Gilly Thompson, (Sales Trainer and coach, ILM L7 Coach and Mentor, L5 Leadership and Management, BA (hons) Tap and DiSC Certified)

Gilly spent much of her early career in several of the top FTSE100 companies including BT, Railtrack and Marks and Spencer, where she led teams in many of the core marketing functions of the business. She understands the complexities which working with people across functions, locations and levels can bring. Gilly has had first-hand experience of working in high-performing teams. This brought her personal learning and development which transformed her leadership style, and which has stayed with her ever since, and is core to her coaching.

Gilly has been an Executive Coach for Seven years and is a member and accredited by the EMCC. She works with leaders and managers to strengthen their performance and achieve competitive advantage for them, their stakeholders, their people and their organisation.

She holds a first degree in Business Studies, an associate degree with the Institute of Leadership and Management in Leadership and a master's degree with the Institute of Leadership in Executive Coaching.

Gilly is in demand to work with academic institutes including Manchester Met University and has worked with them to support their Help to Grow Scheme.

COACHING SPECIALISMS

Gilly specialises in working with leaders to accelerate the growth of people and provides a framework to:

• Harness the power of people in the organisation

• Excite and ignite the leadership team

• Drive the potential of the team

Training and Coaching style

Gilly has a natural coaching style developed from her leadership roles as well as working with business leaders today. Her approach is integrative, bringing many different tools and models to inform her work.

Gilly is a coach who puts people at the centre of all her coaching work.

Gilly’s coaching style might be described using the following characteristics; honest, open and direct, curious and respectful, with humour and empathy. Challenging questions and highly attentive listening skills have contributed in Gilly building several trustful and effective customer relationships with coachees of various backgrounds; in terms of industries as well as hierarchy levels.

She likes to accompany her coachees in changing their perspective, exploring the context and bigger picture, thinking about consequences and utilising their strengths.

What trainees /coachees say …

Gilly’s is very action-orientated: this isn’t about sitting in meeting rooms brainstorming or chatting about strategy. She is a hands-on and energetic partner who will grab you by the scruff of the neck, shake you into action, and deliver real tangible change. Every action has a date or deadline, a person accountable. Her approach works – and it’s now a foundational part of how we operate.

Gilly has a direct and fun approach which makes her easy to work with and her questions are relevant and thought provoking. She allows me to make my own decisions but ensures I have considered all the consequences of the potential outputs.

Our processes and team working are now more efficient, and we are more accountable

Brigg Simpson, Sales Director, DFI Foods

Sports and Leisure

Gilly enjoys an active life going out for walks with her recue dog Luna and family and she loves to sing with a choir and musical theatre groups. She has performed in several productions including Sister Act, Boogie nights and Singing in the Rain which keeps her active . She has sung with Gareth Malone as part of his annual tour and enjoys acting.

She is an avid reader of not just leadership and behavioural books but also likes crime fiction. She is a true believer in mindfulness and enjoys spending time in her garden as well as visiting some of the UKs wonderful gardens as part of the national trust membership scheme.