Steve Trivett         x

If you haven't come across Ontological Coaching before, just the title can be a bit intimidating. but don't be put off. It is the most powerful and well researched coaching method available today. It enables you to see the world differently because you relate to it differently. You learn to observe and interpret the world from the perspective of appreciation and wonder rather than anxiety and fear. I see the coaching relationship as unique opportunity to help individuals and organisations discover new ways of thinking deeply enough to find out what people really want. It appears that 80% of change initiatives fail, and the same is true of product launches into the marketplace. Today's fast paced lifestyle means that choices are often made at a superficial level, simply because we do not take the time to listen to our unconscious mind and explore what it is that we really, really want. I use deep listening and incisive questioning techniques to create a productive thinking environment. My website The Change Zone provides a wealth of 'thinking tools' and through my Assistance from a Distance coaching service you can secure telephone coaching sessions. Just call me - now, or send an email with your contact details and I will get in touch. Direct: +44(0)7866 731231 Office: +44(0)1386 861841 Email me

"Talking to Steve is both liberating and enlightening. He listens intently, often using my own words and metaphors to ask me questions. His gentle persistence enabled me to clarify my thinking. I feel that every comment I make is treated with respect and I am given all the time I needed to explore and understand what is really important to me. He doesn't question my reasoning or my emotional outbursts as I am challenged to do it for myself. He even encourages me to explore what comes into my head, what I feel in my gut or to speak from the heart. The whole experience is empowering. I now have a way of thinking that brings clarity to my life and the difficult choices I face in my work. I have used the same techniques in my job as a Marketing Manager, remembering to listen longer, eliminate jargon and help others express themselves more clearly. This approach has transformed my approach to market research. I recommend Steve to my friends and colleagues and have engaged him to share his techniques with my team using his Skill Gym Workshops. Jane Peterson. To be aware of how we think about, develop and interpret our experience helps us to see and understand ourselves as observers and creators of our own reality. In simple terms, if we speak, feel and act as we always have, we will not change the way we think. To improve our actions we must first improve our thinking. This is counter-intuitive. Our 'ego' knows what is best for us and likes predictability, so it looks for the path of least resistance. Good relationships however require us to be open and flexible in our thinking and behaviour. Whether we want or need to change, we benefit greatly when we take time to think things through. We do this best when we have a listening ear, which enables us to question ourselves in such a way that we are able to make clearer distinctions and choices. When we access our unconscious mind change changes itself. It shapes our very 'way of being'. This is why I adopt an ontological approach to coaching that uses Clean Language. Many of my clients struggle to accept or adapt to change simply because they cannot 'see' the possibility of things being different. They find it difficult to express the paradoxical and uncertain thoughts in their own language. But this is quite normal and must be accepted - even appreciated, if what is really important is ever to reach the surface and be acted on. There can be no change when clients deny facts, ignore obvious alternatives or fear increasing uncertainty. They either think they have nothing to learn or their position and authority requires them to just seek compliance. Ironically, too much control eventually leads to 'co-dependence' and 'group think'. When coached to observe their own 'way of being' clients invariably discover a truth about themselves that they were not paying attention to. It's usually a lack of authenticity, which demands a more trusting and balanced way of living. I help my clients make these distinctions for themselves and use them to improve their performance or make better choices. Change requires today's managers to be leaders of change, capable of fostering analytical and creative thinking at the same time. This 'both/and' way of thinking requires us to use authority and influence together to create rules that can be broken as thinking develops and the situation demands. There is clearly no right or wrong way to do what works, or to fix what isn't working. It's my role to be contentious in order to secure my client's best ideas and actions. That's why I coach for powerful observation and focused attention - 'a new ways of seeing'. My Dynamic Change Model also influences the way I promote partnership working with my corporate clients, enabling them to make the small changes that can deliver a big impact in what feels like a very short time.

Benefits . . .x	The opportunity to observe your thoughts and choose the right actions
	The time to explore new possibilities and develop a more successful 'way of seeing'
	The ability to tap into your natural energy sources to improve your performance
	The secret of making and keeping promises and delivering well-formed outcomes
	The skill to say the right thing at the right time and in the right mood to get results
	The knowledge to make distinctions and assessments that will transform your life
	The secret of working with the three principles - mind, consciousness and thought
	The strength to build trusting relationships and empowerment for effective action
	The confidence to overcome any negative thoughts that may be holding you back

Private Practice

I work with professional people who want to be more effective communicators and leaders of change. They may be facing the first 100 days in a new role, dealing with a mid-life crisis or struggling to cope with stress. They may be preparing for retirement, setting up their own businesses or just seeking a new life purpose. I offer a no nonsense, solution-focused approach to using empowering language, emotions and actions.

Corporate Work

The main impact of my corporate work has been to increase leader and manager effectiveness. This has resulted in less conflict between team leaders and better communication between departments in achieving corporate objectives. I trained to use Gregorc's Mind Styles Analysis, 360° and MBTI Assessments.

I work with team, organisation, community and political leaders to see beyond their current position and engage in dynamic and strategic change. At the core of this approach is an understanding of how to mediate 'contested space' generated by top-down planned change and bottom-up lived change. Attention is drawn to the value of making clearer requests and delivering on promises, understanding how people change their perceptions and attitudes. Both executive and service teams report significantly more effective working after just few short meetings practicing 'new ways of seeing'. Personal productivity and team performance are also measurably improved. Teams engaged in Learning Labs transform their ability to build mutual respect and trust by creating 'thinking environments' which deliver step changes in performance.

I also train managers and team leaders how to become more powerful observers of themselves and others. This enhances their leadership and communication skills, motivation levels and emotional/social intelligence. I coach and train managers to establish and maintain rapport, enhance their active listening skills, adopt a creative and purposeful questioning style, including how to give open and honest feedback, make powerful promises, and use metaphor to access people's thinkiong, inner wisdom and intuition. I run Skill Gym Woprkshops to promote these competencies within work teams.

Qualifications and Experience

I have over two decades of experience working with senior managers and professionals - people who lead change in public services through business transformation. My life's work has been in personal, organisational and community development. I have served as a teacher, overseas volunteer, community worker, leisure services manager, management trainer, projects director, organisation development consultant and corporate change coach for the largest local authority in Western Europe.

I have a Masters Degree in Education and a Diploma in Management Studies. I am a Personal and Professional Life Coach (NCFE) with over 750 hours of coaching experience and have a certificate in Clean Language and Symbolic Modeling. I am a certified NLP Master Practitioner (INLPTA), a trained EFQM Assessor, qualified teacher and management trainer, and an experienced facilitator, learning mentor and organisation development consultant.

Corporate Clients

Vision Projects Ltd | Ecobuild Ltd |Ruth Edwards Consulting | Tranquillity Travel Ltd | British Energy | IDeA | East Birmingham Primary Care Trust | GSP (Contractors) Ltd| Wolverhampton City Council | Infolog | Welsh Headteachers Association | Local Government Employers Organisation | SOLAR | The Cabinet Office | Institute of Public Service Managers | Birmingham City Council | The Disabled Ramblers Association | The Learning Path | Ecobuild Ltd |Institute of Customer Service | National Primary Trust.

Short Profile

My passion is helping people transform their lives for the better. It has been a privilege to have had such a positive impact on so many people's lives and to help them build high performing teams and small businesses.

I am a lifelong learner and writer about 'change' and like to help others "keep ahead of the game". I currently produce The Change Leaders Digest which now has over 2,000 subscribers worldwide. With considerable personal and organisational development experience behind me, I have coached senior managers and service leaders in the largest local authority in Western Europe. I work at keeping myself in touch with leading edge techniques and coaching methods that support functional, transitional and transformational change. I take a keen interest in complex adaptive systems and the ontology of the human observer. They push me to ever higher levels of competence as a Coach and Facilitator, enabling my clients to achieve outstanding results - fast.

I am happily married to my lifelong partner Pat. We have been together for 36 years and have two sons and two grand children. We live in a 16th Century thatched cottage (grade II listed) in rural Worcestershire. My interests are music (I play the jazz clarinet and folk guitar), photography, reading and writing. I enjoy travel, hill walking and family activities.

Call me on 07866 731231 now or click here to send me an email message.

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