About
“What counts, more than any model, is how we lead ourselves and how this overflows into the connections we have, with other people and with the systems within which we operate.”
Conexus provides executive coaching, team coaching and leadership development programmes for executives, senior leaders, and top-tier management teams.
We work with a variety of organisations and industries, from tech to banking, professional services to start-ups, fast moving consumer goods to education and the public sector. What all our clients have in common is an awareness that it takes mature, seasoned leaders, to bring people together and lead organisations that evolve, and meaningfully contribute, over the long-term.
Our systemic approach to organisational and leadership development recognises that all relationships take place within a network of influences. So, how we show up as leaders encompasses far more than just our job title, our role, or the vision of our organisation.
As leaders, the presence we embody in our interactions fundamentally affects everything we do; from client relationships to employee engagement, our ability to work well with our colleagues, to how we connect with our local community, and beyond.
Conexus works with leaders who want to develop holistically: from how they communicate with others, to how they participate in teams, to being leaders who influence by their very presence.
The leaders we work with have often spent their early career acquiring knowledge, experience and applying models of leadership in action. But they now realise that the elegance of our models of change, team development or even corporate strategy cannot guarantee success.
What counts, more than any model, is how we lead ourselves and how this overflows into the connections we have, with other people and with the systems within which we operate.
As you embark on the next leg of leadership development, we would love to support you in navigating the route ahead.
Patrick BolandPatrick’s approach to life and to leadership development can be summarised by the words ‘presence’ and ‘connection’. He is deeply motivated to form meaningful connections with leaders that empowers them to uncover their own sense of depth and presence. Connecting with our most authentic selves and having the courage to lead from this place of ‘presence’, is what inspires Patrick in all his coaching and consultancy.
Patrick’s background is in Strategy and Human Capital consultancy and Education, and he has been involved in a variety of leadership development, training, and executive development roles since 2005.
He founded Conexus in 2013 and since then has worked with senior teams and leaders in global organisations ranging from Google to Unilever, LEGO to Citi, Accenture to Salesforce, AIB to ING bank. He has guest lectured at Harvard University, worked as a Senior Consultant with the Core Leadership Institute in Harvard, and continues to consult and write with Richard Rohr at the Centre for Action and Contemplation in New Mexico.
Patrick’s TED talk, ‘Failure, and the importance of mentors’ can be viewed here.
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Education
Patrick holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) International (1:1, University College Dublin), a Master of Science (MSc) in Guidance & Counselling (1:1, Dublin City University) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Leadership and Executive Coaching (Distinction) (Association for Coaching). He also holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy (1:1, Institute of Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy, Dublin), a Post-graduate Diploma in Theological Studies (1:1, St Patrick’s College, NUI Maynooth), and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (2:1, Trinity College Dublin).
Memberships
As an Executive Coach, Patrick is a member of the Association for Coaching (MAC). As a psychotherapist, he is a member of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP). He is also a registered psychometric tester with both the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and the British Psychological Society (BPS), holding the Occupational Personality and Occupational Ability qualifications (formerly known as Level A and Level B). Patrick uses a variety of psychometric tools with individuals and teams, including the Emotional Capital Report (ECR), Belbin Team Roles, Enneagram and MBTI.
Mindfulness
In 2016 Patrick trained as a Mindfulness in the Workplace trainer in the UK during a residential programme with The Mindfulness Exchange, an offshoot of the Oxford University’s Department of Psychiatry training programme under Prof. Mark Williams. He takes individuals, groups and teams on formal and informal training and mindfulness coaching that reduces stress, increases workplace productivity, and promotes effective decision-making. When required, this approach is integrated into individual coaching sessions.
CLIENTS
“I’ve benefited greatly from Patrick’s wisdom and counsel as I seek to become a leader worth following in today’s ultra-competitive marketplace. There are precious few thought leaders who truly understand the increasing necessity for emotional intelligence in corporate leadership. Patrick’s background and skillset uniquely qualifies him to both speak and coach into this area, which is a crucial learning area for many executives.”
“I met Patrick in the context of a multiweek “Purpose to Impact” program in Q1 2021. He guided the leaders of our Market Group through a deep individual self-reflection process, helping them to identify their personal and professional purpose. Many of us have been involved in various leadership trainings, but this one truly made an impact and will be deeply remembered by all participants. Patrick is a very nice, mindful and warm personality, with a strong ability to radiate trust and create a safe base. He is a great active listener, who is able to rephrase, challenge, build to help managers/individuals to better understand and articulate themselves. I enjoyed working with Patrick and highly recommend him to either work individually with a senior leader (coaching, mentoring, sparring partner) or with a management team to help them elevating as a leadership team.”
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“As a team of senior lawyers, sometimes we can be a little cynical about the benefits of leadership development. However, the teaching method that Patrick adopted with us, which included a series of really tangible exercises to help us to approach common leadership and people management issues, really resonated with us and are being used by us on a daily basis.
During our coaching sessions, Patrick was challenging and provocative in a very understated manner! With regard to some of the leadership challenges I am facing, Patrick equipped me to address these through a series of tools and self-reflections, leaving me with greater clarity about my leadership strengths and those areas I need to work on.”
Helen Dooley, Group General Counsel, AIB.
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“I had the opportunity to work with Patrick both personally as a coachee, and as a team for leadership program. To start with the latter, this has been the most effective leadership program I’ve attended in my career, as Patrick has a completely bespoke approach for each different team. This tailored approach is very rare as most leadership programs I’ve attended were always standard and did not have any alterations to different teams. His flexibility, calmness and iterative approach have turned even the most difficult conversations to positive outcomes. I can still feel the positive influence and energy after months, and it still helps us as a team to operate at our maximum, to decide effectively and to maintain the trust.
As a coachee, Patrick has been a great influencer in almost a leap frog in my life. Not only he has helped me to deep dive once again in my values, personality, life purpose, but also widened my perspective to unleash my true potential, my true self as a leader. Hence I strongly recommend Patrick for those who would like themselves and their teams to be at their best!”
Gulru Atak, Managing Director, Global Innovation Lead for Treasury and Trade Solutions, Citi.
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‘I am grateful for the valuable skills and experience that Patrick generously brings to bear on his work with the Center for Action and Contemplation. He cares deeply for our students and supporting their journeys of healing and transformation. He is committed to a contemplative way of orienting to life and brings grounded wisdom into our collaborations.’
Kirsten Oates, Managing Director of Program Design and Teacher Relations, Centre for Action and Contemplation.
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