Executive Coaching Programmes and Leadership Services for Executives

Evidence-based coaching for executives, senior leaders and leadership teams designed to strengthen confidence, performance and impact.

Up2eleven, based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, offers one-to-one executive coaching and team coaching that combines psychology, leadership experience, and real-world organisational insight to support leaders across Yorkshire and the UK. Coaching for executives provides a confidential, practical space for senior leaders to think clearly, work through complex challenges, and increase their impact.

Founder of Up2eleven , Liz Howard, is a Chartered Coaching Psychologist and EMCC Senior Practitioner Coach. Liz combines practical coaching with a deep understanding of psychology, human behaviour, motivation, performance and change. Working within the professional and ethical standards of both the British Psychological Society and EMCC.

Liz draws on evidence-based psychological approaches, including cognitive behavioural and solution-focused techniques, to help leaders gain fresh perspective, challenge unhelpful assumptions and build on the strengths that will help them move forward.  Where appropriate, coaching can be complemented by psychometric assessments and development tools that provide valuable insight into leadership style, personality, strengths, resilience, confidence, emotional intelligence and potential, helping clients deepen self-awareness and accelerate their development.

Read more about Liz, her journey, experience and life beyond the day job. Connect with Liz on LinkedIn or Instagram.  Contact Liz about coaching packages and how coaching might work for you.

Up2eleven coaching with executives is grounded in:

  • Deep psychological insight combined with senior leadership experience
  • A balance of high support and high challenge
  • A practical focus on real organisational pressures and constraints
  • A tailored approach to each executive’s context, goals, and role


Coaching for executives is not about being told what to do. It is about creating space to think, to understand patterns, to test options, and to move forward with clarity and confidence. At its heart, coaching is a partnership. A space to step back from the demands of leadership, think things through, talk openly and focus on what really matters. Coaching for executives provides dedicated time to reflect, explore ideas, work through challenges and think about what comes next, with someone who will support, challenge and encourage you. With over a decade of coaching experience, alongside my own leadership experiences, Liz understand first-hand the realities of modern leadership. That means bringing not only psychological expertise, but also empathy, pragmatism and an appreciation of the pressures leaders face every day.

Executive clients typically work with Liz on themes such as:

  • Leading through growth, change, or uncertainty
  • Strengthening confidence and presence in senior roles
  • Navigating complex relationships and stakeholder dynamics
  • Making difficult decisions and managing competing priorities
  • Clarifying career direction or next steps
  • Increasing strategic focus and impact


Clients often come to coaching when they are stepping into a bigger role, navigating organisational change, managing complex stakeholder relationships, building confidence and executive presence, leading through uncertainty or considering their next career move.


Coaching is designed to help leaders:

  • Build greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence
  • Recognise and use their strengths more effectively
  • Develop new perspectives on recurring challenges
  • Create practical strategies for action
  • Sustain performance without losing sight of wellbeing


For many executives, this becomes one of the few truly confidential spaces where they can pause, reflect, and work through what matters most.

Is coaching for executives right for you or your
organisation?

Coaching may be particularly valuable if:

  • You are stepping into a new or expanded leadership role
  • The organisation is undergoing significant change or transformation
  • You are carrying substantial responsibility and have limited space to reflect
  • Performance expectations are high and the stakes feel personal
  • You sense that something needs to shift – in strategy, behaviour, or focus – but are unsure where to start


Organisations often commission coaching for executives as part of:

Up2eleven also offers a Complimentary Review for organisations looking to strengthen how they develop leaders and retain talent  over the long term.


Contact Liz

What to expect from executive coaching with Up2eleven

Your Executive Coaching Journey

Clarify Goals

Once a coaching relationship is agreed, the first session typically focuses on clarifying what you want to achieve. This may include:


  • Specific leadership challenges you are facing
  • Outcomes you would like to see in your role or organisation
  • Areas of strength you want to build on
  • Situations where you would like to respond differently

These goals can evolve over time as new insight or organisational demands emerge, but they provide an initial anchor for the work.

Regular one-to-one sessions

Coaching for executives is delivered through structured, one-to-one conversations. 


The specific shape and cadence of a coaching programme is agreed with each client or commissioning organisation to ensure that support remains relevant and practical. Sessions provide space to:


  • Explore current situations in depth
  • Reflect on your impact, mindset, and behaviour
  • Test and refine options in a non-judgemental environment
  • Identify actions you feel ready to take between sessions

Liz’s style is warm, thoughtful, and appropriately challenging. 

Chemistry Call

The process usually begins with an informal discussion to understand context, aims, and expectations. This is an opportunity to explore what you are looking for from coaching, to ask questions about the approach, and to consider how coaching could best support you or your senior team members.


Also to see it feels the right fit for you!

Integration with wider development

Executive coaching can sit alongside broader leadership development initiatives, leadership team coaching, or talent management consulting, depending on organisational needs. 


Where helpful and appropriate, insight from psychometric assessments and 360 feedback can also be used to deepen self-awareness and inform development priorities.


Executive Coaching Packages: Individual Leaders


At the heart of the process is a confidential and supportive partnership. Together, we'll explore what's on your mind, what you would like to change, what's getting in the way and the practical steps needed to move forward. Along the way, we'll identify the strengths, resources and opportunities that can help you achieve your goals.

Typical Coaching Programmes Include:


  • 3, 6, 9 or 12 1-1 coaching sessions
  • Clear goal setting and success measures
  • Practical actions and accountability between sessions
  • Reflection exercises and development activities
  • Psychometrics and 360 feedback (where appropriate)

Common Coaching Topics:


  • Confidence and executive presence
  • Resilience, wellbeing and managing overwhelm
  • Leadership impact and influencing skills
  • Difficult conversations and conflict
  • Leading teams and managing performance
  • Career transitions and redundancy
  • Promotions and stepping into larger roles
  • Building strategic thinking and leadership capability
  • Navigating organisational change and uncertainty


The focus is always on creating meaningful and sustainable change, helping leaders gain greater clarity, confidence and impact.

Let's Talk

Executive Team Coaching

Leadership teams play a critical role in shaping organisational performance, culture and employee experience. Yet even highly capable teams can struggle with trust, communication, alignment, decision-making or navigating competing priorities.


Leadership team coaching provides a dedicated space to step back from the day-to-day, strengthen relationships and improve how the team works together.


Through facilitated discussions, coaching and practical development activities, leadership teams gain greater insight into their strengths, challenges and opportunities for growth. The focus is on creating the conditions for effective collaboration, shared accountability and sustainable high performance.

Delivered through regular three-hour sessions, typically bi-monthly or quarterly, team coaching provides space for reflection, learning and meaningful dialogue whilst enabling teams to apply insights and embed new ways of working over time.


To support development, team coaching often includes team diagnostics and assessment tools, such as psychological safety, team effectiveness and leadership assessments. These are selected based on the team's goals and provide valuable insight into strengths, opportunities and areas for development.

Learn More

Benefits for executives and organisations

Clients report that coaching for executives with Up2eleven supports:

  • Improved leadership capability and performance
  • Greater confidence in handling complex or high-stakes situations
  • Clearer thinking and better-quality decision-making
  • A more strategic focus, particularly during growth or transformation
  • Stronger relationships and more effective communication
  • Increased readiness for future leadership responsibilities

At an organisational level, executive coaching can contribute to:

  • Higher-performing leadership teams - see Team Coaching
  • Better alignment between people practices and business goals
  • Stronger leadership depth and succession strength
  • Healthier cultures with clearer expectations and accountability

These outcomes are reinforced when coaching is connected to wider initiatives such as leadership development programmes, and broader talent initiatives.

What clients say about executive coaching

What clients say about working with Executive Coach Liz:

Working with me is often described as both supportive and thought-provoking. Clients frequently comment on the warm, approachable and non-judgemental environment I create, allowing them to step back from the pressures of day-to-day leadership and think openly, honestly and with greater clarity.


Many value having a trusted thinking partner who listens deeply, asks the right questions and creates a safe space for reflection, whilst also providing the right level of challenge to encourage fresh perspectives and meaningful action. Rather than offering quick answers, I help clients explore their own thinking, build self-awareness and develop solutions that feel authentic and sustainable.

Clients often report increased confidence, stronger leadership impact, clearer decision-making and a renewed sense of direction. They appreciate the balance of psychological insight and practical application, helping them navigate complex challenges, lead with greater confidence and create lasting change.

Above all, clients describe the experience as professional, personable, insightful and genuinely transformational—one that continues to influence their leadership long after our work together has ended.



Client Testimonials

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"Liz provided me with coaching when I was working out what I wanted from my next career move. I loved Liz's approach and got so much from our sessions.


Anyone wanting a coach who challenges you but supports you in equal measures, should definitely speak to Liz. With such an array of tools and techniques that Liz offers you'll definitely find the ones that work for you."

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"Her coaching was practical, focused on achieving results, but she tailored her approach for each individual's circumstances. The great thing about Elizabeth is, she doesn't tell you what to do, she helps you figure it out for yourself.


She delivered excellent value for money. I am sure we got much more than we paid for in a professional and personable manner. She is friendly and approachable, flexible and reliable. I would definitely recommend Elizabeth as a coach and consultant."

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"I've had the pleasure to work with Liz as part of a leadership and management programme undertaken by Matrix TSL.

Her vast experience, intelligence, and caring responses have given me new perspectives on what it is to lead, manage and inspire my engineering research and development team.

She is shaping my thoughts about my career and will be always in my mind when I think about the way I should conduct myself and make decisions."

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"I worked with Liz as my coach, with a focus on strengthening my leadership impact, and the experience was genuinely transformational. Through our work together, I made several meaningful changes that I continue to benefit from day to day.


I've become more thoughtful, reflective, self-aware, and professional in how I show up and lead. Liz's style is empathic and receptive, while also appropriately challenging. She creates a safe space to think..."

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"Working with Liz has been a real turning point for me and my colleagues. Through her team coaching sessions, we've built greater self-awareness, learned how to understand each other better, and found new ways to communicate and make decisions more effectively.


Liz has a rare ability to both empathise and challenge, which really helped us move forward and create real change. I'd wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone looking for a coach who makes a genuine difference."

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"Liz is an experienced leadership coach who used her own leadership experience and psychology background to help me solve my own challenges and to significantly improve my overall performance.  I really appreciated this support.  I would highly recommend her."

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"Liz has provided me with invaluable support and coaching helping me to focus and identify my strengths and recognise how they can best work for me. Liz's encouraging approach to coaching is second to none. I would highly recommend her services."

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"Liz has coached several senior leaders in my organisation, supporting leadership, performance and culture change.


She is highly experienced, friendly, pragmatic and quick to build rapport, making a real difference to enable change. I'd highly recommend Liz to anyone looking for a thoughtful and effective coach."

FAQs about coaching for executives

How is coaching for executives different from mentoring or advice?

Coaching for executives focuses on helping leaders think things through for themselves rather than being told what to do. The emphasis is on questioning, reflection, and insight, supported by psychological and leadership expertise. While experience-based perspectives may be shared where helpful, the primary aim is to enable the executive to find their own way forward.

How many executive coaching sessions will I need?

The number and frequency of sessions depend on your goals, role, and context. Some executives work intensively over a defined period, while others prefer a longer-term relationship with sessions spaced around key milestones or transitions. This is agreed individually to ensure the coaching remains useful and relevant. Team coaching is structured a little differently, find out more here.


Do you offer coaching for executives in Leeds only, or across the UK?

Up2eleven is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, but works with executives across Yorkshire and throughout the UK. Coaching can be arranged in person where practical, or virtually for leaders in different regions or with demanding travel schedules.

Can coaching for executives support leadership teams as well as individuals?

Yes. Many organisations combine individual coaching with leadership team coaching or wider leadership development programmes to build alignment, strengthen relationships, and support culture change. The right blend is tailored to each organisation’s needs.

Is coaching suitable for executives going through organisational change?

Coaching can be particularly valuable during restructuring, growth, or transformation. It provides a space to process pressure, think strategically, and consider both the human and organisational dimensions of decisions. Up2eleven also offers broader consulting support during change where required.


How confidential is executive coaching?
Coaching conversations are confidential. Where an organisation sponsors coaching, any agreed updates or themes shared with stakeholders are discussed with the executive and handled transparently. The focus is on creating a safe environment for honest reflection and exploration.

How does coaching for executives work for leaders based in Yorkshire SMEs?

For executives in Yorkshire-based SMEs, coaching often focuses on balancing strategic growth with day-to-day operational demands, building leadership depth, and shaping culture. The approach remains highly practical, grounded in the realities of smaller or growing organisations.

How can coaching improve team performance and organisational culture?

Coaching can have a positive impact far beyond the individual leader. As leaders develop greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence, confidence and communication skills, this often influences how they lead others, build relationships and shape team culture. Coaching can also support leadership teams to strengthen trust, psychological safety, collaboration and accountability, creating the conditions for improved team performance and a more positive organisational culture. Learn more about Leadership Team Coaching & Team Effectiveness.

How do we get started with coaching for executives in our organisation?

Organisations can begin with a conversation about context, objectives, and the leaders they wish to support. From there, a tailored coaching approach can be agreed, potentially alongside related services such as leadership development or talent management consulting.


Next steps

To explore coaching for yourself, your team  or senior leaders in your organisation, you can contact Up2eleven in Leeds, West Yorkshire, to discuss your context, aims, and the kind of support that would be most helpful.