Building Brilliant Leaders at the University of Hull
Transforming Leadership During Organisational Change
The University of Hull partnered with Scaffold Coaching to develop over 100 middle-managers through a bespoke 18-month Building Brilliant Leaders programme—during a period of significant restructuring and low morale. The aim: to build confident, resilient, and values-driven leaders who could navigate complexity with courage and clarity.
“Scaffold Coaching delivered a unique, values-based programme that exceeded all expectations. Their person-centred approach empowered our leaders and gave our L&D team space to focus elsewhere.”
The Challenge
Facing university-wide change, Hull needed external support to develop leadership capability, create alignment, and embed a values-led culture. The internal L&D team needed a trusted partner to fully design and deliver the programme.
Our Approach
We delivered a fully managed programme including:
9 bespoke leadership modules for Grades 6–8 staff
Interactive workshops, co-coaching groups, and peer networking
Strong alignment with the University's values and strategy
The focus was on authentic leadership, intentional management, and human-centred resilience. The programme created space for reflection, curiosity, and growth.
The Impact
100 leaders trained across academic, technical, and professional services
95% completion rate and nearly 3,000 hours of learning
NPS of 74 (vs. target of +30)
Tangible improvements in:
Communication & collaboration (+19–26%)
Motivation & goal setting (+11–25%)
Problem solving & ethical leadership (+10–24%)
Strategic and inclusive thinking (+7–31%)
What Participants Said
“The course helped me better understand myself and others. It reduced my stress levels and changed how I lead.” – Hazel Holmes
“This changed the way I think about leadership – the coaching skills have been invaluable.” – Sarah Sumpter
“A safe space for reflection and growth. I highly recommend it.” – Keith Hornsby
"The programme has been incredibly valuable to us as an organisation. It's given our leaders the tools and confidence to drive positive change and create an environment where everyone can thrive." – Helen Williams
"The programme has given [our team member] so much confidence to do more, now she knows more. Will there be another run of this programme? Because I would like to sponsor some more people in my team." — University of Hull Sponsor
"This is a wonderful opportunity to spend time with my team... it’s been very valuable." — University of Hull Sponsor
By partnering with Scaffold Coaching, the University of Hull successfully invested in its most valuable asset – its people – fostering a culture of empowered, effective, and brilliant leaders ready to navigate future challenges and opportunities.
Scaffold Coaching Services
The University of Hull engaged Scaffold Coaching in 2023-2024 for a bespoke build, integrated and branded University branding, fully managed by us Building Better Leaders Programme.