10 LeadershipCoaches for 2025
How Did Jay Leno’s Net Worth Reach $450 Million?
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Top 10 Leadership Podcasts to Sharpen Skills & Knowledge on Your Leadership
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The Power of Nonverbal Communication: Speaking Volumes Without Words
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Founder | Yda Bouvier Ltd
earReaders,
Intoday’sfast-pacedbusinessworld,effectiveleadershipismorecriticalthanever.Leadership coachinghasemergedasapowerfultoolfordevelopingleaderswhonotonlydrivesuccessbut alsoinspireandempowertheirteams.Asbusinessesfaceincreasingcomplexitiesandrapid technologicaladvancements,executivecoachingisplayingapivotalroleinequippingleaderswiththeskills, mindset,andadaptabilityneededtonavigatethesechallenges.
Thebenefitsofleadershipcoachingarefar-reaching.Itenhancesself-awareness,helpingleadersrecognizetheir strengths,weaknesses,andimpactonothers.Itfostersemotionalintelligence,enablingleaderstobuild meaningfulconnections,improvecommunication,andresolveconflictseffectively.
Byrefiningdecision-makingabilities,leadershipcoachingempowersleaderstomakestrategicchoicesthat drivesustainablegrowth.Additionally,itinstillsaccountability,goal-settingdiscipline,andacultureof continuouslearning—ensuringthatleadersstayaheadinanevolvingbusinesslandscape.
ThiseditionofMirrorReview,“TheExceptional10LeadershipCoachesfor2025,”celebratesthevisionary coacheswhoareshapingthefutureofleadership.AttheforefrontisYdaBouvier,ouresteemedcoverstory feature.Yda’sjourneyintoleadershipcoachingisunconventionalyetinspiring.Withabackgroundinphysics, shetransitionedintothebusinessworld,excellinginglobalconsulting.Herdeepcuriosityaboutthe intersectionofneuroscienceandleadershipledhertoredefinecoachingmethodologies,makingherastandout figureinexecutivecoachingtoday.
AsthefounderofYdaBouvierLtd.,shehastransformedleadershipcoachingbyintegratingscientific principleswithpracticalbusinessstrategies.Herholisticapproachenablesexecutivestoovercomechallenges, fostertrust,andcultivatehigh-performingteams.Herworkisatestamenttothepowerofinnovativethinkingin leadershipdevelopment.
BeyondYdaBouvier,thiseditionfeaturesotherextraordinaryleadershipcoachesmakingasignificantimpact. ProfilesonAmberDaines,MattHunter,VickyRegan,andDerekSloanhighlighttheircontributionstoshaping thenextgenerationofinfluentialleaders.Weinviteyoutoexploretheirinsights,methodologies,andsuccess storiesastheyredefineexecutivecoachingforthemodernera.
HappyReading!
PARAG AHIRE Project Editor
O N T E N T S
Yda Bouvier 10
Unleashing Leadership Potential through Science, Insight, and the Right Brain
Founder | Yda Bouvier Ltd
T“The most successful leaders aren’t only rational,” Yda Bouvier insists.
“They possess a unique blend of logic and intuition, a sixth sense that allows them to navigate the complexities of the modern world.” This‘bothhemisphere’insight droveherexplorationof“LeadingwiththeRight Brain,”aphilosophythatchallengesleaderstothink outsidethebox,embraceambiguity,andunlockthefull potentialoftheirteams.
Yda’sjourneytobecomingaleadingvoiceinleadership developmentisequally‘out-of-the-box’.Aphysicistby training,shedoveheadfirstintothebusinessworld, quicklylearningtheropesinglobalconsulting.Her scientificinterestledhertoexplorethefascinating intersectionofneuroscienceandleadership,ultimately shapinghervisionofleadershipexcellence.
AsthefounderofYdaBouvierLtd.,shehasdeeply influencedexecutivecoaching,empoweringleadersto shedtheiroldskinsandembraceamoreholistic approach.Hermethodologyisdesignedtohelp executivesdealwithbusinesschallengesmoreeffectively aswellasconnectwiththeirteamsonadeeperlevel, buildtrust,andachieveextraordinaryresults.
Let’sexploreYdaBouvier’spath,delveintoher revolutionaryphilosophy,anddiscoverhervisionforthe futureofleadership.
Bouvier’sCareer Journey
YdaBouvier’scareerpathreadslikeanovel:ajourneyof intellectualcuriositythatmorphedintoadeep-seated passionforhumanpotential.Heracademicrootslie firmlyintheworldofscience,boastinganMScin AppliedPhysics.Thisfoundationspeaksvolumesabout herabilitytodissectcomplexsystemsandextract meaningfulinsights.ButYda,everrestless,longedto applyheranalyticalabilitytosomethingmoretangible, somethingwithapulse.
Andso,shetradedinherlabcoatfortheboardroom, joiningtheranksofTheBostonConsultingGroup (BCG).BCG,acrucibleforambitiousminds,provided
theperfecttrainingground.Ydathrivedinafast-paced environment,honingherstrategicthinkingskillsonaglobal stage.Sheworkedonawidearrayofprojects,spanning industriesanddisciplines.
Asshenavigatedthecomplexitiesofcorporatestrategy,a recurringthemeemerged.Thesuccessofeventhemost brilliantstrategiesoftenhingedontheleadershipteam’s abilitytoadapt,align,andexecute.Itbecameclearthat technicalexpertisealonewasinsufficient.Leadersneededto seemore:theyneededtodecodeincreasinglycomplex systemsandtheintricaciesofhumanrelationships,tolead towardbetterdecisionsandstrengthentheirorganizations.
ThisrealizationsparkedaprofoundshiftinYda’scareer trajectory.SheenrolledattheMITSloanSchoolof Management,immersingherselfintheworldofglobal business.TheMBAprogrambroadenedherhorizons, exposinghertocutting-edgeresearchinleadership, behavioralpsychology,andorganizationaltransformation. Butitalsoservedasaperiodofintenseintrospection. “I began to gravitate towards the human side of leadership,” Ydareflects, “fascinated by how executives make critical decisions, navigate turbulent transitions, and build highperforming teams.”
Thisnewfoundpassionledhertomakeaboldleapoffaith. In2007,shefoundedYdaBouvierLtd,aboutiqueexecutive coachingfirm.Today,herfirmisabeaconforleaders seekingguidance,atrustedpartnerhelpingthemnavigate thecomplexitiesofthemodernbusinesslandscapeand unlocktheirtruepotential.
WhenYdalaunchedYdaBouvierLtd.,shehadaclear vision:bridgethechasmbetweenbusinessstrategyand leadershipdevelopment.Sheaimedtocreateacoaching approachthatempowersexecutivestoleadwithboth intellectandintuition—ablendofheadandheart.Thefirm offersthreecoreservices:
●IndividualCoachingforSeniorExecutives:Thishelps leadersnavigatetransitions,overcomechallenges,and unlocktheirfullpotential.It’saboutgivingthemthetools theyneedtorisetotheoccasion.
●TeamCoachingforExecutiveTeamsandBoards:This focusesonenhancingcollaboration,alignment,and performancewithinleadershipteams.It’saboutgetting everyoneonthesamepageandrowinginthesamedirection.
●TailoredLeadershipPrograms:Theseaddressspecific organizationalchallengeswithcustomizedsolutions—a bespokeapproachtoleadershipdevelopment.
Ydaandherfirmpridethemselvesonahighlypersonalized approach.Eachengagementismeticulouslydesignedto meettheclient’suniqueneeds,ensuringarelevantand transformativecoachingexperience. “Our approach blends strategic business acumen with personal insight,” Yda explains. “We meet our clients where they are and design ‘experiments’—practical actions they can immediately implement at work.” Thisiterativeprocessfosters sustainablechangeandempowersleaderstomake meaningfulshiftsthattypicallyalsoaffecttheirlives beyondwork.
AdefiningcharacteristicofYdaBouvierLtd.’sworkisits integrationofneuroscienceinsights.Byunderstandinghow thebrainprocessesinformation,formshabits,andresponds tostress,Ydahelpsherclientsbreakfreefrom counterproductivepatterns.Thisscientificfoundationsets hercoachingapart,offeringleadersadeeperunderstanding ofthemselvesandtheirteams.
Itgivesthemanedge,arealunderstandingofwhatmakes themtick.It’snotjustaboutmanagingpeople;it’sabout understandinghumanfunctioning. “After all, to err is human, and understanding that vulnerability is key to effective leadership.”
Yda’sworkcentersonagroundbreakingphilosophy: “LeadingwiththeRightBrain.”Thisapproachchallenges thetraditionaldominanceofleft-brainthinkingin leadership—thekindthatprioritizeslogic,analysis,and detail.Whiletheseskillsareundoubtedlyessential,Yda arguestheysimplyaren’tenoughtonavigatetoday’s complexandinterconnectedworld.
“Many of us live and work with a heavy reliance on the left side of the brain,” Ydaexplains.“Executivesareespecially adeptatthistypeofthinking.However,whenleft-brain functioninggetsstuck,onlythestrengthsoftheright brain—theabilitytoseemore,seewhat’snewandgraspthe bigpicture—canunlockit.”It’saboutgettingoutofyour ownheadandseeingtheforestforthetrees.
Don’t get trapped in left-brain analysis. Use your right brain to unlock deeper insights “
Therightbrainprocessesinformationinimagesratherthan words.Therefore,it’suniquelysuitedfortackling ambiguouschallengesandfosteringinnovation.By activatingtherightbrain,leaderscanaccessnew perspectivesandsolutionsthatmightotherwiseremain hidden.It’slikefindingasecretdooryouneverknew existed.
Throughhercoaching,Ydahelpsleadersintegraterightbrainthinkingintotheirdailyroutines.Sheofferspractical techniques,including:
●ReframingQuestions:Insteadofasking,“Whatdoyou think?”leaderscanask,“Whatdoyousee,hear,orsense?” Thissmallshiftfocusesonintuitionandperception, sparkingricher,moreinsightfulconversationswherepeople explorechallengestogetherinsteadofrevertingtopingpongwithopinions.
●VisualizingChallenges:Usingmetaphors,diagrams,and othervisualtoolstorepresentcomplexissuesallowsthe rightbraintofullyengage.Thiscanoftenleadto “aha” momentsthatpurelylogicalthinkingmightmiss.Afterall, apictureisworthathousandwords.
●Walkingconversations:Indifficultconversations,we caneasilygetstuckandtalkincircles.Whenwewalkand disagree,wecontinuemovingforwardtogetherandaswe stayconnected,wecandiscussourdifferencesandarriveat newperspectives.Mentallystuckandphysicallystuckoften happensimultaneously.Walkingliterallykeepsthebody andthemindmoving.
Thesepracticescreateamorewell-roundedleader,onewho canempowerotherswhentheyarestuckintheirthinkingor craftavisionthatmobilizesanentireorganization. Furthermore,inaworldwheretheabilitiesofAIare increasingeveryday,leadersneedtohelptheirpeopleget smartertoo,andcapitalizeontheuniquelyhumanrightbrainqualitiesandskillstheybringtotheworkplace.
Today’sleadersfaceabarrageofchallenges,from managingintricatecomplexitiestobuildingcohesiveteams andaligningdiversestakeholders.It’satoughjob,no doubt.Yda’scoachingmethodologyprovidespractical, real-worldsolutionstothesepersistentissues.
Take,forexample,herapproachtoteamdevelopment. Unliketraditionalteam-buildingexercises—oftenseenasa
chore—Ydaintegratesdevelopmentdirectlyintotheteam’s ongoingwork. “Effective team development happens ‘on the job,’not as a separate, isolated activity,” shenotes.By supportingexecutiveteamsinrealtime,Ydahelpsthem aligntheirgoals,improvedecision-making,andachieve results.It’saboutlearningbydoing,notjustsittingina classroom.Thishands-onapproachallowsthemtoironout wrinklesastheygo.
Anothercommonhurdleisnavigatingtransitions,whether steppingintoanewleadershiproleorguidingan organizationthroughchange.Thesemomentscanbe fraughtwithuncertainty Yda’scoachinghelpsleadersbuild theconfidenceandresiliencetheyneedtosurviveand thriveduringthesepivotaltimes.
Eventhemostseasonedexecutivescansometimesfeel lonely,isolated,andstuck.Leadingabusinessunitora globalfunction,whilealsobeingpartofanexecutiveteam responsiblefortheentireorganization,isacomplex landscapetonavigatewithoftenconflictingpriorities.An experiencedandindependentexecutivecoachcanbea lifelineinsuchmoments.
MeasuringtheRealResults:TheSuccessofYda BouvierLtd.
TheimpactofYda’scoachingisclear,bothquantitativeand qualitative.Leadersreportgreaterconfidence,improved adaptability,andstrongerteamdynamics.Many organizationsuse360-degreefeedbacktotrackleadership development,whileothersrelyonretentionmetricsto assessthelong-termvalueofcoachingengagements.These metricsprovideconcreteevidenceofthepositivechanges.
Oneofthemosttellingsignsofsuccessistheloyaltyof Yda’sclients. “Many of our clients come back for more,” sheshares. “This reflects the sustained value they experience.” Itspeaksvolumeswhenclientsnotonlysee resultsbutalsovaluetheongoingpartnership.
Butbeyondthenumbers,Ydaismostproudofthepersonal transformationsshehaswitnessedfirsthand. “Seeing leaders move beyond obstacles, shift how they work, and make a positive impact on their teams and organizations is incredibly rewarding,” shesays.
ForYdaBouvier,adifficultchallengeisn’taboutchoosing betweenrightandwrong;it’saboutnavigatingthetricky
terrainbetweentwogoodoptions.Assheputsit, “For me, a difficult challenge is a dilemma between two good options. Then, you have to decide which path you want to take.”
ThisverydilemmapresenteditselfwhenYdafaceda criticaljunctureinherbusiness:Shouldshescaleup YdaBouvierLtd.intoalargerorganizationoffering standardizedleadershipdevelopmentprograms,or shouldshemaintainitsstatusasasmaller,agile boutiquecoachingfirmwithanemphasisontailored clientengagements?Thedemandexistedforbothpaths, atemptingprospectandatoughdecisionrolledintoone.
Ydadidn’tmakethisdecisioninavacuum.She consultedseveralcolleagueswhohadfacedsimilar choices,bothwithinthecoachingindustryandinother professionalservices.Thiswasn’tjustaboutgathering data;itwasaboutgainingperspective.Moreover,she engagedindeepintrospection,reflectingonwhatshe trulywanted—notjustasabusinessleader,butalsoasa coach,asaparent—acknowledgingthat “many parts of my personality had an opinion on this.”
Thisprocessofself-discovery,shenotes,isinvaluable: “You get to know yourself really well in such moments, and as I find it most rewarding to support my clients do the same, we stayed boutique.”
AnotherchallengeYdafacedearlyinhercareerwasthe scarcityoffemaleleadershiprolemodels.Overcoming thismeantbuildingastrongprofessionalecosystem, experimentingwithdifferentapproaches,andultimately forgingherownleadershipstyleratherthansimply imitatingexistingmodels.Assheexplains,it’s “an ongoing process,” acontinuousevolutionofselfand leadership.
Ydaexpressesgenuineexcitementaboutexpandingthe applicationofher“LeadingwiththeRightBrain” philosophy,withacleargoal:makingthisapproach easilyaccessibletoleadersworldwide.Sherecallsa colleague’sreactiontoherbook: “When I wrote the book, she said, ‘You are giving away the magic of how we work.’” However,Ydafirmlybelievesinthe importanceofsharingthisknowledge. “She was right,” Ydaconcedes, “I feel a strong need to share the power of the right brain. It is like our personal genie in the bottle”
Sheemphasizestheaccessibilityandimmediate benefitsofright-brainwork: “Working with the right brain is easy, immediately actionable, enjoyable and it has immense benefits.” Giventhecomplexitiesand challengesfacingtheworldtoday,Ydabelievesthat “we urgently need more right-brain strengths and qualities.”
Inadditiontoexpandingthereachofhercore philosophy,Ydaisalsoembarkingonabrand-new projectthathasherthrilled.Sheislaunchinga partnershipwithfellowalumnifromMITSloan, focusingonthecrucialconceptofshapingone’s ProfessionalEcosystem.
Recognizingthat “the one-company career is a thing of the past,” Ydaandherpartneraredevelopinga programthatemphasizestheimportanceofastrong professionalecosystemthroughoutallphasesof workinglife. Theyviewthisecosystemas “a career backbone for determined leaders.” Theiraimisclear: “We aim to share how anyone can build and nurture their own eco-system!”
BalancingWork,Family,andSailing:TheArtof EnergyManagement
Ydadoesn’tpursuetheelusiveideaofa“perfect balance”betweenworkandfamily Asshefirmlystates, “It’s a myth. What I focus on is energy management; I readjust my commitments at work or at home if my energy isn’t in a good place.”
Sheadds,“Oneofmygreatestsourcesofenergyis sailing—Ilovehowitcombinesunpredictability, challenge,andfreedom.Spendingtimewithmyfamily isanotherimportantanchorforme.Overall,my approachtobalanceisfluid:Iadjustbasedonmy prioritiesatdifferentstagesoflifeandcareer.”
Ydaoffersthreekeypiecesofadviceforleaders navigatingtoday’scomplexities:
1.CultivateCuriosity:Stayopentonewperspectives, evenwhentheychallengeyourassumptions.
2.EngagetheWholePicture:Usemetaphors, visualization,andstorytellingtounlockdeeperinsights.
3.EmbraceAdaptability:Activatebothleft-and right-brainthinkingtonavigatechangeeffectively
Management-AmberDaines,founderandCEO
URL-www.amberdaines.com
Founded-2007
Description-ForDaines,beingaleaderisabout strikingabalanceamongmanyobligations Shetakes careofclientdemands,leadsindustryinnovation,and overseesaremotestaffacrossseveralnations Herjob atBespokeCo.includeplanningforthefuturein additiontooverseeingdailyoperations
Management-KevinS.Kaplan,Chairman,CEO
URL- www.coachingcharities.com
Founded-2002
Description-Thebusinessisdedicatedtoassistingits customersinachievingtheirphilanthropicobjectives andisareputableleaderinfoundationmanagement. Theyhaveastrongdesiretochangetheworldand thinkthateveryonehasthecapacitytodogood
Management-DerekSloan,Founder
URL-www.derekleads.com
Founded-
Description-Derekoffersmentalandbehavioralhealth servicestoindividuals,couples,andorganizations.He focusesincognitive,existential,andhumanistic approachestohelpingpeoplediscovermeaningand purposeintheirlives,soenhancingtheirmentalhealthand qualityoflife.
Management-MattHunter,ExecutiveCoach
URL-www.hunterconsulting.com
Founded-1986
Description- Matt’sapproachtocoachingisn'tabout providingapredeterminedblueprintforachievement It involvescollaboratingwithcustomerstoidentifythemore profound,frequentlyconcealedfactorsinfluencingtheir choices,actions,andinteractions.ForMatt,beingaleaderis aboutbuildingsolid,genuinerelationshipsratherthanjust makingthepropercommercialdecisions.
Management-LeifMeneke,Owner
URL-www.greyfoxconsulting.com
Founded-2019
Description-Forconsciousleaderswhowantto maximizetheirentirehumanexperience,GFCprovides transformativecoachingandconsultation
Management-VickyRegan,FounderandPrincipal
URL-www.honeleadership.com
Founded-2021
Description-HoneLeadershipisacompanythat supportswomeninbusinessandtechnologyby providing1:1coaching,workshops,andleadership training Itsobjectiveistomatchleaders’attitudeswith theirgoals.
Management-RichardBarkey,Founder&CEO
URL- www.imparta.com
Founded-1997
Description-Impartaisamarketpioneerinsalesand accountmanagement,customersuccess,andcustomer experienceperformanceenhancementforteamswho interactwithcustomers
Management-KarenWalker,Founder
URL-www.karenwalker.us
Founded-2005
Description-KarenWalkerConsultingisaboutique executivecoachingandconsultingorganizationthat helpsCEOsandseniorleadersflourishinhyper-growth environments.
Mari Vasan Coaching
Management-MariVasan,Owner
URL-www.marivasan.com
Founded-2012
Description-MariVasancreatedtheEasyChange technique,whichisapowerfulprocessthatassistsyouin breakingthrougholdhabitsandboundaries,allowingyou toemergefeelingmorealive,radiant,andreadytoenjoy yoursecondhalfoflife
Yda Bouvier Ltd.
Management-YdaBouvier,Founder
URL-www.bouvierltd.com
Founded-2008
Description-YdaBouvierLtd.wasformedwitha clearpurposetobridgethegapbetweencorporate strategyandleadershipdevelopment.Itseeksto developacoachingtechniquethatwouldenableCEOs toleadwithbothintelligenceandintuition a combinationofheadandheart
AmberDaines,founderandCEOofBespoke Co.,hasbuilthercareeronafoundationof leadership,communication,andadaptability As akeyfigureinthepublicrelationsindustry,shehas demonstratedanabilitytonotonlyleadbutalsotoreshape howbusinessesandindividualsnavigatetheoftencomplex worldofcommunication.Dainesismorethanabusiness leader;sheisaproblemsolver,astrategist,andamentor, whoconsistentlypushesherteamandherselftogrowand innovate.
Herroleasaleadercomeswithavarietyofchallenges, particularlyinthefast-pacedandever-evolving communicationindustry Yet,Daineshasconsistently turnedobstaclesintoopportunities,steeringhercompany throughbothgrowthandtransformation.Asthepublic relationslandscapehasshifteddramaticallywiththeriseof digitalmedia,Daineshasstayedaheadofthecurve, adaptinghercompany’sstrategiestomeetthedemandsofa changingworldwhilemaintainingafocusoncore communicationprinciples.
Leadership,forDaines,isaboutbalancingamultitudeof responsibilities.Shemanagesaremoteteamacross multiplecountries,handlesclientneeds,anddrives innovationwithintheindustry.HerworkatBespokeCo. involvesnotjustmanagingday-to-dayoperationsbutalso preparingforthefuture.Daineshasalwaysbeenquickto recognizeemergingtrendsinmediaandpublicrelations, adjustingherstrategiestokeepBespokeCo.competitive andrelevant.
Runningaremoteteam,forexample,hasrequiredDaines torefineherleadershipstyle.Sheemphasizesclear communicationandaccountability,ensuringthateach memberofherteamunderstandstheirroleandhowtheir workcontributestothecompany’sbroadergoals.This approachhashelpedherbuildahighlymotivatedand efficientteam,capableofdeliveringresultsacrossdiverse projects.
Dainesalsofacesthechallengeofmaintainingstrongclient relationshipsinanindustrythatisincreasinglydominated bydigitalinteractions.Whiletheriseofsocialmediaand onlineplatformshastransformedthewaybusinesses communicate,Dainesbelievesthatpersonalrelationships andtrustremainessential.Thisbalancebetweenembracing newtechnologiesandmaintainingpersonalconnectionsis oneofthecoretenetsofherleadershipphilosophy
InnovationhasbeenakeydriverofBespokeCo.’ssuccess. UnderDaines’sleadership,thecompanyhascontinuously evolvedtomeetthedemandsofanindustryinflux.Earlyon, Dainesrecognizedtheimportanceofintegratingdigitalmedia intoherPRstrategies,ensuringthatherclients’messages reachtheirintendedaudiencesthroughbothtraditionaland modernchannels.
Daineshastakenahands-onapproachtothisevolution.She hasledherteamindevelopingcomprehensivemedia strategiesthatblendthebestoftraditionalanddigital communication.ThisapproachhasallowedBespokeCo.to carveoutanicheinacrowdedmarketplace,offeringclientsa uniquecombinationofdeepindustryexpertiseandcuttingedgetactics.
Oneofhermostsignificantachievementshasbeenthe developmentofBespokeCo.’spodcastingandmediatraining services.Daineshasbeenattheforefrontofhelpingleaders andbusinessesmastertheartofcommunicationinadigital world.Throughhermediatrainingprograms,shehasworked withover6,000leaders,teachingthemhowtoeffectively managemediainterviews,fromcrisissituationstoproduct launches.
Herfocusonpodcasting,inparticular,hasproventobea game-changer.Sincelaunchingherownpodcast, The Politics of Everything,Daineshasgrowntheshowtoanimpressive fourmilliondownloads.Thissuccesshasnotonlyexpanded herownbrandbutalsodemonstratedthepowerofpodcasting asacommunicationtoolforbusinessesandleaders.
Likemanyentrepreneurs,Daineshasfacedhershareof challenges.IntheearlydaysofBespokeCo.,thecompany struggledtosecurebig-nameclientsandhigh-profile contracts.Thepressuretogrowthebusinesssometimesledto afocusonsalesoverstrategy,alessonthatDainestookto heartassherefinedherapproachtoclientacquisition.
Reflectingontheseearlymissteps,Dainesacknowledgesthat buildingaclientbasealignedwithhercompany’svalueshas beenkeytoitslong-termsuccess.Shehassincefocusedon workingwithclientswhoshareBespokeCo.'scommitmentto purposeful,values-drivencommunication.Thisshifthas allowedthecompanytocultivatedeeper,moremeaningful relationshipswithitsclients,resultinginmoreeffectiveand impactfulcampaigns.
Inadditiontotheseinternalchallenges,Daineshas hadtonavigatetheexternalpressuresofarapidly changingindustry Theriseofdigitalmediaandthe declineoftraditionaloutletshasforcedmanyinthe PRindustrytoreevaluatetheirstrategies.However, Daineshasembracedthesechanges,viewingthemas opportunitiesratherthanobstacles.Bystayingahead oftrendsandcontinuouslylearning,shehas positionedBespokeCo.asaleaderinthefield.
OneofthemorerecentdevelopmentsatBespokeCo. isthecompany'sincreasedfocusonEnvironmental, Social,andGovernance(ESG)communication. DainesseesESGasnotjustatrendbutacrucial aspectofresponsiblebusinessinthemodernworld.In 2023,sheearnedaMaster’sdegreeinEnvironmental BusinessManagementandSustainability,further solidifyinghercommitmenttothisimportantarea.
BespokeCo.nowworkscloselywithclientsto developandimplementESGstrategies,helpingthem communicatetheirsustainabilityeffortsinawaythat resonateswithstakeholders.Thisfocushasallowed thecompanytotapintoagrowingdemandfor transparent,values-drivencommunication, positioningBespokeCo.asathoughtleaderinthe ESGspace.
Daines'scommitmenttoESGgoesbeyondclient work.Shebelievesthatbusinesseshavea responsibilitytocontributetoamoresustainableand equitableworld,andshehasmadeitapriorityto embedtheseprinciplesintoBespokeCo.'sown operations.Thisincludeseverythingfromminimizing thecompany'senvironmentalfootprinttoensuring thatitsteamreflectsadiverserangeofperspectives andexperiences.
MentorshipisanotherkeyaspectofDaines's leadership.Overtheyears,shehasmadeitapriority toshareherknowledgeandexperiencewiththenext generationofpublicrelationsprofessionals.Whether throughformalmentorshipprogramsorinformal guidance,Daineshashelpedcountlessindividuals developtheirskillsandnavigatethecomplexitiesof theindustry
Shehasalsousedherplatformtoadvocateforgreater representationofwomeninleadershiproles.Asafemale entrepreneurinatraditionallymale-dominatedindustry, Dainesunderstandsthechallengesthatwomenfacein breakingthroughbarriersandachievingsuccess.She hasmadeitapersonalmissiontohelpotherwomen succeed,whetherbyofferingmentorship,creating opportunitieswithinhercompany,oradvocatingfor policychangesthatsupportwomeninbusiness.
Herworkinthisareahasearnedhernumerous accolades,includingrecognitionasoneofthemost inspiringwomenleaderstowatchin2023.Whilethese awardsareatestamenttoherachievements,Daines remainsfocusedontheworkahead.Forher,successis notjustaboutpersonalrecognitionbutaboutmakinga lastingimpactontheindustryandthepeoplesheworks with.
Lookingahead,Dainesseesevengreateropportunities forBespokeCo.Thecompanycontinuestoexpandits serviceofferings,withaparticularfocusonESG communicationanddigitalmediastrategies.As technologycontinuestoevolve,Dainesiscommittedto stayingattheforefrontoftheindustry,ensuringthather clientshaveaccesstothemosteffectiveandinnovative communicationtoolsavailable.
However,whiletechnologyplaysanimportantrole, Dainesfirmlybelievesthatthehumanelementof communicationwillalwaysbeparamount.Sheviews toolslikeAIasvaluableresourcesbutemphasizesthat theycanneverreplacethecreativity,empathy,and strategicthinkingthathumanbeingsbringtothetable.
Thisbalancebetweenembracingtechnologyand preservingthehumantouchiswhatsetsBespokeCo. apart.UnderDaines'sleadership,thecompanywill continuetoevolve,adapt,andgrow,alwayswithafocus ondeliveringrealresultsforclientsandmakinga positiveimpactontheworld.
YouknowJayLenoastheguywhomademillions laugh.Butdidyouknowhealsomademillions ofdollars?JayLeno’snetworthstandsatagreat $450million,andit’snoaccident.Hedidn’tjustrelyonTV paychecks—hebuiltamoneyempirewithsmartdecisions.
But,howdidhedoit?Heworkedharderthananyone.He neverspenthisTVsalary.Heturnedhisloveforcarsintoa multi-million-dollarcollection.Heinvestedinrealestate andsmartbusinessdeals.Hedidn’tjustmakemoney—he keptitandgrewit.
Wanttoknowhissecretformula?Inthisblog,you’lllearn howLenowentfrombeingasmall-townkidtoacomedy kingpinandfinancialgenius.Ifyoudreamofbigsuccess, hisstorywillinspireyoutothinkbigger,worksmarter,and buildyourownfortune.
Excited?Let’sgetstarted!
JayLeno’sEarlyLife,Family&Education
EverwonderedhowJayLenobecameoneoftherichest comediansalive?Let’srewindtowhereitallbegan.
BornonApril28,1950,inNewRochelle,NewYork,Jay grewupinahardworkingfamily.Hisfather,AngeloLeno, soldinsurance,whilehismother,Cathryn,movedfrom ScotlandtotheU.S.whenshewasjust11.WithbothItalian andScottishroots,Jaywasraisedinahomefullofculture, discipline,anddetermination.
Buthewasn’tanonlychild—hisolderbrother, Patrick,servedintheVietnamWarbefore becomingapoliceofficer.Theirhomewasall abouthardwork,noexcuses,amindsetthat shapedJay’sfuture.
AsakidinAndover,Massachusetts,Jaywasthe ultimateclassclownatAndoverHighSchool.His teacherssawsomethingspecialandencouraged himtopursuecomedy.So,hedid!
Later,heattendedEmersonCollege,wherehe studiedspeechtherapy—butcomedywasalways histruelove.In1973,heevenco-foundeda comedyclub,helpingotheryoungcomediansfind theirspotlightwhilesharpeninghisownskills.
1.JayLeno’sStand-UpComedyBeginnings
Everylegendhasastartingpoint.ForJayLeno,it allbeganinBoston—longbeforehebecameone oftherichestcomediansintheworld.
Backincollege,Jaywasn'tjuststudyingspeech therapy—hewasouttheregrindingonstage.He performedateveryclubandcoffeehousehecould find.EverheardofDingHo,TheComedy Connection,andTheCharlesPlayhouse?That’s whereJaystartedhoninghiscraftintheearly 1970s.
Buthere’swhatmadehimdifferent:hisinsaneworkethic! Whileothersdidafewshowsaweek,Jayhitthestagenight afternight,perfectingeveryjoke.Heneverwaitedfor opportunities—hecreatedthem.
Bythemid-1970s,hemadeabigmove—LosAngeles.But, why?BecauseL.A.wastheplaceforcomedystars.Hegot intoTheComedyStore,themostfamouscomedyclubinthe country Thiswashuge.Performingthereputhiminfrontof therightpeople—agents,producers,andTVexecutives.
AndJaydidn’tjustperformoccasionally—heworkedharder thananyone.Hedidover300showsayear!Yes,that’salmost oneperformanceeverysinglenight.Hisgoal?Masterhis craft,buildhisfanbase,andmakemoneydoingwhathe loves.
Indeed,thatnonstophustlepaidoff.Moregigsmeantmore recognition,biggerpaychecks,andarisingnetworth.Leno wasn’tjustanothercomedian—now,hewasahumanmachine,grindinghiswaytothetop.
And guess what? This was only the beginning!
2.JayLeno’sBigTVBreak
Successdoesn’tcomeeasy.JayLenoworkeddayandnight, performinginclubs,hopingforhisbigbreak.Andthen,in 1977,itfinallyhappened—hegotaspoton“TheTonight ShowStarringJohnnyCarson.”
Now,thiswasn’tjustanyshow.Itwasthebiggestlate-night stageinAmerica.IfyoumadeJohnnyCarsonlaugh,your careerexploded.Andguesswhat?Jaynailedit.Hisjokeswere sharp,fresh,andeffortless.Theaudiencelovedhim,andmore importantly,sodidCarson.
Thatfirstshowchangedeverything.Hewasinvited back—againandagain.Soon,hewasappearingon“Late NightwithDavidLetterman”andeveryothermajortalkshow
Buthere’stherealwin:TheseTVspotsmadeJayahousehold name.Theyshowedhewasn’tjustanotherstand-up comedian—hehadrange,charm,andstagepresence.His abilitytoconnectwithpeoplemadehimstandout.
ThisexposureledtobiggeropportunitiesandhelpedJay Leno’snetworthgrow.Hewasn'tjustdoingcomedy anymore—hewasbuildingabrand.
Trustme,thiswasjustthestartofhismillion-dollarjourney.
Imaginereplacingalegend!That’sexactlywhatJayLeno didin1992whenhetookover“TheTonightShow”from JohnnyCarson.Andguesswhat?Hedidn’tjusthostit—he turneditintoagoldmine.
Hissalary?Ajaw-dropping$20millionto$30millionper year.Buthere’swhereLenoplayeditsmart.Henever touchedhisTVpaycheck.Instead,helivedonlyonhis stand-upcomedyearnings.That’sright—hebankedevery singledollarfromNBC.Thisstrategyhelpedhimbuilda massivefortuneovertheyears.
Butthingsgottrickyin2009.NBCgavehistimeslotto ConanO’Brien,soLenomovedtoanewshow, “The Jay Leno Show.” Itflopped.Ratingsdropped.NBCpanicked. Andjustlikethat,Lenowasbackon “The Tonight Show” in 2010.
However,in2014,hefinallysteppedawayforgood.After22 years,heleftasoneofthehighest-paidhostsever—andwith anetworththatkeptclimbing.Now,that'sthetalkabouta smartbusinessman!
JayLenodidn'tjustdoTV—heneverstoppedperforming live.EvenwhilehostingTheTonightShow,hewasonthe road,weekafterweek,yearafteryear.
Lenoperformedeverywhere.Comedyclubs?Yes.Theaters? Absolutely.Corporateevents?Allthetime.Heheadlinedat iconicvenueslikeTheComedy&MagicClubinHermosa Beach,TheMirageinLasVegas,andCarnegieHallinNew York.Fortune500companieslineduptobookhimfor privategigs,payinghim$100,000to$250,000perevent.
Theseliveshowsweremorethanjustfun—theywerea goldmine.EvenaftersteppingdownfromTheTonightShow, Lenokeptperformingover100nightsayear,bringinginat least$10millionannuallyfromstand-upalone.
Andhere'sthesecret:LenoneverspenthisTVmoney.Every dollarhemadehosting?Hesavedit.Hisrealspendingcash? Itcamefromstand-up.Thissmartstrategyhelpedhimbuild anetworthofover$450million.
Even now, he’s still on stage. No scripts. No cameras. Just pure comedy and big paychecks. Because for Jay Leno, stand-up isn’t just a job. It’s who he is!
Furthermore,let’snotforgethisloveforcars! Evenasakid,hespenthoursfixingand admiringthem.Today?Thatpassionhas turnedintoapricelesscarcollectionworth millions!
Ifyoulovecars,you'llloveJayLeno.He doesn'tjustdrivethem—helivesandbreathes them.Hiscarcollection?Mind-blowing!If there'sonethingJayLenolovesjustasmuch ascomedy,it'scars.Heownsover180cars and160motorcycles,makinghiscollection oneofthemostvaluableintheworld—worth over$100million.
Buthere'swhat'sevencrazier:hedoesn'tjust buycars,herestores,maintains,andeven profitsfromthem.
Mostpeopleparktheircarsinatwo-car garage.NotLeno.Heownsa140,000-squarefootautomotiveparadiseinBurbank, California.It'snotjustaplacetostore cars—it'sastate-of-the-artworkshop.Inside,a teamofexpertmechanicsandengineershelp Lenorestore,modify,andmaintainsomeof therarestvehiclesonEarth.
Hisgarageispackedwithhigh-tech equipment,customtools,andeven3Dprinting technologytorebuildimpossible-to-findparts. Nowonderhiscarsstayinmint condition—andtheirvaluekeepsskyrocketing.
TheCrownJewelsofHisCollection
Leno'scollectionisn'tjustbig—it'shistorically significant.Someofhismostprizedcars include:
●1934DuesenbergWalkerCoupe–Worth $20million,thisisoneoftherarestluxurycars evermade.
●McLarenF1–Atruespeedlegend,thiscar hasshotupinvalue,nowestimatedat$12 million.
●1909StanleySteamer–Afullyfunctionalsteampoweredcarfromoveracenturyago.
●BlastoleneSpecial “Tank Car” –Amonstrous vehiclepoweredbya1,750-horsepowertankengine.
●1955Mercedes300SLGullwing–Aniconicclassic thatcontinuestoriseinvalue.
ButwhatmakesLenounique?Heactuallydriveshis cars.Unlikemostcollectorswholocktheircarsaway, Lenotakesthemoutontheroad,provingtheyarenot justvaluablebutfullyfunctionalmasterpieces.
Lenodoesn'tjustcollectcars—hemonetizesthem.In 2006,helaunched “Jay Leno's Garage”,awebseries wherehesharesdetailedinsightsonhiscollection, interviewsautomotiveexperts,andreviewsthelatest supercars.Theshowbecamesopopularthatin2015, CNBCturneditintoafull-fledgedTVshow
This wasn’t just a passion project—it was a huge financial success.
Theshowbringsin:
●Massiveadrevenuefrommillionsofviews.
●Sponsorshipdealsfromtopcarbrands.
●Exclusivepartnershipswithautomakerswhopay himtofeaturetheirlatestmodels.
Ontopofthat,Lenohasalsomademillionsfromcar resale.Heoccasionallysellsararevehicleforahuge profit,provingthatclassiccarscanbejustasgoodan investmentasrealestateorstocks.
WhyLeno’sCarStrategyisGenius?
Mostcelebritiesburnthroughtheirmoneybuying thingsthatdepreciate—butnotLeno.Hiscar collectionisn'tjustahobby—it'saninvestment portfolio.Manyofhisvehicleshavedoubledoreven tripledinvalue.
Healsonevertouchedhis“TonightShow”salary, livingonlyoffhisstand-upincome.Thissmart financialstrategyallowedhimtobuildanetworthof
over$450million,withahugechunkofittiedtohis cars,garage,andmediaventures.
Leno’sLegacy–MoreThanJustaComedian
JayLenoisn’tjustacarguy.He’sabusinessman,an investor,andanautomotivehistorian.Hehasproven thatwhenyoucombinepassion,businessstrategy,and financialdiscipline,youcanturnasimpleloveforcars intoamulti-million-dollarempire.
Andifyouthinkhe'sslowingdown,thinkagain.At74, he'sstillworkingoncars,hostingshows,andgrowing hisfortune—onehorsepoweratatime.
JayLeno’sBikeCollection
Furthermore,letmetellyousomethingfun.JayLeno ownsover160motorcycles!Yes,160bikes—from vintagebeautiestomodernmachines.Eachbikeiscared forbyhisexpertteam.Theyshineinhisbig,high-tech garageinBurbank.Thesebikesarenotjustforshow.
Theyaddtohisempireandboosthisnetworth.With bothcarsandbikes,heprovesthatpassionandsmart investmentsgohandinhand.Thismixofwheelsmakes hiscollectionevenmoreimpressive.AndthatiswhyJay Leno’snetworthkeepsgrowing.
HereareafewofJayLeno’siconicbikeswiththeir estimatedprices:
●1928IndianScout:Avintagebeautywithclassic charm.
●1965NortonCommando:ABritishiconthatroars withcharacter
●Ducati916:Asleeksuperbikebuiltforspeedand style.
●Harley-DavidsonElectraGlide:Asmoothridethat definesAmericancool.
●TriumphBonneville:Atimelessclassiclovedby many.
Eachbikeiscaredforbyexpertsinhishigh-techgarage. Theynotonlyboosthiscollection’scharmbutalsoadd valuetoJayLeno’snetworth.
Letmetellyousomething—youmightknowJayLenoasthe funnyguyfromTheTonightShow,butdidyouknowhe’s alsoabusinessgenius?Seriously,thismanknowshowto makemoney,investitsmartly,andgrowhisfortunelikea pro.
Hiscomedy?Thatwasjustthebeginning.JayLeno’snet worthisn’tjustbuiltonTVpaychecks—it’sfueledby endorsements,smartinvestments,andbusinessventuresthat keepmakinghimmillions.
Everseenacommercialandthought, “Hey, that’s Jay Leno!”?Yeah,he’sbeeninatonofthem.Companieslovehis trusted,friendlypersonality,andthey’vepaidhimbigbucks topromotetheirbrands.
Someofhisbiggestendorsementdealsinclude:
●Doritos–RememberthosehilariousSuperBowlads?Yep, thatwasLeno.
●Ford–PromotedtheFordGTandothermodels,earning millionsintheprocess.
●McDonald’s–Ifyou’veseenhiminafast-food commercial,youknowhemakesburgerssoundfancy!
●Michelin–Talkedtireslikeatruecarlover,makingthe brandevenbigger
●Lexus–Featuredinluxurycarpromotions(because,let’s behonest,themanknowscars).
●AmgenPharmaceuticals–Becamethefaceoftheir cholesteroldrugcampaign.
Now,here’sthebestpart—brandsdon'tjusthireLenoforfun. Theypayhimanywherebetween$500,000to$2millionper commercial.Andsincehe'sbeendoingthisfordecades,his endorsementearningsaloneareworthtensofmillions.
Investments&
JayLenoisn’tjustearningmoney,he'sgrowingit.Hehas investedinmultiplebusinesses,andeverymovehemakesis acalculatedstrategy.
●ArchMotorcycle–DidyouknowLenoownsabig stakeinthishigh-endmotorcyclecompany?It’scofoundedbyKeanuReeves,andtheircustombikessell forover$85,000each!Leno’sinvolvementmakesthe brandevenmorevaluable.
●RealEstate–Whilehe’sfamousforhiscars,hisreal estateportfolioisworthover$50million.Heowns multiplepropertiesinprimelocations,eachaddingtohis wealth.
●ProductionCompanies–Lenoisn’tjustonTV—he’s behindthescenes,too.HehasinvestedinTVanddigital mediacompaniesthatgeneratemillionsinadrevenue.
●CarResaleProfits–Youknowabouthiscrazycar collection,right?Well,heoccasionallysellsrarecars, makinghugereturns.Someofhisvehicleshavebeen appreciatedbymillionsovertheyears!
HowMuchDoesThisAddtoHisFortune?
Let’stalknumbers.ExpertsestimatethatLeno’s businessventuresandendorsementsbringinatleast$20 to$30millioneveryyear.That’sontopofhisother earnings.NowonderheneverhadtospendhisTV salary!
TheSecrettoHisSuccess
So,what’sLeno’smoneystrategy?Simple—henever spendswhatheearnsfromTV.Instead,helivesoffhis stand-upincomeandinveststherest.
Mostcelebritiesspendmillionsonflashyluxuries.Not Leno.Heputshismoneyintobusinesses,investments, andsmartdealsthatkeepmakinghimricher.
At74yearsold,he'sstillclosingdeals,investingin businesses,andmakingmoneylikeaboss.Ifthere’sone thingwecanlearnfromhim,it’sthis—makingmoneyis onething,butkeepingitandgrowingit?That’sthereal game.
YouknowJayLenolovescars,buthaveyouever wonderedwhereheparkshisfortune?Well,it’snotjust ingarages—it’sinrealestatetoo.Andjustlikehiscar collection,hisrealestateportfolioisworthafortune.
Lenoisn’tflashyabouthisproperties,buttrustme,his homesarenojoke.He’sspentover$50milliononprime realestate,makinghimnotjustacarcollectorbutareal estatemogul,too.
TheBeverlyHillsMansion–A$13.5MillionLuxury Escape
Let’sstartwiththecrownjewelofhisrealestate empire—hisBeverlyHillsmansion.Boughtin2017for $13.5million,thisestateisatruemasterpiece.
●Size–Over9,000squarefeetofpureluxury
●Location–Nestledinoneofthemostexpensive neighborhoodsintheworld.
●Amenities–Amassivepool,lushgardens,andajawdroppingviewofLosAngeles.
●GarageSpace–Morethanenoughroomforhis pricelesscarcollection.
Andhere’sthebestpart—thispropertyhasskyrocketed invalue.Today,it’sestimatedtobeworthover$20 million,meaninghe'smadea$7millionprofitjustby owningit.
TheOceanfrontParadise–Newport,RhodeIsland
Ifyouthoughtonemansionwasenough,thinkagain.In 2017,Lenodroppedacool$13.5milliononastunning oceanfrontestateinNewport,RhodeIsland.Thisisn’t justanyhouse—it’samansionstraightoutofafairytale.
●Size–A15,851-square-footGildedAge-stylemansion.
●OceanfrontViews–DirectaccesstotheAtlantic Ocean.
●Bedrooms–8massivebedrooms,allwith breathtakingviews.
●Garage–Acustom-builtcarriagehouseforhisclassic cars.
Thisplaceissofancythatitsitsona9-acreestateand lookslikeitbelongsinaHollywoodmovie.Andguess what?Itsvaluehassoared,makingitoneofthebest investmentshe'severmade.
HisHiddenRealEstateGems Lenodoesn’tstopthere.Heownsmultipleproperties acrosstheU.S.,including:
●MoreBeverlyHillsHomes–Hehasatleasttwomore propertiesinLA'smostexpensivearea.
●BurbankRealEstate–Thisiswherehekeepshis massive122,000-square-footgarage,housingover180 carsand160motorcycles.
●UndisclosedInvestments–Lenohasalwaysbeentightlippedaboutsomeofhisotherproperties,butrealestate insidersbelieveheownsseveralrentalandcommercial propertiesaswell.
HowRealEstateAddsToHisNetWorth
Here’swhatmakesJayLenoarealestategenius—he neverjustbuysahomeandforgetsaboutit.Heinvestsin high-valuelocations,watchesthemarket,andholdsonto propertiesthatappreciatelikecrazy.
●TotalRealEstateValue–Over$50millionandgrowing.
●ProfitfromAppreciation–Somepropertieshave increasedbymillions.
●Diversification–Whilehe’sknownforcars,realestate helpsbalancehisportfolio.
Conclusion
Let’sbereal—youwantfinancialsuccess,right?Well,let metellyou,JayLeno’snetworthdidn’thit$450million byaccident.Hecrackedthewealth-buildingcode,and guesswhat?Youcantoo!
●First,stopspendingeverythingyouearn.Lenomade $30millionayearhosting“TheTonightShow,”buthe nevertouchedthatmoney.Instead,helivedoffhisstandupgigsandsavedtherest.Youdon’tneedaTVdealtodo this—juststartsavingaggressivelyandinvestsmartly
●Second,turnyourpassionintoprofit.Lenodidn’tjust lovecars—hebuiltanempirearoundthem.Hiscar collectionisworthover$100million,andhisshow“Jay Leno'sGarage”makeshimevenmore.Findsomething youloveandturnitintoamoney-makingmachine.
●Third,diversifylikeaboss.Lenodoesn'tjusthaveTVmoney.He’sgotrealestate, businesses,endorsements,andrarecollectibles.Youcandothesame—don’trelyonone incomestream!
●Finally,neverstopworking.Evenafterretiring,Lenostilldoes200+stand-upgigsayear Successisn’taboutjustmakingmoney—it’saboutkeepingthespeedgoing. Want to build real wealth? Think like Leno. Act like Leno. Win like Leno.
“Buildresiliencyinyourselfandthosearoundyou.”
That’sthemantraDerekSloan,LPCC,NCC,livesby —it’salsobecometheguidingprincipleforhiswork asaLicensedTherapistandCertifiedMasterLife Coach.
AsaLicensedProfessionalClinicalCounselor(LPCC) andaNationalCertifiedCounselor(NCC),Derek providesmentalhealthandbehavioralhealthservices toindividuals,couples,andgroups.Hespecializesin cognitive,existential,andahumanisticapproachthat helpsclientsfindmeaningandpurposeintheirlives, ultimatelyimprovingtheirmentalhealthandqualityof life.
HiscompanyDerekLeads,LLChelpsexecutive leadersintop-levelandindustry-leadingorganizations, helpingthemenhancetheiremotionalintelligence, communicationskills,anddecision-makingabilities.
Inadditiontohiscounselingwork,Derekhostsa popularpodcast,“MentalStillness,”availableon Apple,Spotify,andYouTube,wherehesharesinsights onmentalhealthandleadership.Heisalsotheauthor of“TheResiliencePlaybook,”aguideforprioritizing thepsychologicalneedsofeveryindividualinthe organizationtomaximizeresultsandwell-being.
MirrorReviewrecentlyinterviewedDerek,whosays,“My missionistohelporganizationsachievetheirgoalsby prioritizingbothleadershipandmentalhealth.”
MirrorReview:Tellusaboutyourbackgroundandcareer journey.Whatinspiredyoutostepintoleadershipcoaching?
Derek:Ispent15yearsofleadershipinthenonprofitsector Overtime,I’vebuilt,sold,andfoundedmultiplebusinesses.I foundmywayintocoachingbecauseIstartednoticinghow rewardingitwastohelpempowerpeopletosolvecomplex problemsinthemarketplace.Theopportunitytoaccompany someoneontheirjourney,witnessingtheirgrowthand overcomingleadershipandcomplexorganizationalchallenges,is incrediblyrewarding.
● DerekSloan,LPCC,NCC,is dedicatedtoenhancing leadershipdynamicsand fosteringpersonalgrowth throughhisrolesasaLicensed TherapistandCertifiedMaster LifeCoach.
● With15yearsofexperiencein nonprofitleadershipand degreesinYouthandFamily Studies,Leadership,and ClinicalMentalHealth Counseling,Sloanoffersa uniquemixofskillsinhis coachingwork.
● AtDerekLeads,LLC,hehelps top-levelleadersimprovetheir emotionalintelligence, communication,anddecisionmakingskills,focusingonthe linkbetweenleadershipand mentalhealth.
Let’stakealookatmyacademicqualifications:
IholdaBachelorofArtsinYouthandFamilyStudies,a MasterofArtsinLeadership,andaMasterofArtsin ClinicalMentalHealthCounseling.
Asformylicensesandcredentials,IamaLicensed ProfessionalClinicalCounselor,aNationalCertified Counselor,andaCertifiedMasterLifeCoach.
MirrorReview:Basedonyourexperience,whatare thetop3mostpressingleadershipchallenges businessesfacetoday?Howhavethesechallenges impactedoverallbusinesssuccess?
Derek:Inmyview,thefirstmajorchallengeis engagement.Weareinthemidstofanengagementcrisis. Asleaders,weneedtogaugeourteam sengagement ’ levels.Questionslike Areweattractingtalent? and Are ‘ ’ ‘ weretainingthattalent? becomecrucial.Equally ’ importantiswhetherwe reabletoarticulateacompelling ’ vision.
Thesecondchallengeisempowerment,whichalways followstrust.Employeesareattheirbestwhenthey’re givenapartofthebusinesstotakeownershipofand steward.I veobservedthatpeopletendtodisengageor ’ “quietquit”whentheycan tlinktheirroletothebroader ’ impactofthebusiness.
Asleaders,wemusthelpourteamconnecttheirday-todaytothebroadervision/missionoftheorganization.We needtodothisALLthetime.It snotjustabout ’ onboardingnewemployeesbutalsoaboutkeepingour seasonedemployeesinspiredandengaged.
Thethirdchallengeisempathy.Maintainingafresh perspectiveiskey.Itisquiteremarkabletoseehow productivepeoplecanbe,evenwhenfacedwiththemost dauntingchallengesiftheyfeelunderstoodandvalued.
MirrorReview:Couldyoupleasetellusaboutthe leadershipproblemsthatDerekLeads,LLChelpsto solve?Whatmakesyourcoachingdifferent?
Derek:DerekLeads,LLChelpswithmanyleadership problems.Theseincludefixingunhealthyorganizational culture,helpingleadersavoidburnout,identifyingblind spotsinleadershiporteams,andprovidingguidancewhen therearetoomanyproblemsorwhenit shardtoknow ’ wheretostart.
Weofferone-on-onecoachingforleaders,workshops,training sessions,personalassessments,andassessmentsforwhole organizations.
Evidence-basedapproachesarenecessaryintherapy,andin myopinioncoachingaswell.I vegreatlybenefitedinthis ’ fieldduetomycareerinhigh-levelleadershipandasa clinician.Thisgivesmeauniqueunderstandingthathelpsme connectwithmyclientsonadeeperlevel.
MirrorReview:Canyoupleaseletusknowwhattypeof clientsapproachyou?Whataretheirmostcommonpain points?
Derek:Theclientswhotypicallyapproachmearebusiness ownerswhofindthemselvesstuckduetovariousreasons. Often,theseareindividualsleadingteams,facingspecific issues,orhavereachedaplateau.Ialsoworkwithclientswho aregrapplingwithengagementandcultureissueswithintheir organizations.
Additionally,Iassistthosewhohaveachievedsignificant successbutfindthemselvesatacareercrossroads.Thiscould beduetoashiftintheorganization sdirectionortheleader s ’ ’ attempttostrategizeforthelatterhalfoftheircareer
MirrorReview:Astheleaderofthecompany,couldyou shareyourprimaryrolesandresponsibilities?We dalso ’ lovetohearaboutyournotableawardsandachievements.
Derek:Myprimaryresponsibilityatthecompanyisto provideleadershipcoachingandconsulting.WhenI mnot ’ engagedincoaching,Ispendmytimevisitingorganizations andinteractingdirectlywithleaders.Thisallowsmetogaina deeperunderstandingofthemandthechallengestheyface.
Asformyawardsandachievements,Iwasinvitedtospeakat thestateconferencefortheKentuckyCounselingAssociation onthetopicofcomplexgriefin2021.
Additionally,in2024,Iwasinterviewedbyanother publicationasaleadingvoicetodiscussthecurrenttrendsin coaching.
MirrorReview:Couldyousharesomeexamplesofhow yourcoachinghasbenefitedyourcurrentorpastclients?
Derek:Ihavehadtheopportunitytohelpseveralleadersat crucialjuncturesintheircareers.Myapproachinvolves helpingindividualsidentifytheobstacleshinderingtheir personalorprofessionalprogress.Iworkcloselywithmy
clientstounearththesebarriers.Together,wedigdeep, assess,andeliminatetheseobstacles,pavingtheway forthemtomoveforward.
Ibelievethatsometimes,peoplejustneedsomeoneto sharetheloadwiththem.Whenyouacknowledgethe immensetalentandcreativityinpeople,problemsolvingbecomesarewardingprocess.
MirrorReview:Inyourexperience,whatcommon mistakesdoleadersoftenmakewhentryingto motivatetheirteams,andhowcantheyavoidthem?
Derek: ‘ ’ Ibelievetheterm inspiration ismorefitting than motivation inthiscontext.Inmyinteractions, ‘ ’
I'vefoundthatpeoplepossessamazingtalent.These individualshaveyearsofexperienceandtypicallyhave adesiretogrow.Isuggestthatsupervisors,bosses,or managersneedashiftinmindset.Theyshouldask themselves, “What if I stopped worrying about ‘motivating’and spent more time‘inspiring’?”
Inpracticalterms,individualsfeelinspiredwhenthey seetheirsupervisordemonstratethevisionandvalues oftheorganization.Theyfeelinspiredwhentheir supervisordarestoshowvulnerability.Theyfeel inspiredwhentheyaretrustedwithasignificantpartof thebusinessandunderstandthattheirworkhasrealworldimplications.
Lastly,individualsfeelinspiredwhentheirsupervisoris observantandnoticeswhentheyareactivelylivingout thevision/values.
MirrorReview:Howdoyoumanagetohavea perfectwork-lifebalance?Whatareyour hobbies/interestsbeyondthecabin?
Derek:Theconceptofwork-lifebalancehasoftenbeen criticizedandevendeemedimpossible.However,I thinkthiscomesdowntoaweakdefinitionor misunderstandingoftheconcept.
Work-lifebalanceisn’taboutaperfectlybalancedscale of50%workand50%life.Idon’tthinkthisidea resonateswithpeople,andit’spracticallyimpossibleto measureorevaluate.
Instead,Ibelievethegoalshouldbetoeliminate distractionsandstriveforefficiency.It’seasyforyour mindtowanderwhenyou’reatwork,leadingto
inefficientbehaviors.Thesamecanhappenathome,where yourbodyispresent,butyourmindisstillatyourdesk.My adviceisnottosettle.Remindyourselfthatyou’realwayson theclock,whetheratworkorathome.
Yourbosswouldn’tbethrilledifyouwereontheclockattwo placesatonce,andyourfamilyshouldn’thavetoacceptthat either.
Asformyhobbies,Ienjoyplayinginthedrivewaywithmy kids,travelingwithmyfamily,andgoingongolftripswithmy friends.
MirrorReview:Asarenownedleadershipcoach,couldyou sharethreetipsfortoday’sbusinessleaders?
Derek:Tip#1:Understandthebasicsofpsychology-This doesn’tnecessarilyrequireformaleducationorcertification, althoughthatcanbetremendouslyhelpful.Abasic understandingofpsychologycanbroadenyourimpactasa coach.Italsohelpsyoustaygroundedandhumble,recognizing thathumanbeingsaredynamicandcomplex.Thefieldof psychologytakesyouonawildadventurewithsomany differentperspectivesandexplanationsforhumanbehavior.
Tip#2:Becomecuriousbeforeyoubecomeconvinced-We oftenmakejudgmentsordecisionsinafractionofasecond. Therearesomesituationswherethiscanworkinourfavor However,Ithinkthiscanimpairourjudgment.Wemustfight againstthiswhenweareworkingwithpeoplebecausetheyare complex,andtheirlivedexperienceissodifferentthanours. Forceyourselftoleadwithcuriositybeforeyousettleintoa decisionorjudgment.
Tip#3:Establishawaytomeasureprogress-Asacoach, youneedtodefineyoursuccessmetrics.Similarly,youshould encourageyourclienttodeterminetheirownsuccessmetrics. Thesemaysometimesalign,andothertimesdiffer.It’s beneficialtodiscussthesemetricstogethertoensuremutual understanding.Thiswillallowyou,asthecoach,tochallenge andencouragemoreeasily.Theclientwillunderstandthe WHYbehindyourcoachingguidance.Thereisalso accountabilitywhentheseareverbalized.
What if I stopped worrying about ‘motivating’ and spent more time ‘inspiring’? “
Doyoudreamofleadingahighperformingteam,butwonderwhatit takestogetthere?Areyouanexisting leaderseekingfreshinspirationandproven strategies?Ifyoucanrelatetoanyofthese questions,thenyou'vecometotherightplace.Thus, you'llexplorethebestleadershippodcastsonthis blog.
Moreover,youwillalsolearnincredibleleadership skills.We'vealsogivenyouhelpfulguidance,and feasiblestrategiesforcreatingoutstandingteams. Besidesthat,itwillmotivateyoutodevelopintothe leaderyouwerealwaysintendedtobe.
Inthisblog,we’llexploretheleadershippodcaststo helpyoubecomeabetterleader.So,Let'sbegin!
1.TheDiaryOfACEO
●Host:StevenBartlett
●Platforms:ApplePodcast,Spotify,YouTube,andtheir website
●SpecialQuests:BusinessLeaders,CulturalIcons, Leaders,andChangemakers
TheDiaryOfACEOoffersjourneysofprominent individuals,CEOs,andsuccessfulbusinessowners. Bartlett,thefounderandCEOofSocialChain,ayoung
entrepreneurhimself,fostersopenconversationsthat exploretherealitiesofleadership-thewins,thelosses,and thelessonslearnedalongtheway
Thepodcastalsooffersadditionalcontent,likevideoclips andguestbios,tomakelisteningtoitanevenricher experience.Thus,ifyou'relookingforleadershippodcasts, TheDiaryOfACEOisagreatoption.Youcanfinditon mostmajorpodcastplatformsandevenonYouTube.
Moreover,theyofferanoriginalperspectiveonleadership byhighlightingtheexperiencesandpersonaldevelopment ofoutstandingpeople.Bothpresentandprospectiveleaders canlearnvarioustopicsfromtheiropenandhonest discussions.
2.DaretoLead
●Host:BrenéBrown
●Platforms:ApplePodcast,Spotify,GooglePodcasts, Stitcher,andAmazonMusic
●SpecialQuests:Leaders,Academics,Activists,andMore
BrenéBrown'sDaretoLeadpodcastservesasanextension ofherbestsellingbookofthesamename.Itaimstobea
practicalguideforleadersatalllevels.Also,tohelp leadersdevelopthecourage,vulnerability,andresilience tothrive.
Importantly,theAuthorherselfhoststhepodcast, bringingherwarmth,humor,andresearch-driveninsights toeachepisode.Atrueleaderinherfield,Brownmakes thisafantasticoptionforthoseseekingleadership podcasts.Assuch,thepodcastoffersadditionalresources relatedtothecontent,includingarticles,courses,and workshops.
Besidesthat,shecreatesasafespaceforgueststoshare theirvulnerabilitiesandexperiences.Thisapproachcan alsobealessonforleaderslookingtoimprovetheir communicationskills.Aboveall,thepodcastisaresource foranyonewhowantstobecomeanauthenticleader.
●Host:RyanHawk
●Platforms:ApplePodcast,Spotify,theirwebsite,and majorPodcasts
●SpecialQuests:CEOs,SpecialForcesOperators, Entrepreneurs,andAuthors
TheLearningLeaderShowiscommittedtosupporting leaders'ongoinglearninganddevelopment.Itfeaturesindepthinterviewswithsuccessfulindividualsfromarange ofdifferentbackgrounds.Asaresult,itgiveslisteners profoundknowledgeandpracticallessonstoremember.
Inaddition,thepodcast'sinfluenceandexcellencehave beenacknowledgedbyApplePodcasts,Inc.Magazine,and Forbes.Furthermore,theyprovidea“MindfulMonday” emailservicewithcarefullychosenarticlestohelpyou begintheweekwithaleadershipperspective.
Havingsaidthat,foranyoneseekingtolearnfrom accomplishedleadersinavarietyofindustries,the LearningLeaderShowisanexcellentresource.Aboveall, thereisneverashortageofnewleadershipviewpoints becausenewepisodesarereleaseddaily.Hence,ifyou're interestedinleadershippodcasts,theLearningLeaderShow isanexcellentresource
●Host:DavidRice
●Platforms:ApplePodcast,Spotify,GooglePodcasts, theirwebsite,andMore
●SpecialQuests:HRleaders,Authors,psychologists, researchers,andmore
ThePeopleManagingPeoplepodcastequipslistenerswith thetoolsandstrategies.Itaimstohelplistenersbecome effectiveleadersandbuildthrivingteams.Furthermore,the podcastprovidesqualityinsightsfromfirst-timemanagers toexperiencedexecutives.
Moreover,everyepisodebenefitsfromthepractical experienceandperceptiveviewpointofexperiencedhost DavidRice.Thewebsitealsooffersresourceslikeblog articlesandtranscripts,allowingyoutodelvedeeperinto specifictopics.
Additionally,thepodcastprovidesactionableadvicethat listenerscanimplementimmediately Theyalsooffer additionalresourceslikeshownotesthatwilldelvedeeper intothecoveredtopics.
5.
●Host:SimonSinek
●Platforms:ApplePodcasts,Spotify,Stitcher,andmore
●SpecialQuests:BusinessLeaders,CreativeMinds,and ExpertsinVariousFields
ABitofOptimism,amongtheleadingleadership podcasts,aimstofindthebrightsideinleadership, business,andlife.Throughinspiringinterviewsand leadershippodcasts,Sinekseekstoleavelistenerswith actionabletakeawaysandamoreoptimisticoutlook.
Therenownedauthorandinspirationalspeaker,Sinek,is theauthorof“StartWithWhy”andotherleadership books.Moreover,thewebsiteoffersadditionalresources onleadership,includingarticles,videos,andupcoming events.
Furthermore,thepodcastfeaturesmanyguestswho sharestoriesofovercomingchallengesandachieving success.Besidesthat,theyofferarefreshingtakeon leadership,focusingonfosteringapositiveand motivatingenvironment.Newepisodesarealsoreleased regularly
6.CoachingforLeaders
●Host:DaveStachowiak
●Platforms:ApplePodcasts,GooglePodcasts,Amazon Music,theirwebsite,andMore
●SpecialQuests:Leadershipgurus,Businessleaders, Psychologistsandresearchers
ThefounderandhostofCoachingforLeaders, Stachowiak,isaleadershipcoachwithextensive experience,coachingleaderstoequipthemwith practicaltoolsandstrategies.Likewise,thepodcast providesactionableadvice,helpingleadersdevelop communication,coaching,andteammanagementskills.
Importantly,theshowincludesacombinationofDave's soloepisodesandinterviewswithexperiencedand successfulleaders.Thus,thehosthimselfcontributeshis experienceincoachingandleadershipdevelopment.
Inaddition,thewebsiteoffersfreeleadershipcourses, downloadableguides,andleadershiparticles.Assuch, hemakesdifficulttopicssimpleandeasierwithhis eloquentandcaptivatingwritingstyle.
7.HBRIdeaCast
●Host:AlisonBeard
●Platforms:ApplePodcast,Spotify,GooglePodcast, andtheirwebsite
●SpecialQuests:Industryexperts,Management thinkers,andMore
HBRIdeaCastisaweeklypodcastdesignedtoequip listenerswiththelatestbusinessandmanagementthinking. Likewise,theyinterviewwithprominentscholars, professionals,andothers.Thus,youcanexplorestrategies formakingbetterchoicesunderpressureandnavigating complexsituations.
Beyondthat,HBRIdeaCastcoversawiderangeof leadership-relatedsubjects.Buildingleadershipabilities, encouragingtrust,andmotivatingateamarethemain themesofthemajorityoftheepisodes.Furthermore,it's availableontheHarvardBusinessReviewwebsite.
HBRIdeaCastisalsoavaluableresourceforleadersatall levels,fromaspiringleaderstoseniorleaders.Furthermore, newepisodesarereleasedweekly,providingaconstant streamoffreshcontentonleadershippodcasts.
8.TheAndyStanleyLeadershipPodcast
●Host:AndyStanley
●Platforms:ApplePodcast,Spotify,GooglePodcasts,and theirwebsite
●SpecialQuests:Businessleaders,Pastors,authors,and expertsinleadershipareas
LedbypastorandleadershipcommunicatorStanley,this podcastaimstoequiplistenerswithpracticaltoolsand strategiesforbecomingbetterleaders.Theyalsocaterto bothaspiringandexperiencedleaders.Assuch,itoffers guidanceoncontinuousimprovementandachievinglasting impact.
Inaddition,theshowfeaturesamixofsoloepisodesfrom AndyStanleyandinterviewswithprominentfiguresin leadershipandrelatedfields.Thus,theshowisknownfor itsengagingandaccessibleformat,makingleadership developmentinformativeandenjoyable.
Aboveall,regardlessofyourbackgroundorleadership experience,theAndyStanleyleadershippodcastsoffer valuabletakeawaysforanyoneinterestedinleading effectively
9.HowIBuiltThisHosted
●Host:GuyRaz
●Platforms:ApplePodcast,Spotify,GooglePodcasts, theirwebsite,andMore
●SpecialQuests:Starbucks,Spanx,Bumble,Nikeand more
TheAmericanjournalistRaz'sHowIBuiltThismaynotbe specificallyaleadershippodcast.However,itprovides insightfulinformationthatcanbenefitanyoneinaleadership position.Theseriescoversthehistoriesofvenerable businesses,withthefounderssharingtheirpersonal experiences.
Importantly,theleadershippodcastsexplorethethought processesbehinddecisions,offeringinsightsforeffective leadership.Moreover,allepisodesoffervaluabletakeaways toimprovetheleadershipskillsofthelisteners.
Interestingly,thepodcastalsoofferswaystogaininspiration andpracticaltipsapplicabletovariousleadershipsituations. Likewise,newepisodesarereleasedregularly,ensuringa steadystreamoffreshcontent.
10.TakeCommand:ADaleCarnegiePodcast
●Host:JoeHart
●Platforms:ApplePodcast,Spotify,theirwebsite,and More
●SpecialQuests:IndustryLeaders,successfulfigures,and more
TakeCommandistheofficialpodcastofprofessional developmentpioneerDaleCarnegieTraining.Tosupport listenersinbecomingmoreeffectiveandinspiringleaders, thepodcastfocusesonpracticalstrategiesandinsights.
Inaddition,theyofferinsightfulleadershippodcastswitha widerangeofspeakerswhoareallauthoritiesintheir respectiveindustries.DaleCarnegiealsoprovidesfree materialsonavarietyofleadership-relatedsubjects,suchas webinars,videos,andarticles.
Importantly,thispodcastisagreatresourceforanyone lookingtoimprovetheirleadershipskills,regardlessof experiencelevel.Lastly,theyfocusedonself-awareness, motivation,andemotionalintelligence-allimportant componentsofleadership.
Weexploredtheworldofleadershippodcastsandlearneda treasureofresourcestofuelyourleadershipjourney. Moreover,wediscoveredBrenéBrown'svulnerability lessons,SimonSinek'sinspiringoptimism,andmore.Above all,leadershipisalifelongadventure,notadestination. Thus,withdedicationandtherightresources,youcan becomethekindofleaderwhoinspires.Thanksforreading!
Executive Coach Hunter Consulting
MattHunter’spathtobecomingasought-
afterexecutivecoachdidn’tbegininthe businessworld—itstartedonthe basketballcourt.Asacollegeathlete,Matthonedthe qualitiesthatnowshapehisapproachtoleadership: discipline,strategy,andperseverance.Today,asthe headofHunterConsulting,MattworkswithventurebackedfoundersandCEOswhoarenavigatingthe pressuresofscalingbusinessesandmanagingteams. Hisclientsleadcompanieswithacombinedmarketcap inthebillions,butforMatt,therealmeasureofsuccess liesbeyondfinancialmetrics.Hisfocusisonhelping leadersconnectwiththeirteams,operatefrom authenticity,andunlocktheirfullpotential.
Beforehebecameacoach,Mattwalkedthepathof entrepreneurshiphimself.Astheco-founderof Turnstyle—acompanythatYelpeventually acquired—heexperiencedthehighsandlowsof buildingabusinessfromthegroundup.Later,hetook ontheroleofPresidentandCEOatFoundersPledge, wherehehelpedraiseover$10billionforcharitable causes.ItwasherethatMattbegantorecognizea recurringtheme:manysuccessfulfoundersexcelledin strategybutstruggledwithleadershiponadeeperlevel.
Theyknewhowtoexecuteavision,butoften overlookedthepersonaldynamicsthatcouldmakeor breaktheirteams.ThisrealizationledMatttodevelop hiscoachingphilosophy,centeredonthebeliefthat leadershipisfundamentallyrelational.
Matt’scoachingmethodisn’taboutofferingaset playbookforsuccess.It’saboutworkingwithclientsto uncoverthedeeper,oftenhiddenforcesdrivingtheir decisions,behaviors,andinteractions.“We’lltalk strategy,”hesays,“butwe’llalsogobeneaththesurface intowhat’sreallydrivingyou.”Thisinside-outapproach
toleadershiphasbecomeMatt’strademark.Heencourages leaderstoexaminenotjusthowtheylead,butwhytheylead inaparticularway.
ForMatt,leadershipisaboutmorethanmakingtheright businessmoves;it’saboutfosteringstrong,authentic relationships.Heteacheshisclientsthatthestrengthoftheir companieswillalwaysreflectthestrengthofthe connectionswithintheirteams.
TheimpactofMatt’scoachingcanbeseenintheglowing testimonialsfromhisclients.EdandMattfromMantra Healthdescribehisapproachas“transformational,”praising hisunderstandingoffounderdynamicsandstartupscaling. BenfromSplashattributeshisgrowthasaleaderdirectlyto Matt’sguidance,whileIvanfromIterative.aihighlights Matt’sempathyandreal-worldexperience.BriefromAltvia echoesthesesentiments,notingthatMatt’scoachingleftan “indeliblemark”onherprofessionalandpersonallife.
WhatsetsMattapartishisabilitytocombinetactical businessadvicewithdeeppersonalinsight.Hisclientscome tohimbecausetheywanttoscaletheirbusinesses,butthey staybecausetheygrowasindividuals.Matthelpsthem evolveintoleaderswhoarenotjusteffective,butalsoselfawareandpurpose-driven.
Havingfacedthepressuresofleadingacompanyhimself, Mattunderstandsthementaltollthatcomeswith entrepreneurship.Thestressofraisingfunds,managing teams,andmakingcriticaldecisionscantakeaheavy psychologicaltoll.Matt’sownexperiencestaughthimthat leadersoftenstrugglesilentlywiththeseburdens.Thisis whyheintegratesmentalhealthawarenessintohis coaching.Heencourageshisclientstonotonlyfocuson businessstrategiesbutalsoprioritizetheirmentalwellbeing.
Mattbelievesthataleader’sstateofmindhasaprofoundimpacton theorganizationtheylead.“Youcan’tbeatyourbestforothersif you’renottakingcareofyourself,”heremindshisclients.This emphasisonself-carehasresonatedwithmanyfounders,whofind themselvesnavigatingtheoftenturbulentemotionallandscapeof scalingabusiness.
Matt’sbackgroundinathleticsalsoinformshiscoaching.Asaformer collegebasketballplayerandcompetitivegolfer,hedrawsonlessons fromsportstoteachhisclientsaboutmentaltoughness,resilience, andfocus.“Inbothsportsandbusiness,successcomesdowntohow wellyouperformunderpressure,”heexplains.Mattoftenusessports analogiestohelphisclientsunderstandtheimportanceof preparation,teamwork,andstayingcalminhigh-stakessituations.
Thisathleticmindset—onethatvaluesdiscipline,endurance,and adaptability—hasbecomeacornerstoneofMatt’sapproach. However,unliketraditionalbusinesscoaching,whichmayprioritize performanceatallcosts,Matttempershislessonswithafocuson emotionalintelligenceandrelationalleadership.
Matt’scoachingphilosophyisbuiltonthe principlethatgreatleadershipstartsfrom within.Heencourageshisclientstolook inwardandtounderstandtheirownstrengths, weaknesses,andmotivations.This introspection,hebelieves,isessentialfor leadingfromaplaceofauthenticity.“Youhave tobegoodatbeingyou,”heoftensays.This beliefinthepowerofself-awarenesssetsMatt apartfromotherexecutivecoaches,whomay focusmoreonexternalmetricslikerevenue andmarketshare.
Hismethodblendspracticaladvicewith introspection,drawingfromawiderangeof disciplines.Matthasstudiedeverythingfrom negotiationtechniquesatHarvardtothe principlesofnonviolentcommunicationand theEnneagram—apersonalityframeworkthat helpsleadersunderstandthedynamicswithin theirteams.Healsointegratesinsightsfrom Buddhism,therapy,andevenathletictraining intohissessions.Thisholisticapproachhelps clientsgrownotjustasbusinessleaders,butas people.
WhatmakesMattHunterstandoutinthe crowdedfieldofexecutivecoachingishis commitmenttothelong-termsuccessofhis clients.Hisworkisn’tjustabouthelpingthem hitshort-termgoalsorraisethenextroundof funding.It’saboutcreatingsustainable growth—bothforthebusinessandtheleaderat itshelm.Hisclients,rangingfromstartup founderstoseasonedCEOs,oftenreflectonthe deep,lastingimpactMatt’scoachinghashad ontheirleadershipstyles.
Heasksthemtoughquestions—questionsthat challengetheirassumptions,pushthemoutof theircomfortzones,andmakethemreflecton theirbroaderpurposeasleaders.“What’s holdingyouback?”he'llask.“Andwhat's drivingyoutomoveforward?”These questions,andtheintrospectiontheyprovoke, areattheheartofMatt’scoachingstyle.
Mattbelievesthatthecultureofanorganization startswithitsleadership.ThewayaCEOleadssets thetonefortheentirecompany,influencing everythingfromhowteamscommunicatetohow theyhandleconflict.That’swhyMattplacesso muchemphasisonhelpingleadersbuildculturesof trust,collaboration,andpsychologicalsafety.He teachesthemtoleadwithempathy,listendeeply, andcreateenvironmentswherepeoplefeel empoweredtodotheirbestwork.
Thisfocusonculture-buildinghasbeeninstrumental inthesuccessofmanyofMatt’sclients.Bycreating strongrelationshipswithintheirorganizations, they’vebeenabletobuildteamsthatnotonly performwellbutalsosticktogetherthroughtough times.“Cultureisn’tsomethingyoucanforce,”Matt says.“Ithastobebuilt,daybyday,throughthe relationshipsyounurture.”
Atitscore,MattHunter’sworkisabouthelpingleaders embarkonajourneyofself-discovery.It’snotaboutfollowing astrictsetofrulesoradoptingaparticularleadershipstyle. It’saboutunderstandingwhoyouare,whatdrivesyou,and howyoucanusethatself-awarenesstoleadothers.“Thebest leaders,”Mattsays,“aretheoneswhoaretruetothemselves.”
Throughhisuniqueblendofbusinessstrategy,personal insight,andrelationalcoaching,Matthashelpedcountless foundersandCEOsunlocktheirpotential.Hisclientsleavehis sessionsnotonlywithnewstrategiesforscalingtheir businessesbutalsowithadeeperunderstandingofwhothey areasleaders.InMatt’sworld,leadershipisn’tjustabout hittingthenextmilestone—it’saboutbuildingalegacy groundedinauthenticity,purpose,andmeaningful connections.
Imagineyoubeingastudentinaschool.Allthe studentsinyourclassaremakingnoise.Theteacher entersyourclassroom,shestandsinfrontofthe students.Thestudentscontinuetalkingandafterawhile, theynoticetheteacher Thestudentscalmdownasthey noticetheteacherstandingandtheteacherhasnotyet utteredasingleword.
How do you think that the teacher brought silence in the class by her own silence?
Thisishoweffectivenonverbalcommunicationis!
Nonverbalcommunicationcanbeapowerfulleadership tool.
Morethanever,efficientcommunicationisessentialin today'sfast-pacedworld.Nonverbalcommunicationisjust asimportantforcommunicatingmessagesandemotionsas verbalcommunication,eventhoughverbalcommunication frequentlytakescenterstage.Thiscomprehensiveresource examinesthevalueofnonverbalcommunicationina varietyofprofessionalcontexts,includingmulticultural teams,clientencounters,leadership,andworkplace relationships.
Professionalenvironmentsplaceahighvalueonnonverbal communication.Itcanexpressfeelingsandinterpersonal attitudes,eitherbackoropposewhatisbeingsaid,and enhanceverbalcommunication.Akindsmile,forexample, mightmakeacomplimentseemevenbetter,whereasa bittertonemaytakeawayfromanotherwisepleasant statement.Youmayimproveyourrelationships,succeed moreinyourcareer,andhavebetterinteractionsbybeing anexpertinnonverbalcommunication.
Nonverbalcueshaveabiginfluenceonjobdevelopment andadvancementinprofessionalcontexts.Theyhavethe powertoshapehowotherpeopleseeus,whichcanimpact howwellwedoinnetworkingevents,clientmeetings,and jobinterviews.Forinstance,keepingeyecontactmayshow attentivenessandconfidence,twocrucialpresentation abilitiesthatmightwinoverprospectivecustomersor employers.
UnderstandingNonverbalCommunication.
Nonverbalcommunication,throughelementslikeposture, facialexpressions,andeyecontact,significantlyimpacts howmessagesarereceived.Itconveysemotions,intentions, andevencredibility
ComponentsofNonVerbalCommunication.
1.EyeContact.
2.FacialExpressions.
3.Gestures.
4.PostureandStance.
5.Proximityandpersonalspace.
6.Touch.
7.Toneofvoice.
Thesignificanceofnonverbalcuesinbusiness interactions.
Understandingnonverbalcommunicationintheworkplace hastwopurposes.
●Managerssuccessfullyguideotherworkersandteam membersusingnonverbalsignals.
●Teammemberscanconveyinformationtopeople outsidethecompany—whethertheyberivals,clients,or coworkersinarelatedindustry—byusingnonverbal signals.
NonverbalCommunicationandLeadership.
Leadersusenonverbalcommunicationtoinfluenceand motivate.
1.Aleader'sabilitytoinspirepeoplecomesfromtheir nonverbalcommunication.Posture,gestures,andfacial expressionsallindicateconfidence,compassion,and support.Thesesignalspromoteamotivatedandinvolved teambyprovidingsecurityandunderstanding.Hencenon verbalcommunicationcanbeusedtomotivateteam membersbeyondwords.
2.Inleadership,authenticityisn'tonlyaboutwhatwesay; it'salsoabouthowwesayit.Ournonverbalcues, includingmakingeyecontactandadoptinganattentive listeningposition,helptoestablishcredibilityandtrust. Theyconvinceourteamthatwecareabouttheirthoughts andwelfare.
3.Leaderssetthetonefortheirinteractionswiththeir teamand,eventually,withconsumersbyhowtheytreat them.Amanager'sapproachandbodylanguagecanhavea bigimpactonthecultureofthebusiness,whichfrequently filtersdowntotheemployees'interactionswithcustomers. Positivenonverbalcommunicationbuildsconfidence withintheteamandeventuallyimprovesexperienceswith customers.
Bydemonstratingacceptablenonverbalcommunication,we makesurethatourteammemberscanspeakwithpeople andrepresentthefirminthebestpossibleway.
●EyeContact:
Makingeyecontactisessentialtononverbal communicationsinceit'sasilentyeteffectivewayto expressunderstandingandfeelings.However,whatdoes eyecontactactuallymean?Inanutshell,it'stheinstantthat twopeoplemeeteyesandestablishanonverbal communicationchannelthatgoesbeyondwords.Eye contactcanbeusedtoconveyconfidenceandattention.
Thisiswhymaintainingeyecontactisimportant:
1.Empathy-relatedbraincircuitsareactivatedbyeye contact,accordingtoresearch,whichstrengthens emotionalbondsbetweenpeople.Wecanmirrorone other'semotionsandbuildourrelationshipswithone anotherbymaintainingeyecontact.
2.Makingdirecteyecontactcanstrengthenone'sdefenses againstpersuasivetacticsandenablepeopletonegotiate discussionswithgreaterawarenessandindependenceand conveyconfidence.
3.Itcreatesasenseofauthorityandempathyby projectingknowledgewhileexhibitingconsiderationforthe responsesoftheaudience.
●FacialExpressions:
“The face tells a story, and it is a story that has never been told before.” – Lucy Grealy
Emotions,attitudes,andthoughtsarecommunicated throughyourfacialexpressionsandbodylanguage. Squinting,eyebrowlifting,frowning,andsmilingareafew examples.Theyarepowerfulbecausetheycansignificantly affecthowaconversationturnsout.
Differentkindsofemotionsandfacialexpressionshave differentmeanings.
1.Smiling:Asmilecanconveywarmth,friendliness,and transparency.Itcanbebeneficialtostartupaconversation anddevelopaneffectiveconnectionwithclientsand coworkers.
2.Frowning:Frowningcanbeused toexpressfrustration,discontent,or irritation.Itcanindicatethattheyare unhappywiththeircircumstancesor thattheyarefacingaproblemor obstacleofsometype.
3.EyeContact:Keepingupgoodeye contactcanconveyinvolvement, curiosity,andattentiveness.Itmight alsobeanindicationofassurance andreliability.Becauseitcan expressavarietyofemotions,such ascuriosity,attention,respect,and trust,eyecontactiscrucial.
●Gestures:
“If you want to communicate effectively, you have to use words and gestures.” – Jason Statham
Gesturescomeinawidevariety,and theirinterpretationsmightchange basedonthesituationandsociety. Thesearegesturesthathighlightor communicatemessagesusingthe hands,arms,orbody.Shaking, pointing,crossingarms,andwaving areafewexamples.
DifferentTypesofGesturesand TheirMeanings:
1. Emblems:Gesturesthathavea uniqueimportance.Forexample,the "V"signdenotesvictory,andthe "thumbs-up"gestureexpresses approval.
2. Illustrators:Gesturesusedin combinationwithspeech.They supporttheexplanationor illustrationofapointby,for example,pointingtoanobjectand explainingit.
3. Regulators:Gesturesthatcontrol theflowofcommunication,like shakingtheheadtoexpress dissatisfactionornoddingtoagree.
●PostureandStance:
Whencommunicatingnonverbally,postureiscrucial.Theyreveal agreatdealabouttheintentions,emotions,andthoughtsofthe speaker
DifferentTypesofBodyLanguageandtheirmeanings:
1. Uprightposture:Havingastraightback,shouldersback,and headupisidealwhenstandingorsitting.Thispoisedbody languageexpressesopenness,confidence,andattention.
2. Slouchingposture:whenapersonhasahanginghead,rounded shoulders,andacurvedspineastheystandorsit.Thisstance conveystiredness,disinterest,orboredom.Itcouldalsoindicatea lackofself-worthorconfidence.
3. Leaningforward/backwardposture:Thepositioninwhicha personleansforwardtowardanotherpersonwhensittingor standing.Thispositionconveysastronglevelofinterestwhereas abackwardposturesuggestsdefensivenessorindifference.
●ProximityandPersonalSpace:
1.It'scrucialtofindoutfromyourcolleagueswhethertheyfeel comfortablewiththelevelofinterpersonalspaceyou'regiving
them,eventhoughproxemicsisconsidered tobenonverbal.Alternatively,youmust havetheconfidencetoidentifythelevelof closenessthatsuitsyoupersonally
2.Theappropriatelevelofclosenessfor eachteammembercanbediscussedby teamleaderswiththem.Onewaytoreduce thestressofpotentiallyenteringsomeone's safespaceandhavingone'sownsafespace damagedistohaveanhonestandopen discussionregardingproxemics.
3.Teamscouldalsocomeupwith innovativewaystokeepacomfortable distancewhilepromotingin-person communication.Havingextracleaning stationsclosebyandcomingtoan agreementonhowoftentowipedown surfacesafterusecanbethebestcourseof actionforsometeams.
●Touch:
1.Whenyouandtheotherpersonmake physicalcontact,suchasahandshake,
embrace,orpatontheback,youmightconveyavarietyof feelingsandintentions,likesupport,aggressiveness,or affection.Anothernameforthisishapticcommunication.
2.Itdependsonhow,when,where,andwhyyoutouch someoneelsetodeterminewhethertheimpactisgoodor bad.Youmusttakeintoaccounttherelationship,the culture,thesetting,theconsent,andthefeedbacktotouch someoneappropriately.
3.It'simportanttoadaptyourtouchtothecircumstance andthepointyouwanttomake.Thedegreeofintimacy, familiarity,andtrustyousharewithsomeoneelseis referredtoastherelationship.Youmustcommunicateina wayappropriatetothenatureandstageoftheconnection; don'tcrossbordersorassumeanything.
●ToneofVoice:
1.Pitch,loudness,andtoneofyourspeechcanallbe utilizedtoexpressavarietyofattitudesandemotions, includingsarcasm,excitement,andrage.
2.Acompanycancommunicatewithitscustomersmore effectivelybyusingtoneofvoiceinthemarketing materialsitproduces.Itisalsoaneffectivetoolfor influencinghowthepublicperceivesthem.
3.Whengivingguidance,amanagerorcoworkerwho displaysenthusiasmorexcitementsetsafavorabletone. Thisaffectshowstaffmembersviewtheirmanagers, enhancingengagementlevelsoverall.
Businessleadersleveragenonverbalcommunicationto achievesuccessinnumerousways.Masteringnonverbal cuesallowsthemtobuildtrustwithclientsandcolleagues byconveyingsincerityandgenuineness.
Afirmhandshake,confidentposture,anddirecteye contactprojectprofessionalismandinspireconfidencein others.Leaderscanalsousenonverbalcommunicationto motivateandenergizeteams.Enthusiasticgestures, positivefacialexpressions,andanapproachabledemeanor createapositiveworkenvironmentandencourage collaboration.
Overall,effectivenonverbalcommunicationstrengthens leadershipbyfosteringtrust,credibility,andinspiration, whichareessentialforbusinesssuccess.
“Business is made on paper and driven with actions”.
Understandingnonverbalcuesiscrucialin businessinteractions.Leadersusenonverbal signalstoprojectconfidence,inspireteams,and establishauthority.Maintainingeyecontact, usingopenbodylanguage,andaprofessional tonecreateapositiveimpressionandbuildtrust withclientsandcolleagues.Conversely,poor nonverbalcommunicationcanhinder communicationanddamagerelationships.
TheDarkSideofNonverbalCommunication.
Sometimes,thenon-verbalsactasabarrierto communicatingeffectivelyastherecipient cannotunderstandwhatthesenderistryingto sayandmayinterpretitwrongly
Avoidsendingthewrongmessage nonverbally.
Tomakeagoodpresentation,stayclearofthese nonverbalcommunicationmistakes.
1.Distractingyouraudienceiswhathappens whenyouwaveyourhandsupanddownlike you'releadinganorchestra.Youraudiencewill begintowatchyourhandsandfollowtheir gesturesratherthanpayingattentiontowhat you'resayingandyourpresentation.
2.Thisissaying,"Iwouldratherhide;Iamshy, andIdon'twanttobehere."Leaveyourpodium andapproachtheaudiencetoengageandinteract withthem.Thepodiumservesapurpose,much likethestage,andthatpurposeisn'ttohideyou fromyouraudience.Youcannotrelyonitto supportyouasyouconveyyourmessage.
3.Thisincludesconcentratingonthefloor,the ceiling,andtheoutsideworldratherthanyour audience.Toestablishtrust,youmustconsider youraudience.Bykeepingeyecontactand lookingdirectlyatyouraudience,youcan determinetheiremotionsandreactionsand adjustyourresponseaccordingly
IntegratingNonverbalCommunicationinto YourLeadershipStyle.
Assessandadaptthenonverbalcommunication style.
1.Makesureyournonverbalcuesandyour spokenwordsareconsistentbybeingconsciousof them.
2.Maintainingeyecontact,nodding,andoffering nonverbalcuesareexamplesofactivelistening.
3.Tofindareasthatneedwork,getinputfrom dependablecoworkersortakeacommunication skillstrainingcourse.
Encourageself-awarenessandcontinuous learninginnonverbalcommunication.
Turnoffyourdevicesandnodtoindicatethatyou arepayingattention.Payattentiontowhatothers aresaying,howtheyareexpressingit,andwhat theyarenotsayingtobeinvolvedandactive. Encouragethemtogoonorelaboratebygiving themindicationsbothverballyandnonverbally.
1.Ahelpfullistenermustpaycloseattentionto whattheotherpersonissaying.Itcanbe beneficialtosumuppartofwhattheysaidinyour responseandusethesamelanguage.Youcareby payingattentiontodetail.
2.Makeeyecontact,butrefrainfromgazing.Itis crucialtolooksomeoneintheeye.It demonstratesyourinterestinthemandyourliteral attentiontothem!
3.Keepyourarmsawayfromyourbodytoavoid comingoutasdefensive.Beingopen-mindedis communicatedthroughyourbodylanguage.
Followingstepscanbeusedtoimproveyournonverbalcommunication:
1. Asmilecanputthepeoplearoundyouatease.It makesyouseemkindandinviting,whichmakes otherswanttohearfromyoumore.
2. Alwaysstayaheadofyourcompetitors.An uprightpostureappearsprofessionalandgivesan
impressionofinteresttoothers.Otherswill probablyfindyouinspiringifyouarefocusedand active.
3. Testyourbodylanguage.Takeaweektostudy yourbodylanguageasanexperiment.Monitoryour posture,facialexpression,andbodylanguage duringmeetings,presentations,andcasual exchanges.
Insummary,effectiveteamleadershaveattheir disposalapotentinstrumentintheformof nonverbalcommunication—thequietlanguageof communication.Beyondsimplegestures,itserves asachannelforinspiration,sincerity,anda representationofourcorporateculture.
Leanintothetransformingpowerofcommunication byembracingemotion,thoughtfulness,andhonesty inbothspokenandnonverbalcontexts,fromthe officetothecustomer'sdoor Wecanimproveour communicationskillsandforgegreaterbondswith peoplebylearningtoreadnonverbalcluesin ourselvesandothers.
Founderand Principal of Hone Leadership
Keypoints:
● VickyRegan,theFounderandPrincipalof HoneLeadership,startedhercompanyaftera 25-yearcareerinleadershiproleswithinthe techsector,fromfast-pacedstartupstopublic companies.
● Onamissiontoalignleaders’mindsetswith theirgoals,HoneLeadershipoffersserviceslike 1:1coaching,workshops,andleadership training,particularlysupportingwomenin businessandtech.
● Reganemphasizestheimportanceofadaptive leadership,creatingafeedbackculture,and cultivatingemotionalintelligence,believing theseelementsarekeytosuccessfuland impactfulleadershipintoday’sdynamic businessenvironment.
VickyRegan,theFounderandPrincipalofHone
Leadership,firmlybelievesinonecoreprinciple: “True growth as a leader starts with aligning your mindset with your ambitions and goals.”
ReganfoundedHoneLeadershipaftera25-yearcareerin leadershiproleswithinthetechsector,fromfast-paced startupstopubliccompanies.Thisjourneydeepenedher understandingofleadershipdynamicsandchallenges, especiallyforwomen.
Alongsidehercareer,shefoundedamentorship organizationforwomenintech,emphasizingthe importanceofsupportivenetworks,andcontinued mentoringinwomen’sorganizationsthroughouthercareer.
Thiscombinationofleadershipexperienceanddedication tomentorshipmadehertransitiontoleadershipcoachinga naturalstep.Asacoach,Reganleveragesherexpertiseto helpleadersrefinetheirskillsanddrivemeaningfulimpact withintheirorganizations.
HoneLeadership,foundedin2021atHalfMoonBay, California,offersafullrangeofservicestosupportindividuals andorganizations,from1:1andsmallcohortcoachingto workshopsandleadershipdevelopmenttraining.
MirrorReviewrecentlyspokewithRegan,whosaysit’s encouragingtoseethatleadershipcoachingnowappealsto peopleatallcareerlevels.Gonearethedayswhencoaching wasseenonlyasanexecutiveluxury,shesaid.“Today,earlycareermanagers,seasonedprofessionals,andevenindividual contributorsseekoutcoachingtoaddressspecificareasof concernortopropelthemselvestothenextleveloftheir careers.”
MirrorReview:Basedonyourexperience,whatarethetop 3mostpressingleadershipchallengesbusinessesfacetoday?
Regan:Inmyexperience,therearethreekeychallengesthat leadersintoday’sbusinessworldaregrapplingwith:
1. ChangeManagement:Inrecentyears,businesses haveundergonesignificantchanges,suchasthe pandemicandtheshifttoremotework.Therefore, effectivechangemanagementiscrucial.Leadersneed toadeptlyguidetheirorganizationsthroughnew marketsandstrategies.
Employeeuncertaintycanbeveryunsettling.Fearof theunknowncanleadtoalackofconfidencein leadershipandthecompany'sfuture,affecting productivity,morale,andperformance,andpotentially leadingtoattrition.
Successfulleadersinchangemanagementare excellentcommunicatorswhoinspireconfidencein theirteams.Theyprovidetransparency;address concernsopenly,highlightopportunities,andinvolve employeesintheprocess.Theycultivateasharedvision andgrowth,whilepoorexecutioncandestabilizethe entireorganization.
2. EmployeeDevelopmentandGrowth:Asthe workforceevolves,understandingemployeeneedsis vitalforengagement,retention,andsuccession planning.
Leadingmultigenerationalteamsisanessential aspectofmodernleadershipandcaneffectively addresssuccessionplanningchallenges.With approximately30%ofcurrentleaders(boomers) expectedtoretirewithinthenext5-10years,
businessesfacepotentialdisruptionswithoutasolid planinplace.
Millennials,highlymotivatedbyprofessional developmentandgrowthopportunities,arekeytothis strategy.Craftingastrategicsuccessionplanthat caterstothesemotivationscanensureasmooth leadershiptransitionandbusinesscontinuity
3. LeadingDiverseandRemoteTeams:Withtherise inworkforcediversityandremotework,leadersmust developskillstopromotecollaborationand inclusivityacrossvariouslocationsandcultures. Agileandadaptableleadersinourpost-pandemic businessenvironmentcanbettersupportremoteand hybridteams.
Today,diversityandinclusiongobeyond recruitmenttoincludeclearpromotionpathsto leadership,sothatallemployeescanseeand achieveafuture.
MirrorReview:Couldyouelaborateontheleadership developmentservicesthatHoneLeadershipoffers? Whatmakesyourcoachingservicesunique?
Regan:HoneLeadershipprovidesacomprehensiverange ofservicestosupportbothindividualsandorganizations. Ourofferingsincludeone-on-oneandsmallcohort coaching,workshops,andleadershipdevelopmenttraining.
Whilewecatertoadiverseclientele,wespecializein supportingwomenleadersinbusinessandtechnology
Ourapproachistailoredtothespecificneedsofeachclient. However,twoprogramsareparticularlypopular:Positive IntelligenceandmyproprietaryPIVOTProgram.
PositiveIntelligenceisdesignedtohelpclientsbreakaway fromnegativepatternsandshifttowardsamoreconfident andoptimisticmindset.
ThePIVOTProgram,ontheotherhand,isgearedtowards thosenavigatingacareertransition.Itprovidesastructured frameworktoguideclientsthroughwhatcanoftenbea confusingtime,layingoutaroadmaptoreachtheirend goal.Thisprogramincludespersonalizedstrategiesand supporttohelpclientsachievetheirobjectives.Ithas provenparticularlyusefulforclientsconsideringcareer transitions,eventhoseintheearlystagesoftheircareers. Whenworkingwithorganizations,inadditiontocoaching
theirleaders,wealsoofferoutplacementservicesfor exitingemployeesandspotcoachingprogramsfora broaderrangeofemployees,typicallyrecommendedbya manager.Oneareathatorganizationsfindparticularly beneficialisourassistanceindevelopingtheirinternal mentoringandEmployeeResourceGroup(ERG) programs.
ThemostcommonleadershipchallengeI’maskedtohelp with,whetherforindividualsorteams,revolvesaround communication.Effectiveleadershiphingesontheability tocommunicatewithclarityandconfidence-whether managingconflicts,establishingexecutivepresence,or gainingalignment.Theseskillsarecrucialforinfluencing othersanddrivingpositiveoutcomes.
MirrorReview:Beingatthehelmofthecompany, whatareyourprimaryrolesandresponsibilities? We’dalsolovetohearaboutyournotableawardsand achievements.
Regan:AsthefounderandprincipalofHoneLeadership, myprimaryroleinvolvesservingastheLeadershipand ExecutiveCoachforindividualclients,aswellasacoach andconsultantfororganizations.Iholdanadvanced coachingcredential(PCC)fromtheInternational CoachingFederation(ICF)andaspecializedcertification inExecutiveandLeadershipCoaching.
Inadditiontotheseroles,Iserveasamentor,author, contributor,andspeakerforvariousmentoringand professionalwomen’sorganizations.Thisinvolvement hasledtoindustryrecognition,includingtheFemale VoicesAwardandaTop5FemaleCoachrankingin2023.
HoneLeadershipisaU.S.GovernmentRegisteredEntity ContractorandaCertifiedWoman-OwnedSmall Business,championingdiversityandinclusion.Eachyear, Idedicateaportionofmypracticetodiscountedorpro bonowork,offeringcoachingtonon-profitsand individualsfocusedondrivingpositivechangewithin theirindustries.
MirrorReview:Tellushowyourcoachinghashelped yourcurrentorpreviousclients.
Regan:Mycoachingfocusesonhelpingclientsachieve significantprofessionalmilestones.Thisincludessecuring promotions,tacklingcareerchallenges,andprogressingin theirorganizationalsuccessionplans. Iguidethemthroughtargeteddevelopmentthataligns
withtheirambitions,whethertheseissuesareidentified bythemselvesortheirleaders.Insomecases,clientsare lookingtomakecareertransitions.Regardlessoftheir goals,thisstrategicapproachnotonlyaddresses immediateneedsbutalsolaysthegroundworkfortheir futuresuccess.
MirrorReview:Whenmotivatingtheirteam,what commonmistakesdoleadersoftenmake,andhow cantheyavoidthem?
Regan:Onecommonmistakeinleadershipisnot providingenoughfeedbackandrecognition.When employeesfeelignoredorunderappreciated,their motivationcanplummet,leadingtodisengagementand eventuallyturnover
Asaleader,it’scrucialtoprovidefeedbackthat’snot onlytimelybutalsoconstructiveandactionable.Also, regularlyacknowledgingtheeffortsandachievementsof yourteamcangreatlyenhancemoraleandengagement.
Secondly,leaderscansometimesfallintothetrapof usingthesamemotivationaltactics(overgeneralizing) foreveryone,whichcanoverlooktheuniqueneedsand dynamicsofindividualteammembers.
Peoplearemotivatedbydifferentthings,whetherit's careeradvancement,skilldevelopment,orachievinga betterwork-lifebalance.Byconductingregularone-ononemeetings,leaderscanunderstandwhattrulydrives eachmemberoftheirteam,whichhelpsindeveloping moreeffectiveandpersonalizedmotivationalstrategies.
Lastly,itisalackofcleargoals.Ateamwithoutclear goalscanquicklybecomedirectionlessanddemotivated. Leadersneedtosetspecific,well-definedgoalsand revisitthemoftentokeepeveryoneontrack.
Aligningthesegoalswiththebroadermissionofthe organizationalsohelpsteammembersunderstandhow theirworkcontributestothelargerpicture,whichcanbe apowerfulmotivator.
MirrorReview:Howdoyoumanagetohaveaperfect work-lifebalance?Whatareyourhobbies/interests beyondthecabin?
Regan:WhileIcan’tclaimtohavecompletelymastered theartofwork-lifebalance,IdobelieveI’veachieveda harmoniousblendofthetwo.Contrarytotheadage,“If
youdowhatyoulove,you’llneverworkadayinyour life,”IfindthateventhoughIlovewhatIdo,Istill workquiteabit.ThekeydifferenceisthatIderivereal happinessfrommywork.I’mnotstressed,anxious,or burntout.I’mgenuinelycontent,butI’malsoaware thatI’mworking.Makingthisdistinctionhelpsme maintainharmony,balance,andboundariesinmylife.
Asformyinterestsbeyondwork,Ihaveadeeplove fortravelingandbeinginnature.Ialwayshavea mentallistofthenextcountriesIwanttovisit!Infact, mylovefornaturehasledmetobecomeaCertified CaliforniaNaturalist.
MirrorReview:Asanexperiencedleadership coach,whatarethe3tipsyouwouldliketogiveto modern-agebusinessleaders?
Regan:Certainly,Ibelievethefollowingthree principlesarecrucialforanyleaderintoday’sdynamic businessenvironment:
1. EmbraceAdaptiveLeadership:Today’s leadersmustbereadytochangecoursequickly Adaptabilityiscrucial-notjustinrespondingto immediatechallengesbutalsoinbeingreceptive tofeedbackanddifferentviewpoints.This flexibilityallowsyoutosmoothlynavigate changes,seizeopportunitiesastheyarise,and fortifyyourteam.
2. CreateaFeedbackCulture:Feedbackshould bethelifebloodofyourorganization.Encourage everyonetocommunicateopenly,whetherit’s top-down,bottom-up,orpeer-to-peer When leadersdemonstratethisopenness,itsignificantly enhancestheorganization'shealthandimproves teamdynamics.
3. CultivateEmotionalIntelligence:Never underestimatethepowerofemotional intelligence.Skillslikeactivelistening,empathy, andemotionalregulationarevitalforconnecting withandmotivatingyourteam.Leaderswho managetheiremotionseffectivelyand understandtheirteammembers’feelingscan maintaincomposureinstressfulsituationsand buildacommitted,collaborativeteambasedon trust.
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