20 years ago, Stratford Sherman and Alyssa Freas published The Wild West of Coaching.

I was recently reminded that it’s still the “wild west” when I attended a talk by a coaching industry luminary.

Someone I met recently asked me, “what makes you different from other coaches?” Here’s my answer.

Your reputation is a lot like a Lego set.

Not a $25 Lego set that's easy to build.

But more like the $850 Millennium Falcon.

For me, certain stimuli create immediate, negative emotions. They're sometimes followed by responses I regret. I'm always experimenting with ways to pause before I respond so that I choose my reaction.

The bigger your role, the more important it is that you master the ability to influence others. And, you can do it in a way that is aligned with your values and principles.

“Demon mode” isn’t an acceptable leadership style. It’s a destructive way to manage people. And it’s usually obvious to everyone affected. But, do you know what else doesn’t work? Being “too nice”.

75% of leaders feel their organizations aren’t fully effective in providing development opportunities to equip them in today’s work environment. We’re not paying enough attention to the factors that MUST be present to facilitate development.

The author, Tom Killen, shares his point of view on the value of executive coaching.