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Frequently Asked
Questions

Everything you need to know about working with North Willow Gate — answered clearly and honestly.

General Questions

What exactly is North Willow Gate Consulting Ltd.?

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North Willow Gate Consulting Ltd. is Uganda's premier leadership coaching and organisational consulting firm, founded in Kampala in 2011. We specialise in leadership development, communication skills, team effectiveness, mentoring programme design, personal effectiveness coaching, and workplace collaboration consulting.

We work with individuals, teams, and organisations across Uganda and East Africa, delivering bespoke programmes grounded in evidence-based methods and deep local knowledge.

Who are your typical clients?

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Our clients come from across Uganda's professional landscape and include:

  • C-suite and senior executives in private companies and banks
  • Directors and senior managers in government ministries and agencies
  • NGO and INGO country directors and programme leads
  • University leadership and academic heads of department
  • Entrepreneurs and business owners scaling their organisations
  • Mid-career professionals seeking to accelerate their growth

We serve both individual professionals and large organisations, with tailored solutions for each context.

How long has North Willow Gate been operating?

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We were founded in 2011 — giving us over 15 years of uninterrupted practice in Uganda. We have grown from a two-person firm to a team of 22 practitioners, having coached over 840 individuals and served more than 120 corporate clients. We are one of the oldest and most established coaching and consulting firms in Uganda.

Are your coaches qualified and accredited?

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Yes. All our coaches hold credentials from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the global gold standard for professional coaching. Our founder, Dr. Margaret Asiimwe, is an ICF Master Certified Coach (MCC) — the highest level of ICF credential. Our other coaches hold Professional Certified Coach (PCC) or Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credentials.

Many of our consultants also hold additional certifications in Hogan Assessments, DISC, EQ-i 2.0, and other specialised instruments.

Our Programmes

What is the difference between coaching and consulting?

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At North Willow Gate, coaching and consulting serve different but complementary purposes:

  • Coaching is a developmental conversation-based process where we help you discover your own answers, develop insight, and make lasting behaviour changes. The coach does not tell you what to do.
  • Consulting is an expert advisory relationship where we assess your organisation's situation and provide specific recommendations, frameworks, and solutions.

Most of our engagements blend both approaches — we advise where expertise is needed and coach where growth and ownership are the priority.

Do you offer programmes for individuals or only for organisations?

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We offer both. For individuals, we provide one-on-one executive coaching, personal effectiveness coaching, and communication skills training. For organisations, we design and deliver team development programmes, mentoring frameworks, leadership development academies, and culture transformation initiatives. Many of our individual clients are sponsored by their employers; others invest privately in their own development.

Can programmes be delivered in languages other than English?

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All our programmes are delivered in English, which remains the professional language of business and government in Uganda. Some of our facilitators are also conversational in Luganda and can incorporate local language elements when culturally appropriate. If you have specific language requirements, please discuss them with us during the initial consultation.

Do you offer virtual or online coaching?

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Yes. We offer virtual coaching sessions via Zoom or Google Meet for clients who cannot attend in person, or who are based outside Kampala. Virtual coaching is equally effective for one-on-one engagements. For team programmes and facilitation, we prefer in-person delivery where possible, as the quality of group experience is significantly richer. Hybrid approaches can be arranged for geographically dispersed teams.

The Engagement Process

How do we get started?

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The first step is a complimentary 60-minute discovery consultation — either in person at our Kololo office or via video call. This session allows us to understand your needs, answer your questions, and determine whether and how we can help. There is no obligation and no sales pressure. Simply contact us via our website, email, or phone to schedule this call.

How long does a typical engagement last?

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It depends on the type of engagement:

  • Individual coaching: Typically 6–12 months for meaningful, lasting change.
  • Team development: A focused intervention may be 2–3 months; a deeper culture programme runs 12–18 months.
  • Corporate leadership programmes: Usually 12 months, including design, delivery, and evaluation.
  • Workshops and retreats: 1–3 days, with optional follow-up coaching.

We always recommend longer engagements because lasting change takes time. We do not offer "quick fix" workshops as standalone solutions.

How do you match clients with coaches?

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We take matching very seriously. After the initial consultation, we propose a specific coach based on the client's goals, personality, industry background, and what they are looking for in a coaching relationship. Clients always have the right to request an alternative coach if the initial match does not feel right. A strong coaching relationship is built on trust and chemistry, and we will never force a match that does not feel right to either party.

Pricing & Investment

How much do your programmes cost?

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Individual coaching begins at UGX 1.2 million per month for two sessions. Our professional package (four sessions, plus additional resources and team touchpoints) is UGX 3.5 million per month. Corporate and organisational programmes are custom-priced based on scope, duration, team size, and complexity — and are always negotiated transparently.

We are committed to making our programmes accessible to serious professionals at every level. If cost is a barrier, please speak with us — we have flexible arrangements and occasionally offer subsidised access for high-potential individuals from under-resourced backgrounds.

Can my employer pay for my coaching?

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Absolutely — and this is the most common arrangement. We regularly invoice employers directly and can provide whatever documentation your HR or finance team requires. We maintain complete confidentiality between the coaching relationship and the sponsoring employer: your employer knows you are being coached, but not what is discussed in sessions. We can provide general progress updates to sponsors if all parties agree to this arrangement in advance.

Do you offer payment plans?

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Yes. We understand that a 12-month coaching commitment represents a significant financial investment. We typically invoice monthly in advance, but we can discuss quarterly billing or other arrangements depending on your situation. Please raise this during the initial consultation and we will find a structure that works for both parties.

Outcomes & Impact

How do you measure the impact of your programmes?

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We take measurement seriously and approach it at multiple levels:

  • Pre-programme baseline: Surveys, interviews, and assessments to establish starting points.
  • In-programme tracking: Regular check-ins, session notes, and goal review.
  • Post-programme evaluation: Participant surveys and, where agreed, 360-degree feedback from colleagues.
  • 6-month and 12-month follow-up: We reach out after the programme ends to assess sustained behaviour change.

We provide clients and sponsors with clear, honest reporting on progress and outcomes throughout the engagement.

What if the coaching is not working for me?

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We encourage open and honest conversations throughout the coaching relationship. If something is not working, we want to know about it early so we can adjust. You can speak directly to your coach, or raise concerns with our managing director. If, after adjustments, the relationship is still not productive, we offer a no-quibble option to switch coaches or, in genuine cases, discontinue the engagement with fair financial terms. Our goal is always your growth — not our revenue.

Logistics

Where are your sessions held?

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Our primary office is at Plot 16 Acacia Avenue, Kololo, Kampala. Coaching sessions are held in our confidential, comfortable meeting rooms, at a client's office, or via video call. Team workshops and retreats are held at various venues across Kampala and Uganda depending on the programme design. We can also travel to client sites across Uganda and East Africa for larger engagements.

How quickly can you start?

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For individual coaching, we can typically begin within one to two weeks of the initial consultation, depending on coach availability and programme design requirements. For larger organisational programmes requiring a detailed needs assessment and custom design, the start date may be four to six weeks after the initial conversation. We always move as quickly as quality allows — we will not rush a design that needs careful thinking.

What is your cancellation policy?

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Individual coaching sessions require 24 hours' notice to reschedule. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice are charged in full. For workshops and group sessions, cancellation terms are specified in the engagement contract and typically require 5–10 business days' notice to avoid a cancellation fee. We understand that genuine emergencies happen and always apply these policies with human judgment.

Still Have Questions?

Our team is happy to answer anything not covered here. We typically respond within one business day.