Coaching The Elephant

The fine art of listening involves more than just hearing what someone is saying; it involves actively engaging with them and truly understanding their perspective. This blog will explore the importance of listening, the benefits of being a good listener, and some strategies for improving your listening skills.

In a recent panel discussion on workplace productivity, a vigorous debate emerged regarding the impact of psychological safety versus pressure in achieving high productivity. This article aims to clarify several misconceptions, one being that psychological safety and pressure cannot walk hand in hand and would not be conducive to optimizing productivity.

In a complex and ever-changing world, business and organizational leaders' need for sound decisions are more critical than ever before. In internal control processes, the four-eyes principle is often used with the understanding that two pairs of eyes see more than one pair. In my opinion, the same holds true in decision making.

Daniel Goleman, renowned for his work on emotional intelligence, highlights the importance of versatile leadership. His research indicates that leaders who get the best results don't rely on just one leadership style; they adapt their approach to various business situations.

Is traditional leadership keeping your team from reaching its full potential?
In this episode, we follow Alex, a mid-level automotive manager in Irvine, California, who believed authority meant strict control and long hours. While his approach produced discipline, it also drained his team's creativity and morale. Join us as we explore Alex's journey through executive coaching, where he learns to trade micromanagement for trust—discovering that true control comes from empowering your people.
Key takeaway: Why high-performing, innovative teams require flexibility, trust, and well-being.

In this episode, we meet Maxime ("Max"), a Silicon Valley tech veteran whose promising data-analytics startup hit a wall. Stuck in a rigid mindset and fighting a product-market disconnect, Max was on the brink of giving up. Discover how a pivotal coaching intervention—and three transformative questions—helped him dismantle his old assumptions, break free from outdated mental models, and pivot toward real growth.
Key takeaway: How to challenge your core assumptions before they derail your vision.

Managing group climate is no longer a decision according to the leader's preferences. Nowadays, many organizations in different fields measure the satisfaction of their members with team assessments. In a previous blog, we explored the primary dimension of high-performance leadership: productivity. This blog will address the second dimension: group climate or cohesion.

Organizations frequently solicit leadership and team coaches to help improve three aspects of high-performance leadership. This article focuses on the first of these three: Productivity. Two following audio blogs delve deeper into the other two dimensions: Team Environment and Individual Development.

Visionary business leaders who want to align their company's mission with the stakeholders' interests, i.e., shareholders, employees, clients, suppliers, community, and/or environment, often encounter fierce resistance from within their organization. The change itself does not so much fuel the resistance as the people's fear of loss.

Not every sadness is a disorder. Sometimes what looks like breaking down is the heart trying to make sense of love, loss, and change. This piece is an invitation to listen more deeply before we label ourselves or others.