Reflections from a Deep Pool: Oliver Johnston Coach facilitator -Inspiring leadership interview with Jonathan Bowman-Perks

Oliver Johnston, coach, facilitator, teacher, a retrospective view after a career in coaching senior executives (with special interest in inspiring leadership) 

25 years coaching senior executives, Director of Leadership Consulting, Penna plc.  First leadership role was founder of The Ramoan Centre, Save the Children Fund – the first direct alternative to custody for serious and persistent young offenders in N Ireland (1978-81) 

Top Tip – As a leader you can’t inspire anyone, but you can create the environment in which they can find their own inspiration. 

Founder at ‘Stepping Out from the Top Team’  In September 2020 Oliver founded Stepping Out from the Top Team—a coaching practice to help senior leaders step out from the executive suite successfully.

Our collegiate of highly experienced and accredited coaches help businesses and individuals to get top team off-boarding right.

For the individual—Stepping Out is a coaching practice that provides senior executives with a route-map and a travel guide to help think, plan, and execute their departure from the top team and onward to new adventures.

For the company— we offer policy and best-practice advice, internal capacity building, top team masterclasses and company keynotes to enable successful top team off boarding.

For society—we challenge the old and outdated 3-stage model i.e. education—work—retirement. We are part of a growing campaign to recognise the multiple stages of modern life and career in the emerging world where life expectancy is fast moving beyond 90 years.

I have known Oliver for over 20 years and have a deep respect for him. Indeed he and I are time to think partners where we coach each other every month. We work together for some years in Penna PLC in the Board & Executive Coaching Practice. He then stayed on when it became part of Lee Hecht Harrison and before that he was in the James Black Partnership in Northern Ireland. Oliver has such a wealth of wisdom and experience and is a great coach and mentor to senior leaders.