TESTIMONIALS

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

In August 2021 we started to ask the coachees we work with to score our programmes, building a good volume of feedback by the end of that year. Those scores are updated here every six months as more feedback is received. The scores are included below for your information along with the date they were last updated on our website.

“How did you rate your experience on our programme?” – 5.0/5.0
“How much did the programme help you with your objectives?” - 4.9/5.0

Last update - March 2024..

WHAT OUR COACHEES ARE SAYING

“The programe that Ade has created allowed me to benefit from a great space to reflect and work through different approaches to professional challenges.

Ade has the ability to be both reflective himself, but challenging of orthodoxies and approaches in a constructive manner. This allows a truly two way dialogue of respect to develop new and tweaked approaches to the particular challenges.

I would definitely recommend Ade as a great coach to work with as his empathy really tunes into the person at the other end of the conversation. Having been involved in many coaching courses previously I feel Ade’s was definitely one of the most successful programmes that I've experienced.”

Associate Director, Commercial - Data Consultancy

“I've thoroughly enjoyed working with Ade over the past 6 months. Having been on leadership courses and used goal frameworks in the past, this has been the most practical and transformative for me.

I found Ade's coaching style to be the right balance of supportive but challenging, he really encouraged me to question myself further, and think deeper than I usually would, which resulted in outcomes I definitely wouldn't have achieved without his help.

The programme was pitched as "collaborative, solution focussed and results-oriented" and that's exactly how it felt. As someone who responds better to visual and practical methods of learning, the programme felt authentic and highly relevant to my goals.

Ade is incredibly warm, encouraging and trustworthy, and I particularly enjoyed the clarity he offers in his communication. Agreeing on working agreements, boundaries and commitments is a key part of the programme to ensure success.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ade and the programme to others.”

Operations Director - Digital Marketing Agency

“I really enjoyed my experience with North Peak Consulting. Ade creates a really effective environment for being able to understand and apply my own expertise better to achieve the outcomes I wanted. I would definitely recommend this company to others.”

Chief Technology Officer - Data Consultancy

“Working with Ade has challenged my thinking about myself and helped me to craft practical solutions that have made my existing strengths more effective in the workplace.”

MD - Marketing Agency (Technical Development)

“I started working with Ade during a challenging period.

After each session, I came away re-energised. Confident in my approach, or with new techniques to experiment with.

I could never decide what I found most useful about our sessions...

Was it allowing myself time to focus on these sticky situations?

Was it talking through problems with someone outside of the company, with no fear of my words being repeated to others?

Or is it that Ade is a professional coach, able to flex his approach to provide what you need at the time, regardless of the situation?

I hope more people get to experience Ade's positive, strengths-based conversations. And I hope, they find them as useful and actionable as I did.”

Senior Data Engineer - Data Consultancy

“Having never worked with a coach before, Ade provided a very structured and easy to follow process which helped to guide me in setting objectives, breaking them down and thinking of different ways to approach different situations. As part of the 6 session program, we worked through a series of areas including EQi, leadership style, approaching change within a business and more.

Ade is very personable and easy to work with, he's good at providing feedback on how to think about things in a different light and mains strong focus. I have enjoyed working with Ade as a coach and would have no hesitation in recommending him to others who are looking for hone their skillset.”

MD - Marketing Agency (Technical Development)

“North Peak helped me understand what I need to focus on in order to improve my job performance and satisfaction. With Ade's guidance I was able to build a picture of what an excellent tech lead looked like, specific to my environment, and how through the utilisation of my existing strengths, I could work towards that ideal.

What I have achieved working with North Peak not only benefits me, but also my colleagues and wider team. I am better prepared to face the challenges that come with my role, and I can use what I have learned to help others develop too. I thoroughly enjoyed Ade's coaching style, our explorative discussions challenged my assumptions, altered my perspective and clarified my understanding of what I needed to focus on to excel in my work.”

Technical Lead - Data Consultancy

“Ade is an open, engaging and creative Executive Coach. Ade's programme has a structure which enables objectives to be set at the start, and then check in on milestones throughout the programme. The programme utilises different analysis frameworks to provide structure to the coaching, and impartial analysis of ones sub personalities, ways of working, areas of strengths etc to maximise ones potential. I would recommend Ade as a Executive Coach for someone who is looking for structured professional development utilising the latest techniques in a creative and relaxed atmosphere.”

MD - Marketing Agency (Search)

“Ade is intuitive and a wonderful listener. He is highly skilled at helping me to re-set any challenge into a positive opportunity with a positive outcome. Ade asks penetrating questions which consistently take my thinking to a deeper level, enabling me to unlock thoughtful, pragmatic solutions. Ade identified the best in me and has helped me to build a plan that puts my strengths and passions to work for the benefit of my business, my team and me. I have worked with Ade on a variety of opportunities from pragmatic business planning to understanding and powering my own leadership style particularly in challenging situations. Ade doesn't give his opinions or supply answers, he provides the framework and applies his skills to facilitate you finding the solutions. Coaching with Ade has had a significant impact on my year, both my success and my enjoyment.”

MD - Performance Marketing Agency

“Being new to Technical Leadership, the programme assisted me with me identifying my core strengths in order to build a toolkit of skills for leading a high performing team. At times this was also to identify personal traits which may in the future hinder my progression as a leader and equip me with exercises and techniques to self-manage these and turn these into a positive.

Given that the team is whom I am leading is in its infancy, it has been crucial that the team has the right start in order to meet their on-going objectives and KPIs for the business. The programme has inspired and allowed me to plan and think how I can best enable the team to deliver on objectives.

I have particularly found the non-directive coaching style which Ade adopts to be useful to allow me to guide the key objectives which were important for me to achieve during the programme. Not only through the power of discussion of my current challenges and applying a tool kit of skills to approach these, I was able to continue to develop these skills between coaching sessions as part of my day to day work.

Having now completed the programme with Ade; I now feel I have a greater insight into how I want to develop as a leader, have an accompanying skills toolbox to do so, as well as seeing some early positive results through acting as a leader to my team.”

Technical Operations Manager - Data Consultancy

“The programme made a significant difference with how I approached the challenges faced in a new role. By breaking down my business & personal objectives into manageable, task-orientated sessions, we were able to identify clear areas of focus and make progress against each. This has helped me understand my role and make strides forward in the value I can add, particularly in those areas that don't always come naturally to me.

Having used a coach previously, I found working with Ade to be a highly positive experience. He is an excellent listener but provides guidance where appropriate, as well as helping to frame each session and conversation within it.

I would highly recommend Ade to anyone who is looking to further their data career but isn't sure how to approach this from a non-technical perspective.”

Data Science Director - Data Science Consultancy

“I have always been a little dubious about coaching as it has never really worked for me or landed as effectively as I would have wanted. This all changed when I started to work with Ade, it was all about what I needed to hear and understand, not just running through a set of well-worn ideas, and this was key. The whole programme made a big difference for me, and Ade’s style was just perfect for what I needed. Open and challenging questions which made me realise a lot of things I already knew and a lot that I didn’t. I honestly could not recommend this more highly, I have grown and got better and what I do, how I do it and how I manage myself through this. I think everyone would benefit from what Ade brings and the way he does it.”

Chief Architect - Data Consultancy

“I thoroughly enjoyed my sessions with Ade for several reasons. Coaching can be tricky in the sense that you are challenged to think and actually find time to do so for your self as well but the way Ade handled the sessions ensured a smooth session aiming at getting value out each time. The topics we discussed were generic enough to be able to draw the big picture of a problem or a situation, but at the same time, specific enough to be able to extract actionable points to progress work. I also enjoyed taking part at the EQ-i 2.0 assessment and have a benchmark report of how I experience work-place situations. Again, Ade's coaching around specific EQ-i 2.0 points was more than valuable. I would highly reccomend taking part in this programme with Ade as I am sure the outcome would be of great value for all levels of leadership.”

Senior Engineering Manager - Data Consultancy

“To begin with, I was unsure of the value of a coaching relationship, but after the initial session I could immediately see the benefit.  Ade’s coaching style is supportive, open and honest so knew I could trust him to guide me in the right way – with unquestionable confidentiality.  I particularly liked the ‘moments of clarity’ that came about as a result of our conversations. 

The coaching sessions gave me the time and head space to really consider my future – something which would ordinarily get deprioritised. As a result, I feel much more in control and have got some tangible actions to move me forward.  I’d 100% recommend this programme and Ade as a coach.”

Data & Analytics Leader – UK Bank

“I've found the programme thoroughly rewarding, both from a personal and professional perspective. It's helped identify, hone in on, and develop my management style and inter-personal communications. It's made me understand more about myself, so I can work more effectively with others. And I believe it's made me a much more rounded, commercial and empathetic leader. Ade has been brilliant. His coaching style is relaxed and focusses on the areas you wish to improve. He has a brilliant ability to listen, playback and create scenarios that help bring out the best in you. He's also a thoroughly nice bloke to work with. Yes, I'd be more than happy to recommend Ade and this programme to others.”

Executive Creative Director - Creative Marketing Agency

“The programme went beyond my expectations, and the flexibility to in each session to work through relevant and real situations was hugely valuable in giving me more tools to be a more effective leader. The self reflection tools, coaching tools, and alternative perspectives / approaches were stand out. Ade was great to work with, very personable, a good listener, humble and easy to work with. Would highly recommend Ade”

Managing Partner - Corporate Finance

“I have worked with a couple of coaches in the past and have previously found the experience somewhat "cookie cutter" in nature which resulted in limited practical takeaways. This was absolutely not the case with Ade.

Ade really gets to the bottom of what you are wanting to achieve, he makes sure the objective/s are clear and then ensures the sessions are pointed in that direction. It is very easy to go off on tangents with coaching however Ade was great at bringing the conversation back to the real objective/s. This ensures by the end of the programme you have made real, tangible change.

The frameworks really stick with you and I found myself referencing back to them several weeks and months after we had originally discussed them. I genuinely believe I look at and work through situations very differently as a result of working with Ade.

Ade asks powerful questions, he challenges you however it never feels like you are being judged. He is also great at summarising and boiling a 90 minute session down to a concise handful of clear takeaways which I found hugely useful.

I would absolutely recommend the North Peak Consulting without hesitation.”

MD - Performance Marketing Agency (International)

“Ade is an excellent listener and we quickly developed an open and honest relationship. There is never any judgement which allows you to speak your mind and challenge your own thinking. I would recommend him to anyone seeking to overcome professional challenges and optimise their performance and job satisfaction.”

Partner - Corporate Finance

“As someone new to the world of coaching I had reservations about how the process would actually provide tangible benefit for both my employer and me as an individual. Within the first 2 sessions I was completely sold on the programme and how the blend of critical self-reflection alongside some really workable strategies for reframing my approach to situations would be of benefit.

Ade has a brilliant manner that made me feel relaxed and comfortable opening up without fear of judgement. In creating that space we were then able to really explore and get to the drivers behind decisions I was making in order to make either smarter ones, or rethink my entire approach.

I wouldn't hesitate in recommending Ade and his programme to my peer group, and within my organisation as something that not only will benefit the individual, but also directly have an impact on driving actionable change to things within the business.”

Client Services Director - Digital Marketing Agency

“I was coached by Ade earlier this year and I cannot recommend him enough! As a HR professional I have worked with and experienced lots of different coaches but Ade really is a stand out professional.  His approach is structured, intelligent and drives real ownership.  He has this unique combination of being able to create a warm, engaging and comfortable environment but with a laser sharp focus on delivering results. 

Ade has an amazing ability to allow you to explore hidden depths and draws out what is required to achieve meaningful outcomes and true business impact. Ade really does bring purpose and impact to coaching in a way that I haven’t seen this delivered before.  He is a real joy to be around and I always really enjoyed our sessions.”

VP People - Financial Services

“This was my first experience of coaching and I must say I was very impressed by it. I found it both challenging and enjoyable, with Ade guiding me to think in a different way and push me out of my comfort zone (in a good way!). By setting clear objectives at the start I was able to gain clear insight into how I can go about achieving those. I would recommend coaching and Ade to my peers.”

CFO - Listed business

“My coaching experience with Ade has had a tangible and significant impact on my work life.  Working with Ade I have uncovered my sense of purpose and grown in confidence. Having a deeper understanding of myself, my strengths and how to use them, has been empowering.  Together we have also identified pragmatic solutions to managing challenges, making me more focused and efficient.”   

Director - Data Science

“As my first experience of coaching, I didn’t quite know what to expect or how it could improve me as a leader. I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of my sessions with Ade and the immediate boost it gave to my confidence and performance levels. He listened carefully and immediately understood my challenges but rather than providing direct advice and guidance, he very cleverly steered me towards formulating the solutions myself. I highly recommend Ade – he’s opened up my eyes to coaching and has a clear talent for it.”

Risk Analytics Director - Financial Services

“This is the first time I've been through a programme like this and quite simply, I've found the whole process immeasurably constructive and rewarding.

There's a lot that resonated with me over our sessions but on reflection, one phrase stuck out: "no judgement." Ade would preface each session with this and while I think it speaks to the welcoming and open discourse that Ade encourages, it also frames an important aspect of the sessions themselves: that this is not a place to be graded and moulded but one of recognition, acceptance and development.

With a clear set of objectives, created at the start, forming the basis of each of our sessions, Ade, much to his credit, given my wandering train of thought was always clear to make certain our conversations were pertinent and contributed to the exploration of ways in which I could best achieve those objectives. In that vein, I found the use of an EQ-i 2.0 assessment early in the programme surprisingly useful while it was never relied on as any kind of inviolate truth, it proved a useful framework on which to hang later conversations.

As someone progressing in a leadership position, my engagement with North Peak Consulting has been a rewarding experience; one for which I am the better and one which I entirely recommend.”

Senior Engineering Manager - Data Consultancy

“Ade has been great at helping me to realise my strengths and areas of improvement across a number of key leadership traits. Ade’s ability to understand situations and subsequently tease out solutions through clear playback and interactive coaching has helped me to pinpoint solutions that I was able to leverage immediately. The feedback Ade has provided to me has also helped me to really make the most of my leadership style.  Myself and Ade developed a good rapport, where Ade very quickly understood how I operate as a leader. This helped me to really focus on key areas of improvement which Ade would always compliment with insightful feedback and viewpoints built upon experience.  The format of the programme was good and a positive change in my leadership has been observed by key stakeholders, I would recommend it.”

Chief Engineer - Data Consultancy

“Ade has helped me to develop a clear vision for my role and enable me to plot a course that will take me from an experienced consultative closer, to a well rounded Commercial Director. I now have a plan that I can continue to evolve and execute against and I'm confident these building blocks will enable me to progress in the next phase of my career.”

Commercial Director - Marketing Agency

“I was slightly reluctant when the idea of working with a coach was floated around. I have undertaken many different management training sessions and workshops over the years and have never found them to be much use in a practical setting. They aren't catered to you, they all use the same language and exercises and are easily forgotten a day or 2 later.

North Peak Consulting couldn't be further from that. Ade is friendly, engaging and gets to know you as a person. He focuses on your strengths and utilizes them in a way that allows you to identity areas that need to develop and he gives you the tools to work on them. I could feel the way I approached problems change for the better as we continued with our sessions. My outlook on challenges changed, not only in work but in every day life as well. I would thoroughly recommend any Managers working within Data engineering/Data Science to speak to consider engaging with North Peak Consulting.”

Engineering Manager - Data Consultancy

"I worked with Ade for just over 3 months, during this time Ade has helped me to focus on both my immediate and long term objectives.  I’ve learned how to reframe the work I am doing, identifying clear markers as to actually being on the correct path of my career.

From small everyday challenges to larger development reconsiderations, Ade has a great knack of being able to help me to realise my own potential, and also provide the clarity, confidence and headspace to grow as a leader. 

As a coach, Ade has helped me to reflect on my leadership style, identifying areas for improvement. He created a safe, yet challenging coaching environment whilst always taking the time to stay current and focused on the specifics of my role and how I could improve.

Ade has a wealth of experience and yet channels this in a really insightful manner, which enables him to succinctly analyse the key issues. I was incredibly impressed with Ade’s ability to listen to what was said, and not said, then replaying back my ramblings in a coherent way, which help trigger positive and meaningful discussions. This was balanced with the perfect degree of penetrating questions that pushed me further into uncovering new perspectives around my own approaches.     

As a result, I have been able to pinpoint areas for change, reappraise situations with a new lens, and apply action in a different way.  Ade also was incredibly accommodating in fitting around my day to day role which could change daily.  I will truly value his insight, direction and personal attention."

Group Account Director - Creative Agency

“When I started working with Ade I was totally confused about where to go next in my career. Ade created a supportive and stimulating coaching environment in which I was able to think more deeply than I have in a long time. I am now feeling more connected with my career, with a renewed sense of passion and excitement. It was an intense but thoroughly rewarding experience.”

Leader - Software Engineering

“I came to each session not sure what we would find to talk about for an hour. But each time we met we found plenty to get stuck into. The sessions enabled me to take time out of work and really think through what I had on, what the objectives were and what I need to improve. Ade always put me at ease and found a good way to get into the topics. I particularly enjoyed the times he would float an idea or a technique that would help. Definitely recommend - but if you are doing make sure you build in time to do it justice”

Partner - Corporate Finance

“I have found the coaching programme very helpful and have already found several useful skills and techniques, which I have already taken and implemented in a way that has been useful and supportive in several areas of my job. In particular, I found several tangible things that I could implement and see how they could support my development.

Ade was great as a coach, particularly good at listening, clarifying then playing back a problem in a logical way, whilst adapting his hypothesis if he had misunderstood what I was saying. I enjoyed the way Ade was able to make me look at things in a different way and help with practical solutions that i could take away and begin to use.

I would recommend this programme to friends and colleagues.

Data & Analytics Strategy Director - Marketing Agency

“I wasn't initially sure what to expect from a coaching programme however after my experience with Ade, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend his programme to any businesses who are considering coaching for their employees.

This experience has helped change the way I think about key business workstreams and team management, approach situations with a more 360 perspective and focus on how I can confidently use my own strengths to best reach positive outcomes from different scenarios. All of this has positively impacted both my own mindset and how I work with the team around me; I feel better equipped with tangible actions and more structured ways of thinking which will enable me to deal with new challenges and goals that I will need to handle as I progress through my career. The difference is already being noticed by key stakeholders.

I found it particularly valuable that Ade brings a wealth of business experience which meant I really felt he understood the nuances of situations we spoke about which was important to me. He creates an environment in the session which gives you the headspace to think and share thoughts in confidence and importantly, without feeling judged. Ade had an incredible ability of being able to repackage my often disparate thoughts in a way that added meaning and focus, always bringing it back to the goals that were set at the beginning of programme and asking pointy questions which helped me come to my own solutions as we worked through each goal. Ade will offer ideas where he has experience if asked but focuses more on providing the techniques to help you work through it yourself - in my opinion this is why his programme is so brilliant, as the benefits you learn from this approach will far outweigh the sessions themselves.

My favourite part of the programme was how Ade was able to help me understand the way I work better, and how to appreciate and employ my own strengths. Our time together has given me the confidence to be more assertive in the decisions I am making based on what will best serve me and those around me and has given me clear techniques which I have immediately been able to employ . This in turn has provided me with more self-belief which will ultimately help frame my leadership style as I develop. I'd highly recommend Ade and will definitely miss our sessions together!”

Marketing Effectiveness Director - Marketing Agency

“I have really enjoyed working with Ade as a coach. In working over a six session programme, Ade’s style of coaching maintained a high level of focus, whilst exploring and challenging my thinking when appropriate. Each session started with a goal, and finished with an outcome. As a result, i felt there was a tangible change in my mindset and actions which not only I benefited from, but those I work with.

Ade is a very competent coach.  Combining his commercial experience with coaching, provides a good combination of realistic challenge and measurable outcomes”

MD - Medical research and assessment

“After five sessions with Ade I would not hesitate to recommend North Peak Consulting to anyone who is considering taking coaching. Ade is a truly professional coach who structures his sessions in such a way that I felt challenged and safe to explore issues and opportunities. There were times when I felt stuck and Ade found a way to help me break through and other times where I was happy to stop at one goal only for Ade to help me find a further two commitments.

The sessions with Ade have allowed me to deepen my learning and understanding of Leadership and Team building and I would, if the occasion arises, acquire the services of North Peak Consulting again.

Ade is a truly great guy, professional and has a depth of knowledge in industry to bring out the best in everyone he touches.”

LTA Master performance coach