A little bit about me
Whether you are looking for a coach, facilitator, or trainer it is good to know a bit about their background, why they do what they do, and what kind of person are they. I believe the solution to most organisation’s problems lies in its people and teams, and the best way to access the power of people and teams is by focusing on their strengths.
Background
The early part of my career was in hospitality - I worked in various management roles in wonderful places such as The Royal Albert Hall, The Mansions House London, and Lords Cricket Club. Ahh, to be young in the 80’s you could work silly hours for daft money and put up with poor management! Fortunately, I had the chance to work for Walt Disney World in Florida in the theme parks and hotels which was clearly a different world, but also an awakening for me about what high standards, performance, and great leadership looked like: It was all about the “PEOPLE”….
Returning to the UK I applied this new way of thinking over the next 10 years at Pret a Manger, an amazing forward-thinking company: values driven, staff obsessed, and quality focussed. It was here I developed a keen interest in growing leaders, building capability in others, and building on people’s natural strengths and energy.
Eventually this interest in all things leadership saw me move into the world of fashion, where I worked for Acadia Group (Top Shop, etc) as head of leadership development and then with Pentland Brands (Lacoste, Berghaus, Speedo, and many other brands). While at Pentland I held a global role, building leadership capability across cultures, borders, and time zones (no Zoom back then). It was here I really understood the power of high-functioning teams. I believe the number one obsession for a leader is to build brilliant teams, and how do you do that? It’s not easy but coaching skills are a vital ingredient.
What I do today
I retrained and qualified as an Executive Coach and in 2010 I started my own leadership development company FlyingFish Coaching and Consulting. Today I work with leaders and their teams to build their capability, learn and adapt, and become future-focused. I work as a coach with individuals supporting them in their personal and professional development. I spend much of my time coaching small groups and teams to build cohesion, solve problems, resolve tensions, and help them to challenge and continuously improve their outcomes.
In 2019 I qualified as a Therapeutic Counsellor and today run a small private practice. If you would like to know more about this side of my work please visit the BACP website: https://www.bacp.co.uk/therapists/387124/ewan-stickley/Woodbridge
I live by the sea in Suffolk and enjoy the countryside and all its beauty. In my spare time, I play guitar in a band and enjoy walking my dog on the beach.
