About Harry Rich
I am an accredited Executive Coach, board chair, non-executive director and advisor with thirty years' experience of developing organisations and people in the commercial, public and non-profit sectors.
In my experience businesses and organisations are more successful when their leaders understand themselves and are confident about their skills and role. My Executive Coaching and consultancy is driven by the conviction that greater awareness is key to making better decisions, being happier and working better. My most recent clients have been in technology, professional services, creative businesses, public bodies, charities and the cultural and regulatory sectors.
I am Chair of the UK Intellectual Property Office, Chair of the Valuation Tribunal Service, Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists, non-executive director of the Press Recognition
Panel, governor of the Glasgow School of Art and a mentor in the Fluid Diversity Programme. I was Chief Executive of the Royal Institute of British Architects and of Enterprise UK, Deputy Chief Executive of the Design Council and developed and sold two businesses.
I am a non-practising solicitor, Companion of the Chartered Management Institute and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. I was a board member of the government’s Creative Industries Council, the US-based Design Management Institute, Advertising Standards Authority and a number of charities.
"Compared to other coaches I’ve had, my sessions with Harry were more structured, more actionable and never felt like fluff talk. Harry helped me achieve my coaching goals, our re-org is well underway, and I’m also happier in my work."
"Our sessions were professional, well structured, engaging and stimulating. The coaching programme turned out to be a game changer."
More Potential Executive Coaching
Every Executive Coaching programme is different and is built around your goals. We work together to improve leadership and management performance, develop professional confidence, increase resilience, and sustain change long into the future.
To make the change sustainable and deep I work with your inherent wisdom, experience and knowledge as you find your answers and insights. I support, challenge and encourage, rather than direct, advise or solve.
My Executive Coaching is goal oriented and we set clear measures at the start, usually agreed with a company sponsor. The goals are for and about you in the context of your
organisation's needs whilst maintaining your confidentiality.
My experience means that I deliver most value working with clients who have significant levels of professional responsibility and when we are looking at issues and behaviours that have an impact on their performance and professional relationships. Clients come to coaching for all sorts of developmental reasons, including moving into a new role, facing new challenges or looking for new approaches to their work or working with colleagues.
- Testimonials
- Coaching, mentoring, consultancy?
- Who are the client and sponsor?
- What shape is a programme?
- How do you set up a programme?
"Harry’s coaching style was very flexible and gave room for me to develop my own way of approaching each topic, whilst also ensuring momentum was maintained and the discussion kept moving forward to a resolution."
"I have seen such a change in our Managing Director’s approach and performance. He is now using his passion to drive the business.."
Specialist programmes
More Potential specialist coaching programmes are designed to meet particular needs and circumstances:
Incoming Chief Executive programme
The Incoming Chief Executive programme supports both highly experienced and first-time Chief Executives as they arrive to lead a new organisation or as they step up in a business they know well.
The programme is pragmatic and time-limited, with the key focus is on how the Chief Executive uses their qualities and experience to be as effective as possible as quickly as possible.
Each programme is shaped to meet the particular needs of the Chief Executive and their business over a critical period, but key areas of focus are likely to include:
- Culture: examine alignment and be clear about any differences.
- People: understand and build relationships with senior colleagues and non-executives.
- Change: consider the capacity for change and how to approach this productively and at the right pace.
Director & Partner Transition programme
The first 90 or 100 days in a new role are important, but that is unlikely to be enough for a new Director or Partner to find their feet, work out who knows what, shape a plan and start to deliver.
More Potential’s Director & Partner Transition programme supports both experienced and first-time Directors and Partners as they arrive in a new organisation or as they step up in a business they know well. The key focus is on how they use their qualities and experience to be as effective as possible as quickly as possible.
The programme is pragmatic and time-limited with clear coaching goals agreed at the start between the new Director or Partner and the Chief Executive. The coaching works with the individual’s experience, knowledge and wisdom and gives time for reflection and support, structure and challenge during the critical first year.
Please contact Harry Rich to find out more about specialist programmes
"By challenging my way of thinking and encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone, Harry helped me to understand what drives me, gives me work satisfaction and what my professional ambitions really are."
"Harry’s coaching has helped me to reflect on my leadership style and his insightful questions and range of techniques got to the heart of key challenges and helped me discover ways to address these."
More Potential Consultancy
More Potential consultancy and business advice is project-based activity that drives the success of businesses and organisations.
My core experience is change, performance, strategy and innovation in complex organisations. This includes reviewing governance and board performance, shaping strategy or structure and identifying new or more focussed activity and processes.
I take a creative, purpose-lead approach to strategy and change and
ensure that strategic decisions are based on a sophisticated understanding of user, stakeholder and market needs.
I bring 30 years of deep experience across many sectors, including not for profit, professional services, creative, cultural, charity, regulatory and higher education – but always with a powerful entrepreneurial and commercial overlay.
"I have now achieved all the goals I set with the help of this programme and would thoroughly recommend Harry’s help."
Testimonials
Architect in large commercial practice
"Working with Harry was extremely beneficial to me. Creating the time to reflect on my career direction and develop a framework for those discussions gave me the ability to set clearer goals and understand my priorities. This allowed me to steer my decision-making processes and focus my efforts where my passions lie. This benefited me and the company by ensuring that my personal ambitions are aligned with the company’s plans.
"Harry’s coaching style was very flexible and gave room for me to develop my own way of approaching each topic, whilst also ensuring momentum was maintained and the discussion kept moving forward to a resolution. Harry was very personable and easy to engage with. His experience working with a broad range of individuals at different levels of seniority was very beneficial and offered a unique perspective with relevant feedback."
Partner in global law firm
"Working with Harry was rather like holding up an incredibly honest mirror to yourself. It was a very enlightening experience and one which I would recommend for anyone wanting to plan to get the most out of their career when time is at a premium.
"I wasn't sure what to expect from executive coaching but went into the sessions with Harry open-minded and learned more than I expected. The sessions gave me a chance to focus on how professional and private lives could benefit from confidential discussion with someone non-judgemental in order to get the most out of the next few years."
Chief Executive of creative business
"I have seen such a change in our Managing Director’s approach and performance. He is now using his passion to drive the business. He is now able to balance objectivity and emotion in decision-making and the way that he influences the success of the company."
Senior leader in public body
"Harry coached me over a six-month period while I was leading a major organisational change project and introducing new products and services and setting up a new team. His thoughtful and considered approach to coaching was invaluable in giving me time to reflect and learn.
"By quickly building up a trusted and strong coaching relationship, his insightful questions and range of techniques got to the heart of key challenges at work related to service design, team culture and change management, and helped me discover ways to address these. His coaching style has also been very helpful for me in reflecting on my leadership style and future career and personal development priorities. I had never previously had an Executive Coach, but I would highly recommend Harry."
Head of Product Growth in global technology business
"Harry coached me when I was driving a critical re-organisation at my company. We met online for 90 minutes every two weeks. Compared to other coaches I’ve had, my sessions with Harry were more structured, more actionable and never felt like fluff talk. Harry helped me achieve my coaching goals, our re-org is well underway, and I’m also happier in my work. I’d absolutely recommend working with Harry."
Partner in architects’ practice
"I worked with Harry for a year when I was at a critical junction in my career. We met once a month and Harry was incredibly supportive, and helped me sort through the issues I was facing and my indecision regarding future choices. I have now achieved all the goals I set with the help of this programme and would thoroughly recommend Harry’s help."
Project manager in construction
"Prior meeting Harry, I had been feeling that I needed to change something in my professional life, but my biggest challenge was that I couldn’t really identify what needed changing. I also wasn’t sure what I wanted to achieve long term and how could I get there.
"By challenging my way of thinking and encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone, Harry helped me to understand what drives me, gives me work satisfaction and what my professional ambitions really are. Meeting by meeting, I discovered a bit about myself that I wasn’t fully aware of before. This newly acquired knowledge helped me to solve the puzzle of what direction I want to be heading in and the most efficient way to re-focus my professional priorities.
"Our sessions were professional, well structured, engaging and stimulating. Harry is such a great coach, but also an open-minded person so working with him was a pure pleasure. The coaching programme turned out to be a game changer and I would recommend this to everyone."
Managing Director - North Asia in global insurance business
"I worked with Harry in a leadership development programme. He was a professional, calm and very supportive coach and helped me to regain my positive energy through challenging and frustrating times. Our coaching calls were always insightful and empowering and allowed me to uncover effective options to solve my challenges."
Frequently asked questions
- How is Executive Coaching different from mentoring, consulting or therapy?
- Why don’t you give advice in Executive Coaching?
- Who are the client and sponsor in coaching?
- What is the role of the employer and sponsor?
- Is there always a sponsor?
- How do you set up a coaching programme?
- What shape is a More Potential Coaching programme?
- What is the difference between Executive and specialist coaching?
- How about confidentiality when an employer and sponsor are involved?
- What is your code of practice and professional accreditation?
- What sectors have you worked in?
- What are your areas of skill and experience?
Q: How is Executive Coaching different from mentoring, consulting or therapy?
A:
Coaching and mentoring can use similar skills but coaching is time-limited and goal-based, whilst mentoring is more fluid. Coaching is a partnership that helps the client work out what they need to do to develop, what motivates them and what gets in their way. Consultancy makes recommendations for action, whilst therapy probes and uncovers deep past experiences in order to inform the future. So, in simplified terms:
- A consultant might say: “This is how I recommend you do it.”
- A mentor might say: “This is how I would do it.”
- An Executive Coach might say: “What have you tried? How has that served you? What else is possible?”
- A therapist might say: “Tell me about your past and what you went through.”
Q: Why don't you give advice in Executive Coaching?
A: Coaching helps a client to develop their skills and behaviours and to sustain change long into the future. This is most effective when I work alongside a client as they use their personal resources and creativity to find the right answers for them. Where a company or individual seek advice I would provide this through consultancy, not coaching.
Q: Who are the client
and sponsor in coaching?
A: The client is the person being coached (sometimes called a coachee). The sponsor is usually a line-manager or senior colleague and represents the client’s company or organisation.
Q: What is the role of the employer and sponsor?
A: More Potential Executive Coaching is most often commissioned by the client’s employer to support their development. In that case the sponsor participates in setting the objectives and helps to ground the coaching and achieve more for the coachee and the business.
Q: Is there always a sponsor?
A: In most cases a company or organisation commissions the coaching programme to develop the client and their contribution to the business. In that case I would strongly recommend that the company offers a sponsor to support the programme. Where I am commissioned directly by a client there would usually be no sponsor.
Q: How do you set up a coaching programme?
A: The first contact might be from an HR team, a line manager or a potential coachee directly. We would first have a no-commitment conversation to check how my approach and experience fits with the needs of the organisation and coachee. A chemistry meeting then checks that the client is comfortable working with me and I can be sure that I will be useful to them. If it all looks good at that stage, we agree terms and the shape of the programme.
Q: What shape is a More Potential coaching programme?
A: I shape each programme to meet the needs of the client and their organisation, but a starting point would typically be:
- Chemistry meeting between client and coach
- Goal-setting meeting between client, sponsor and coach
- Six 90-minute monthly sessions at the client’s workplace or online
- Telephone coaching as required between sessions
- Interim review meeting between client, sponsor and coach
- Close-off review meeting between client, sponsor and coach
Q: What is the difference between Executive Coaching and a specialist coaching programme?
A: More Potential Executive Coaching programmes are completely individual, with clear goals set at the start to meet the needs of the client and their company or organisation. More Potential specialist coaching programmes have been designed to meet particular needs and circumstances. Whilst even these programmes will be shaped for the client, there will be be a broadly shared approach for all participants.
Q: How about confidentiality when an employer and sponsor are involved?
A: Goals are usually set jointly between the client and their employer, but the content of the coaching sessions is entirely confidential between the client and me. When we review progress with the sponsor we look at outcomes and changes, not the content of the coaching sessions.
Q: What is your code of practice and professional accreditation?
A: I follow the AoEC Code of Practice and am an AoEC Accredited Associate Executive Coach with £1m Professional Indemnity insurance.
Q: What sectors have you worked in?
Q: What are your areas of skill and experience?
A: My experience includes:
- Strategy development and implementation
- Governance
- Change – planning, communication and implementation
- Corporate restructuring
- Organisational restructuring
- Innovation and design process
- Policy development and influence
- Campaigning