Ignia: Working with teams, maximising their impact
Team coaching and training consultancy Ignia has worked in, led, coached and facilitated teams for over two decades.
Founded by former advertising agency leader and ICF-accredited Executive Coach Steve Jefferys in 2021, Ignia understands that teams, irrespective of industry and function, are not just faceless instruments to ‘get stuff done’. They’re the key to making a difference.
Successful teams understand, harness and maximise the people behind the meetings, the politics and the daily hustle so that each person’s best impact can be made and celebrated.
Steve Jefferys built his career in global advertising agencies, advising some of the world’s biggest brands. We asked him about his background and what Ignia brings to the region’s business community.
What did you do before Ignia?
I spent the best part of two decades in leadership positions at London advertising agencies working across many industries including financial services, retail, travel and leisure, professional services, and not-for-profit.
Born and raised in the South East, I moved to the Bath area in 2016 and founded Ignia in 2021 after leaving the advertising industry.
What enticed you into coaching?
I’ve always been most energised and rewarded by helping others succeed and develop. Gaining a coaching qualification in 2020 enabled me to practice fully and, while I love the industry I left, I wanted to align more fully with my biggest passion to help make a difference. Having been a part of many teams and seen what can derail as well as enable progress, coaching allowed me to marry my practical experience with a non-directive approach.
What is Ignia’s offering?
We work with senior leaders and their teams to help them understand and then unleash their collective impact – both inside and outside their organisations. We do this through a combination of psychometric tools, team workshops, observations, facilitated exercises and coaching sessions. We do this from the point of a new team’s inception to set them up for success as well as to re-energise and re-point existing teams.
Who are your clients?
Despite my advertising background, we reach far and wide! Typical clients, as well as the creative industries, are professional services firms and scaling tech businesses.
How do you work with clients?
Engagements are as varied as the companies we partner with. While we have preferred processes and methodologies we work with, we also ensure each way of working is fit for purpose for the specific client. Having spent many years in an industry notorious for its elaborate and often ‘over-spec’d’ working practices, we work to achieve the opposite of this: incisive, effective programmes of work which are clear on the value they provide and the inputs to achieve this.
What are the outcomes?
Outcomes are typically more aligned, energised teams able to bring the best out of each other. We work to align on team purpose, sharpen communication styles, build trust and psychological safety and ensure the conditions for productive conflict can take place for the good of the team and the wider business. We then work to ensure that this image and purpose are robust to resonate with stakeholders, clients and outside influences.
If you could share one thing with the TBE community, what would it be?
As the Founder, my working style is warm, open and energetic, and these principles underpin the thinking behind Ignia (Latin for fire). Workshops and coaching sessions are dynamic, purposeful and fun.
What are your interests outside of work?
I’m married with two children (13 and 10) and have coached my son’s U11 football team for the past five years. On Monday evenings, I can be found playing football at Larkhall, where I try to convince myself I can still keep pace with 20-somethings!
Find out more at ignia.uk
