The Art of Thriving in a Dynamic World
Emotional agility, interpersonal influence, judgement, and resourcefulness are all important foundations for effectiveness. Yet these crucial skills are often only taught superficially or not at all. My deep experience working with and within organizations has revealed this educational blind spot in professional development. In the AI era, it is now even more important to invest in our human intelligence.
My executive coaching and leadership consulting work specializes in human-centred skills. I have worked with leaders across the corporate, government, entrepreneurial, education, and nonprofit space. The tools and concepts I employ have been developed for the specific needs of the high-performing professional, and continue to be honed through direct feedback from those who are actively pursuing greatness in the field.
I am an Integrator of Disciplines
I teach and coach the application of practical skills. No fluff. No empty platitudes. No untested armchair insights. Just the art and science of effective execution and genuine personal growth.
I draw from a curated and fine-tuned set of methodologies that incorporate powerful findings from a wide range of domains. As Clayton M. Christensen wrote in The Innovator’s Dilemma, disruptive innovations “involve no new technologies; rather they consist of components built around proven technologies that are put together in novel architectures, offering the consumer a set of attributes never before available.”
To see a list of some of the proven sources I draw from, visit → this page
Coaching Certifications and Training
I am trained and certified by the Co-Active Training Institute, considered the gold standard of executive coach training. CTI has trained leaders from more than a third of the Fortune 100.
I am also PCC-certified by the International Coaching Federation, the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the profession by setting and upholding the highest standards of competency and ethics. PCC is an advanced level of recognition indicating depth of experience and commitment.
My group and team coaching training is based on the ORSC™ model, through CRR Global.
More details on coaching certifications → here
The Artist’s Mindset
One of my street photography creations
When I was a young, people around me told me I had artistic talent. I was always drawn to creating art but did not pursue it as a profession because I thought there was no money in it.
Fast forward: As I progressed in my corporate career, I came to realize that the world of art had much to offer the world of business. I reconnected with my love of artistic creation through learning several arts, from street photography to acting. I learned to appreciate how the artist’s mindset can enhance the business professional’s effectiveness, so I decided to deepen those insights.
The value of adapting wisdom and methods from domains outside of the business world into the business world cannot be understated. Among the many lessons, I have found that there is gold in understanding how an actor works with emotions, how a magician attains mastery, how mindfulness teachers train elite athletes, and how improv performers learn to think on their feet.
I found that incorporating the artist’s mindset can bring a dimension of taste and creativity that improves influence and results. I bring these insights into my leadership coaching and education work to provoke and expand possibilities.
Some of my reflections on what art teaches us are shared on my artistic pursuits website → here.
Practical Philosophy
Image: Rag & Bones Press
The deliberate study of philosophy is often overlooked. I am drawn to it because it develops resilience, intellectual rigour, and skillful thinking. Philosophy prepares us for the challenges of life. Philosophy helps us enjoy life.
As artificial intelligence improves, people will be more and more inclined to use that easy button. This unfortunately will lead to what researchers call cognitive surrender - the offloading of thinking and reasoning. Organizations need leaders who can think critically, form wise points of view, and synthesize knowledge in a way that only experienced humans can. A powerful amplifier of this ability is the study of philosophy - both timeless wisdom and ideas from modern thinkers. My executive coaching and consulting work explores philosophy in an practical and accessible way.
A few thoughts on building intellect → here
What I learned from Mom
Me with Mom
I immigrated to Canada in my childhood, and experienced the vulnerability of being an outsider learning to adapt to an unfamiliar language and way of life. My parents divorced in my early teens. Living with my mother, I learned through her actions and words the importance of relationships, reputation, and personal integrity. Growing up without a consistent father role model, however, resulted in struggles as I navigated early adulthood. I made mistakes. Lots of them.
As I progressed, I began tapping into my resourcefulness more and more. I eventually built a successful corporate career despite always being initially under-qualified for the roles I pursued. I noticed that my successes had much to do with the simple lessons I learned from my mother earlier in life. I am still learning, but the quality of my “mistakes” are much better these days.
Being a coach and educator is my genuine passion. While working with clients to achieve their goals has been tremendously meaningful, what I find truly inspiring is seeing them become more powerfully human.
If you're an overachiever who wants to make an even greater impact while being burnout-free - you and I should have a conversation.