Colin Wilson Associates
Colin works with others in leadership development, human dynamics and systems at the human/business performance interface. An accredited Coaching and Organisation Consulting Supervisor, he is fortunate to have personally consulted with 7x FTSE100s, one Fortune 200, two global banks, one leading FMCG, one major political party, several multi-agency non-profits, plus hundreds of individuals in the corporate, private and non-profit sectors. He often co-coaches or co-facilitates with associates.
Colin’s introduction to performance development was through high-performance sport. Between the ages of 9-24 years Colin was England No 1 or 2 for his age in table tennis for 10 years and went on to win European Youth bronze and 2x Commonwealth Men’s silver (see the Table Tennis page on this website).
He became fascinated by the ‘process of performance development’ from the earliest times but this was catalysed further at the age of 16 when he had a great mentor/coach called Peter Hirst who was also a coach-educator and had real strengths in technical, philosophical and holistic approaches. So Colin was ‘coaching coaches’ in the sport from age 17, using his strong technical/biomechanical model with international experience, and some varied life experience even at that age.
Then Colin got into three or four small business ideas, then worked for the sport’s governing body (coach educator to development officer to national Board member). At the same time Colin was asked to contribute to coaching development in other sports, then in their organisations (focusing on the office as opposed to the playing surface!) which guided Colin towards his later life as management consultant and executive coach.
The link below opens Ben Larcombe’s Expert Table Tennis website page for Colin’s Podcast titled ‘How to Fulfil Your Potential.’ During Colin’s conversation with Ben he shared a number of useful tips for players and coaches of all levels.
Below is Colin’s interview “Inside the Nationals commentary box”. Recorded ahead of the Mark BatesNationals 2023. A fascinating insight into the commentator’s art by Colin Wilson. Excuse the teeth braces Colin was wearing at the time!
David Bartram OBE on Twitter: “Not only is @ColinWilson62 a brilliant commentator, he’s also an exceptional coach; we’re very lucky our son got the opportunity to work with him”.
Video courtesy of Table Tennis England and TTE.TV. Visit https://tte.tv/home to “Watch live and on demand table tennis, with new content added regularly from the national and international competition calendar”.
Colin spent six amazing years at Telos Partners 2005-11 consulting in ‘sustainable organisation transformation’, and then became self-employed again. With two children and after some committed parenting with Kim (there’s a longer life story there!), Colin built his own table tennis club with mates Tony West and Henry Arthur (both coaches) – a labour of love with a social legacy. Colin’s two sons enjoyed playing there. With help from many in the playing/parenting community at the Club, one son became a coach, and the other became a youth international, making it to England Men’s Under 21 No 1. The first son also became a professional actor from the age of 12 in Mr Selfridge, then Silent Witness and all three series of Broadchurch, among others. So Colin is also now an acting coach! During the covid pandemic of 2020-21 Colin continued to coach the table tennis club’s advanced junior players (nationally ranked) remotely on video each week.
With a fair amount of complex programme management and leadership experience too, Colin has a history of ending up in the intersection of ‘strategic’ and ‘operations’; and in non-executive and executive positions. It’s an interesting pattern he notices in hindsight! Colin is attracted to the strategic ‘high-level’ thinking, but equally likes to stay ‘real’ and working with all types of people and local problems too. A family history and memories back to great-grandparents and beyond in working-class Sheffield, maintains in Colin a great respect for solid working ethics, working people and traditional family values as an ideal.
Accreditations include the Global Team Coaching Institute’s Practitioner qualification, Bath Consultancy Group’s award in the Supervision of Executive Coaches and Organisation Consultants, the ESTSS Psychology of Trauma, Systemic Team Coaching, and Agile Coaching while he is qualified to deliver many psychometrics including three team development tools, plus MBTI, SDI (Relationship Awareness), EQi/Emotions and Behaviours at Work, Belbin, Facet5, MTQ48 Mental Toughness and others.
Colin often provides or works alongside a range of trusted Associates with varied experience, chosen to meet the need of any project. Colin coaches people with issues and/or opportunities – on subscription, or per project.
"I love seeing great teaching...
Teaching can have a huge impact on a young person’s positive attitudes and the velocity of their personal and professional development. Overall I was very lucky, but I have also seen the negative impact of poor teaching. One tiny written example; I got this PE Report Card from school when I was 15:
“ Christopher is a well-coordinated boy who does well in most sports he attempts.”
Hilarious! As well as getting my name wrong after two years, the PE master seemed blind to my table tennis achievements (playing for England for my age regularly). Within a year of this, I won two Men’s Commonwealth Silver medals. After I did, my PE teacher still never mentioned it.
While this did not affect me adversely, imagine how similar indifference could affect someone more vulnerable, and especially if repeated or endemic, or widespread among a teaching community.
We have to teach young people well, and we can do better than this! Luckily I have also seen much wonderful teaching and coaching in action, and it always warms my heart to see great teachers at work, helping young people to achieve intelligence, self-reliance, capability, independence, and responsibility for self and others. We have a vested interest. Kids are the future and our future leaders in our old age!