Steve Ridgley

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Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

Reading, Berkshire, RG5
Available for new clients
Available for new clients

This professional is available for new clients.

About me

A recent client said, "Steve has an incredible stillness. I trusted him immediately and felt safe. Steve made me feel like there was nothing more pressing or interesting to him than keeping me company whilst I went deep diving into my issues. I liken the process to diving into the sea looking for pearls with Steve as the rock I was attached to. By really listening to me, Steve helped me to challenge myself and select a different viewpoint, indeed there were occasions when I’d respond to one of his questions and be surprised by my answer, not knowing I felt that way until I articulated it. Personable, caring, focussed and challenging, Steve helped me to change the course of my life for the better."

Introduction

I'm Steve and I am passionate about human beings maximising their personal potential and hold that self awareness is the cornerstone to what is possible in this regard.

I have been coaching for 16 years and a coach supervisor for 10.

I write a blog about my experiences, thoughts and observations as a human being, under the name illuminated dandelion, all in service of 'trying to master being human'.  I also record a weekly podcast with another supervisor, where we chat about all things supervision related.

I am eternally curious about people systems - be it organisational culture, family systems or our own internal human system and this curiosity underpins my work as a coach, as a supervisor and as a consultant to business leaders.

I am married with two grown up 'children'. Oh, and I am a season ticket holder and founder trust member at Wycombe Wanderers FC, not because I love football, but because crowd dynamics and tribal belonging are fascinating.

Career

My recent background is with John Lewis Partnership, where after six years working in OD supporting the board and leadership teams to bring about effective change, I took the lead on personal learning - creating the conditions for 85,000 Partners to learn more about themselves; this included developing a thriving internal coaching and mentoring network at John Lewis as part of their personal development offer.

Now, I am the founder and director of idcoach limited, focused on building internal coaching capability in small and medium sized organisations.

Alongside this new venture, I feed my soul by coaching individuals and working as a coach supervisor supporting other coaches develop their coaching practice.

I sit on the editorial board of Coaching at Work magazine.

I also volunteer to support the Future of Coaching Collaboration (FCC). A not for profit body that is seeking to collaborate, professionalise and innovate to safeguard the coaching profession. It consists of representatives from all of the coach accreditation bodies - ICF, AC, EMCC, BACP alongside academics from York and Oxford Brookes as well as corporate organisations who hire coaches, including KPMG, GSK, PwC and others.

Some information about the services I offer

Coaching

I seek to inspire, engage and support the individual in becoming their best self. Investing in our personal learning and growth not only supports our life choices and career progression, it enhances resilience and confidence, whilst building a realistic, healthy self-esteem and a positive state of wellbeing. This enables us to be at our best, to adapt and grow, to find meaning in our lives and to be fulfilled and happy.

Clients come to me to make choices. Life choices, personal choices, career choices.

These choices include shifting work/life balance, changing career direction, being less stressed, regaining their confidence, changing relationship dynamics, reevaluating priorities and getting perspective.

Sometimes it’s about choices to get more of what they want; finding work that fulfils them, realising a dream, finding meaning and purpose in their lives, or simply being happier.

Working with me will be challenging at times, but also fun on occasion. I try to create a safe, calm environment for you to explore yourself and your needs. I work with huge respect for you as a human being and all that entails - your story, your skills and successes, your worries and concerns, your hopes.

My passion is developmental and transformational coaching. Coaching can usefully focus on modification of your skills and behaviours - what you can perform or do in action - but developmental coaching looks deeper, at meaning. It explores what you value, what you believe and even your sense of who you are. These are the often invisible barriers to maximising your potential, to peace, success or happiness. Transformational coaching can go even deeper, exploring your authentic sense of self, your identity, your purpose and life direction.

Coaching supervision

I have ten years experience working as a coach supervisor - supporting other coaches and the development of their practice. My supervision takes a developmental focus, often beginning by exploring your coaching 'signature'.

Organisational work

My work with idCoach limited, based in Reading and working throughout Berks, Bucks, Hants and London, now includes coaching, coach supervision, coach development and coach training. I work with business leaders exploring how the hidden dynamics of the organisational system can work to support their aims but can also work against them. If you lead an organisation and you are seeking to develop a coaching culture, let's talk.

Working with leaders

I work with leaders through a supervisory lens. Unlike coaching, which often focuses on goals, tasks and performance outcomes, this relationship provides a much-needed oasis of time for a leader to reflect deeply. Through a generative, collaborative and creative dialogue, we focus on the ways in which his or her leadership, relationships with others and the organisational dynamic emotionally impacts on him or her as leader.

In a psychologically safe place in which the leader can share anxieties, fears and vulnerabilities, we attend to the practice of leadership itself, aiming to foster a healthy sense of self, deepen self-awareness, strengthen leadership confidence, and explore the effectiveness of the leader.

If you have experienced coaching yourself as a leader and now want to go one step further, let's talk.

Training, qualifications & experience

My qualifications include

  • European Coaching Certificate (ICF accredited)
  • MCGI Master Coaching and Coach Supervision
  • NLP Practitioner
  • NLP Master Practitioner
  • Practitioner in Systemic Coaching Constellations
  • Transactional Analysis 101
  • Accredited Coaching Signatures Practitioner
  • Applied Neuroscience programme
  • Mental Health First Aider

In 2017 I was selected as 'Internal Coach of the Year' by Coaching at Work magazine, for my work with other organisations and their internal coaches.

A few years ago I was voted one of the UK's top 50 coaches by CV magazine.

Here are some client testimonials to my work

"Steve made it easy to go places that weren't easy to go." JW

"Quite simply, Steve is the best coach I have ever had (including some very highly paid executive coaches) and he has made a huge difference to me - as a whole person, not just at work. He cares deeply about his craft, is extremely experienced, and is genuinely considerate about those he is coaching. For me, he created a coaching environment where I felt confident, safe and resourceful to address some important issues and choices that I had been avoiding for some time. In short, his gift of coaching has helped to free me. Thank you so much." LS

"I was very apprehensive - I wanted coaching on some deep rooted personal and emotional issues ...a challenging client to take on. Steve was the perfect coach to help me through this. Steve has transformed part of my life and I am seeing real success after working with him. I would absolutely recommend him." TS

"Steve constantly adapted his style dependent on what I needed from each session - he could see what that was even though I often couldn't. This is all down to Steve's focus not just on what is said, but what is unsaid - he's able to read his clients better than they are able to read themselves. It's a real gift." JM

"...'Thank you' are simple words and I don't feel like they convey how much I appreciate and value how you're helping me find my way." JB

"Steve has an incredible stillness. I trusted him immediately, and felt safe with him. Steve made me feel like there was nothing more pressing, important or interesting to him than keeping me company whilst I helped myself. The best way that I can describe it is as if I were tethered to him for safety, whilst I went deep diving into my issues. He was there to make sure that I was safe, but that I kept on jumping in until I got what I needed. It is a rare skill." JT

"By really listening to me, Steve helped me to challenge myself and select a different viewpoint, indeed there were occasions when I’d respond to one of his questions and be surprised by my answer, not knowing I felt that way until I articulated it. Personable, caring, focussed and challenging, Steve helped me to change the course of my life for the better. I’m very grateful to him and would recommend anyone to work with him in a heartbeat. It was a privilege to get to work with him." KM

"On something so personal as confidence, the one to one time was extremely beneficial and it felt safe to share ... Steve has an amazing calmness about him and his thoughtful reflections created a safe environment where I ended up sharing things I was not expecting. Steve, you have such a warm and open approach that you made it very easy for me to share some personal stuff that I was not expecting but at the same time you did not let me ignore any part of what was happening ... This has helped me to feel less like everyone else has control." LB

"Steve was my Coaching Supervisor. He is challenging and thought provoking and more often than not he got me thinking well beyond the obvious. I always came out of supervision feeling energised about my role as a coach and highly reflective on the ideas he'd help me generate. What Steve is also able to do extremely well is adapt his style to meet the needs of the Coach. He's astute and intuitive and so very good at being able to tailor the session in the most appropriate way. Sometimes a Coach just needs encouragement, support and a confidence boost which Steve was always able to supply. I wouldn't hesitate to seek out Steve's help in the future, both as a Coach and as a Supervisor." DDG

Member organisations

AC
Association for Coaching (AC)

The Association for Coaching is one of the leading professional bodies for Coaches and Organisations.

The Association is made up of a number of different membership categories, e.g. Associate Member (AMAC), Member (MAC), Accredited Member (AC Accred), with the different categories standing for different levels of training and experience. Accredited Members have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by the Association.

The Association has a Code of Ethics & Good Practice and a Complaints Procedure.

Other areas of coaching I deal with

Coaching supervision

Beliefs, values, purpose, identity

Maternity and paternity coaching

Photos & videos

Fees

£65.00 - £200.00
Free initial telephone or online session

Additional information

I operate a variable fee structure and flexible payment options - please call to learn more.

Typically we would meet, or speak on the phone, as an opportunity for you to explore working with me.  This initial session is free of charge and would be 45 minutes to an hour.

Thereafter, you can pay as you go (Cheque or BACS) or you can save some money by committing to a programme of coaching sessions up front.

When I work

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Night

Availability flexible

Reading, Berkshire, RG5

Type of session

In person
Online
Phone

Supervision

In person
Online
Phone

Coach supervisor with more than 10 years experience, supervising coaches in groups or 1-2-1. Online and face to face.

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