Coaching

My evidence-based coaching approach was refined over many years to help executives make measurable, impactful, and lasting behavior changes in 5 steps over 6 months.


This is a highly practical approach that integrates multiple levels of goals & metrics – the executive's organization, the sponsor (usually the executive’s boss), and the executive being coached.

Step 1 - Define & Align

  • Meet with client to discuss situation and overall fit
  • Meet with sponsor to clarify outcomes, measures of success, approach, and investment
  • Finalize proposal & agreement
       ▶ Deliverable 1: Coaching Contract - A clearly-defined end state aligned with the client and organization

Step 2 - Gather Data

  • Interviews with 6-8 stakeholders (360 assessment)
  • Client self-assessment session
  • Validate data with client and sponsor
        ▶ Deliverable 2: From-To Change Grid - An explicit definition of current mindsets, behaviors, and results that need to change

Step 3 - Plan for Behavior Change

  • Identify root causes, barriers to change, and what’s been tried before
  • Develop trackable action plan
  • Define needed support resources
        ▶ Deliverable 3: Development Plan - The trackable actions and developmental supports to facilitate needed changes

Step 4 - Facilitate Changes

  • Meet regularly with client to implement plan
  • Track progress, analyze obstacles, integrate lessons learned, adjust plan to maximize impact of coaching
  • Midpoint check with stakeholders (conducted by client)
        ▶ Deliverable 4: Progress Updates - Monthly updates for client and sponsor on progress, obstacles, and lessons learned

Step 5 - Measure & Report Out

  • Client reflects on changes made, insights, next steps
  • Brief check-ins with stakeholders to index changes
  • Document engagement start-to-finish
        ▶ Deliverable 5: Impact Summary - Summary of engagement, changes made, actions completed, business impacts

Specialty Areas

I have the most experience with executives in large organizations, including a wide range of industries, functional areas, and leadership styles.
  • Org Transformation - Help leaders lead significant organizational changes
  • Team Development - Help leaders build stronger, more effective teams
  • Collaboration - Help leaders enhance collaboration across organizational boundaries
  • Agile Leadership - Help leaders adopt agile mindsets & best practices
  • Personal Transformation - Help leaders navigate big changes in their lives
  • Performance Coaching - Help leaders address known issues impacting their performance
  • Executive Presence - Help leaders develop a reputation as a strong leader
  • Role Transition - Help leaders execute a significant change in their role or career
  • Interpersonal Skills - Help leaders improve their interpersonal skills
  • Managing Up - Help leaders enhance their relationship with their boss

Sample Engagements

  • An executive leading a 4000-person software engineering organization worked with Jimmy over a 6-month period to become more org savvy and earn greater influence with the C-suite while staying true to his personal values and career goals. “I used 3 coaches in 5 years and Jimmy was the best coach I had,” he said.

  • Jimmy worked with a struggling Chief Marketing Officer overseeing the #6 most-visited website in the U.S. to enhance his interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate cross-functionally with peers. His behavior change was immediately visible to all. He is now a CEO and board member of a $16B national retailer.

  • Jimmy helped an SVP in the CEO pipeline at a $125B corporation improve collaboration among his VP-level direct reports by helping him see how his management style unintentionally drove siloed, independent work and unhealthy forms of internal competition. “I didn’t realize I was undermining the main thing I wanted from them--cross-functional collaboration. Jimmy helped me see the problem and fix it very quickly.”

  • An executive behind the award-winning digital transformation at a leading U.S. healthcare organization was suffering from severe burnout after years of working at a relentless pace. Jimmy quickly helped her reclaim her calendar and restore work-life balance. Her school-age daughters noticed the difference: “I’ve got my mommy back,” they said.

  • After working with Jimmy for 6 months, an EVP and Chief Digital Officer of a $100B iconic American brand said “Jimmy was one of the most influential people in my leadership journey.”