Rajwant Bains
An important feature of my work as a coach and in the design and development of leadership programmes is the recognition that we, as human beings, always have more potential than we are often able to realise – for a whole host of different reasons.
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Whilst formal coaching programmes do indeed develop a range of skills necessary to be an effective coach it is, for me, the ability to deploy these when we bring all of ourselves to our work that really enables our clients to realise their full potential. Having started my career in race equality work I am so aware of the privilege of having people around me who enabled me to push beyond my own (and that of others’) expectations. It is in the noticing of what they did, and indeed what they did not do, that I am able to show up fully with my identity, career and life history as resources in service of the work. For me, it is not about what we do as coaches but how we show up as coaches. It is about creating the necessary space for individuals and teams to do their very best thinking - with sufficient challenge and support - and achieve real, sustainable change.
Clients have commented positively about my approach – describing it as creative, inspiring, engaging, intelligent and insightful with an emphasis on growth and enhanced effectiveness.
I bring almost 30 years’ experience of working with senior leaders and managers to my executive coaching practice and in the design and delivery of high calibre leadership programmes. I started my career in equality, diversity and inclusion - though the terminology at the time was equal opportunities. My sense is we have made more progress in developing the terminology of the work than we have in actually delivering real, sustainable outcomes.
This was followed by a successful career in academia during which I was Course Director and member of the Race and Social Policy Unit at University of Liverpool. The pioneering work in the Unit on racial justice means equity, diversity and inclusion are embedded and integrated in all aspects of my work and not an added consideration. It is my ability to work at different levels along with a deep understanding of organisational processes/systems that ‘get in the way’ of individual and organisational performance and business excellence that has been the basis of my success.
Examples of coaching/supervisor work
Strategic leadership programmes in Higher Education
Over the past 8 years I have successfully run flagship leadership programmes at Russell group universities for senior academics, researchers and Professional Services staff which includes one-to-one coaching. The focus of the coaching sessions can range from raising their profile and enhancing their reputation as leaders to navigating across the academic and professional services divide to deliver strategic priorities. We now have over 600 alumni from the different leadership programmes – many in the most senior roles in their institutions. This, for me, is testament to the success of the programmes.
Team coaching assignment to improve working relationships and collaborations across different teams in a key function
I was invited, along with an Associate, to provide some training sessions for a number of teams in a key function in a global company to improve service delivery through better communication skills and management of conflict. From our initial assessment it was clear that it was not training that was required but working with the Management Team to enable them to see what the challenges were in the system (firstly through a survey of all staff – we had an unprecedented 100% response rate) and then coaching at a team and 1:1 levels to enable them to work on key areas. We worked with the Management Team over a period of several months where they were able to jointly explore the challenges and more importantly identify what they needed to do collectively and in their own areas of responsibility to adopt ‘a first team mentality’.
Qualifications and Experience
MSc in Executive Coaching and Behaviour Change (Henley Business School) - awarded prize for outstanding research on development of coaching programmes to secure progression of women to Partner level in one of the top 4 leading Professional Services firms.
MBA (Henley Business School)
Masters of Social Sciences (University of Birmingham)
Social Policy and Social Administration BA (Joint Hons)
Certified Team Coaching Practitioner by the Global Team Coaching Institute
NLP Practitioners Course by the International Coach Federation (ICF)
Qualified practitioner of Psychometric tools (inc. MBTI®, FIRO-B®)
Accredited Master Coach with APECS.