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Impact Coaching

Impact Coaching

What is it?

Impact coaching facilitated by OD&PL provides tailored, longitudinal support to researchers looking to improve their effectiveness in delivering impact from their research.

We will work with you to shape your coaching experience based on your needs and situation. It is offered for a period of time that’s right for you and your research project. This means that you will get the support you need, when you need it, in the form you need it and covering material that will improve the success of the next action or step in your journey to deliver impact.

The support is offered online or face to face depending on the situation and the needs of those involved.

Who is it for?

The coaching is for any member of research staff or academic staff at any stage of their career. Professional support staff can also access Impact Coaching but they must be actively supporting a research project/programme to deliver impact. It can be offered to individuals or groups working on the same project or even complementary projects. If you are a postgraduate researcher, we offer a LinkedIn Learning path called Building Impact into Research. We are working on building additional coaching capacity expand this offer to postgraduate researchers in the future.

What are the benefits?

The coaching will help you to improve your ability to realise the research impact you are hoping for. It will also help you to embed the knowledge and skills necessary to deliver impact seamlessly into your research activities.

How does it work?

There is no one-size-fits-all process. We will work with you to help you to define your potential impact, think about plans to achieve that impact and help you with the steps in the plan you are unsure about. We do that in whatever way works for you (whether you are an individual or a group). The timeframe, frequency and format of meetings will be worked out with you as part of tailoring the coaching to your needs.

Coaching is provided by Dr Ged Hall from OD&PL, supported by other colleagues with expertise in specific topics where it is relevant to your needs.

What have people said about it?

‘For me, Ged has embodied University support. His connections, experience and vision have had a direct impact on my current research project. Having someone on your side, rooting for your research to be effective, has helped me to feel my work is recognised and valued, which is in turn motivating and encouraging.  Ged has kept my eye firmly on impact, offering tips and advice that have really helped, as well as putting me in touch with other University staff who are endeavouring to similar things to me, albeit in a different discipline. I think every project should have a Ged.  His contribution has changed my perception of University support.’

Dr. Siobhan Hugh-Jones, Associate Professor in Health Psychology

'I found out about your coaching when you kindly mentioned it after I had been unable to attend the ‘Building Impact Momentum’ course. You took me on at a critical point in my impact journey: I was getting lots of enquiries about my very impact-relevant research, and felt a bit overwhelmed about what to say yes to and what not. I needed someone to talk strategy with!

It was a really productive experience for me. You really helped me to come up with some useful strategies to think about the impact of my research, as well as thinking about what I was trying to change through my research. We talked about the relationships I needed to foster, as well as the ones I could probably relax a bit more about. Just by listing all the things I was doing I realised I needed to cut back a bit: I had lost perspective on when to say no. We also talked a lot about how impact and research go hand in hand, and I feel that I am now much more able to articulate how my research and impact activities work together.

I felt I really benefitted from talking to someone who is a real expert on impact. As an academic, there is limited training available on how to do impact, especially how to be strategic about it (although I do know that you provide that as well!). Your greater experience in thinking about this was really helpful. It was very reassuring, and allowed me to relax a bit more rather than feeling overwhelmed by the volume of work.'

Professor Lucie Middlemiss, Professor of Environment and Society

How do I / we access this coaching?

To discuss how we could help you please get in touch with Dr Ged Hall to arrange an initial meeting: