Leader as Coach

Designed to equip leaders with coaching skills to enable them to lead more impactful conversations and embed a coaching culture

About the programme

While the Leader as Coach course is designed to develop the leader’s own coaching capability, this course goes beyond the ‘how to’ of coaching. Specifically this course aims to equip delegates with sound knowledge and judgment that will help them recognise when and how taking a coaching approach is effective, desirable and ethical. In other words, in addition to helping leaders hone their coaching skills, this course puts coaching in the context of a leader’s wider responsibilities.

The course is delivered by highly experienced executive coaches who can relate to the realities of senior leadership from their own experience. Combining coaching theory with real-life examples, the aim of the course is to enable delegates to form their own links between theory and practice and gain confidence in their coaching abilities as they learn.

Assessment is optional with Oxford Brookes Business School awarding 20 CATS points at Level 7 (Masters Level) for all who pass the assessment.

This course has been developed following demand from corporate and public sector clients who wish their leadership teams to be at the front of introducing and embedding a coaching culture within their organisations.

Please note that this course is delivered online.

Programme dates

2025 Spring programme (online)

Day 1: 1 April
Day 2: 2 April
Day 3: 7 May
Day 4: 11 June
Day 5: 4 July or 11 TBC

All study days run 9:30am - 4:30pm

Cost

April 2025 Prices

The full accredited programme costs £1,510 and offers 20 academic credits at completion.

The programme can be also taken as a non assessed course, with participants attending days 1 to 4. This costs £950.

Discounts are available for alumni, Oxford Brookes University staff and registered charities.

Entry requirements

As this course provides a level 7 qualification which is equivalent to postgraduate level study, you will be expected to reflect and write at this level – this will typically be evidenced by an undergraduate degree or equivalent and/or senior level managerial experience. You will also need:

experience in a leadership/ managerial position
to be able to identify suitable individuals to coach
to be able to attend each course day in full.

How to apply

Our accredited Leader as Coach Programme has been recognised by the NHS Leadership Academy as eligible qualification for joining their Coaching and Mentoring Register.

Programme structure

Leader as Coach is delivered online across a four month period, with taught days interspersed with individual coaching practice. The course includes some pre-reading before each course day. Taught sessions are highly interactive with delegates expected to contribute actively throughout the course, including via Moodle discussions. Attending each course day in full is essential.

With appropriate support provided, delegates are also required to self-manage their coaching practice throughout the course. Participants are invited to attend 1 hour drop-in sessions between taught days 2 and 3, 3 and 4 and (for those on the accredited track) 4 and 5.

The course is made up of 4 days of input plus one day of Assessment across 4 months (2+1+1+1 Assessment) to allow practice and consolidation.

Day One: Coaching as a Leadership Skill

The first day defines coaching in the leadership context, assessing how and when it might be the most appropriate intervention. Participants will develop an appreciation of how to apply a non-judgemental approach to development and the value of a non-directive intervention in supporting personal responsibility in decision making that takes account of power dynamics. Throughout the course there will be a clear emphasis on the ethics of coaching in the workplace.

Day Two: Core skills of the Coaching Leader

Day two focuses on developing coaching skills. Participants will learn how to manage the coaching conversation process without directing the content. We will also be exploring listening and questioning plus further skills essential to holding the coaching space and managing our own responses.

Coaching practice

To gain the most benefit from this course, participants are expected to recruit several volunteers to coach during the course and to have more than one session with each volunteer. Between Day Two and Day Three participants will be expected to have multiple coaching conversations (this can be several first sessions, and can also include follow-up sessions with one or more volunteers). Participants will have direct access to tutor support via a drop-in session in this practice period. Further opportunities for coaching practice exist between Days Three and Four and, after Day Four, with two drop-in sessions to support practice.

For those accrediting, additional study materials including reflective questions will be accessible via Moodle. All participants will be expected to make active contributions to tutor supported discussions on Moodle throughout the course.

Day Three: Learning from Experience

We will explore the importance of personal reflection in learning and working with limiting beliefs. Participants will become familiar with some of the tools and techniques that can be applied in the coaching context and appreciate the importance of language.

Further opportunity for coaching practice between taught days.

Day Four: Developing coaching capability

Participants will gain an understanding of some potential challenges that could arise when using a more holistic coaching approach to developmental conversations. We will learn how to integrate and take coaching skills forward as a leader and to build a coaching culture.

Further opportunity for coaching practice between taught days.

Day Five: Assessment day (optional)

Attend a one-day Assessment event that includes Observed Assessment and sessions to clarify the written assessment requirement.

Course Tutors

Flo is an experienced executive coach and mentor who honed her skills in the private and public sector. She founded her full-time independent practice after obtaining her Coaching and Mentoring Master’s (Oxford Brookes University, 2013). Flo’s students especially value her facilitative teaching style, which translates theory into real-life coaching practice.

Julia is a Lecturer in Coaching & Mentoring team teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at Oxford Brookes University. She is an accredited ICF PCC, ICF Coach Mentor and ICF Coach Supervisor, with 12+ years of coaching experience across corporate, education and health settings. Julia also runs a successful coaching business, working with a range of private and corporate clients.

Experienced Executive Coach with 30 years’ experience in leadership roles. Peter holds a Master’s Degree in Coaching and Mentoring Practice from Oxford Brookes University and is an EMCC Accredited Master Coach. Peter is also a certified Coach Supervisor and member of the association of Coaching Supervisors.