David Ashley

Executive Coach and Paternity/Adoption Specialist

David is interested in working with individuals who are looking to take their leadership to the next level or entering into a leadership role for the first time. He enjoys working with leaders of all levels to help them identify their purpose, realise their potential and achieve their personal goals.

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Background

David moved into consultancy having previously worked at Head of Learning and Development and Head of Management Development level. He has coached within the retail, media, airline and insurance sectors. He has over 15 years of experience of coaching in both one-to-one and team scenarios. David is comfortable coaching at all levels of leadership and has worked extensively with those both new to leadership roles and those with the potential to progress further. David brings his expertise in wider executive development within the commercial arena to his coaching relationships. He has also been responsible for developing various organisations’ own coaching process and offer as well as upskilling internal coaches.

Coaching Style

David has an informal, supportive style which focuses on helping the individual to identify and maximise their strengths, whilst also challenging their thinking to consider where they have the opportunity to stretch their skills and performance. David’s approach to coaching is highly positive and practical, helping the individual to develop clear goals with creative and realistic strategies to achieve them.

My coaching clients talk about my energy and enthusiasm, the focus I give them and how I help them move from the conceptual to the practical application, never losing sight of their overall business and personal goals.

Special Interests

David brings his own experience of taking extended paternity and adoption leave whilst working for a FTSE 100 company to his coaching. David is also able to draw on the knowledge he has gained from attending various adoption UK seminars and events that look at the challenges unique to parenting an adopted child. He is also interested in exploring the unique challenges that parenting an adopted child can bring.

Qualifications

David holds a BA (hons) in Business Studies (with a focus on Learning and Development), is a member of the Association for Coaching, and is BPS level A and B qualified to feedback on various psychometric tools e.g. 16PF, MBTI, Emotional Intelligence.

Clients

Since joining Executive Coaching David’s clients include RBS , Deutsche Bank and Allen & Overy.

His other clients include ASOS, White Stuff, Easyjet, HMV, Waterstones and The Arcadia Group.

Testimonials

David is an inspirational coach who energises all those lucky enough to be coached by him. If you are looking for someone to head up your learning and development function, not only will you get someone who can lead by example, you will get a great team player who will very quickly earn the respect of everyone around him.”

Retail Operations Director at HMV

“David had an enormously positive impact upon my career. As my mentor whilst GM at Waterstones Gower Street, he gave me the improvement focus I required to take my career to Regional Manager level. Later when our paths crossed on various projects, I was always hugely impressed by the creativity of his thinking and his deep understanding of learning methods and how to apply them to differing business challenges.”

Regional Manager, Blackwell’s UK Limited