Yes… However, I believe my role as advisor is best defined by my clients who, over the years have called me “coach, confidant, counselor, trusted advisor, thinking partner, sparring partner, friend, and even secret weapon.”

Yet, there is a common foundation: my clients, like you, are busy and need someone who can listen, provide frank feedback, appropriate challenges, or insightful questions without an agenda, other than improving their business; someone who can fill a unique role that’s unlikely filled by an internal source.

Because the nature of my coaching is grounded in the reality of my client’s business, I don’t use a cookie-cutter methodology. I begin with what is – with a thorough diagnostic and planning process – then move toward what could be – via a customized program based on the specific needs of the individual and the organization.

I work comfortably and closely with the executive and his or her direct manager, as well as HR partners. Additionally, we involve the board in the process, at the executive’s request. I maintain complete confidentiality about my engagement as preferred by the coached executive.

What differentiates me from other executive coaches is my focus on the executive as an individual, and in the business context. How do they see themselves and what will it take for them to be effective in this role, in this company, in this industry? Together, we always start with what is and build towards what could be.

I help executives become more effective leaders that are better equipped to deal with the real challenges they face on the job.

Six to twelve months.

The kinds of issues/opportunities I engage don’t lend themselves to so-called quick fixes:

• Increase the range, flexibility, and effectiveness of the client’s behavioral repertoire
• Increase client’s ability to manage an organization
• Maintain balance: manage tensions between organizational, family, community, and personal needs and demands
• Manage career and advance professionally
• Manage self and others in conditions of change, crisis, and conflict
• Improve the effectiveness of the organization or team
• Improve client’s psychological and social competencies

The common threads in these areas are dealing with ambiguity and complexity, and thinking differently in order to perform differently.

• The next generation of executive leaders – Likely candidates for advancement. Individuals identified by organizational sponsors as leaders who would benefit from grooming and preparation to move from “high potential” to “ready now”.
• Solid performers pursuing increased performance – Strong senior players who are performing well, and could be even stronger leaders with some coaching.
• Executives in transition – Effective leaders experiencing change: something is about to be new and different… promotion, relocation, reorganization, or all of the above.
• Leaders who have “hit a bump” – Executives with considerable corporate value and potential, yet need some assistance in their leadership performance.
• Strong leaders who have “lost their smile” – Individuals who are performing well, but who have stopped experiencing joy in their work.

I’m not sure yet that you should, or shouldn’t.

Try to imagine a professional football team that recruits the best players, sends them to training camp to sharpen technical abilities, learn the strategies and master the plays to win, and then plays the entire season without a single practice or a coach. Hard to imagine, right? Team owners would never take that kind of risk. Yet, most business do exactly that.

Like that professional football team, if you’d like to leverage your strengths and better understand and manage your blindspots to improve your performance, we should start a conversation. Then we can mutually decide if it makes sense for us to work together.