I'm the grateful son of a city judge, who cared deeply about what it meant to be a truly good person.
When I was young, my father told me courtroom stories with underlying lessons about choices, influences, and ultimately, treating others with respect. When we had friendly political arguments, my father would point out that it was ok to voice disagreements. But conversations which included listening, pausing, and responding thoughtfully were more productive than delivering emphatic opinions. These insights helped me learn how to approach difficult topics in a way that could be received.
Later, I applied these childhood lessons to my studies at San Diego State University. While earning earning a Master’s Degree in Communication, I taught public speaking to undergraduate students and was recognized as an Outstanding Lecturer. I had found my path.
After graduation, I took on corporate jobs in both sales and hospitality. In those roles I absorbed leadership lessons around influencing people—and how to build experiences based on high standards and exemplary service. Concurrently, I began a public-speaking practice for business leaders.
Eventually, I found that leaders wanted coaching focused on genuine leadership and the skills to influence others. So I took my content beyond public speaking—and started interviewing clients to learn about their pain points and leadership goals.
Having been a coach for over 40 years, I’ve been retained by dozens of organizations in a wide range of fields: professional services, consumer products, entertainment and media, technology, non-profits and charities.
The dominant question that guides my work is this: What must individuals and groups do in a sustainable way to build trust, respect, and strategic optimism?
Inevitably, that work articulates difficult choices about communicating vision, resolving workable strategy through real collaboration, and creating credible leadership and productive teams.
My professional engagements are designed to challenge:
• MAJOR LAW FIRMS to better communicate commitments and actions to practice and office leaders toward improving partner and group performance
• ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS and CONTENT CREATORS to develop and deliver feedback and coaching for their major executives and their divisional teams, all against a radically changing business structure and climate
• CONSUMER PRODUCT COMPANIES to execute initiatives inculcating core values as a practical vehicle for guiding individual performance and brand and product development
• NON-PROFITS, CHARITIES and SCHOOL teams to link their mission-driven culture to specific organizational outcomes
My work is grounded in a framework and mindset called Constructive Candor. I now realize that was based on principles my father taught me, and by extension, what I am modeling for my daughters today. It's also gratifying when I see this approach working for my clients and my students. That feels like a living legacy.