I never set out to become an author, but I guess, with four books to my name, that is in part what I have become.  Equally, I never set out to become an executive coach, a leadership consultant, a conference presenter or a trainer and teacher of coaching.  And I do all of these things.

I did set out with a loose intent.  In my early twenties, while studying architecture in Dublin, Ireland, I was inspired to look beyond the somewhat narrow confines of that field, to understand more of what it takes to lead a fulfilling life.  I learned T’ai Chi, became vegetarian (for a short period – not many options back then), studied everything from Taoism to sports psychology.  I discovered that people could learn without being taught, and that this was more effective and much more fun.  That there was a high correlation between high performance and flow.  I honed my skills on the wet, windy tennis courts of South County Dublin as a tennis coach.

A chance meeting brought me to London, where a group of similarly minded people were establishing the first ‘coaching house’ with a focus on the corporate world.  And executive coaching was born.  I joined.