About Raising Doves
What's in a Name?
“Raising Doves” might seem an unusual name for a coaching business, so let me explain!
“Raising Doves” is part of a metaphor co-created with and for me at a team retreat when I was in my 30s. The metaphor in full is “Raising doves to catch the breeze” which describes what makes me tick, what I’m passionate about and how I’m experienced by others when I’m in my element. This metaphor captures beautifully my coaching approach – meeting people where they are at – holding the space for them and supporting them in that space to find their wings and fly.
Raising Doves to Catch the Breeze
Meet Helen
Throughout my career I’ve known that what matters to me more than job title, grade or salary is that what I’m getting out of bed for each morning is focused on developing and growing the performance of individuals, leaders and organisations to deliver what matters to them and to society. My coaching approach today has been grown and shaped from 30 years’ experience of organizational life within a mix of public and private sectors, working as: coach, senior manager, leader of teams, non-executive director.
How I Discovered Coaching
I first experienced the power of coaching in my 30s when working for a boss who, unbeknownst to me at the time, happened to also be a Master Coach. When I was stuck in the early stages of a project that was looming large and screaming “you are out of your depth” at me, I still remember her asking me kindly and clearly “what are you afraid of?” and then later on when she saw me holding back from stepping into the spotlight, she challenged me, saying, “Helen, the only person pigeon-holing you, is you!”
When I had the opportunity for some executive coaching, I felt nervous and excited. Nervous in case it confirmed me to be the imposter I believed myself to be and excited at the chance to move through and beyond my exhausting self-doubt to actually enjoy my unfolding career.
Long story short – executive coaching helped me find the key that unlocked my potential, helping me to develop powerful personal strategies for sustaining and growing my professional and leadership performance that I still draw on today.
“Helen’s ability to meet me where I am rather than where she wants me to be is unparalleled. I’ve never known anyone who listens as well as she does – not just to what I say but to the spaces between my words. She brings a world of experience from many different sectors and contexts and somehow is able to distil what is most needed in a given moment. Colleagues who have worked with her invariably improve their performance at work, but also seem to enjoy their lives more as well.”
Donna Ladkin
Professor of Inclusive Leadership, University of Birmingham
Professional Qualifications
Accreditations/Education:
- Awarded the Systemic Team Coaching (Practitioner) Certificate, Accredited by the ICF, March 2024
- Certified to use the Team Connect 360 diagnostic tool, March 2024
- Achieved Professional Certified Coach status with the ICF, July 2023
- Certified to use The Leadership Circle Profile, November 2022
- Certified in Lewis Deep Democracy, Level 1 Foundation, April 2021
- Certified to use Saville Psychometric Occupational Ability and Occupational Personality tests, January 2017
- Awarded the Advanced Practitioner Diploma in Executive Coaching, Academy of Executive Coaching, Accredited by the ICF, EMCC, Middlesex University, 2013
- Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development since 2009
- Belbin Accredited Team Role Facilitator, December 2002
- Awarded a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Development with Distinction, University of Sussex, 2001
My Reputation
Clients know that with me, they are in safe hands and that as a Professionally Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation I am fully accredited and fully committed to my on-going professional development and coaching supervision. Clients appreciate my track record, professional integrity and first-hand experience of the messiness of organisational life. But perhaps most of all they appreciate the way the coaching space they have with me is one in which they can arrive feeling a little ruffled, knowing that they will leave feeling better equipped and a little lighter for the flight ahead.
Keen to find out more?
“Gifted leadership occurs when heart and head—feeling and thought—meet.
These are the two winds that allow a leader to soar.”
Daniel Goleman