MSI provide leadership development training as part of an ongoing programme of capacity building across the organisation. In addition external coaching is provided to help leaders embed their learning and make the personal changes needed to develop their confidence and capability. In this case a UK Day Unit Manager was looking for coaching support to explore new approaches in order to build a more effective team, manage her workload better and establish more positive working relationships.

Jacqueline worked with the Day Unit Manager to identify areas for development and establish clear goals for the coaching. Jacqueline used an assessment tool that looked at various aspects of the Day Unit Manager's life and helped her to focus on those areas that would have the most impact. She also showed the Day Unit Manager a tool to help her visualise what success would look like and to get a clearer picture of the changes she wanted to make both at work and in her personal life. During the course of four sessions (three 2-hour meetings and one 1-hour telephone call) Jacqueline helped the Day Unit Manager to develop new ways of approaching situations, apply the learning to real events and celebrate her successes.

The Day Unit Manager feels that she has developed:

• A deeper understanding of herself
• A greater range of influencing styles and an understanding of when these are best used
• Increased team member participation in change
• An effective and positive approach to managing demands on her time
• Getting more of the outcomes she wants
• A more positive way of communicating with colleagues and improved working relationships.

The Day Unit Manager commented "Coaching has given me the time and space to look at myself and think more deeply, It has been an exceptionally positive experience and given me scope to build on what I have learned."