GOCP Expands Coaching Services to the US Market

Associated Press

27-05-2025

05/27/2025, County Sligo, Ireland // PRODIGY: Feature Story //
Gerald O'Connor, founder of the executive coaching firm GOCP, has announced the expansion of his bespoke leadership services into the United States market. This expansion signifies his commitment to bringing his methods centered on transforming organizational culture through meeting effectiveness through a broader international client base. With a growing demand for leadership interventions that address cultural and communication challenges, O'Connor is seeking senior leadership teams ready to reimagine how they decide, collaborate, and lead.
'I've spent years observing how subtle power dynamics and poor meeting structures hold organizations back. It's not just in performance but also in morale, innovation, and retention. The US is full of forward-thinking leaders who know something needs to change but aren't always sure where to start. That's where I come in,' says O'Connor.
O'Connor's philosophy revolves around the belief that meetings are diagnostic tools and levers for cultural transformation. His unique coaching model begins with an in-depth meeting analysis, which he utilizes to discover patterns in behavior, communication gaps, and decision-making inefficiencies that reflect the broader organizational culture. By improving the design and function of meetings, O'Connor helps leaders initiate cultural shifts that can lead to lower staff turnover, improved efficiency, and more accountable decision-making processes.
Catering to the C-suite and senior leadership teams, O'Connor's coaching is highly personalized and usually includes structured one-on-one sessions between the CEO and each board member. This approach is essential to draw out underrepresented voices and nurture more inclusive, balanced decision-making. He helps executive teams understand the informal power structures and communication habits that shape their culture and guides them in using meeting practices as vehicles to influence change from within.
O'Connor has witnessed firsthand that many meetings are bloated, underprepared, or poorly constructed. They result in lost opportunities and disengaged participants. 'What we need is fewer but more purposeful meetings, where the right people are at the table, and where everyone feels safe enough to speak up,' O'Connor states. He has seen too many cases where the best ideas were left unspoken because the cultural conditions don't allow for open contributions. Hence, O'Connor helps flatten hierarchical structures to empower teams, promote safer communication, and build a foundation of trust and accountability.
The coach believes that meetings are a microcosm of the organization itself. When they're dysfunctional (i.e., dominated by a few voices, under-attended by the right people, or misused as performance rituals rather than decision-making forums), they're symptomatic of deeper cultural flaws. Inspired by a retired US Navy captain, O'Connor promotes decentralized leadership models where authority is distributed and initiative is encouraged. 'Authority should be bottom up rather than top down,' explains O'Connor.
Over a decade in executive roles within one of Ireland's most respected sporting organizations informs O'Connor's approach. As a former County Board Secretary, he led initiatives in governance, strategic planning, and cultural transformation. These experiences became the basis for his book, The County Board Chair: The Unofficial Guide. It's widely respected for its candid insights into the realities of leadership in volunteer-driven organizations and its practical guidance for turning complex dynamics into shared purpose.
Meanwhile, his work in the voluntary sector was where O'Connor realized the destructive impact of unaddressed power imbalances and workplace bullying. He now integrates this awareness into his coaching, helping leaders recognize the subtle behaviors that can poison team culture, such as information hoarding or strategic ostracization. His experience being undermined by such dynamics only motivated him further to teach others how to build systems of support, transparency, and mutual respect.
As he sets his sights on US organizations, O'Connor is eager to connect with mission-driven leaders ready to turn their meeting rooms into engines of innovation. He believes his approach has universal relevance, whether working with startups, scaling firms, or legacy institutions looking to modernize their culture. 'I'm not just trying to fix how people meet,' O'Connor says. 'My goal is to create organizations where everyone can contribute without fear and where decisions are made with clarity, courage, and collective insight.'
Media Contact
Name: Gerald O'Connor
Email: [email protected]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gocp/?originalSubdomain=ie
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