Paul is one of the best interpersonal skills coaches I have experienced in my career to date. His particular strength is coaching senior people in professional services firms. He has his own inimitable style of working which is highly effective, combining a rigorous approach with the lack of a limiting, pre-determined structure, working through issues in a challenging but supportive fashion.

The spread of the coaching sessions allows time to elapse and results to take root. His strongly-held personal values of fundamental, long-term conduct of the highest standard are a key factor in reinforcing the integrity and professionalism of his senior clients.

Ken McKellar, Associate Partner
DELOITTE & TOUCHE


I first started working with Paul in late 1999 and we have most recently worked together throughout the first half of 2003.

I have found both groups of sessions challenging, rewarding, fulfilling and enlightening. I have no doubt that the work with Paul has enabled me to be better equipped to face most issues that I will come across both at work and in my life in general. My understanding of both other people and myself and why we do what we do is greatly improved resulting in a much improved performance in every aspect of my working and personal life.

The way that he has drawn on the work we did in the early sessions to complement and underpin the later work speaks volumes for his ability to lay basic foundations that are both permanent and then developed at each stage over a long period of time.

I regularly review the coaching notes that Paul has produced at the end of each session partly as a refresher but in the main for inspiration. The ability to provide apposite "quotations" at exactly the right time has meant that the development is a permanent one – there is no going back.

Tim Hamilton, Partner
ADDLESHAW GODDARD


Paul’s coaching demonstrates genuine concern and enthusiasm, and creates an open and trusting environment. He is particularly insightful in his interpretation of development issues. All of his coaching was uniquely tailored to my specific requirements through a highly professional, committed and intuitive approach.

I have made specific performance progress in my work relationships, proactivity, initiative taking and sales awareness. I have been enthused and surprised with the results achieved and I would recommend Paul’s services without hesitation.

Tim West, Partner
ERNST & YOUNG



Thank you for your contribution to the success of our Partner meeting. I found the session extremely useful and thought that it was well timed, well led and had a very positive impact at the end of two difficult days.

Your ability to think on your feet and work effectively with an unfamiliar group dynamic was, frankly, astonishing.  I enjoyed the session and found it very thought provoking.

Ian Mackie, Partner
BOURNE BUSINESS CONSULTING



Training for Living is exactly what Paul provides – a framework for approaching life. His approach is entirely holistic in that he believes that you cannot move forward unless you understand yourself. I can honestly say that the sessions were a life-changing experience for me. Not what I was expecting but the best thing that I have ever done. I have emerged from the coaching a more mature, considered person with more self awareness than I can ever have imagined. This has delivered benefits in both my professional and personal life.

Working with Paul is not for the faint hearted. Whilst he creates a safe environment in which you can learn and develop he continually challenges you. Paul does not judge but rather helps the individual understand the consequences of their actions and how these affect others. I am continually amazed at what I learnt. Paul is incredibly perceptive, helping me gain insight into who I am and what my needs and wants are.

I would not hesitate to recommend Paul to anyone who has an open mind and is willing to learn more about themselves and their relationships with others.

Julia Felton, Director
DELOITTE & TOUCHE


I am a Partner at Deloitte in London and have been working with Paul for the past several months on a regular basis. Although my involvement was driven through promotion, I have found the personal coaching he has given me invaluable in my home and social life as well as in work. I understand why Paul calls his company ‘Training for Living’.

Paul worked to help me identify for myself my areas for development, some of which were reasonably clear to start with and others which became clear as a result of the coaching.

From the initial meeting through to the end of the sessions I have found Paul non-judgmental in an uncompromising way – testament to his ability to help me to reach a conclusion for myself. There is clearly no “one size fits all” approach taken, rather he worked with me stage by stage to identify what needed to change within myself to lead to a sustained behavioural improvement.

I have found this to be of enormous personal and professional benefit and I would recommend Paul's skills to anyone looking to improve on any aspects of their leadership, management or behavioural skills.

Michael Baird, Partner
DELOITTE & TOUCHE



I should probably say that I started with a healthy amount of cynicism. I am now a convert. Secondly, you were very clear with me at the outset that:

  • "confidential" would mean confidential;
  • your approach to coaching would be more sophisticated than ticking-off pre-determined goals and working through pre-prepared action plans; and
  • you are not an advocate of quick-fix solutions, but rather you try to develop, in a sustainable way, each client in a rounded manner.

Our sessions delivered on each of these. I was impressed with the time that was taken at each stage to work together to identify what felt right to me as the key issue to work on, and how to approach it.

So what do I feel I got out of the sessions? Well, any number of things, most of which I would not have expected:

  • you helped greatly in helping me change the way I think and approach things. It has helped me be less judgemental, more open to other people and their ideas, what makes them tick and how to work with them. This has been particularly valuable given my increased leadership responsibilities;
  • this open-mindedness has been really powerful, and has provided added confidence to try new things in both work and social situations;
  • I feel I am more adaptable – not like a different person – more like the person that I used to be, and with the added potential that that brings.

Finally, the sessions were really good fun. I will miss that a lot. I left each of them feeling quite liberated, buoyed up and positive, a very powerful feeling.

Paul Devitt, Partner
ADDLESHAW GODDARD