Executive Coaching that makes you uncomfortable in the right way

Most leaders already know what they should do. The problem is what stops them. We work on that.

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Senior executive looking out over a city from a modern office

87%

of clients report clearer decision-making within 8 weeks

14 yrs

coaching directors and senior leadership teams

6–9

sessions is the typical engagement length

340+

executives coached across 12 industries

How an engagement actually works

Diagnostic call (free, 30 minutes)

We talk about what brought you here. No pitch, no frameworks. I want to understand the specific tension you are living with: the decision you keep deferring, the dynamic that drains you, the gap between how you lead and how you want to lead.

Structured assessment

Before we begin formal sessions, I send a short written exercise and, if relevant, a 360-degree feedback tool. This gives us data rather than assumptions. You will see patterns you have been too close to notice.

Fortnightly coaching sessions

Each session runs 75 minutes, either in person in Scotland or over video. We work on real situations from your week. I will push back when your thinking is circular, and I will stay quiet when you need space to arrive at your own answer.

Between-session practice

Coaching that only happens in a room does not transfer. Between sessions you will run small experiments: a conversation you have been avoiding, a new way of opening a meeting, a deliberate pause before reacting. We review what happened.

Close-out and review

At the end of the engagement, we measure change against the original assessment. You leave with a written summary of your patterns, blind spots and the strategies that worked. Some clients return for a tune-up six months later. Many do not need to.

What we coach

The first 90 days in a board-level or C-suite position set the tone for years. We focus on reading the political landscape quickly, identifying the two or three relationships that will define your success, and deciding what to change versus what to leave alone. This is not about a generic onboarding plan; it is about making the right calls under pressure when you do not yet have full context.
A recurring conflict with your chair, a peer who undermines you in meetings, a direct report who is talented but corrosive. These situations eat time and energy. We analyse the dynamic structurally, test different approaches in session, and track what shifts. Sometimes the answer is confrontation; sometimes it is redesigning how you interact entirely.
At senior level, most decisions involve incomplete information and conflicting priorities. If you find yourself over-analysing, seeking consensus when you should be leading, or committing too fast and regretting it, we work on your decision architecture. What information do you actually need? What is the cost of delay versus the cost of being wrong? We build a repeatable process that matches your role.
Some leaders are brilliant thinkers who lose the room when they speak. Others dominate so forcefully that their teams stop contributing. We work on the specifics: how you open a board presentation, how you handle challenge, how you give feedback that actually lands. This is granular, practical work, not personality theory.
You are performing well by every external measure, but the cost is climbing. Sleep is poor. Weekends are not restful. You snap at people you care about. We look at what is driving the overwork: is it structural (the role genuinely requires too much), psychological (you cannot delegate without anxiety), or cultural (the organisation rewards martyrdom)? The answer determines the intervention.
Executive coach in a study with bookshelves

Who you will be working with

I am David Hargreaves. Before coaching, I spent 11 years in operational leadership roles in financial services and energy, including four years as COO of a mid-cap listed company. I understand the pressures of senior leadership because I have lived them.

I trained with the Tavistock Institute in London, hold an ICF PCC credential, and have completed advanced training in systemic team coaching through the Academy of Executive Coaching. I supervise my practice quarterly.

I live in Scotland and work with clients across the UK. Most sessions happen over video, but I am happy to meet in person when it matters.

Questions people actually ask

How is this different from therapy?

Coaching focuses on professional performance and forward-looking change. I do not diagnose or treat mental health conditions. If something comes up in our work that suggests therapy would be more appropriate, I will say so directly and can recommend practitioners.

Can my organisation pay for this?

Yes, and most clients are sponsored by their employer. I provide a proposal document and, if needed, a three-way contracting session with your HR director or line manager to agree objectives and confidentiality boundaries.

What does it cost?

A six-session engagement costs £4,800 plus VAT. That includes the diagnostic call, assessment, all sessions, and the written close-out review. Longer or more intensive programmes are quoted individually.

Do you coach teams as well as individuals?

I do, though the format is different. Team coaching typically involves half-day sessions with the full leadership team, combined with individual sessions for the team leader. Get in touch and I will explain the structure.

What if we are not a good fit?

That is what the diagnostic call is for. Chemistry matters in coaching. If I am not the right person for you, I will tell you and suggest someone who might be. There is no fee for the initial conversation.

Start a conversation

The diagnostic call is free and takes about 30 minutes. Tell me a little about your situation and I will get back to you within one working day.

1 Alvis Wynd, Great Gislason-Krajcikbury, Scotland, QT02 6AZ, United Kingdom
+44 1256 901471
[email protected]