External management coaching (FOI)

Request

The Director General for Justice and Home Affairs has been offered and taken up a series of sessions with an external coach.

Please could you outline the nature of that support, the number of sessions and their specific purpose, as well as the cost and clarification of who has paid and who approved this action.

Response

Director Generals take up the opportunity for coaching as part of their own professional development, exploring areas of strength that can be more widely applied, and areas for improvement, as well as matters such as relationship building, achieving outcomes, and longer-term career aspirations.

This is a recognised channel of support and is supported and approved through People and Corporate Services.

Coaching relationships vary in length and can often involve a period where they do not meet and then can be picked up again when needed. The cost in relation to an individual Director General in 2020 / 2021 was less than £2k.