Opt-in and Win

My very first coaching client told me on about our fifth meeting that I was his third coach. He was a research scientist in charge of a technical group for a fortune 500 textile manufacturing company. He had decided always to have a coach because it helped him grow as a leader, receive promotions, and create high functioning teams. He had learned the secret of being a successful executive, surround yourself with smart, trustworthy people who complement your strengths. He valued my insights about people, teamwork, and how to organize your workforce to optimize productivity. During this era of re-engineering and downsizing, we worked together to reorganize the technology center and meet cost reduction targets while preserving the assets that created the greatest competitive advantage

One of my favorite engagements during my time in Healthcare was working with a small team charged with developing innovations. They had a brilliant idea and were quickly struggling to keep pace with their success. The leader was a technical guy who had limited experience leading organizations and people, but he was open and committed, the key ingredients to a great coaching relationship. As he talked to me about his vision of the work and what was important to make this product salient, an organic design emerged for how to organize his talented team and align the tasks that had to be done to create the focus needed at this stage in their launch. Because the work structure emerged from his insights, it was a natural fit for his team. They were excited about their new roles and relieved to have clarity of purpose

One of my favorite clients was also one of my first clients after I made my transition from internal to external consulting. She was head of Development for a non-profit organization run by the founder. During the first decade of 2000, the non-profit sector was experiencing a huge shift in funding. From private organizations to government grants, multi-year funding streams were quickly being replaced with annual gifts that required recipients to declare, track, and present tangible outcomes tied to donor investments. This change was huge because the organization faced no longer having a steady, dependable income stream which could be utilized for longer projects and maintaining a steady pool of talented resources. My client understood this burning platform better than anyone, and she had concrete ideas about how to respond, she just lacked the authority to make it happen. She needed to be brutally honest while garnering the commitment of the founder and the rest of the organization to make a major strategic pivot. Working together, I helped her share her vision of the new mission, processes, and products needed to sustain the organization in this new economic landscape and more importantly, created space for every employee to realize the personal and organizational changes required. Although my client has moved on to new challenges and opportunities, the organization she left behind is vibrant and thriving thanks to her leadership in the face of such extraordinary crossroads

One of my longest working relationships is with a client whom I admire deeply. We connected through a referral from a friend in California, and I instantly knew her story was one of which I would be honored to be a part. She had grown her freelance practice to such a level of success that she faced a tough personal crossroads - embrace the growth or scale back and focus on niche opportunities. She hired me because she wanted to grow into the firm that she knew she could be, and still she knew that what had created her success to date was insufficient to get her to the next level. Declaring to yourself, your family, your employees and your customers that you are on a path of transformation takes true bravery. No one makes every decision perfectly. Everyone falters along the way and feels vulnerable with each step taken. Letting go of being perfect and being open to personal growth and change are key stepping stones on everyone's path to EXTRAORDINARY, and I am privileged that she chose me to accompany her on this journey