in the Public Sector
‘z’ moved from regional sales manager to MD in financial services.
‘K’ Secured Head of People role from Assistant Org Culture Lead in Public Sector
‘V’ progressed from Comms Director to Deputy Director General in Non - Profit
Fuller Case Studies…
I work with good people who want to lead great things; these may be as ambitious as effecting climate change, as restorative as creating a more human centred organisation or as meaningful as balancing a highly purposeful role with family life.
It’s important to me that you have a sense of what working with me might look, sound and feel like and so I’ve created some more detailed case studies below. They include some of the shifts ’ve helped to catalyse and embed, within one or two coaching programmes.
Anonymised as you’d expect; I hope they are useful.
1. Case Study: From Badge to Backbone
A senior leader had stepped into a new position with the title of Director—but their leadership presence hadn’t fully landed. The team were capable but overly reliant, waiting for instruction. Coaching uncovered patterns of over-functioning and self-doubt, and helped them find their footing as a confident, strategic leader. Over time, the team began taking ownership, exceeded delivery expectations, and operated with renewed pace and cohesion.
Read more HERE
2. Case Study: First 90 Days in a New Executive Role
A newly appointed executive entered coaching to shape a strong, values-led start. Rather than defaulting to urgency, they used coaching to define what they wanted to be known for. That clarity shaped how they engaged with the board, led culture, and built trust with their senior team. The organisation later gained national recognition for its transformation. The leader is now entering a new phase focused on balance and sustainability—without losing momentum.
Read more HERE
3. Case Study: Leading Sustainable Change in a Non-Profit
A senior leader and ‘quiet’ advocate for sustainability was seeking to grow their influence within a large non-profit organisation. Coaching helped them clarify their leadership stance, gain traction internally, and elevate their voice externally. Over time, they earned two promotions, became Chair of a charity, and began convening international events on ESG and impact. What began as quiet conviction grew into recognised sector leadership—rooted in values, not volume.
Read more HERE
4. Case Study: From Insight to Influence
A respected education leader and consultant working across digital transformation had a strong external presence—but lacked a clear articulation of their unique approach. Coaching helped them turn years of insight into a teachable, values-led methodology that now anchors their personal brand and sector influence. Alongside this, we worked on presence, congruence, and reducing over-adaptation. The result was a calmer, clearer leadership identity—supported by a growing platform for speaking, writing, and sector collaboration.
Read more HERE
Your First Step: A Free Inquisitive Session
If reading this and my case studies has ‘peaked’ your interest, I’d love to speak with you.
No pitch. No pressure.
Just space to explore what’s going on, what’s emerging, and where you might need support.
Whether or not you go ahead with a full programme, you’ll leave the session with greater clarity—and a deeper sense of what’s possible.
Drop me a note here stefan@stefanpowell.co.uk and we’ll arrange something.
Ask anything you want.
A Foundation for Something Bigger
If you wonder where this might lead? Ultimately these don’t have to be a stand-alone coaching programme. It’s actually the foundation of a broader arc.
An arc from personal insight to sector leadership and legacy; designed to grow good people who want to lead great things into the leaders they want to be and we need you to be.
Meet the Ocean
A full leadership model, which can either be a coaching or guided journey for good people from personal insight to systemic impact. From self-awareness to stewardship. From leadership to legacy.
Depending upon your starting point and based upon the outcomes of a pre wave diagnostic session; we can explore:
Team coaching to extend the impact
Peer group coaching across departments or sectors
Role-based or system-wide leadership development
Long-term stewardship and legacy work
You don’t need to know the whole journey yet. Who does?
But a coaching programme or a ‘meet the ocean’ diagnostic session, is a powerful place to begin.
Let’s Talk
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
As I’ve said; if reading this and my case studies has ‘peaked’ your interest, I’d love to speak with you.
No pitch. No pressure.
We can begin with:
A free inquisitive session
A tailored coaching proposal
Or simply a conversation to see what’s needed now
Because your next chapter deserves space, support, and clarity.
And every great leader deserves a moment to realign—before leading forward.
Stefan
Helping good people lead great things
If this resonated with you…
If this message resonates with you, and you’re one of the good people leading great things, let’s talk.
Get in touch and Book an inquisitive call here.- If any of this topic resonated with you and you have something you’d like to share with me or if you’d like to discuss working with me on this topic - stefan@stefanpowell.co.uk works really well for me.
Connect with me on linked in and read my long form posts on the rotating topics of Work, Rest. Play, Sustenance and Love every Thursday
Sign up to my newsletter ‘Be The Waves” here - which collates each weeks long form post on a monthly basis and you’ll get to read it later in the month
Book an inquisitive session with me to find out more about what I do and how I do it or run a challenge or thought you have passed me.
For now; thank you.
Stefan
An executive coach who specialises in helping good people lead great things.
Good people care about others, our planet and beauty. Great things are changes for the betterment of society and all that lives within an around it.
It sounds big and fun - it is.
I'm also an endurance racing cyclist, award winning musician and coffee house founder - a go getter.
You can read more about me and what I do; how I work here