Coachee Comments

Matthew Walker

Chief Executive

Leeds Federated & Chair of PlaceShapers

(PlaceShapers is a national network of housing associations.)

I have worked with Paul for over 15 years as coach and mentor. Paul has regularly helped me navigate through the challenges of being Chief Executive, sometimes by asking searching questions that led to my finding solutions, sometimes by sharing his experiences in similar situations and sometimes by creating links with others who have trodden that path before. 

Charlie Norman

Chief Executive

MSV

Thanks so much for all your support this year Paul.  You have been amazing, keeping us all connected and sane! Looking forward to sharing 2021 with you all.

Jane Ashcroft

Group Chief Executive

Anchor Hanover

At Anchor Hanover we are committed to developing our leaders and quality coaching is an important part of this commitment. The Coaching Team from 3Dk have been exceptional, all have been grounded in key business roles and are brilliant coaches who have added value to the individual leaders and the organisation as a whole.

Faye Williams

Head of Finance

Berneslai Homes

The coaching has been great. Will created the right environment for me, to come up with my own answers. The conversations we had led to some really important decisions for me and my career. Will's background really helped me to take a full life perspective and I am really enjoying my role now as a Board Member of a Housing Association, giving me another view. Honestly, coaching has been really good for me. 

Caroline Cooban

Chief Executive

3Dk Solutions was recommended to me for its core values and fresh thinking, and rightly so.  Working with Debbie and the wider team since 2018 has been a pleasure. Debbie offers stimulating perspectives on leadership and governance issues which has helped us to develop as a social business. We continue to achieve meaningful change through some of the lessons learned, and feel better prepared for the strategic challenges that lie ahead as a care provider to older people.  

Jo Sugden 

Executive Director of Corporate & Compliance

Ongo 

Paul and 3Dk Solutions have provided me and my colleagues with  invaluable coaching services for nearly 4 years yet it still remains fresh, vibrant, challenging and stimulating. The service is second to none – tailored to meet  specific and changing needs; it’s engaging and supportive. For me it is a time to reflect and importantly in a safe environment, think the art of the impossible and explore new ideas for me as well as my organisation. I love the outward thinking perspective; the wider strategic discussions and debates, taking me out of my comfort zone and connecting me with new ideas.  

Katie Moore

Director

Citizen Housing Group

I have worked with Debbie for 5 years and I can’t underestimate the difference and impact the coaching had on my career, both through my professional relationships and management style. With Debbie’s extensive executive management experience and first class coaching it was a combination that ultimately has helped me get to where am today in my career.

Lawrence Gardener

Group Head of ICT

Wrekin Housing Group 

Krystyna is an excellent coach and mentor. She combines the gift of personability with wisdom and insight. She listens carefully and offers insights and alternative viewpoints. She gets you to look at a situation through the other persons eyes, to better understand not only others but also yourself! .. using some tools and formal approaches (such as NLP) to assist in this. We all tend to see the world through our own prism, coloured by our own preconceptions and I found Krystyna’s tecniques really useful in realigning myself and my team in a changed business with a refreshed management team and outlook. Her support was invaluable, her approach never heavy-handed, always encouraging, ever insightful!

Nick Atkin

Chief Executive

Halton Housing Trust

You're an invaluable source of support, a unique perspective. Your help over the last ten years has really helped the Trust.

Helen Jaggar

Chief Executive

Berneslai Homes

& Chair of Leeds Federated

Paul’s a great sounding board for sharing new ideas and approaches and managing complex relationships at a senior level. 3dk are always on the governance pulse providing check and challenge to the Board.

Matthew Walker

Chief Executive

Leeds Federated

​& Chair of Incommunities Homes

I have worked with Paul and his team for a number of years and have found his support, perspective and objectivity really helpful in some of the challenges I face as a Chief Executive and Chair. He is an excellent coach and combines his knowledge of the housing sector, the commercial world and a strong value base. I am amazed at who he knows; his networks and the guest speakers he arranges to speak at our Business Academy.

Jan Lycett

Executive Director

Wrekin Housing Group 

The coaching team from 3Dk were brilliant. The team supported all our Leadership Team over 12 months, through the pandemic. Without doubt, it was a great move for the Wrekin Group and we were really pleased to access so many talented coaches. We are now working on the next phase to develop our talent further. 

Individual coaching and the impact are noted in the comments below from our Leadership Team were: 

• ‘The coaching gave me a safe space to consider my own feelings and come up with my own solutions….’
• ‘…. the (coach) was a lifesaver’
• ‘It allowed me time to focus on myself and my impact as a leader’
• ‘The coach gave me confidence and made me think about the longer term.. It helped me more than I realised at the time even’
• Has helped me to make sense of a lot of things, to step back, not take over, and be more self aware
• It was really good personal growth and development and he (coach) has wet my appetite to try more things
• She (coach) has pushed me and challenged me to take a more strategic approach.. .. I found it really useful
• ‘It gives you a process to push you and keep you developing, it’s a nice feel that and I’d love it to continue'

Shaun Pollard

Chief Executive Officer

Halton Haven Hospice

The Hospice has worked with 3Dk Solutions for nearly ten years. They have been key to driving change throughout the organisation enabling us to become a highly professional organisation whilst retaining the caring ethos which is at the heart of what we do. As CEO I also receive superb support on a one to one basis.

Andy Orrey

Group Chief Executive

Ongo Group

I've used 3Dk for over 5 years now, benefiting from the huge network of contacts they have and from the challenge they provide in really making sure the organisation has clarity of purpose. You always get informed, authoritative advice from Paul and an angle you hadn't thought of. Highly recommend them if you're serious about improving.

Kevin Rodgers

Group Chief Executive

Citizen Housing Group

Having been introduced to Paul as someone who could provide professional coaching services at a time in my career when my role was changing. I’ve found Paul’s support invaluable and the 3Dk events have been excellent opportunities to develop a new network and broaden our strategic thinking. 

Howard Roberts

Deputy Group Chief Executive

Torus Group

Paul is a first rate coach and mentor. His ability to help you to reflect and see things from another perspective has been really very useful. In the 6 years I have worked with Paul, he has helped me to learn, develop an awareness of people in the market place and to debate some commercial complexities which are an increasing part of our agenda.

Andy Zuntz

Group Chair

ForViva Group

Paul provides me with first-class coaching on a regular basis. His sensitive and challenging approach is invaluable to anyone seeking to improve performance as Chair or Board member in the social, commercial  or community housing. His contacts and wide experience across public and private sectors enable him to offer a truly 3D form of support.

Bob Jones

Group Finance Director

Plus Group Ltd. 

Paul has not only been helping me complete my sketchy drawings of my future plans but has also been drawing from me the colours and perspective I need to make it a masterpiece! If you want someone who will guide, suggest, cajole and push when necessary then Paul is the one.

Aneela Khatoon

Education Business Manager
Paul has provided me with a lot of really valuable advice and guidance. He has been an exceptional role model and is much respected. It is good to have an honest and trustworthy sounding board.

Sue Smith

Director of Finance

Halton Housing Trust

Working in the commercial sector as a financial controller for a major recruitment and payroll company. Kinetic Plc. provided me with many challenges and I agreed with the MD that a personal coach and mentor would be beneficial to my development. I contacted the National Mentoring Association and they put me in contact with Paul. I spoke to one of his mentees and 18months ago began a mentoring programme. It has been excellent, so much so I have decided to move to work in the RSL sector and have moved to Halton Housing Trust, a recent LSVT. Paul's support, guidance and talent management process has been very very helpful.

Allan Chan

Chief Executive - Tunsing Housing Association

Group Director Investment - Arena Group

Paul was a wise counsel, serving as a critical friend as well as giving me encouragement and the impetus to go and do. He at the early stage was able to demonstrate his understanding of diversity to build up our one-to-one relationship. Our strong sense of trust has enabled us to work as a team to achieve our objectives. 

Mike Watson

Director - Older Person's Housing

Your Housing Group

I have found it a really positive experience. Helen has provided me with a sounding board during a critical time as I took on a new and bigger role in a newly merged organisation. I have found the support and challenge from Helen so useful in developing my approach. Having planned coaching/mentoring times has meant that I have had to take time to prepare and think about what I am doing - a useful discipline to have in a very hectic role. Helen has helped build my confidence through the process, as strategies I have tried have worked or have needed adapting. Helen's expertise crosses my own and this has really helped as Helen understands many of the pressures and challenges of the job. Helen has helped me generate options and solutions from my own experience and using sound theoretical frameworks across several disciplines.

Gary Cookson 

Group HR & OD Lead

GGHT

Geoff has been exceptionally helpful, challenging at times and insightful throughout. I've gained a lot in three short meetings and am grateful for this.