Coaching Successes

Coaching is one of the most enjoyable parts of my work. I have made many long-lasting network connections through coaching, and have been pleased to watch the people that I coached to rise to their best selves and drive their careers.

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One of my coaching clients was a junior member of a sales team. He was considered very high potential, but his interpersonal skills and ability to work with others was low. Without a change in his demeanor and approach to others, he would struggle to succeed, despite having a number of strong deals for the company.

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My first approach was to get to know the person first. Knowing more about him, including the motivation for his behaviors, and the root of them, would help me to craft an approach. He presented as smart and skilled, but arrogant and impatient.

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Based on what I knew about him, the next step was to be blunt - there was a problem that would hold him back if he didn't resolve it. His surprise indicated that he hadn't considered how his actions were affecting others, but I assured him that I was there to help, and was assigned to him because his stakeholders had a genuine interest in the process because they saw him as a future leader. Once buy in was achieved, the work could begin.

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I like to give my clients opportunities to get to know themselves in their own words, so I provided the client with a leadership style profile and work style assessment. Using the results we talked through how he presents to others, and used examples from his working life to discover his approach and encourage refinements. Through thoughtful questioning, I was able to reveal adjustments he could make to his style that made him a better co-worker, while retaining the sharp skills that made him a skilled salesperson. 

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After a successful engagement, my client felt fantastic about his new soft skills, and leveraged them often in his work with colleagues. He was promoted the following year.