Stakeholder mapping
A structured sketch of who influences your success, who blocks it, and who you have been ignoring. We build one in the first session. It usually surprises people.
Proof snapshot
"After six sessions my board presentations stopped feeling like survival exercises."
— D. Hargreaves, COO, Edinburgh fintech firm, 2024
Knowledge hub
Executive Coaching glossary
Coaching conversations are full of shorthand. If you have ever sat through a leadership offsite wondering what "vertical development" actually means, this page is for you. We wrote it because our clients kept asking. Every term below is one we use in real sessions, not academic filler.
Shadow behaviours
The habits a leader defaults to under pressure: micromanaging, withdrawing, over-explaining. Identifying yours is uncomfortable but fast. Most clients name theirs within two meetings.
Vertical development
Horizontal development adds skills. Vertical development changes how you think. It is the difference between learning a new framework and realising you have been solving the wrong problem.
Immunity to change
A concept from Robert Kegan: the hidden commitments that keep you stuck even when you genuinely want to change. We use a specific worksheet to surface them.
Transition coaching
The first 90 days in a new role carry disproportionate weight. Transition coaching compresses the learning curve by giving you a structured sounding board before you have built internal trust.
Somatic awareness
Your body signals stress faster than your mind does. We teach clients to read those signals: tight jaw before a board call, shallow breathing during negotiations. Simple noticing changes responses.
Feedforward
Marshall Goldsmith's alternative to feedback. Instead of analysing what went wrong, colleagues suggest one thing to try next time. Less defensive, more actionable.
Coaching contract
Not a legal document. A shared agreement between coach, client, and often the sponsoring organisation about what success looks like. We revisit ours at the midpoint.
Reflective practice
A structured habit of reviewing your own decisions after the fact. We use a lightweight journal format that takes five minutes a day. Clients who stick with it report sharper pattern recognition within weeks.
Where the real work happens
Coaching is not advice. It is a disciplined conversation that helps you see what you already half-know but have not yet articulated. We hold that space, ask the hard questions, and keep you accountable to your own answers.
Coaching frameworks
How we structure an engagement
We do not follow a single methodology. Different leaders need different architectures. Below are three frameworks we draw from, depending on what the diagnostic conversation reveals.
| Framework | Best for | Typical duration | Key tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptive leadership pathway | Leaders managing organisational upheaval or restructuring | 4–6 months, fortnightly sessions | Stakeholder mapping + immunity-to-change worksheet |
| Presence-based coaching | Executives who intellectualise everything and struggle to connect with teams | 3 months, weekly sessions | Somatic check-ins + recorded role-play review |
| Transition accelerator | New-in-role C-suite or first-time board members | 90-day sprint, twice-weekly at start | Stakeholder interviews + feedforward loops |
Each framework begins with a 90-minute diagnostic session. That conversation determines which path fits. Sometimes we blend elements. The table is a starting point, not a menu.
Decision board
Is coaching the right move for you right now?
Coaching works well when you...
- Have a specific challenge with a real deadline attached
- Feel stuck despite being technically competent
- Recently moved into a role with broader scope
- Want honest feedback that your direct reports will never give you
- Are willing to be uncomfortable for short periods
Coaching may not be the right fit if you...
- Need therapy for clinical anxiety or depression
- Want someone to tell you exactly what to do
- Are looking for a credential rather than a behavioural shift
- Cannot commit to at least six sessions over three months
We say no to roughly one in five enquiries. That is not gatekeeping; it is honesty about where coaching adds value and where it does not.
Editorial note
Why we built a glossary instead of a sales page
Most coaching websites talk about transformation. Few explain what that word means in practice. We found that prospective clients arrived at discovery calls with wildly different expectations because the industry uses the same vocabulary to describe very different things.
So we wrote this page. If you read the glossary and the frameworks table and think "yes, that is the kind of work I need," then a conversation with us will be productive. If the language feels alien, a different coach may be a better match. Either outcome is fine.
We update these definitions twice a year based on what comes up in sessions. The last revision was March 2025.
Embedded proof
What three clients said, unprompted
"I came in expecting advice. What I got was better questions. Six months later my team's attrition rate dropped by half."
— A. Petrie, VP Engineering, Aberdeen
"The somatic awareness work felt strange at first. Now I notice my stress response before it hijacks a meeting. That alone was worth the investment."
— J. Okoro, Managing Director, London
"Honest, direct, no fluff. The stakeholder map we built in session two became my operating manual for the next quarter."
— T. Lindqvist, Programme Director, Edinburgh
Method note
What a typical session looks like
Sessions run 75 minutes. We start with a check-in: what happened since we last spoke, what is occupying your attention right now. This takes about ten minutes.
The middle section is where the real work lives. We might dissect a recent decision, rehearse a difficult conversation, or map out a political landscape you are navigating. The format depends on what you bring.
We close with commitments. Not vague intentions. Specific actions with a timeline. You tell me what you will do. I write it down and ask about it next time.
Sessions happen over video by default. In-person is available in central Scotland by arrangement. We do not record sessions. Notes stay with you.
Start a conversation
If anything on this page resonated, send a short note. We reply within two working days. No obligation, no pitch deck.
Or reach us directly
731 Schimmel Copse, Turcotte-under-Hammes, Scotland, LD3 7LL, United Kingdom
Legal information
Privacy policy
We collect your name, email address, and any message content you submit through the enquiry form. This data is used solely to respond to your request and is not shared with third parties. We store it on encrypted servers within the United Kingdom. You may request deletion of your data at any time by emailing [email protected]. We use a single cookie to remember whether you have dismissed the cookie notice; no tracking cookies are deployed. This policy was last updated in January 2025.
Terms of service
By using this website you agree to these terms. The content on insightfulexecmentor.click is provided for informational purposes. Coaching engagements are governed by a separate written agreement signed before sessions begin. We reserve the right to decline an engagement if we believe coaching is not the appropriate intervention. Fees, cancellation terms, and session logistics are outlined in the individual coaching contract. We may update these terms periodically; continued use of the site constitutes acceptance.
Disclaimer
Executive coaching is not therapy, counselling, or medical treatment. Results vary depending on individual circumstances, commitment, and organisational context. Testimonials on this site reflect the experiences of specific clients and do not guarantee similar outcomes. The glossary definitions are simplified for accessibility and should not be cited as academic sources. All content is the intellectual property of Insightful Exec Mentor unless otherwise attributed.