Executive Coaching

Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries

For over fifteen years Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries (MPDN) have been working closely with parents, staff and Ofsted to deliver childcare of the highest quality, providing children with unlimited opportunities to learn, develop and grow within a safe, secure and caring environment.

In 2005, Monkey Puzzle launched its first nursery franchise, the first in the sector, having now grown to over 60 successful franchised nursery settings nationwide, making Monkey Puzzle the UK’s largest childcare franchise network managed by a dedicated team from their Head Offices in Berkhampsted, Hertfordshire.

We were asked to provide Executive Coaching support to their newly appointed Franchise Director.

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The Franchise Director was experienced within the franchise environment but was new to this specialist sector.  In his previous organisation he had noticed that key leaders, and those who noticeably made progress were matched with an external Executive Coach to support them through their development.  When he joined MPDN he ensured that coaching support was put in place for him from the outset so that he could be as effective in the role as possible.

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The coaching programme was set up for an initial period of 6 sessions, held every 5-6 weeks.  Each session was 90 minutes in length and subjects covered and actions taken from previous sessions were reviewed at each following coaching session.  At the end of the initial coaching programme the Franchise Director could see the value of the sessions and the way it had supported his decision-making, his personal development and his growth into new responsibilities.  He was appointed into a new role of Group MD.  With this new role further coaching was put in place with sessions held each month for an agreed period of 12 months.  The Group MD continues to use the sessions as a sounding board, and as the relationship with the Executive Coach has developed, then the topics covered have become broader and deeper.