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Mike Ford

Coaching
& Consulting

across sport, business and academia

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WELCOME

Mike Ford 

From managing world-class athletes and nurturing talent, to developing and implementing high-performance strategies, I leverage my experience across the highs and lows of professional rugby to provide consultancy services for the benefit of organisational culture, positivity, and personal development.

I am motivated to channel the successes from rugby into business, helping to inspire and drive sustainable business growth, considering people, innovation, and well-being.

Notable organisations I have collaborated with include Dyson, John Lewis, Ricoh, Heineken and Thatchers.

{I enjoyed working with Mike as he has an infectious passion for what he does and a pride in his work which he imparts to those he’s coaching. He is also pragmatic, flexible and was on many occasions willing to make a sacrifice for the good of the team as a whole. He is always looking to improve and learn while looking at things with fresh eyes and questioning what may be traditional. I was proud to have worked with Mike and I strongly recommend him.{
Martin Johnson
{Mike’s depth of knowledge is exceptional and he is capable of building great teams and outstanding environments for performance. Perhaps for me the most crucial facet of Mike’s character was his support and man-management. His leadership made sure that I felt able to be something closer to the best of me when everything else was insisting the complete opposite. I would happily stand behind Mike as a leading force behind, or an inspiring addition to, any coaching team at the very highest level.{
Jonny Wilkinson
{Mike understands what it takes to build a winning team and his down-to-earth and honest approach and communication style really resonated with me and my team. His sessions with us were a great starting point to the long term development journey we have been on. He is great at translating his sporting experience to any team environment and I would recommend him to any business looking seriously at leadership and team development.{
Jeremy Beadles
Corporate Relations Director, Heineken
{I have known Mike for four years both as a friend and as a business contact. His incredibly deep knowledge of rugby translates into a practical, no-nonsense delivery of performance at the very highest level. And what’s more, he’s able to translate those lessons and techniques into the business world, which the Executive Team at TalkTalk benefited from in 2015 when we spent a couple of days with him and some of the team. A leader on and off the field - and a superb coach.{
Nigel Sullivan
HR Director, Talk Talk

Services

Rugby

From specific team skills to head coaching roles, I enjoy the challenges of team building, player development and performance improvement.

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Services

Leadership

In coaching professional athletes to industry professionals, I enjoy sharing my experiences in how to deal with high-pressure environments

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Services

Consulting

Providing insight, support, mentoring and guidance across culture, behaviour and strategy within the corporate world, for current and future business leaders.

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30 years of professional expertise across dual code rugby

In union, I have been Head Coach of Bath Rugby and a Defensive Coach for the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and the British & Irish Lions, I was the Aviva Premiership Director of Rugby for season 2014/15, and have received consistent praise for my influence on outstanding domestic and international team performances at the Rugby World Cup, RBS 6 Nations Championship and Aviva Premiership.

Whilst I am continuing my career in professional rugby, I am keen to further my own personal development as rugby and business continues to adapt to change, sharing my experiences and knowledge with business leaders, to hopefully provide guidance and advice from the high-pressure environment of professional rugby, which I feel transfers to the corporate world.

I am passionate sportsman, husband and father based in my home town of Saddleworth in the North of England. Having had a successful career spanning 38 years in both codes of professional rugby across the globe, I have worked closely with some of the sport’s most successful players in club and international rugby.

I was fortunate enough to play rugby league for teams including, Wigan, Castleford and Oldham, England, Great Britain & British Lions in 1988 and being inducted into Castleford Tiger’s Hall of Fame.

 

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