"Jim is a fantastic coach. He’s incredibly knowledgeable about what motivates you, and takes the time to really listen and understand your concerns.
While he probably knows what is probably bothering you or clogging you, he walks you through the steps that makes it a process of self-discovery. This is ultimately the most effective way, rather than being told what he thinks is the answer.
I find working with Jim a real pleasure and I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone."
MA, Airline Strategy Executive, London
Welcome.
My name is Jim Pirrie, and I've been a coach since around 2004.
I'm based right here in the Ashdown Forest (in Forest Row), and although most of my coaching is done over video or telephone I'm happy to work in person with local clients, at your home or office.
Who I work with...
I work with individuals who are highly motivated to make a change in their businesses and their lives.
Times of opportunity. Times when there's a goal to reach. Times of transition. Times of change.
Perhaps times of uncertainty. Times of challenge. Times of reflection.
Times when you're staring up at the cliff, and you could really do with someone to help you work out the next handhold.
And maybe times when the road just seems long and just a bit too winding.
The first thing to say is that business coaching is positive, forward-looking and practical. Working with a business coach is a serious and proactive commitment to the creation of a fulfilling, rewarding and successful future for your business, for yourself and for those around you.
That begs the question, of course, of 'what do we mean by success?'!
And that's an important thing to explore, because we are bombarded by powerful messages trying to impose other people's idea of 'success' upon us. .
We are encouraged to build million-pound businesses, achieve 'extraordinary' business growth (whatever that is) and to be 'entrepreneurial'.
Actually, what most business owners really want is a good, solid, steady, reliable business that's growing at a rate they can handle and is scalable to the point they are comfortable.
A business that will be profitable and resilient enough to support you and your family, and perhaps even valuable enough to sell when the time comes.
And, of course, business life is never without challenges. Most people do their best to face those challenges alone, assuming that they can work it out for themselves or simply struggle on through, and learn, eventually, the hard way, from personal experience.
That can be a long road, and coaching offers you a short-cut. Not always an easy ride! But definitely a short-cut.
What To Expect...
Whether you choose me as a coach, or someone else, here's what you should expect from an effective coach:
Your coach will help you to get under the skin of situations and see the reality of what's going on. He will challenge your assumptions. He will question the stories you tell yourself about yourself. He will help you to explore and understand your own behavioural preferences and habits, and will help you to make the best of the best and try new strategies on for size where the opportunity presents itself.
He will bring an unbiased outside perspective, as well as a whole wealth of proven experience, tools and strategies that are immediately available to you.
He will encourage you to commit to the actions you want to take, and he will hold you accountable.
He will help you to acknowledge and celebrate your successes. He will be there for you through the toughest of times.
He will encourage you to live life on your own terms, instead of being blown hither and thither by the will and prejudices of other people.
Coaching is not about driving you to 'achieve' more.
Coaching is about supporting your commitment to living the most fulfilling, rewarding and 'successful' life you can. Successful in business, successful in life.
Whatever that 'success' might mean for you.
The Practicalities...
Coaching engagements typically work on the basis of a three or six month agreement, working together on whatever cadence works for the client, most often for an hour every other week.
That's a big commitment on both parts, so it's really important for both client and coach to feel comfortable with each other, and to feel they will be able to establish and build a strong, secure and trusting working relationship right from the word go.
To that end the usual process is to have a short fifteen-minute call to establish the initial connection, and then to schedule a free, no-obligation full-length coaching session which can last anything up to an hour and a half. That's long enough for both parties to agree that they both want to continue the conversation.
It's long enough to genuinely explore one or more issues that have brought the client to coaching, and it's also long enough to understand the quality of rapport between coach and client.
At the end of that first coaching session, we jointly make the decision whether to continue the conversation.
If you want to schedule a quick fifteen-minute chat then just drop me an email at jim@jimpirrie.com, or call me on 01342 537678, and we can take it from there. It's free, and there's no expectation or obligation involved. Just a chat.
About Me (briefly)...
I hold an MBA from one of the UK's leading business schools, I have 20 years corporate experience, and since starting my own business in 2001 my clients have included the highest level of many of the world's leading professional services firms in the UK and overseas, local business owners, and everything inbetween.
I've been a Certified NLP Coach and Master Practitioner since 2004, having trained with one of the UK's leading coach training schools. I've also trained with some of the world's leading trainers and practitioners, indeed with several of the co-founders of NLP including Robert Dilts, Judith DeLozier, Suzi Smith and Tim Halbom. I've been a member of the International Coaching Federation, the world's leading professional body for coaches, since that time.
"Jim is an outstanding person. He can change individuals' lives for the better and empower them both personally and professionally with what they need to take the next step in the right direction."
DC, Chief Operating Officer, London