A Trusted Business Advisor
EXECUTIVE ADVISORY COACHING
Rob is a sought-after business advisor and coach providing CEOs and senior leaders with the guidance needed to successfully navigate critical business decisions. Known for his ability to connect the dots beyond what others see, his instinctive eye for talent and his pragmatic business approach, Rob deeply commits to the success of the individuals and organizations he works with. As a result, he has long-term relationships with leaders who count on him for his frankness, insight and discretion.
EXECUTIVE ADVISORY COACHING
Rob is a sought-after business advisor and coach providing CEOs and senior leaders with the guidance needed to successfully navigate critical business decisions. Known for his ability to connect the dots beyond what others see, his instinctive eye for talent and his pragmatic business approach, Rob deeply commits to the success of the individuals and organizations he works with. As a result, he has long-term relationships with leaders who count on him for his frankness, insight and discretion.
TEAM/BUSINESS DIAGNOSTIC
You have done everything you typically do when you sense something is up with your team or business. It’s time to get an outside view and one that isn’t a cookie-cutter or narrow analysis or an overwhelming approach that further taxes the organization. The results of the Team/Business Diagnostic provide leadership with a clear and objective view as to the state of the team, talent, structure, culture, and leadership abilities. You’ll have a practical plan for the next steps and support towards resolution.
TEAM/BUSINESS DIAGNOSTIC
You have done everything you typically do when you sense something is up with your team or business. It’s time to get an outside view and one that isn’t a cookie-cutter or narrow analysis or an overwhelming approach that further taxes the organization. The results of the Team/Business Diagnostic provide leadership with a clear and objective view as to the state of the team, talent, structure, culture, and leadership abilities. You’ll have a practical plan for the next steps and support towards resolution.
Advisory Services
BUSINESS STRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS
As your business grows and scales, so too will your operating model and your business structure. We help CEOs and Founders rapidly access their current leadership structure and provide business structure recommendations based on your company’s goals and our extensive in-market experience. We also partner with you to scope out and determine new leadership roles needed to scale your business.
BUSINESS STRUCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS
As your business grows and scales, so too will your operating model and your business structure. We help CEOs and Founders rapidly access their current leadership structure and provide business structure recommendations based on your company’s goals and our extensive in-market experience. We also partner with you to scope out and determine new leadership roles needed to scale your business.
TEAM AND/OR FAMILY DYNAMICS
Having worked with 50+ family-owned, multi-generational, and founder-led companies, we have become well-versed in assisting Boards, Co-Founders, and family members successfully navigate certain team, family, and business dynamics. Our expertise includes succession planning, growth alignment, conflict resolution, business planning, non-family new leader integration, CEO/COO replacement, and exiting well. Our approach is a blend of business psychology and highly pragmatic/relational strategy.
TEAM/OR FAMILY DYNAMICS
Having worked with 50+ family-owned, multi-generational, and founder-led companies, we have become well-versed in assisting Boards, Co-Founders, and family members successfully navigate certain team, family, and business dynamics. Our expertise includes succession planning, growth alignment, conflict resolution, business planning, non-family new leader integration, CEO/COO replacement, and exiting well. Our approach is a blend of business psychology and highly pragmatic/relational strategy.
LEADERSHIP/M&A INTEGRATIONS
Along with growth comes the integration of new leaders or business lines into existing business units. We support executives in the navigating of these often-tricky M&A culture and new leader integrations. Using a variety of assessments, including the Team Readiness Assessment and we guide leaders, teams and new team members through the natural and predictable emotional response to change and transition, thereby accelerating the new integration process.
LEADERSHIP/M&A INTEGRATIONS
Along with growth comes the integration of new leaders or business lines into existing business units. We support executives in the navigating of these often-tricky M&A culture and new leader integrations. Using a variety of assessments, including the Team Readiness Assessment and we guide leaders, teams and new team members through the natural and predictable emotional response to change and transition, thereby accelerating the new integration process.
EXECUTIVE SEARCH CONSULTING
We are highly skilled at interpreting team chemistry and finding the right key talent who will integrate compatibly with your existing team/business structure. Working alongside your internal team, we jump in to accelerate the search process for critical hires. We support the team throughout the process by scoping out the role, drafting role profiles, conducting LI searches, and facilitating the selection process. This is a hybrid approach for roles in which external support, guidance, and expertise is needed-but a full executive search is not required.
EXECUTIVE SEARCH CONSULTING
We are highly skilled at interpreting team chemistry and finding the right key talent who will integrate compatibly with your existing team/business structure. Working alongside your internal team, we jump in to accelerate the search process for critical hires. We support the team throughout the process by scoping out the role, drafting role profiles, conducting LI searches, and facilitating the selection process. This is a hybrid approach for roles in which external support, guidance, and expertise is needed-but a full executive search is not required.
HR CRISIS MANAGEMENT
This is your 9-1-1 hotline for all people-related concerns or emergent challenges. Whether a key leader is unexpectedly leaving the business, there is team conflict, a recent M&A deal is closing, or if there is change resistance or a culture-building opportunity, we will bring our 15+ years of highly-skilled HR navigation skills working with Boards, Founders, CEOs, and HR Leaders to assist in these highly critical and often time-sensitive situations.
HR CRISIS MANAGEMENT
This is your 9-1-1 hotline for all people-related concerns or emergent challenges. Whether a key leader is unexpectedly leaving the business, there is team conflict, a recent M&A deal is closing, or if there is change resistance or a culture-building opportunity, we will bring our 15+ years of highly-skilled HR navigation skills working with Boards, Founders, CEOs, and HR Leaders to assist in these highly critical and often time-sensitive situations.
Leadership Resources
It’s Kind of Like Beachball Coaching; Bouncing Back Ideas & Resisting Advice Giving
I once coached a CEO when one of their VPs interrupted to ask what colour the boss wanted the office painted.
The CEO offered their opinion and then refocused on our conversation. I responded, “Do you really feel that picking out paint colours is a wise use of your mental energy as CEO?” Their counter was, “I don’t stop to think about it much. If someone asks me for my opinion, then I give it to them.”
Oh, the double-edged sword of leadership. Senior leaders must become exceptionally good at making decisions with limited data and be comfortable just making the call. Overusing this style can create a check-in culture where the team becomes overly reliant on the boss’s opinion and hesitates to move without consultation.
It’s Kind of Like Coaching Poolside or Chairside; Coaching In The Moment or Another Time
Coaching can be intimidating to both novice and experienced leaders.
For the recently trained manager, there is pressure to provide good coaching to their team, but uncertainty and fear about how to do it correctly.
The truth is that bad coaching is better than no coaching, and the only way to improve is to keep experimenting with different tactics. I encourage leaders not to put a lot of pressure on themselves and to rarely, if ever, say, “Let me provide you some coaching on this.”
You don’t need to announce that you are coaching for it to be effective; it is better if you don’t.
Coaching can be done in the moment, like during a meeting, while observing a task, or in a more planned setting, like a one-on-one. Both approaches have benefits.
It’s Kind of Like Elastic Band Coaching; Stretch, Aim, Release
The goal of coaching is to motivate others and expand their thinking and skills. While feedback is a corrective exercise, coaching is a tool focused on growth and development.
I liken the act of coaching to stretching and shooting an elastic band. The psychological process that coaching involves is exactly this. The objective is to create tension between the current and future desired state and clarity as to where to go next in your direct report’s mind.