Darren Ward

Darren Ward

For Nelson business and personal development coach Darren Ward, business coaching is more than simply setting goals; it’s about providing the structure, tools and support that empowers clients to achieve their goals.  It is not really business coaching per se.  It's helping individuals who lead a businesses to achieve their goals, to help them excel in their chosen fields, and to empower them to reach their full potential.
Darren comes from Northern Ireland, where he started an engineering apprenticeship, and has worked for several large organisations in Northern Ireland, California and Auckland, in manufacturing, engineering, management and leadership roles.  “My engineering background taught me the importance of having systems in place and the importance of questions,” says Darren. “Taking a systematic approach is a good way to identify how something works or doesn’t work, be it machinery, processes or running a business. Quality questions are key to awareness, and finding the best solutions on how to overcome problems and identify the right strategies and actions to take.”
Darren has experienced first-hand how quickly a great company can die through poor leadership and poor cashflow management.   When Darren and 25 others were made redundant from a large manufacturing company, he made the decision to go out on his own.   Darren collaborated with three of his colleagues to set up their own environmental engineering company, with Darren as Managing Director. In a few short years, Darren led the company to grow steadily and be consistently profitable.  Darren is most proud of being able to re-employ 11 of the original staff and transform the management culture to one which actually cared for and developed its employees.
In 2008 Darren moved with his family from Auckland to Nelson and bought a franchise to become a Red Hot Business Coach. Having successfully completed an accredited Diploma in Life and Business Coaching in the UK, Darren saw an opportunity with Red Hot to apply his extensive business knowledge helping others to achieve their goals.  Darren has successfully delivered the Mastermind Coaching programme in Nelson for two years and has now taken the learning and experienced gained and formed his new coaching practice, Highly Effective Coaching.  H believes that coaching is not about telling people what they need, should or must do.  “It’s about empowering people to find their own answers."