As a seasoned executive coach, I specialize in corporate development work: the business fundamentals that underlie and support and a company's delivery of goods, services, or technology.
More often than one might imagine, a company or its leadership team can find itself a bit challenged in the way it’s currently doing business. That challenge may come with shifting market demands, challenges from competition, or a need to grow.
My specialty is to provide for the executive team/Board the proverbial thinking-several-moves-ahead in corporate development, whether the company is new, established/successful, or mature/struggling. In my role as executive coach, I most often provide guidance for these applications:
Not only do I guide the stakeholders through the concept development process for addressing their challenges, I nearly always then roll up my sleeves and take an active role in making the plan come to life.
Most coaching engagements last between one and two years. I always make the up-front commitment to, in simple terms, "work myself out of a job,” providing a sense of urgency to ensure the coaching time is put to highest and best use.
To be effective, an executive coach must first be “seasoned:” During his career and time on earth, he has to have rolled up his sleeves, sampled a much of life as possible during his time in the workplace, and gotten his hands dirty and knees skinned up both in and outside of it. My seasoning to date includes:
I’ve coached in such various industries as a NYSE Airline, a Canadian natural gas exploration firm, an aircraft manufacturer, assorted not-for-profits, as wells as for a world-renowned keynote speaker. Because I believe that certain tenets underlie the foundations of a sound business model and its execution, my executive coaching cuts across the boundaries of markets and focuses on proven fundamentals.
“Because of his background in business creation and development, (David) was quickly able to understand the reasons or our (planned) acquisition and how best to structure it. Among (his) discrete talents is the ability …to synthesize the areas of agreement… and get buy in from all involved.”
--Rodney Glover, Partner (retired). Wiley Rein Law Firm
“David brought to our Foundation his seasoned experience in building teams, establishing partnerships, and strategic planning. (His) friendly and easy-going style won the hearts of many sponsors and partern organizations.”
--Peter H. Diamandis, Chairman. The X PRIZE Foundation
“David’s sharp mind and his common sense approach to implementation of creative concepts is a unique gift. (He is) an entrepreneurial thinker and “doer” of first order.”
--Jerry Mercer. Founder, CEO and Chairman (retired) AirNet Systems, Inc.
“I nominated David to join the Board of Directors of the Lindbergh Foundation, a role in which he excelled. I’m confident he will apply himself with a level of professionalism and commitment with (any) appointment.”
Erik Lindergh, Chairman. The Lindbergh Foundation
“During David’s engagement with us, I came to depend on his abilities to efficiently support my needs as well as the needs of (our organization.) He demonstrated a knack for recognizing and addressing the most efficient ways in which to operate so as to maximize return and minimize wasted effort.”
Larry Williams, CEO (retired) BRS Safety
A typical executive coaching engagement might last six months, but can be anywhere from 3-12 months or longer, depending on the situation and the targets set. The greater the change that is needed, the more coaching is required, though the frequency of sessions may be reduced once significant progress toward stated goals seems likely.
Executive coaches are often brought into organizations to work with:
Executive coaching engagements typically follow these steps:
