Leadership and Executive Coaching FAQs
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what are your leadership workshops like?
My facilitation style has been called unobtrusive and empowering. I've been told that my style invites inclusiveness and participation from everyone in the room.
I'll bring tools, structures, exercises, and knowledge, and I'll rely on you to find many of the answers within yourselves and within your teams.
I don't believe in one "way" of leading others and teams. Instead, I believe in a number of philosophies and principles and structures. I'll introduce you to some of mine and many that I've compiled from top leaders, companies, studies, and reading. I'll give you resources to do your homework and draw your own conclusions.
I have formed my philosophies and structures based on the best practices of some of the top companies across the US and on my own experiences leading people and teams for many years. I'll introduce you to concepts, philosophies, tools, and ideas - and I'll encourage you to do your own research through reading.
I strongly believe in the idea of "letting the light shine through" and do this in my retreats by facilitating in a way that empowers you and your team to be in the heart of the action.
I'll bring tools, structures, exercises, and knowledge, and I'll rely on you to find many of the answers within yourselves and within your teams.
I don't believe in one "way" of leading others and teams. Instead, I believe in a number of philosophies and principles and structures. I'll introduce you to some of mine and many that I've compiled from top leaders, companies, studies, and reading. I'll give you resources to do your homework and draw your own conclusions.
I have formed my philosophies and structures based on the best practices of some of the top companies across the US and on my own experiences leading people and teams for many years. I'll introduce you to concepts, philosophies, tools, and ideas - and I'll encourage you to do your own research through reading.
I strongly believe in the idea of "letting the light shine through" and do this in my retreats by facilitating in a way that empowers you and your team to be in the heart of the action.
what type of organizations do you work with?
I work with organizations that are innovative and inspired by something greater.
This means that I often work with organizations doing things that others haven't done before. I work with nonprofits and organizations making the world a better place. I work with organizations that are the best what what they do and want to stay that way. I work with organizations who care about their people.
I work with organizations that care more about outcomes than they do about titles. I work with organizations that value talent and results more than years of experience on a resume. I work with organizations that do the right thing even when it's hard. I work with organizations that are open to having real, truthful conversations.
I work with organizations that do not tolerate mediocrity. And, I work with organizations that want badly to do the things listed above but that need some help getting there.
This means that I often work with organizations doing things that others haven't done before. I work with nonprofits and organizations making the world a better place. I work with organizations that are the best what what they do and want to stay that way. I work with organizations who care about their people.
I work with organizations that care more about outcomes than they do about titles. I work with organizations that value talent and results more than years of experience on a resume. I work with organizations that do the right thing even when it's hard. I work with organizations that are open to having real, truthful conversations.
I work with organizations that do not tolerate mediocrity. And, I work with organizations that want badly to do the things listed above but that need some help getting there.
what type of leadership consulting can i expect from you? what are your philosophies?
People are capable of amazing things and are naturally creative, resourceful, and whole.
This means that in most cases, if people are working on things they're passionate about, strong at, and that they enjoy, they will be successful. As much as possible, we want to create structures to make this possible within our companies and within our teams. Sometimes, it's simply not possible, at which point we need to have a serious conversation about whether our team members will be more successful elsewhere.
most managers want to be good managers, even if they're not.
I've found that oftentimes, people are bad managers because they simply don't know what to do. I've created a tool kit that provides basic structures and tools to empower managers to succeed. Good managers mean successful and happy team members, which in turn means keeping great people.
people don't leave companies; they leave managers.
Life is all about choice. While often circumstances arise that lead us to make difficult decisions about our lives and our careers, the reasons team members leave are very simple when we boil it down. People want to feel appreciated, valued, challenged, and seen. They want to know that their contributions are recognized. They want to work for a boss who they feel cares about them - as an employee and as a person. Too often, this simply isn't the case, making our team members' decision to leave very clear and very easy. My leadership coaching focuses on key tools for creating meaningful relationships with our team members and empowering them to do amazing things.
promoting "work/life balance" is not what attracts, engages, or keeps great employees.
At the end of the day, we are human beings. We are human beings when we're out with our friends, when we're at home with our loved ones, and when we're at work with our teams. The concept of separating who we are at work and who we are at home simply doesn't work. We, as human beings, have the desire to find meaning and to make an impact. If we are doing work we care about, it spans far beyond 'work' and reaches deep into our core. We discover our passions, our strengths, and we find our voice. In order to attract, engage, and keep great employees we need to find people whose passions, strengths, and interests align with the mission of our company. That means we need to let people show up fully and authentically in their work in order to tap into these areas. It also means we need to show up fully and authentically as leaders in order to promote a culture where we are human beings in everything we do. Rather than promoting work/life balance, we can start seeing our employees as people - who have values and strengths and passions and interests - and get to know them for their whole selves, rather than the part of them that contributes to our needed "resources" on projects.
people are people, not resources.
When we start seeing people as resources, we have failed as leaders. People are unique, dynamic, and talented human beings, and we need to treat them that way. We need to pause every once in a while to ask, "who are you?" instead of "by when will you have it done?"
showing up fully and authentically as leaders leads to amazing things.
Once we start to embrace our "human-ness" in all areas of our lives, including work, amazing things begin to happen. Our best team members become engaged and they stick around. We begin having real conversations with our leadership teams. We start to act in a way that is ethical and values-based. We stop doing the things that feel gross, and we begin to do what we know is right.
being honest with people is essential, even when it's hard.
People want to know where they stand and how they're doing. This means that having open, honest, and truthful conversations is essential, even when the news isn't good.
toxic people are not acceptable even if they're good at their craft.
Plain and simple. It doesn't matter how many years of experience or how much technical expertise an employee has if he or she is poisoning the team through toxic behavior, a poisonous attitude, gossip, or the inability to work with others. Skills can be taught and experience can be gained, but a team simply cannot thrive with the presence of a poisonous person. Tolerating such behavior is a reflection of weak leadership, and people leave weak leaders.
use judgment, not policies.
Set clear expectations and make it clear that good judgment is expected at all times. If someone messes up, talk to the person individually. If many people mess up, ask yourself if your expectations are clear. If bad judgment is a problem across your organization, ask yourself how to start hiring people with better judgment.
This means that in most cases, if people are working on things they're passionate about, strong at, and that they enjoy, they will be successful. As much as possible, we want to create structures to make this possible within our companies and within our teams. Sometimes, it's simply not possible, at which point we need to have a serious conversation about whether our team members will be more successful elsewhere.
most managers want to be good managers, even if they're not.
I've found that oftentimes, people are bad managers because they simply don't know what to do. I've created a tool kit that provides basic structures and tools to empower managers to succeed. Good managers mean successful and happy team members, which in turn means keeping great people.
people don't leave companies; they leave managers.
Life is all about choice. While often circumstances arise that lead us to make difficult decisions about our lives and our careers, the reasons team members leave are very simple when we boil it down. People want to feel appreciated, valued, challenged, and seen. They want to know that their contributions are recognized. They want to work for a boss who they feel cares about them - as an employee and as a person. Too often, this simply isn't the case, making our team members' decision to leave very clear and very easy. My leadership coaching focuses on key tools for creating meaningful relationships with our team members and empowering them to do amazing things.
promoting "work/life balance" is not what attracts, engages, or keeps great employees.
At the end of the day, we are human beings. We are human beings when we're out with our friends, when we're at home with our loved ones, and when we're at work with our teams. The concept of separating who we are at work and who we are at home simply doesn't work. We, as human beings, have the desire to find meaning and to make an impact. If we are doing work we care about, it spans far beyond 'work' and reaches deep into our core. We discover our passions, our strengths, and we find our voice. In order to attract, engage, and keep great employees we need to find people whose passions, strengths, and interests align with the mission of our company. That means we need to let people show up fully and authentically in their work in order to tap into these areas. It also means we need to show up fully and authentically as leaders in order to promote a culture where we are human beings in everything we do. Rather than promoting work/life balance, we can start seeing our employees as people - who have values and strengths and passions and interests - and get to know them for their whole selves, rather than the part of them that contributes to our needed "resources" on projects.
people are people, not resources.
When we start seeing people as resources, we have failed as leaders. People are unique, dynamic, and talented human beings, and we need to treat them that way. We need to pause every once in a while to ask, "who are you?" instead of "by when will you have it done?"
showing up fully and authentically as leaders leads to amazing things.
Once we start to embrace our "human-ness" in all areas of our lives, including work, amazing things begin to happen. Our best team members become engaged and they stick around. We begin having real conversations with our leadership teams. We start to act in a way that is ethical and values-based. We stop doing the things that feel gross, and we begin to do what we know is right.
being honest with people is essential, even when it's hard.
People want to know where they stand and how they're doing. This means that having open, honest, and truthful conversations is essential, even when the news isn't good.
toxic people are not acceptable even if they're good at their craft.
Plain and simple. It doesn't matter how many years of experience or how much technical expertise an employee has if he or she is poisoning the team through toxic behavior, a poisonous attitude, gossip, or the inability to work with others. Skills can be taught and experience can be gained, but a team simply cannot thrive with the presence of a poisonous person. Tolerating such behavior is a reflection of weak leadership, and people leave weak leaders.
use judgment, not policies.
Set clear expectations and make it clear that good judgment is expected at all times. If someone messes up, talk to the person individually. If many people mess up, ask yourself if your expectations are clear. If bad judgment is a problem across your organization, ask yourself how to start hiring people with better judgment.
If I want to get a sense of your philosophies using companies I'm already familiar with, where should I look?
Netflix slide deck
Hubspot slide deck
Netflix article
Linked articles from FB
Hubspot slide deck
Netflix article
Linked articles from FB