Coaching
with mylesdowney
Introducing Myles
“Speed and complexity are hallmarks of business today. The world of work is changing - the rules that
shaped 20th century businesses are less and less effective, the 21st Century demands new approaches to
leadership and management. This is the world that Myles inhabits. He is variously a guide, a mentor and a
coach to those of us aiming to thrive, not just survive in these conditions.
His cut on coaching is different from the mainstream with a focus on helping people deliver business results
rather than a solely developmental bias. Having worked with almost every kind of business, large and
small, in most markets and on 6 out of 7 continents, his understanding of business is both broad and deep.
What lights him up is when he sees others get in touch with their own ‘unique genius’ - and achieve
extraordinary results from that place. Myles is one of the very best people around at enabling and inspiring
people. His experience is compounded by years spent teaching others to coach - his skills are sublime.
He brings a powerful intelligence to his work and an undeniably Irish intuition and humour.
Myles' work revolves around these concepts. "Meeting the challenge" supports those addressing
immediate and medium term requirements, to ensure they leverage and develop their talent to greatest
effect. "Enabling Genius" addresses the longer term issue of identifying and developing our own unique
insights to drive the passion and purpose that will determine our individual and collective success in a world
increasingly full of "lookalike talent."
Richard Merrick, Entrepreneur, Thought-Leader/strategist on Coaching and colleague to Myles
Meeting the Challenge
Increasingly we encounter challenges that demand our very best - that we surpass ourselves. Often we
choose to muddle through with all the attendant stresses, headaches and long hours. Sometimes we need
the right kind of support - support that allows us to take control - so that our thinking is clear, our focus unobscured and the action we take effective.
The ‘Meeting the Challenge’ programme enables you to achieve your business goals while delivering your
very best performance, consistently, by:
- having a clear focus in the short and long term
- playing to your strengths
- developing an authentic leadership approach
- engaging your stakeholders and your team
- maintaining a performance edge
- accelerating learning
The programme combines the principles of ‘Effective Coaching’ Myles’s seminal book, Enabling Genius
and ‘Inner Game’. Programmes are designed to meet the needs and circumstances of the individual
participant.
Meeting the Challenge programmes can be developed for teams.
Engagements
Supporting a newly-elected country leader of an international strategic management consultancy in re-energising the office and refocusing and developing sales - a large proportion of work involved significant international travel. Corporate Outcomes: increased
revenues derived from country based businesses; stronger ‘office’ - ‘sense of team’ and collaboration; a thriving office to hand onto the
next managing partner. Personal outcomes: met own revenue targets; shift in leadership style to bring clarity while maintaining a
consensual approach.
Working with the Managing Director and his team of a high-profile internet retail banking operation to launch the business and build a new
brand. Corporate outcomes: strong leadership team, business launched on time; stock market flotation. Personal outcomes: transition
from MD to CEO
Supporting the Director of Customer Services in a leading retail bank to transform ‘Complaints‘ while transitioning into the role.
Corporate outcomes: best-of-class performance, acknowledged by the FSA; other departments of bank brought together under unified
leadership; clear succession as Director now prepares for next role. Personal outcomes: dramatic shift in own performance;
acknowledged leader in the business being prepared for the next role
Working with ‘CEO’ of a branch of the Defence Forces to deliver a major change in infrastructure while maintaining morale in a time of
significant cuts. Corporate outcomes: project delivered on-time with no political fall-out. Personal objectives: turning “an almost
impossible role from being a possible sinecure to an opportunity to leave a valuable legacy”
Working with the CEO of a retail operation to create a shift in culture and operating process. Corporate outcomes: efficiencies gained
from uniting the advising and sales roles; customer at centre of culture; stable structure and processes to support long-term growth.
Personal outcomes: more space to think strategically; ability to lead authentically and unambiguously
Biography
Myles was a key member of the team that set-up one of the very first coaching businesses, The Alexander Corporation, which
was acknowledged by the Economist Intelligence Unit as “the leading provider of executive coaching in Europe” in 1993 and
again in 1995.
In 1996 Myles founded the The School of Coaching, the first institution to train and accredit professional coaches and to develop
coaching skills for managers and leaders. The School had an unparalleled reputation, globally, during his tenure.
in 1999 Myles wrote ‘Effective Coaching’ which was revised in 2003. The book is considered a seminal text and has sole in
excess of 35,000 copies withh a thid edition due for publication in September 2014.
Myles has just launched the eCoaching System. This is an automated (i.e. no coach) coaching system that brings coaching to
the many rather than the few, affordably.
A current project is ‘Enabling Genius’. The goal of the project is to collate the best research on human potential and excellence
(genius) and to develop tools and techniques to coaches, teachers and managers (enabling)
‘The Sessions’, part business book and part novel describing an individuals journey as an emerging leader. The conversations
(sessions) take place in a variety of Victorian pubs in Dublin
Background: Myles grew up in Dublin, Ireland where he studied architecture. He move to London in 1987, where he still lives
and works, in order to be at the forefront of a developments in coaching and human potential.