Feedback and Coaching

Our Development Services provide psychologist-led, evidence-based support to strengthen leadership capability and professional growth within Fire and Rescue Services. We help individuals and teams build confidence, improve performance, and realise their full potential at every stage of their development journey.

We offer coaching services in several ways:

Developmental Feedback Sessions

After candidates complete the CPG assessments, our psychologist assessors provide feedback and coaching on leadership performance.

These sessions are a crucial opportunity for candidates to explore their performance within the context of career aspirations, strengths and motivations. Using the feedback reports as a basis, we discuss performance, explore development areas and identify opportunities for increased wellbeing and contribution. The sessions combine a feedback and coaching approach, with objectives including recognising achievements, boosting confidence and creating clear next steps that support collaborative developmental solutions and increase positive impact in the workplace and beyond. These sessions are an invaluable intermediate stage between the CPG and ongoing line manager development support.

A one-page summary covering key learning and discussion points is provided to individuals, and with permission, to the Development Team after the session.

Developmental Coaching for Line Managers

With options for either a half-day workshop or one-day course, this practical learning event equips line managers with effective coaching techniques to support their team’s career development post-promotional assessment. Participants learn to explore career aspirations, give constructive and evidence-based performance feedback, challenge unhelpful beliefs, identify strengths, and create supported and logical next steps. The course combines theory with practical sessions, boosting confidence and competence in delivering collaborative developmental solutions that focus on well-being, individual contributions and creative approaches to shared goals.

Individual Performance Coaching

If you need help overcoming promotion barriers, clarifying your career direction, or addressing difficulties impacting your wellbeing at work, our psychologists provide supportive, collaborative coaching. Over six 45-minute sessions, they help you identify priorities, obstacles, and the behaviours that aid or hinder your progress. Our experienced and practical coaches guide you in recognising your motivations and developing a beneficial action plan to support your growth.

From first application through to career transitions, we support firefighters at every stage of their journey – helping them grow, lead, and thrive.

PRE-ASSESSMENT BRIEFINGS

It is important to ensure that candidates feel fully prepared, know what to expect and understand what they need to do to maximise their performance. Pre-assessment support significantly reduces uncertainty and errors on the day, and improves candidate buy-in and acceptance of the process.

We have various options available:

1.

We supply your HR/L&D team with briefing slides, practice exercises and notes to facilitate in-house sessions.

(Initial train-the-trainer discussion is advised.)

2.

A member of our assessment team facilitates an hour-long briefing on MS Teams to introduce the CPG benefits and key features, explain what the exercises will look like, clarify what will be assessed and how to demonstrate the leadership behaviours and competencies most effectively. The session includes discussion of common mistakes and useful approaches, along with FAQ/Q&A.

3.

An e-learning course and/or preparation workbook is available, providing self-study materials that help candidates feel confident about the process and prepare to perform at their fullest potential.

Our recommendation for new clients is for options one and two, moving to option one and three once the process is embedded (after year one).

If you’d like to learn more about how VCA can help your organisation assess, develop, and retain talent, get in touch:

+44 (0)1202 798272