Episode #1041: Severin Sorensen, executive coach and curator of the Arete Coach Podcast, and Tom Cuthbert, executive coach, Vistage Master Chair, and Chairman of Sandler Training, have an insightful discussion on Tom’s career journey to executive coaching, his passion for helping others, and his history in the technology industry. They discuss the importance of guarding your time, coaches’ heart of service, living a life of learning, how technology has advanced, and the importance of diversity. Join us in this high-impact conversation between Severin and Tom as we learn more about Tom’s philosophy of, “it’s not about me.” About Tom Cuthbert Tom Cuthbert is an executive coach, CEO coach, Vistage Master Chair, and Chairman of Sandler Training in San Antonio. Tom started his journey to executive coaching by first entering the restaurant industry where he found his passion for business. He then transitioned to the online advertising industry, where he became Founder and President of Adometry, an online marketing analytics platform which he later sold to Google. Today, he serves as a Vistage Master Chair, Chairman of Sandler Training in San Antonio, and a Chairman of the Sales City Group. In his current practice, he coaches six business groups, made up of approximately 100 CEOs and business leaders in the San Antonio area. He spends over 1,000 hours per year coaching CEOs and helping countless business leaders push themselves and their businesses to their highest potential. Tom has received multiple Vistage awards including the 2021 Vistage Star Award, 2021 Vistage Southern Regional Chair of the Year Award, multiple Chair Excellence Awards, and the 2019 Pat Hyndman Award. Tom’s passion for helping others see what they can’t to achieve their highest potential has pushed him to great success in both the corporate and the executive coaching industries. Key highlights Tom’s journey to executive coaching Timestamp 02:47 Tom started his journey to executive coaching with his career in the restaurant and entertainment industry. It was there he learned the ins-and-outs of business and realized his love for business and for people. Later, Tom transitioned into the technology industry with his company Adometry, which was later purchased by Google. Tom shares that his primary drive for answering the call to executive coaching was his desire to “give back to others.” This drive to help others has supported Tom’s highly successful executive coaching career. “Letting go of the vine” Timestamp 10:35 Tom built Adometry by first starting the Click Fraud Index. He shares that he “built the company to sell it” and for it to “be acquired by someone else.” Severin Sorensen applauds Tom’s strategy of surrounding yourself “with smart people.” Tom shares that he eventually stepped down as CEO and had a great transition because of his highly skilled leadership team. Tom’s primary plan of action was to find his place and “to help [his team] to that finish line” of selling the software. Doing this required Tom to let “go of the vine” and let other team members “take over and run” with the organization’s goals. This allowed him to step back from Adometry with confidence that his team would succeed. Powerful quotes Timestamp 19:47 Some of Tom’s favorite quotes include “It can’t be about you. It has to be about them” and “If you don’t have an admin, you are an admin” from Jack Bailey. Tom uses these quotes when discussing sales strategies with salesmen and saleswomen. Instead of focusing on “products” or services, he encourages sales leaders to focus on their client “and what [they] can do for them and what results [they] can help them deliver to their team.” He also applies these quotes to his coaching practice. Because of Jack Bailey’s quote on the importance of having an admin, Tom decided that he needed someone else to help him do more of what he is “really good at” and less of the administrative duties that previously took up his time. This inspired him to guard his time which has increased his effectiveness when helping others. Severin relates to Tom’s statement on the importance of the effective use of time. In Severin’s coaching practice, he has noticed that many young entrepreneurs tend to hold onto tasks they enjoy, that should really be allocated to others. Often, these tasks become a “growth limiter” for themselves and their business as the tasks they enjoy are the tasks that could be done more efficiently by someone else. Asking the questions versus knowing the answers Timestamp 25:13 When Tom started executive coaching, his perspective was that he knew “all the answers.” However, one of his first executive coaching clients was from an industry he had no experience in. When talking about this with his mentor, he learned that he didn’t have to know all the answers but instead ask questions and surface issues. Severin shares a quote from Peter Drucker that he believes not only applies to the consultant but to the coach as well. Peter Drucker is quoted as saying, “The Job of a consultant is not to go in to solve a problem. The job of consultants is to go in and ask questions to understand the root of the problem.” Guarding your time Timestamp 31:16 Tom manages six Vistage groups. To do this, he uses a flywheel inspired by Jim Collins. He also starts with “the end in mind.” This means that Tom identifies his goal and then works backward, finding ways to make that goal a reality. He also has a practice of planning far in advance and creating routine processes. This helps him have his tasks “come to” him each day. By doing this, he doesn’t waste time wondering what his next task will be. Ultimately, Tom guards his time so that he can achieve as much as possible while doing his best work. Severin in response shares a time management technique that he calls the “smitten” technique: Single Most Important Thing To Execute Next. Advancing technology Timestamp 39:47 In response to Severin’s question about how technology and new developments in technology might impact the executive coaching industry, Tom shares that although technology has given executive coaches an advantage in the COVID-19 pandemic and decreased the geographic boundaries for coaches, it can often be a distraction. For his coaching practice, he ensures that he is distraction free by turning off notifications on his phone and watch. The importance of diversity Timestamp 42:32 In Tom’s coaching practice, 42% of executives are women. These women have also been awarded by the San Antonio Business Journal for their success as women in leadership. Tom states, “I think that’s a fantastic thing and I’m certainly proud of the women leaders that we have in our community and how they’ve impacted it… Diversity makes us all better…” Severin agrees with Tom’s perspective and states that, “diversity helps you understand and hear voice you’re not hearing… it’s so valuable.” “Answering the ‘why’” Timestamp 44:38 Tom’s advice to aspiring executive coaches is to answer Simon Sinek’s “why.” Tom shares that if your “why” is rooted in a desire to “make a lot of money,” because “you think you’ll be really good at it,” or “it’s something that fits your lifestyle,” you should reexamine why you want to be an executive coach. He says, “it’s not any of those things” and is instead “about the ability to influence and impact the lives of others for long periods of time… It’s personal.” He also recommends that aspiring executive coaches check their own skill set. This means being a lifelong learner and continually learning, reading, and being open minded to new findings. Lastly, he recommends that aspiring executive coaches examine who they want to influence and how they want to influence them. Tom’s own “why” for coaching is to “help others see what they’re not in order to achieve more than they imagined possible.” He states that “it’s not about recognition or money” but is instead about “focusing on helping people.” Making the impossible possible Timestamp 51:00 One of Tom’s best days ever as an executive coach was when a client of his told him that he had completed his goal of selling his business. Tom and this client had walked through a three and a half year journey of preparing his business to be sold. Tom shared that this is “just one example of the number of great days” of being an executive coach. Severin has also had these days where former members of his Vistage groups have called him after they have accomplished their goals. He shares that “it is so wonderful to help somebody understand the possible… you get to join in helping other people do great things…” A life measured and a life of legacy Timestamp 57:01 When asked how he will measure his life, Tom shares that he measures his life in the reflection of others and his impact on them. He explains that he looks at their success and celebrates it, taking that as part of his life purpose. Tom also measures his life by the legacy that he will leave behind. He wants to leave behind a legacy full of goals that is “meaningful and impactful” for “generations to come.” Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2021 by Arete Coach LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1044: Join Dr. David Arrington, executive coach, bestselling author, and COO of Arrington Coaching, in an insightful discussion on the importance of knowing your fundamentals, having a positive mindset, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the executive coaching industry. Read or listen to this impactful conversation that will leave you thinking about whether you use your experience as a tool or weapon and ways you can increase the diversity of executive coaches and clients. About Dr. David Arrington Dr. David Arrington is an executive coach, a bestselling author, and the COO of Arrington Coaching. David started his career with ExxonMobil as a systems analyst which ultimately led him to working in nonprofit leadership for over a decade. During his time in nonprofit leadership, Dr. Arrington spent time coaching organizational leaders, developing partnerships, and chairing several committees. Since 2012, Dr. Arrington has been the COO of Arrington Coaching where he provides business, career, leadership, executive, and team coaching, as well as several leadership development courses. More recently, he was named an Amazon bestselling author for his book entitled, “Promotable: How to Demonstrate Your Value, Highlight Your Potential, and Land Your Next Promotion.” Dr. Arrington received his doctorate in Strategic Leadership and Leadership Coaching from Regent University and today, uses his expertise in leadership development to help guide leaders in their development as CEOs and business leaders. Dr. Arrington has a passion for helping other business leaders and continually encourages excellence in his high-impact coaching practice Key highlights A serendipitous journey Timestamp 02:33 Dr. Arrington describes his journey to executive coaching as a “serendipitous response to external stimulus.” He shares that he loved computers as child and decided to go to school in that field, which led to his positions at ExxonMobil and Schlumberger. However, he quickly realized that he was a “people person” and decided to go into the non-profit sector. Dr. Arrington explains that his journey was a result of his responses to different scenarios that have been put in front of him. In his experience with ExxonMobil and Schlumberger, he learned that when working with executives who are “frustrated in their roles,” he should ask questions to see if their career or culture is what is “rubbing them wrong.” David uses his learnings and experiences from previous careers and businesses as inspiration and insight for his coaching practice today. Experience: is it a tool or a weapon? Timestamp 11:37 Dr. Arrington uses his experience as a tool in his coaching. This means that he uses it as insight for what questions to ask and what discussions to start. However, experience can also be a weapon in executive coaching. Dr. Arrington states that experience can “be a weapon if [you’re] trying to mentor [clients] to be more like [yourself].” In his coaching, he tries “make sure that in every moment,” he is not telling advice or his own story, but offering “rapport,” “transparency,” and a “safe space” for his clients. A coaching moment: your best time of productivity Timestamp 14:58 Severin shares a story about a leader that learned the value of knowing the best time of day to be productive. Because of this, he plans his day around his own best time to work. David shares that his best time to work is early in the morning like Severin, but this is sometimes missed. In response, Severin calls a “timeout” and has a “coaching moment” with David asking what he could do to “lock” that most productive time so it “doesn’t get occupied by other things.” David shares some things he does in response and comments on the importance of physical and mental care during that time. Severin in response shares a time-saving hack that he learned from a client, which was to intentionally schedule and block out free-time during the most productive times of the day. “Don’t take the fundamentals for granted” Timestamp 24:35 Severin asks David about lessons he learned recently that he wishes he had learned earlier on, and David shares the importance of asking questions, not giving advice, and never taking the “fundamentals for granted.” David states that “staying true to the fundamentals” of executive coaching and “understanding what your client needs and how you can help them” is “critical” to the executive coaching process. He shares a quote from a basketball coach that states, “fundamentals win championships.” Learning from failure Timestamp 33:12 In discussing Dr. Arrington’s book, “Promotable: How to Demonstrate Your Value, Highlight Your Potential & Land Your Next Promotion,” Severin points out the importance of learning from failures “to get better.” He shares that many people can’t handle looking inwardly at their failures as a learning opportunity. Severin states that this is one reason why Dr. Arrington’s book is valuable, because it discusses some of the challenges faced by others and how they can be learned from. David agrees with Severin’s perspective and shares that society as a whole has “demonized failure,” even though it can be a great teacher. Advice for aspiring executive coaches Timestamp 40:43 When asked what advice Dr. Arrington would give to future executive coaches, David shares that aspiring coaches should first understand what exactly executive coaching is. He states that people often confuse coaching with “advising” and “mentoring.” Secondly, he shares that aspiring coaches should practice on their friends with permission and the understanding that you are an observer and assistant. Understanding and practice are essential tools to the aspiring executive coach. Diversity, equity, and inclusion Timestamp 43:42 Severin and David have a powerful discussion on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dr. Arrington shares his perspective and experiences on how the expectations of others have affected his career. He states, “I don’t look like every other executive coach and for a long time, that was a deterrent… People are coming looking for me now.” In response, Severin asks, “what could we do to get more people into the coaching practice?” Dr. Arrington and Severin follow this question with a discussion on ways to increase the diversity of executive coaches and clients. Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2021 by Arete Coach LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1043: Have you ever pondered about the impact that living an inspired life could have on your career or business? This is Tony Martignetti’s purpose: living an inspired life to help business leaders find their inspiration and lead their businesses with success. Join this high-impact conversation with Severin Sorensen, executive coach and curator of the Arete Coach Podcast, and Tony Martignetti, executive coach, author, and founder of Inspired Purpose Coaching for insight on the meaning and importance of inspiration, Tony’s book “Climbing the Right Mountain,” and how leaning into challenges can produce greatness. About Tony Martignetti Tony Martignetti is an executive coach, author, and founder of Inspired Purpose Coaching. He has his MBA from Northeastern University and is also certified as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) from the International Coaching Federation. Tony started his journey to the executive coaching industry through his career as a financial strategist working with several large companies including Procter & Gamble, Genzyme, and Vertex. Tony also has experience running his own businesses such as LifeSci. In 2018, Tony started Inspired Purpose Coaching to help business leaders unlock their true potential. Tony has a passion for helping people find clarity in their goals and increase their organizational impact. To further inspire others, he started the Virtual Campfire Podcast where he shares powerful lessons learned from other business leaders and their journeys. He also published his book “Climbing the Right Mountain” and serves as the lead Psychological Safety Consultant and Master Trainer for the Fearless organization. Tony has a passion for helping others find fulfillment in their careers and encourages others to be led by their inspirations. This passion has pushed him to great success in his coaching and contributed to the great impact he has had on the lives of those around him Key highlights From financial advisor to inspiration inspirer Timestamp 02:43 Tony started his career in the financial advisory and consulting industry. After much success, he started experiencing what he describes as “burn out.” It was at the time of experiencing fatigue that he began the transition to becoming the founder of Inspired Coaching. He wanted to help others beat this feeling of burn out and “show up as leaders.” In his journey to the executive coaching industry, Tony completed several training courses and became a certified PCC coach through the International Coaching Federation. Tony likes to joke that he has “gotten more certifications than any person should.” However, he believes that the confidence in his coaching practice has come from “getting out there and seeing how people are impacted by you and your presence.” Today he coaches with a balance of both coaching fundamentals and compassion; using not only his training, but also his intuition, insight, and confidence to help his clients get the exact coaching that they need. Severin states that the fundamentals of coaching are like the drills performed in sports. They are essential but they are also meant to be built upon. Tony believes in this statement and applies it to his coaching today as he seeks to inspire others and help them achieve their best. Sacred geometry and lightbulb moments Timestamp 14:33 Severin asks Tony about the logo of his coaching company “Inspired Purpose Coaching.” There are two parts to Tony’s logo. The first is the sacred geometry logo in the background. Tony explains that this shape or pattern can be found in “all of nature” even in places, plants, and artwork. The pattern is “something that you may not see… on the surface, but if you train your eye to look for it, you’ll see it everywhere.” Tony uses this concept in his coaching, teaching people to “reframe their thinking” and have lightbulb moments of seeing work in a different light. He helps his clients “light up” and reexamine their outlook. “The obstacle is the way” Timestamp 16:31 When asked about what Tony wishes he learned earlier on, Tony shares that “the obstacle is the way.” Instead of fighting challenges and not taking a rest to ponder and reenergize, Tony has learned to embrace challenges and work through them. The story of Inspired Purpose Coaching Timestamp 20:37 Tony got the name for his company, “Inspired Purpose Coaching,” because he was “inspired by finding [his] own purpose.” Tony shares that “inspiration is communication with your soul’s purpose.” He wants to help others find their inspirations and work for something bigger—for a purpose. These revelations are where the name Inspired Purpose Coaching originates from. “Expand your vision, narrow your focus” Timestamp 23:06 When asked about his perspective on curiosity, Tony explains that he has always had a variety of interests in different disciplines. He uses the quote “expand your vision, narrow your focus” to encourage clients to “think bigger” and make connections that go “beyond” what they are currently seeing. He does this by first identifying their needs and what needs to be focused on. Then he encourages them to “expand” beyond the challenge and think about other outcomes. During this process, he allows silence to encourage pondering and thought. Tony’s favorite question Timestamp 27:39 Tony finds that asking his clients, “what do you fight for?” can be a great source of inspiration for his clients. It helps his clients look towards the future and identify their big picture goals. Doing this also allows him to ask his clients what they are doing now to contribute to that cause or bigger purpose. This helps him and his clients identify genuine goals and create tangible action plans. The Virtual Campfire Podcast Timestamp 28:50 Tony hosts his own podcast called the Virtual Campfire. On it, he hosts conversations with business leaders from a variety of sectors. He discusses topics that are inspiring and can help encourage others to find what inspires them and live of life of fulfillment. In a recent episode with Scott Miller, Tony discussed the importance of using former mistakes and failures as “teaching vehicles.” Tony has a variety of guests on his podcast ranging from experts with household names, to those without a considerably large following. Tony shares that in all of his conversations with guests, he has been able to gain great insight and inspiration. Tony’s book “Climbing the Right Mountain” Timestamp 33:50 Tony wrote “Climbing the Right Mountain” after his realization that many successful business leaders reach their goals and still feel unfulfilled. He mentions that “oftentimes we look to the outside world… and we defined the climb based on what everyone else thinks it should be…We have to rethink our path based on what we want.” His book talks about helping leaders show up “from a place of fulfillment” without “seeking fulfillment at the end” of their careers. Tony’s passion for inspiration and fulfillment Timestamp 35:41 Tony has a passion for helping others overcome burnout and fulfill their highest potential. He wants everyone to be able to give everything they have and do everything they want to do. His best days ever as a coach are those days where he helps impact people in big ways; helping them see the big differences and opportunities that are possible for themselves. This desire to help others fulfill their ultimate potential is also how Tony will “measure” his life. He states that how he makes an “impact on the people around [him]” is how he measures his life. The counterintuitive truth Timestamp 43:38 Tony shares that “most people think… you can’t live a life of fulfillment” while also living a “life of bliss.” However, Tony doesn’t agree with this statement. He believes that “if you can find the connection with the things that you have and find some way of being satisfied with who you are and come from a place of fulfillment… then you’ll find that your mood changes and your place of gratitude really changes.” Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2021 by Arete Coach LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1045: “The art and sport of golfing offers life lessons and learnings to those who are willing to notice.” - Severin Sorensen. In this episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, Severin Sorensen, executive coach and curator of the Arete Coach podcast, shares learnings from golf that can be applied to life and business. Severin discusses health benefits of the game, life and business lessons from golf, and how to best use the sport in business and executive coaching. Tune into this episode of the Arete Coach podcast for a hearty serving of sage quotes, powerful lessons, and thoughtful discussion. About Severin Sorensen Severin Sorensen is a serial entrepreneur and lifetime learner with a passionate curiosity for people and businesses. Severin is the CEO of ePraxis LLC, a premier level retained search firm that provides executive headhunting, talent selection, and executive coaching. In addition to finding top talent, Severin has provided over 7,500+ hours of paid executive coaching to entrepreneurs, CEOs, Presidents, and C-level executives. Severin is an ICF ACSTH Certified Executive Coach, Certified Organizational Development Coach, Certified Life Coach, and Certified Positive Intelligence® Coach. Severin is the founder/producer of a new podcast, Arete Coach, that explores the art and science of executive coaching with some of the industry's best coaches. From 2010-2018 Severin was also a Vistage Chair where he coached three CEO and key executive groups. In 2011, Severin received the "Rookie of the Year Chair Award" from Vistage. Since 2013, Severin has added international speaking for Vistage, CEO conferences, executive peer groups, and corporations on the topic of identifying and hiring difference-making top talent. After graduate school, Severin moved to Washington, DC, where he worked on security-related economic and public policy issues that included a brief stint in The White House, as a Special Assistant to the President, for George H. Bush (POTUS 41). In 1994, Severin founded Sparta Consulting Corp., and Sparta provided world-class physical security and safety related management consulting services for public and private sector entities. From 1994-2002, Severin managed HUD's Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design technical assistance and training program. In 2005, Severin sold Sparta to Westec Interactive (Digital Witness), which was subsequently acquired by Interface Security. Severin, a native Californian, grew up in Salt Lake City, UT and graduated with honors from the University of Utah with Economics and Political Science degrees. He completed graduate studies in economics at King's College, Cambridge University (England), where he earned a M.Phil. degree in Economics. Severin has a great love and appreciation for sports, and while overseas, Severin rowed for the King's College Boat Club, and played basketball for the Cambridge University Basketball Team (1986-87). Key highlights Golf and wellness Timestamp 03:58 Over 300 scholarly articles have been written about the health benefits of golf. Researcher D. Murray and his team conducted a review of published research regarding golf and health. In their review, they found that when individuals played a round of golf with the use of a golf cart they walk about 6,000 steps. Without a golf cart, players will walk approximately 12 to 14 thousand steps. Golf also burns calories depending on the landscape and length of the golf course. It has also been indicated that golf can help increase metabolic health. Furthermore, other studies support the conclusion that golfing can have the same “beneficial effects on longevity, physical health, mental health, and wellness associated with physical activity.” Business lessons from the green Timestamp 08:47 Severin shares several lessons from the green that can be applied to business and executive coaching. Some of these lessons include moving on from failures, follow-through matters, each swing counts, patience, perfect practice, knowing the course, mentorship, having a target, remembering the 19th hole, and punctuality among others. For each lesson, Severin explains how this learning applies to executive coaching and business. Life lessons from the green Timestamp 21:28 Severin also discusses several life lessons that can be gained from golf. Some of these life lessons include the importance of obstacles, mental resiliency, character, attitude, and relationships. For each of these lessons, Severin discusses how they can be applied to life. Rules of business golf Timestamp 30:26 To use golf effectively during executive coaching or business, there are several key rules that should be considered. Severin shares and explains some of these rules and why they are important for executive coaches and business leaders to consider. Some of these rules include don’t cheat, remember your focus, be social, be respectful, and be fair among others. These rules and guidelines can help executive coaches and business leaders use golf to its fullest potential in their business and coaching endeavors. Golf and executive coaching Timestamp 33:11 Severin shares several ways he incorporates golf into his executive coaching. In his executive coaching practice, Severin uses golf when coaching “one-to-one or in tryouts” for peer advisory groups. Other times, Severin will host executives and clients in a golfing tournament. For clients and executives who do not play golf, Severin will take them to Top Golf. Severin explains that “in business golf, it’s not about your golf. It’s about your client.” Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2021 by Arete Coach LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1046: Powerful questions are a key component of skillful coaching. In this episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, Severin Sorensen, executive coach and curator of the Arete Coach Podcast, reviews powerful questions discussed in episodes #1009 through #1032. Interested in building your rolodex of powerful questions? Join us as we review research on what makes questions powerful and examples of questions used by high-impact executive coaches. About Severin Sorensen Severin Sorensen is a serial entrepreneur and lifetime learner with a passionate curiosity for people and businesses. Severin is the CEO of ePraxis LLC, a premier level retained search firm that provides executive headhunting, talent selection, and executive coaching. In addition to finding top talent, Severin has provided over 7,500+ hours of paid executive coaching to entrepreneurs, CEOs, Presidents, and C-level executives. Severin is an ICF ACSTH Certified Executive Coach, Certified Organizational Development Coach, Certified Life Coach, and Certified Positive Intelligence® Coach. Severin is the founder/producer of a new podcast, Arete Coach, that explores the art and science of executive coaching with some of the industry's best coaches. From 2010-2018 Severin was also a Vistage Chair where he coached three CEO and key executive groups. In 2011, Severin received the "Rookie of the Year Chair Award" from Vistage. Since 2013, Severin has added international speaking for Vistage, CEO conferences, executive peer groups, and corporations on the topic of identifying and hiring difference-making top talent. After graduate school, Severin moved to Washington, DC, where he worked on security-related economic and public policy issues that included a brief stint in The White House, as a Special Assistant to the President, for George H. Bush (POTUS 41). In 1994, Severin founded Sparta Consulting Corp., and Sparta provided world-class physical security and safety related management consulting services for public and private sector entities. From 1994-2002, Severin managed HUD's Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design technical assistance and training program. In 2005, Severin sold Sparta to Westec Interactive (Digital Witness), which was subsequently acquired by Interface Security. Severin, a native Californian, grew up in Salt Lake City, UT and graduated with honors from the University of Utah with Economics and Political Science degrees. He completed graduate studies in economics at King's College, Cambridge University (England), where he earned a M.Phil. degree in Economics. Severin has a great love and appreciation for sports, and while overseas, Severin rowed for the King's College Boat Club, and played basketball for the Cambridge University Basketball Team (1986-87). Key highlights “What are you running from and what are you running to?” Timestamp 01:46 To kick off the episode, Severin Sorensen shares an example of a question that he has asked an executive, how it was taken, and how it affected the executive’s business. After Severin asked a client, “What are you running from and what are you running to?” his client was somewhat offended at first. However, with time, the client realized difficult questions were exactly what he needed from an executive coach. Severin went on to coach this client for 5 years and the client sold his business for much more than what the company was worth at the time he started his coaching sessions. The makings of a powerful question Timestamp 05:29 Severin introduces research on powerful questions that identify seven characteristics of powerful questions. These characteristics include being open-ended, thought-provoking, require higher-order thinking, points towards transferable ideas across disciplines, raises additional questions, requires support, and recurs over time. Examples of powerful questions Timestamp 06:49 After discussing what makes a powerful question, Severin introduces several types of powerful questions. Some of these types of questions include questions to encourage pondering, questions of nature and relationships, questions on fear and death, questions on mindset, questions on health, questions on passion, and short questions. Forward-focused questions Timestamp 12:56 Many powerful questions posed by the guests of the Arete Coach Podcast have a theme of focusing forward. Severin reviews some key questions that encourage executives and business leaders to look ahead and examine how the choices they make today can effect their future. Some questions discussed include Larry Cassidy’s “What has to happen next?”, Mark Taylor’s “What would your wise older self say is important?”, and Jeannette Hobson’s “How do you want to be remembered? Self-reflection questions Timestamp 22:41 Oftentimes, executive coaches use questions that inspire moments of self-reflection and pondering. Severin reviews questions discussed in previous episodes that inspire these moments of self-reflection such as Adam Harris’, “What would plus one or minus one look like for you?” and Lisha Davidovits’, “What’s important about that to you?” Problem-solving questions Timestamp 47:24 Executive coaches work with their clients, asking them the right questions, to help them achieve their goals and overcome their challenges. When helping executive coaches overcome challenges, problem-solving questions are often used. Severin reviews some of these problem-solving questions including Bud Carter’s, “When’s the last time you really talked with your customer?” and David Highley’s, “What do we need to have achieved?” International Coaching Federation and powerful questions Timestamp 56:30 The International Coaching Federation (ICF) updated their core competencies in 2021 and in doing so, included key insights about powerful questions. Severin reviews ICF’s three aspects of powerful questions. They state that powerful questions are based on active listening, evoking discovery, and are open-ended in nature. ICF also states that powerful questions should encourage awareness through the use of silence, metaphors, or analogies. Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2021 by Arete Coach LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1047: In this episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, guest Jill Douka, Master Certified Coach (MCC), best-selling author, and director of the Global Academy of Coaching, discusses the importance of reframing negative experiences, the dedication of being a lifelong learner, and the value of introspection and identifying what your own goals are. Topics including the Great Resignation, ramifications of COVID-19 on the workplace, and the need for coaches to have their own personal coaching support are also discussed. Join us as we learn more about becoming the best coaches we can be while helping others along the way. About Jill Douka Jill Douka is an executive coach, women’s leadership coach, and business leadership coach out of Greece. She is an ICF Certified Master Coach, Director at New York College—the International College of Greece, and Director of the Global Academy of Coaching, where she helps students across the globe develop their self-confidence, clarity, and influence to become the best coaches they can be. Since 2014, Jill has been a best-selling author with a variety of books such as, “Create Love” and “How to Create Your Life.” Alongside her coaching practice, Jill also engages in speaking engagements, workshops, and online training. Jill is one of the first European women to speak at two TedX events in Asia and Europe. She is also a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, the Expert Industry Association, the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, the European Evolutionary Business Council, iforU Mentoring Network in Greece, the Hellenic Chapter of ICF, and the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council. She has also worked with companies such as Microsoft and Piraeus Bank. Jill has taken the stance of a lifelong learner through her multiple certifications and dedication to using the latest coaching techniques and methodologies. Jill has a passion for helping clients and fellow coaches move towards their genuine goals by doing “#whateverittakes” to achieve their greatest successes Key highlights From the theater to coaching Timestamp 02:47 Jill started dancing “from the moment” she was three years old until she was twenty-seven. She shares that dance gave her the discipline she needed to become an entrepreneur and the “amazing tools of performance” that she uses during trainings and workshops. Jill started her career cleaning the theater, but soon rose to becoming the event manager of the theater. Her enjoyment of this position led her to study management and cultural management. Ultimately, she joined the Olympic Games, training policemen and others. She continued her career in areas of HR and training out of her love for “transferring knowledge and supporting people to become the best version of themselves.” Her ultimate transition to executive coaching came from her realization that she did not like her career. She wasn’t happy and she needed a coach. She invested in herself and realized the power of coaching. Jill got her own taste of being a coach when she helped a fellow entrepreneur apply for an entrepreneurial award at her university. Watching the entrepreneur she helped receive an award showed her the “gift of coaching” and she experienced what she called “the big shift” towards starting her executive coaching career. Developing the Global Academy of Coaching Timestamp 13:20 Many of Jill’s clients have approached her, wanting to become a coach like herself. However, when these clients asked Jill what training program to join, she shares that she “didn’t know which training certifications” to point them to “because none” of them were what she desired for them. After a few of her students received training from other sources and went into fields very different than coaching, Jill explains that she knew she had to “create an amazing certification with the knowledge, skills, and abilities” that she has. Today, the Global Academy of Coaches continues to train coaches to “become leaders for themselves,” practice coaching, and become the “best version of themselves.” Empowering women Timestamp 21:14 Jill has a passion for empowering women to be the best they can be. Currently, she is writing her book “Women Now.” In Jill’s LinkedIn profile, she states that she has a goal to empower one million women globally so that they feel secure, take action, and get the greatest value from their future. She believes that women tend to underestimate themselves and their own power. She works to help women work on themselves and become who they need to be in order to increase their impact. The uniqueness concept Timestamp 25:16 Jill uses what she calls the “uniqueness concept” in her coaching. She takes her coachees through a series of tests, self-reflections, and assessments to identify all the positive aspects of themselves. In doing this, she works with her clients to identify the “best, the very best of the best” of what her coachees’ skills and traits are. Severin expands upon this and states that it’s not only important for coachees’ to learn who they are and what they are best at, but for coaches themselves to be aware of this and genuine in their coaching personality. The concept of uniqueness and genuine personality applies not only to coachees but also coaches. The coach behind the coach Timestamp 28:23 When asked about a coach lesson that Jill has learned recently, Jill shares that in processing the passing of her father, Jill learned the importance of having her own coach to refer to. She states that, “if I didn’t have my two coaches… to go back to and support me through this difficult time, I don’t know how I would have gone through it.” Severin agrees with the importance of each coach having their own coach. He states that “every coach needs a coach and I really think you need a peer network of coaches. I know that as I have gone through challenging times, to have peers that are coaches, it’s been so helpful because of their understanding. I just think it’s so important that you find your tribe.” Severin asks Jill if it has been hard for her to receive coaching as she is a coach herself. Jill responds and explains her own hunger for the knowledge and learnings that her coaches can provide her. Jill enjoys the challenge that her coaches give her. “What would have to happen in order for you to…?” Timestamp 33:34 One of Jill’s most powerful questions that she asks her clients is, “What would have to happen in order for you to ____?” She shares that she uses this in all of her coaching. Jill once had a coachee who was unsure about a future conversation with an employer. Jill used this question and her coachee was able to formulate and execute a plan with success. The Great Resignation and Positive Psychology Timestamp 36:17 Severin shares that he believes the Great Resignation isn’t necessarily people resigning from work, but it is instead people “turning away from what they don’t like and turning to what they do like.” He also believes that because of this, there might be an increased need for “clarity” for employees and executives in the workplace. Jill Douka shares that her clients have always come to her in search of clarity. She also states that the great resignation has been framed rather negatively and could instead be framed with positive implications such as “find your vision.” “Do or do not. There is no try.” -Yoda Timestamp 43:47 Jill shares that her favorite quote in her coaching practice is from Star Wars’ character, Yoda: “Do or do not. There is no try.” She uses this quote in her coaching because in her coaching process, she bans words such as “try” and “hope” because “trying is a process.” She states that “The moment that you say that, ‘I’m changing my life, I’m working towards changing my life.’ There is no try. You’re doing it. If the result does not come out, it doesn’t mean that you haven’t been working towards it. So trying has the sense of 'I’m trying, but I’m never reaching my goal.'” Growth and growth language Timestamp 48:59 When Severin asks Jill what her “why” is, Jill shares that her “why” is found in the growth of herself and her coachees. Jill is motivated by “growth in every way” and wants to continue growing throughout her coaching practice and life. Severin shares that the language we use can either be creative and growth inspiring, or limiting. He shares an experience he had with his mother who—instead of shutting down an idea he had—asks “how would you do it?” This led him to “go explore” and not let “resources be the constraint” to his ambitions. The language that coaches use can either inspire or stifle growth. Developing a diverse portfolio Timestamp 51:20 In the wake of an economic crisis in Greece, Jill had to pivot her business from Business-to-Business (B2B) to Business-to-Customer (B2C). Many business leaders have experienced the same need to pivot in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this challenge, Jill learned the importance of having a diverse portfolio. Severin agrees with her learning and states that the market for services can either be hot or cold and can change quickly. In looking to diversify a coaching portfolio, Jill recommends that coaches find their niche and “find different ways to serve it.” Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2021 by Arete Coach LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1050: As businesses and economies re-open following the COVID-19 pandemic, business leaders have been increasingly concerned about what has been called, “The Great Resignation.” In this episode of the Arete Coach™ Podcast, insights, data, and research are reviewed surrounding The Great Resignation. Using recent data, facts are separated from fiction, insights on how businesses are withstanding The Great Resignation are shared, advice to smaller businesses is offered, and the third wave of the pandemic is discussed. About Severin Sorensen Severin Sorensen is a serial entrepreneur and lifetime learner with a passionate curiosity for people and businesses. Severin is the CEO of ePraxis LLC, a premier level retained search firm that provides executive headhunting, talent selection, and executive coaching. In addition to finding top talent, Severin has provided over 7,500+ hours of paid executive coaching to entrepreneurs, CEOs, Presidents, and C-level executives. Severin is an ICF ACSTH Certified Executive Coach, Certified Organizational Development Coach, Certified Life Coach, and Certified Positive Intelligence® Coach. Severin is the founder/producer of a new podcast, Arete Coach, that explores the art and science of executive coaching with some of the industry's best coaches. From 2010-2018 Severin was also a Vistage Chair where he coached three CEO and key executive groups. In 2011, Severin received the "Rookie of the Year Chair Award" from Vistage. Since 2013, Severin has added international speaking for Vistage, CEO conferences, executive peer groups, and corporations on the topic of identifying and hiring difference-making top talent. After graduate school, Severin moved to Washington, DC, where he worked on security-related economic and public policy issues that included a brief stint in The White House, as a Special Assistant to the President, for George H. Bush (POTUS 41). In 1994, Severin founded Sparta Consulting Corp., and Sparta provided world-class physical security and safety related management consulting services for public and private sector entities. From 1994-2002, Severin managed HUD's Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design technical assistance and training program. In 2005, Severin sold Sparta to Westec Interactive (Digital Witness), which was subsequently acquired by Interface Security. Severin, a native Californian, grew up in Salt Lake City, UT and graduated with honors from the University of Utah with Economics and Political Science degrees. He completed graduate studies in economics at King's College, Cambridge University (England), where he earned a M.Phil. degree in Economics. Severin has a great love and appreciation for sports, and while overseas, Severin rowed for the King's College Boat Club, and played basketball for the Cambridge University Basketball Team (1986-87). Key highlights Defining The Great Resignation Timestamp 01:52 Because of the impact The Great Resignation has had on executives, it is important for executive coaches to understand what The Great Resignation is and how to best respond to it. Currently, many employees are changing their careers or jobs. Anthony Klotz, a Texas A&M University Professor, is the first to coin the term “Great Resignation” which is defined as a “widespread trend of a significant number of workers leaving their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Weighing the cost of staying vs. leaving a job Timestamp 06:40 Scholars, such as Anthony Klotz, believe that under normal circumstances the cost of leaving a job is seemingly greater to employees than the cost of staying. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, employees were able to save money and shift their finances which resulted in a shift in perception where now the cost of staying with an employer is greater than leaving. Anthony Klotz states that “higher employee burnout and enhanced financial security is a recipe for increased resignations.” Currently, The Great Resignation is having the greatest impact on hospitality, entertainment, and retail industries. Historically high turnover rates Timestamp 09:30 Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals have been “fatigued from the stress of the pandemic” and “working in stressful environments.” From the data, we learn that 1 in 5 healthcare workers lost their jobs during the first year of the pandemic. Furthermore, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that 18% of healthcare staff have quit since the pandemic began, and of the remaining employees, 31% have thought of leaving. The aforementioned data paired with an attrition rate reaching nearly 30% for some positions, it’s no wonder that the healthcare industry is experiencing historically high turnover rates and staffing shortages as a result. Turning away from and turning to Timestamp 14:51 While there are some industries facing increased rates of turnover, Severin states that he has a “concern that we are putting too much into the notion of The Great Resignation.” Not every single person is resigning, and many employees are not resigning. In September 2021, only three precent of the workforce resigned. Because of this, Severin recommends referring to The Great Resignation as “the great turning away from and turning to…” Reasons for The Great Resignation Timestamp 17:04 Severin shares several reasons that some indicate contributed to The Great Resignation. These include those who stayed in jobs they would have otherwise quit during the pandemic, routine resignations in some industries, mid-career employee resignation, work-from-home changes, and post-traumatic stress syndrome. 11 reasons employees stay Timestamp 25:01 Severin outlines Kittelson and Carpo Consulting’s “11 different reasons why employees stay.” The reasons are as follows: they are inspired to work smarter, they believe in the company’s mission and vision, they have work environment satisfaction, they do exciting and challenging work, they have a great relationship with their superiors, they have a good work-life balance, they have access to career growth, they have good benefits/incentives, they are paid well, they are mentored, and they feel valued, recognized, and respected. Additional reasons for The Great Resignation Timestamp 27:22 Because of the stress and changes that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many employees, the third wave of the pandemic is a mental health crisis. Some employees are even quitting without lining up a new job. According to McKinsey and Company, up to 40% of employees do not have jobs lined up when they quit their current employment. One reason that these employees could be quitting is a lack of community and sense of belonging with their current employer. Furthermore, other employees are resigning because of the flexibility they have found with other work-from-home positions, and they do not want to return to the office. Health and wellness are also a concern for some employees who do not want to return to an unvaccinated workplace. Leading companies and their response to The Great Resignation Timestamp 32:56 Not all businesses are facing an increased loss of employees. Companies like Google, Facebook, Apple, and Netflix have been able to withstand the effects of The Great Resignation. One thing all these organizations have in common is that they offer above average benefits for their employees. For example, Google has been experiencing an increase in job applications during The Great Resignation and their benefits to employees include “baby bonding bucks,” fertility assistance, maternity leave, paternal leave that applies to adoption, foster care, surrogacy, free travel insurance, custom workstations, free meals, onsite laundry, and a variety of other services. Companies like Netflix, Amazon, and Facebook also have a wide range of benefits available to employees and are often noted as some of the best places to work. Advice for smaller businesses Timestamp 42:17 The massive benefits that larger companies give to their employees is often not an option for smaller companies. Because of this, Severin outlines some actions that smaller companies can take to decrease their turnover rates. Some of these recommendations include having financial confidence, fulfilling Kittelson and Carpo’s 11 reasons employees stay, providing room for growth, paying employees well, mentoring, and showing empathy. Employees, employers, and empathy Timestamp 47:11 “Empathy is key to employee retention.” A key feature of all the leading companies’ benefits package is the empathy it displays for employees. “83% of gen Z employees would choose an employer with a strong culture of empathy over an employer offering a slightly higher salary. 83% would consider leaving their current organization for a similar role at a more empathetic organization. 80% would switch companies for equal pay if the employer was more empathetic. 74% of employees… would work longer hours for an empathetic employer.” However only 48% of employees believe companies as a whole are empathetic versus 68% of their CEOs” (Business Solver, 2020). Employees are looking for empathetic employers, especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a call for employers to re-examine employee needs, salary, benefits, and wellbeing. Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Resources Andres, T. (2018, December 19). Divided Decade: How the financial crisis changed jobs. Retrieved from https://www.marketplace.org/2018/12/19/what-we-learned-jobs/ Apollo Technical. (2021, September 01). Statistics On Remote Workers That Will Surprise You (2021). Retrieved from https://www.apollotechnical.com/statistics-on-remote-workers/ Bhattarai, A. (2020, August 14). Grocery workers say morale is at an all-time low: They don’t even treat us like humans anymore. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/08/12/grocery-workers-coronavirus/ Business Solver. (2020). State of Workplace Empathy: Executive Summary: Businessolver. Retrieved from https://info.businessolver.com/en-us/empathy-2020-exec-summary-ty?submissionGuid=964be9c3-2749-429c-a0db-0ffe1b71d464 Casselman, B. (2021, October 12). U.S. Workers Quitting Their Jobs Hit a Record in August. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/12/business/economy/workers-quitting-august.html Comparably. (2021, October 18). Netflix Trends. Retrieved from https://www.comparably.com/companies/netflix/trends Cook, I. (2021, September 15). Who Is Driving The Great Resignation? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/09/who-is-driving-the-great-resignation Daily Pay. (2021, June 14). Health Care Turnover Rates [2021 Update]. DailyPay. https://www.dailypay.com/blog/employee-turnover-rates-in-the-healthcare-industry/ Domm, P. (2021, October 12). Inflation gauge should be hot again in September and for the months ahead. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/12/inflation-gauge-should-be-hot-again-in-september-and-for-months-ahead-.html Eira, A. (2021, March 24). Number of Facebook Employees 2021/2022: Compensation, Tenure & Perks. Retrieved from https://financesonline.com/number-of-facebook-employees/ Greenwood, A. (2021, February 10). The 4 Netflix HR Practices That Took Us From Average to Awesome. Retrieved from https://www.process.st/hr-practices/ Head Topics. (2021, October 18). EXCLUSIVE: Google saw its lowest attrition rate in a decade in 2020. Retrieved from https://headtopics.com/us/exclusive-google-saw-its-lowest-attrition-rate-in-a-decade-in-2020-22186733 Hsu, A. (2021, June 24). As The Pandemic Recedes, Millions Of Workers Are Saying “I Quit.” NPR. https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1007914455/as-the-pandemic-recedes-millions-of-workers-are-saying-i-quit Klotz, A. (2021, May 30). The Covid vaccine means a return to work. And a wave of resignations. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/covid-vaccine-means-return-work-wave-resignations-ncna1269018 Lane, S. (2021, November 12). Number of Americans quitting jobs reached record high in September. TheHill. https://thehill.com/policy/finance/581314-quits-reach-record-high-in-september-as-tight-market-boosts-workers Levels.fyi. (n.d.). Facebook Company Perks & Benefits. Retrieved from https://www.levels.fyi/company/Facebook/benefits/ Markovic, I. (2021, August 19). How Apple improved their Employee Retention Rate by 28%. Retrieved from https://edume.com/blog/how-apple-improved-employee-retention-rate Masson, G. (2021, November 17). About 1 in 5 healthcare workers have left medicine since the pandemic began — Here’s why. Becker’s Hospital Review. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/workforce/about-1-in-5-healthcare-workers-have-left-medicine-since-the-pandemic-began-here-s-why.html McKinsey & Company. (2021, October 19). 'Great Attrition' or 'Great Attraction'? The choice is yours. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/great-attrition-or-great-attraction-the-choice-is-yours MHA. (2021). The State of Mental Health in America. Retrieved from https://mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america Patton, E. (2021, July 6). As office life beckons again, the pandemic’s digital nomads weigh benefits of a return. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/office-life-beckons-again-pandemic-s-digital-nomads-weigh-benefits-n1273000 Rep. No. USDL-21-1690 (2021).https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ebs2.pdf Selyukh, A. (2021, July 20). NPR Cookie Consent and Choices. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2021/07/20/1016081936/low-pay-no-benefits-rude-customers-restaurant-workers-quit-at-record-rate Spencer, J. (2021, January 22). How Much is Average PTO in the U.S.? Retrieved from https://www.zenefits.com/workest/how-much-is-average-pto-in-the-us/ WCVB. (2021, October 18). CEO sends letter about 'last, best and final offer' to striking nurses. Retrieved from https://www.wcvb.com/article/st-vincent-hospital-ceo-sends-letter-about-last-best-and-final-offer-to-striking-nurses/37992327 Wells, M. (2021, April 10). What Is The Average Employee Retention Rate by Industry? [2021 Update]. DailyPay. https://www.dailypay.com/blog/employee-retention-rate/ Copyright © 2022 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1049: Severin Sorensen interviews Zachary Green, a former U.S. Marine, highly successful entrepreneur, and author of The Warrior Entrepreneur. Severin and Zachary discuss the development of Zachary’s business, MN8 LumAware, and how his previous experience as a U.S. Marine and firefighter have impacted his entrepreneurial career today. Zachary shares the intangible skills of grit, teamwork, and purpose that his time in the Marines taught him. He also speaks to Skill Bridge, a program that business leaders can use to hire new veteran employees. Join this powerful discussion for insight on the importance of overcoming challenges, adaptability, and purpose, as well as a behind-the-scenes review of Zachary’s book, The Warrior Entrepreneur. About Zachary Green Zachary Green is a former U.S. Marine, highly successful entrepreneur, and the author of The Warrior Entrepreneur. Along with being a Marine Corps veteran, Zachary is a Bowling Green State University graduate and former lieutenant at his local fire department. Zachary is the Founder and former CEO of MN8, LumAware/Foxfire—a company he began from the trunk of his car and grew to reach $30 million in organic sales and $5 million in venture funding. His product lines are now distributed by Home Depot and other distributors. Some of his customers include the U.S. Government, Walmart, Kroger, GE Electric, and Procter & Gamble. Zachary has testified in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee and was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Governor John Kasich. He was also selected by the Obama Administration of the White House as 1 of the 10 entrepreneurs to represent the United States at the Global Entrepreneur Summit. Zachary’s new book, The Warrior Entrepreneur, was released in September 2021. His book became an Amazon bestseller in several categories and counties within its first 3 weeks of publication. He encourages business leaders to combine the innovative spirit of entrepreneurship with the structure and accountability found in the military. Zachary’s grit and determination for overcoming obstacles are a signature of his highly successful entrepreneurial journey Key highlights Entrepreneurship in youth Timestamp 02:53 Severin asks Zachary when it was that he first knew he was an entrepreneur. In response, Zachary shares some of his earliest memories including selling tickets for school fundraisers and door-to-door selling his grandmother’s lotion and soap. He also mowed lawns, had a paper route, and started a business with his friend around the age of 13 years old. Severin shares that in his executive selection practice, he will ask executives what they did in their youth to earn money. When asking this question, Severin has found that “some of the most interesting people have been earning, growing, learning capability, learning organization… and organizing other people” since their youth. These key moments of entrepreneurship in youth are a great indicator of Zachary’s entrepreneurial spirit. “The intangibles” Timestamp 07:15 Zachary Green joined the Marine Corps when he turned 18. There, he learned many lessons that still impact him today. Today, the skills that serve him in his entrepreneurial career are “the soft skills” and “intangible” skills such as “integrity, teamwork, dedication, morals” and a commitment to “mission accomplishment.” Being in the Marines taught Zachary the importance of having a “warrior spirit” to overcome life’s “crucible.” Zachary states that “the Marine Corps taught me…that I could literally accomplish anything that’s put in front of me…” Mission accomplished Timestamp 10:08 Two years after Zachary left the Marine Corps, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 happened. Zachary states that he felt “overwhelmed” knowing that his “brother and sister Marines were out there in the fight to the enemy…” while he was at home. Because of this, he joined his local volunteer fire department “as a way to give back to the community.” During his time firefighting, the Marine Corps value of “mission accomplishment” was strengthened in Zachary’s value system. By focusing on “mission accomplishment,” Zachary gained insight to the innovation and improvisation necessary for entrepreneurship. From this learning, his company LumAware was created. Zachary shares a story of how he got lost in a fire early in his career. However, by following his training, he was able to escape safely. When telling his captain about his experience, his captain said that every time a firefighter enters a fire they are going to “lose accountability” of their team and their tools. Instead of accepting defeat, Zachary got to work and created a failsafe “high output glow-in-the-dark material to put into helmet bands and onto tools.” After making the product for himself, he started selling the product out of his garage and car. Soon his business became a $30 million dollar company with retailers, such as Home Depot, selling his product. Overcoming challenges Timestamp 17:05 In Zachary’s entrepreneurial journey, he learned the importance of overcoming difficulties and obstacles. He shares a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche that emphasizes the importance of recognizing difficulties but not letting them overcome yourself. In running his company LumAware, Zachary realized when experiencing much difficulty, that he should step down from his role as CEO. This experience closely relates to Zachary’s reason for writing The Warrior Entrepreneur. After facing challenges through entrepreneurship and his near death experience with COVID-19, Zachary decided he needed to document overcoming his “ultimate crucible.” He wrote his book The Warrior Entrepreneur for entrepreneurs, however he states that it’s “for anybody that wants to get over their crucible in their life.” In this book he discusses themes such as “teamwork, purpose, adaptability, grit, sacrifice, morals, purpose” and many other things. Grit and adaptability Timestamp 29:24 Severin asks Zachary how he measures grit. In response, Zachary shares what he calls “the ultimate story of grit.” He shares the story of the first-ever female infantryman in the U.S. Marine Corps. She was born in a Siberian Russian prison and ended up being adopted in the United States. Her determination and resilience in the face of “the harassment from her fellow male marines and breaking down those stereotypes was nothing short of incredible.” Zachary explains that this is a powerful example of grit which is also necessary for entrepreneurs to have. Zachary believes that adaptability is also vital for entrepreneurship. When the COVID-19 pandemic affected LumAware, Zachary adapted his business to the needs of his vendors during COVID-19. In this adaptation, he transitioned his company towards making plexiglass dividers. Because of their adaptability, they became Home Depot’s number one supplier of COVID-19 barriers. Advice for employers seeking to hire veterans & veterans seeking employment Timestamp 36:30 When asked what advice he has for business owners looking to hire veteran employees, Zachary advises employers to join the Skill Bridge program. This program helps veterans transition from the military to the workplace and costs nothing to participating employers. For veterans, Zachary recommends focusing on the “soft” and “intangible” skills gained in their military service. He also recommends staying in shape, having a sense of purpose, and reaching out to other veterans. Interviewing and delegating Timestamp 41:29 Throughout Zachary’s career, he has continued to learn from challenges and failures that came his way. One of the failures he has learned from was the difficulty he experienced when interviewing and hiring employees. As an extrovert, he would share his “why” and his “vision” for his company without interviewing the job applicant. In this, he learned the importance of hiring a third-party to conduct interviews and hiring processes. Zachary also states that he has learned the importance of delegating tasks. He states that “most people aren’t as good as the founder of a company…” and as a result he wanted to control everything at LumAware. However, Zachary explains that if you hire employees that are 60% as good as the founder, when you hire 2 of them you increase your productivity by 20%. He says that business leaders should “recognize that no one’s going to take care of your baby the way that you are, but that’s okay… the hallmark of a true leader… is developing other leaders.” Semper Fi Timestamp 45:31 Zachary explains that Semper Fi is the “hallmark of the Marine Corps” meaning “always faithful.” This means that the Marines are not only faithful to their mission but also to each other. Zachary applies this to his business practice as he is faithful to his own “why” and to organizations as they produce outcomes bigger than themselves. Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2022 by Arete Coach LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1051: In this episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, Severin Sorensen interviews Cindy Hesterman, a Vistage Chair and recipient of the 2004 Vistage Robert Nourse Chair of the Year Award and 2013 Red Scott Award. Severin and Cindy discuss how one question led Cindy to a legacy of executive coaching, the power of curiosity, financial literacy, and managing peer groups. Continue reading for a discussion on creating powerful peer groups and coaching with creativity. About Cindy Hesterman Cindy Hesterman is a Vistage Chair and recipient of the 2004 Vistage Robert Nourse Chair of the Year Award and the 2013 Red Scott Award. She has been an executive coach for 19 years with Vistage Florida and currently works with CEOs and other top executives in the Tampa, Florida area. Cindy facilitates three Vistage groups and has approximately 50 one-to-one executive coaching sessions each month. Prior to executive coaching, Cindy was a CPA and held executive positions such as CFO and VP of Finance and Accounting. During her time in the finance and accounting industry, she was involved in over 35 M&A transactions. Today, Cindy is a certified Predictive Index Practitioner and has served as a trainer for new Vistage Chairs in Florida, Michigan, and New Mexico. Cindy’s passion for helping executives achieve their best, and her heart for serving others, are key to what have made her the impactful executive coach that she is today. Key highlights The question that lead to a legacy Timestamp 02:33 Before entering the executive coaching industry, Cindy was a highly successful Chief Financial Officer. The company she was working with had enrolled her in TEC (now called Vistage), and eventually merged with a larger business. When the merge happened, they requested that Cindy move from Tampa, Florida to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cindy was torn on what to do and brought the decision to her peer group. Two peer group members posed the question of whether Cindy would consider becoming a Vistage/TEC Chair and start leading peer groups. Cindy initially decided to continue her work in the financial executive industry, but decided to change course after having her first child. Since that decision, Cindy has been coaching and impacting the lives of others through her position with Vistage. Starting the first Vistage group Timestamp 08:18 When Cindy first started coaching and was recruiting members for her Vistage group, she and the President of Vistage Florida held a happy hour event to encourage local business leaders to join Vistage. At this event, Cindy invited several potential group members but her efforts were sidetracked by an individual who arrived at the event intoxicated. Her potential group members mistakenly saw this individual as a representation of what the values of Vistage are. Because of this, her potential members chose not to be involved with Vistage. From this, she learned that it is important to only invite those individuals who can represent Vistage well. After this event, she hired a coach for herself who helped her overcome imposter syndrome and self-doubt. She learned that her passion for executive coaching and Vistage can be a driving force for others to join her peer group. Creating a culture Timestamp 13:01 Cindy’s experience as a Vistage peer group member before her career as a Vistage Chair taught her the importance of carefully selecting peer group members. In Cindy’s peer groups, she has a vision for a “world class group” that is diverse and a place for feedback and learning. Keeping in mind this vision, her first Vistage group increased in numbers quickly. Today, Cindy is always actively networking and instead of placing new potential clients on waitlists, refers them to other coaches. This allows her to not only receive referrals but also give them. Her peer groups each have their own culture that changes based on the integration of new members and ideas. From CFO to coach Timestamp 17:42 Cindy’s previous experience as a CFO gives her great insight into the financial skills needed to run a successful business. In her coaching practice, she incorporates her knowledge of financial literacy through exercises and planning strategies that she encourages executives to participate in. One of these planning strategies she encourages her clients to participate in is a 13-week forward-looking cash flow projection. She will also ask CEOs and executive coaches questions about their dashboards and ratios to help them lead financially healthy businesses. The knower and the questioner Timestamp 25:17 Overtime, Cindy has learned “that it’s more important to ask the right question than it is to have knowledge of the business.” Early in her executive coaching career, Cindy tried to be an expert in all her coaching clients’ fields. However, she learned that it was more important to be curious about their business. Severin relates this realization to impostor syndrome. He states that “imposter syndrome drives you” to say, “I must be the knower.” However, Severin explains that skilled executive coaches realize “I’m not the knower. They’re the knower. I am the curious questioner…” The Recession & COVID-19 Timestamp 27:58 During the Recession of 2008 and 2009, Cindy was coaching several executive leaders. She explains that during the recession, she went from 15 to 6 group members with some losing 90% of their revenue. Cindy shares that she felt guilty that her members were facing such financial losses. Looking back, she realizes that her guilt stemmed from not being able to “save” her coachees. During this time, a Vistage trainer in Florida recommended that she attend Vistage Boot Camp again. Doing this helped her “get out of that funk” and helped her realize that her coachees’ financial struggles were not her fault. She recognized that she was “responsible only for asking the right questions, not saving their business.” This mindset helped her as challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic arose. She shares that she “knew what could happen” during this time and focused on her responsibility to “help them,” “ask them the right questions,” “and help them explore what the possibilities are.” The “phone factor” Timestamp 39:47 When asked about a lesson she wishes she learned earlier in her coaching career, Cindy shares what she calls the “phone factor.” She explains this by stating that “if my phone rings and I see who’s calling and I cringe or I have negative emotion, then I recognize this is not someone I should be working with.” She uses this “phone factor” as a key indicator for the health of her groups and whether or not someone would be a good fit for her peer advisory groups. Creating and maintaining groups Timestamp 41:12 It is important to be selective when creating groups. Cindy states that “if your gut is telling you that something’s not right, or if you just have this hesitation about how they’re going to fit with you or with the group, then listen to your gut and don’t bring them in.” She also recommends that “the minute you start feeling” a peer should leave the group “do some exploration” and start “asking questions.” Severin agrees with Cindy’s perspective and shares a story of his own experience removing an individual from a group. In response Cindy shares that “if you don’t envision 10 years from now that this group is still a great dynamic, then don’t bring in that person that you think is going to disrupt it.” When leading and maintaining these groups, peer group members will occasionally seek to hire each other or invest in each other’s companies. Because of this, both Cindy and Severin have their own unique policies for addressing these situations. One of Cindy’s policies is not allowing employees from the same company join her peer executive groups. This protects the group dynamic of learning and development that she has created within each of her groups. Identity and destiny Timestamp 51:54 Cindy’s why is rooted in her identity and destiny. She shares that her identity “is to be a caring and trusted leader” and that her “destiny is to lead workers and impact many others.” Because of this, her “why” or the driving force behind her coaching is the positive influence she can have on others which, in turn, creates a positive ripple effect of the influence they can have in their own circles. Her passion for helping others is greatly evidenced by her best day ever as a Vistage Chair: when she received the Red Scott Award. Before Red Scott’s passing, he was a mentor to Cindy. He decided that he wanted to create an award for servant leadership so that he could leave behind a legacy. Before his passing he named the first two recipients. One of these recipients was Cindy. Cindy also shares a quote from Red Scott titled “To Leave a Legacy.” This great award is testament to the servant heart and genuine care that Cindy has for the executives she coaches. Curiosity and creativity Timestamp 56:11 When asked what has made her a difference-maker in the executive coaching industry, Cindy shares that her curiosity as a coach has driven much of her success. Since she was a child, she was curious, and this carried into her adulthood. Her curiosity has also helped her as a CFO by instilling questions such as “what company could we acquire” and “what could we do differently?” Today in her coaching, she uses her curiosity to ask powerful questions such as “what could this business be that’s different?” Cindy is also very creative. She states that she is known as a “creative chair” who will “try almost anything.” Cindy loves “bringing in construction paper, crayons, and pictures, and having people do all kinds of imaginative things” during retreat sessions to bond her groups together. Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2022 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1052: Review the current state of inflation, previous responses to inflation, and recent data and research on inflation as discussed on Episode #1052 of the Arete Coach Podcast. Also included are 23 strategies for cutting costs and keeping customers in the midst of inflationary periods for business leaders, CEOs, and executive coaches to consider when managing their businesses. About Severin Sorensen Severin Sorensen is a serial entrepreneur and lifetime learner with a passionate curiosity for people and businesses. Severin is the CEO of ePraxis LLC, a premier level retained search firm that provides executive headhunting, talent selection, and executive coaching. In addition to finding top talent, Severin has provided over 7,500+ hours of paid executive coaching to entrepreneurs, CEOs, Presidents, and C-level executives. Severin is an ICF ACSTH Certified Executive Coach, Certified Organizational Development Coach, Certified Life Coach, and Certified Positive Intelligence® Coach. Severin is the founder/producer of a new podcast, Arete Coach, that explores the art and science of executive coaching with some of the industry's best coaches. From 2010-2018 Severin was also a Vistage Chair where he coached three CEO and key executive groups. In 2011, Severin received the "Rookie of the Year Chair Award" from Vistage. Since 2013, Severin has added international speaking for Vistage, CEO conferences, executive peer groups, and corporations on the topic of identifying and hiring difference-making top talent. After graduate school, Severin moved to Washington, DC, where he worked on security-related economic and public policy issues that included a brief stint in The White House, as a Special Assistant to the President, for George H. Bush (POTUS 41). In 1994, Severin founded Sparta Consulting Corp., and Sparta provided world-class physical security and safety related management consulting services for public and private sector entities. From 1994-2002, Severin managed HUD's Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design technical assistance and training program. In 2005, Severin sold Sparta to Westec Interactive (Digital Witness), which was subsequently acquired by Interface Security. Severin, a native Californian, grew up in Salt Lake City, UT and graduated with honors from the University of Utah with Economics and Political Science degrees. He completed graduate studies in economics at King's College, Cambridge University (England), where he earned a M.Phil. degree in Economics. Severin has a great love and appreciation for sports, and while overseas, Severin rowed for the King's College Boat Club, and played basketball for the Cambridge University Basketball Team (1986-87). Key highlights Jamey Johnson’s “In Color” Timestamp 00:54 To kick off the episode, Severin quotes the song “In Color” sung by Jamey Johnson. The song tells the story of an older man shuffling through black and white photos saying, “You should have seen it in color.” Severin relates this song to the importance of looking back at past seasons of inflation. He explains that “many living today have no context for [inflation]… what it can do to economies, businesses, families, individuals… and their savings.” The USA has not experienced inflation rates like those we are experiencing now since 1982. Contributors to inflation Timestamp 07:32 Severin reviews contributors to inflation which include increases in material costs, increases in labor costs, changes in productivity, taxes, exchange rates, interest rates, and the economy of neighboring countries. State of inflation Timestamp 14:15 Measured in November 2021, inflation has increased by 6.9% YoY. The price of many goods have increased faster than household incomes. For example, there is a 59% increase on fuel and oil prices, a 50% increase in motor fuel prices, a 20% increase in the price of beef, and 39% increase in the price of car and truck rentals. Many industries, products, and services have increased their prices faster than the rate of income increases. Federal influence on inflation Timestamp 20:46 The Federal Government can employ a variety of strategies in attempt to control inflation. Severin shares that executives and business leaders need to be aware of the changes that the Federal Government could make as a result of inflation and that “betting against the Fed is perilous.” The Federal Government has intervened during times of previous inflation, and employers should be aware of potential interventions. Looking back on previous times of inflation Timestamp 23:26 Severin states that in “times like these, I think there is value in looking back at what others have said about inflation.” Severin shares insights given by Warren Buffett in 1977 and 2015 on the topic of inflation. Based on Buffett’s statements, Severin states that “the best business to own is one that does not require continuous reinvestment… businesses need to preserve capital and make their businesses more profitable.” Harvard Business Review’s “6 Strategies to Help Your Company Weather Inflation” Timestamp 26:19 Severin reviews key insights, strategies, and takeaways covered in Harvard Business Review’s “6 Strategies to Help Your Company Weather Inflation.” Writers of the Harvard Business Review article state that “companies will need to make moves that not only cut costs, but also build more scalable growth platforms… and stronger purchasing and pricing capabilities.” They also suggest 6 strategies that businesses can use to help them prepare for inflation. 23 ways companies can increase prices without losing customers Timestamp 29:46 Severin shares 23 ways that companies today can increase prices without losing customers, a key strategy for withstanding inflation. The strategies he proposes include the following. Add value and value price Add value and increase your cost-basis prices Increase pricing on remaining units when costs are covered Incrementally increase utility demand pricing Geographically increase pricing Offer premium prices if you are providing a premium product/service Economy pricing Cost plus fee pricing Cost plus fee plus COLA pricing Add a COLA clause to contracts Add fees Add surcharges Reduce unit count Bundle Keep legacy customers at present levels and increase prices on new customers Increase prices on change orders Increase prices on some but not all units Create a range of pricing Use the cover of the herd Understand the psychology of pricing Identify customers that are costing the most Peg your contracts with foreign currency Strategically discount for volume purchases For more information about these strategies, Severin recommends reviewing the article 23 Strategies and Methods to Increase Pricing Without Necessarily Losing Your Customers on AreteCoach.io. Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: References Basar, J., Belotserkovskiy, R., Burns, T., Mussacaleca, M., Thoma, A., & Vandaele, J. (2021, July 21). Responding to inflation and volatility: Time for procurement to lead. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/operations/our-insights/responding-to-inflation-and-volatility-time-for-procurement-to-lead Crawford, E. (2021, December 2). Walmart leverages operations to offset margin pressure from keeping prices low as inflation rises. Foodnavigator-Usa. https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2021/12/02/Walmart-leverages-operations-to-offset-margin-pressure-from-keeping-prices-low-as-inflation-rises Deloitte. (n.d.-a). Effective pricing strategies during inflation for consumer companies. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/consulting/articles/consumer-pricing-strategies-during-inflation.html Deloitte. (n.d.-b). Margin management can offset sustained inflationary pressures. Deloitte United States. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/consulting/articles/effective-inflation-margin-management.html Heinrich, J., Henderson, S., Holland, T., & Portanova, M. (2021, September 28). 6 Strategies to Help Your Company Weather Inflation. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/09/6-strategies-to-help-your-company-weather-inflation?registration=success Johnson, B. (2009, July 21). Apple bucks recession with some of best financial results in its history, thanks to new iPhone 3GS. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/jul/21/apple-financial-results Kaiser, F., Sommerer, M., Thimm, S., & Vandaele, J. (2021, July 14). Getting real about mitigating price inflation. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/chemicals/our-insights/getting-real-about-mitigating-price-inflation Kishorepuria, P. (2021, September 8). Inflation and economic uncertainty: What CEOs need to do now. Accenture. https://www.accenture.com/us-en/blogs/business-functions-blog/inflation-economic-uncertainty Krishnamurthy, H., Queirolo, A., Redaelli, S., & White, B. (2021, October 22). Winning the race with inflation: The pricing opportunity for industrial companies. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/advanced-electronics/our-insights/winning-the-race-with-inflation-the-pricing-opportunity-for-industrial-companies Marks, G. (2021, July 19). Two experienced business owners discuss strategies for fighting rising prices. Https://Www.Inquirer.Com. https://www.inquirer.com/business/inflation-small-business-prices-contracts-20210719.html Riserbato, R. (2021, May 28). How These 7 Companies Thrived During the Recession. Hubspot. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/companies-that-thrived-during-the-recession Rouse, C., Zhang, J., & Tedeschi, E. (2021, July 6). Historical Parallels to Today’s Inflationary Episode. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2021/07/06/historical-parallels-to-todays-inflationary-episode/ Smous, L. (2021, December 1). How Winning Brands Keep Winning in a Recession. AdRoll. https://www.adroll.com/blog/how-winning-brands-keep-winning-in-a-recession Thompson, J. (2009, August 18). Lego sales buck recession to hit all-time high. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/lego-sales-buck-recession-to-hit-alltime-high-1773474.html USBLS. (2021, December 15). Consumer prices up 6.8 percent for year ended November 2021 : The Economics Daily: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/consumer-prices-up-6-8-percent-for-year-ended-november-2021.htm Wolverton, T. (2009, July 16). 2009: Netflix defies recession. The Mercury News. https://www.mercurynews.com/2009/07/16/2009-netflix-defies-recession/ Copyright © 2022 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1053: In this episode of the Arete Coach Podcast, Gail Schaper-Gordon, a Vistage Chair and executive coach, business psychologist, organizational consultant, and experienced CEO, provides insight into the importance of pivoting and changing in times of crisis, the impact that COVID-19 has had on businesses and the economy, and the power of leaning into challenges, coaching, and self. About Gail Schaper-Gordon Gail Schaper-Gordon is a Vistage Chair and executive coach, business psychologist, organizational consultant, and experienced CEO. Gail has 22 years of experience as a successful CEO and business leader, has founded and led several successful professional service companies including Aegis Psychological Corporation and Behavioral Health Information Management Systems. The companies she led were the cornerstone of a behavioral health care delivery system that served more than 500 mental health care providers and a quarter of a million clients. Gail received her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of California and her Ph.D. in Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. Currently, Gail is a board member of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Business Development Committee and Pasadena Media. Gail is also an Organizational Change Consultant and Business Psychologist with Win-Win Workplace Solutions; designing and implementing programs that meet the unique needs of her clients. Gail has been a part of Vistage for over 13 years and leads 3 peer advisory boards for executives. In 2014 she was awarded the Chair of Excellence Award from Vistage International, and in 2013 she was awarded the 28th Congressional District Woman of the Year by Congressman Adam Schiff. Gail has a passion for helping business leaders strive for excellence and achieve their next level of success. Key highlights Deciding to thrive Timestamp 09:59 Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Gail encouraged her coaching clients to have what she calls a “rallying cry.” She encouraged them to view the COVID-19 pandemic as not just a time to survive, but a time to lean into opportunities that could help them thrive in the long term. Using the example of restaurants, Gail explains how restaurants that shifted their strategy as a result of the pandemic survived, unlike those who didn’t. In taking advantage of new business opportunities, Gail has found that the biggest challenge has been finding the right people who are able to take action on new opportunities. Leaning into coaching Timestamp 12:10 When asked what Gail has learned from the pandemic, Gail shares that she has “learned how to lean in ways and be even more engaged.” With the time she has saved using Zoom video conferencing and not driving to a variety of locations, she has been able to invest more time into one-to-one meetings. As her meetings change in regard to COVID-19 restrictions, she has paid special attention to the requests and needs of her groups and clients. Gail states that she works towards “whatever the needs are” of her groups, which she finds has helped her groups become “so engaged and supportive of each other.” “Resiliency, adaptability, and agility” Timestamp 21:27 Severin comments on the fluctuations in the global economy and the effects that fear can have on those invested in the economy. Gail responds by stating the importance of “resiliency, adaptability, and agility.” For example, because her coaching clients are having a hard time finding employees, Gail is encouraging them to find new ways to attract employees, keep employees, stay up-to-date with current research and insight, and adapt based on their findings. The Great Resignation Timestamp 26:00 When discussing the potential causes of The Great Resignation, Gail shares her insight on the changing role of women in the workplace. Gail discusses the advancement of women in places of work, the development of dual income families, as well as the economic need of a dual income workplace. She states that The Great Resignation might be similar to the way Kawaii rebuilt itself during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Maybe it is nature taking care of itself that we’ve all kind of been working so hard, having so little time with our families and our kids. Maybe we don’t need to have dual income families. Maybe we lost our way” explains Gail. In response, Severin also shares the impact that Digital Nomads have had on The Great Resignation, the impact of truck driver resignations, and the future of automation. Time management and your most productive hours Timestamp 34:43 When Gail asked her Vistage groups in Hawaii what training they wanted, she was surprised that they requested training on time management. She was surprised because she thought they managed their time well because they made time for family and outdoor activities. However, she learned that unlike businesses on the mainland, her Vistage groups requested time management training so they could increase their productivity for their businesses and careers. As part of this conversation, Severin introduces the importance of knowing when your most productive hours are and taking advantage of those hours. Leaning into your identity Timestamp 38:06 A lesson that Gail learned recently that she wishes she had learned earlier, is the importance of leaning into one’s own identity, seeing things differently, understanding what makes you unique, and how people don’t need to be “be right in other people’s eyes,” just your own. Being sentient Timestamp 39:06 Gail’s most powerful questions are those that are asked in the moment and based on the unique conversation she is having with her coaching client. She shares that the way she coaches focuses on “really listening from a deep feeling place and then kind of being like a tuning fork… It’s just being totally in the moment with people and being curious.” She uses this skill throughout her coaching. Work and life Timestamp 42:08 Gail shares a story of a woman she was coaching who was a highly successful environmental engineer. During one of her coaching sessions, the woman she was coaching started sharing the difficulties she was facing in her personal life and a recent loss she experienced. Gail states that “we sat there, and we had the emotions, went through it, and then we resumed, and then we started talking about business at hand.” She explains that it is a gift to be able to be with her clients through their hardships in both work and personal life while she helps them achieve their best in their businesses. In Gail’s role as a business psychologist, she helps business owners face the challenges of running a business but also the “life that happens to them” as well. Embracing clarity Timestamp 47:38 Gail’s “why” is to help others clarify and make sense of “complicated factors, problems, [and] concepts.” She uses this as a way to build trust so that she can contribute to the lives of those around her. When asked how she would measure her life, Gail shares that she measures her life every day by the “smiles” and the “ah-ha!” moments she gets to witness each day. She has a great “appreciation of seeing people… overcome things that they think…they can” and for “being part of the journey.” The power of silence Timestamp 54:10 Gail shares her insight on the power of silence. She states that as a Vistage Chair, it is common to want “to be heard.” Throughout her role as a Vistage Chair, she states that “I’ve learned that the less my opinion is expressed in a group, the less they hear what my idea of a solution would be.” Severin relates to this insight and states that “it’s hard to go from consultants where you were the teller, to coach where you’re the listener.” By embracing the power of silence, Gail allows her Vistage group members to work together and find solutions that best fit their business needs. Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2022 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Episode #1054: Join us as we celebrate the first anniversary of the Arete Coach™ Podcast. Severin Sorensen, curator and host of the podcast, reviews the reach of the show, the top ten episodes, powerful questions discussed, stories of life change, tools of executive coaching, and more as discussed throughout the show’s first year. Continue reading for a year’s worth of powerful discussion and insightful conversation, and a glimpse into what to expect in 2022. About Severin Sorensen Severin Sorensen is a serial entrepreneur and lifetime learner with a passionate curiosity for people and businesses. Severin is the CEO of ePraxis LLC, a premier level retained search firm that provides executive headhunting, talent selection, and executive coaching. In addition to finding top talent, Severin has provided over 7,500+ hours of paid executive coaching to entrepreneurs, CEOs, Presidents, and C-level executives. Severin is an ICF ACSTH Certified Executive Coach, Certified Organizational Development Coach, Certified Life Coach, and Certified Positive Intelligence® Coach. Severin is the founder/producer of a new podcast, Arete Coach, that explores the art and science of executive coaching with some of the industry's best coaches. From 2010-2018 Severin was also a Vistage Chair where he coached three CEO and key executive groups. In 2011, Severin received the "Rookie of the Year Chair Award" from Vistage. Since 2013, Severin has added international speaking for Vistage, CEO conferences, executive peer groups, and corporations on the topic of identifying and hiring difference-making top talent. After graduate school, Severin moved to Washington, DC, where he worked on security-related economic and public policy issues that included a brief stint in The White House, as a Special Assistant to the President, for George H. Bush (POTUS 41). In 1994, Severin founded Sparta Consulting Corp., and Sparta provided world-class physical security and safety related management consulting services for public and private sector entities. From 1994-2002, Severin managed HUD's Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design technical assistance and training program. In 2005, Severin sold Sparta to Westec Interactive (Digital Witness), which was subsequently acquired by Interface Security. Severin, a native Californian, grew up in Salt Lake City, UT and graduated with honors from the University of Utah with Economics and Political Science degrees. He completed graduate studies in economics at King's College, Cambridge University (England), where he earned a M.Phil. degree in Economics. Severin has a great love and appreciation for sports, and while overseas, Severin rowed for the King's College Boat Club, and played basketball for the Cambridge University Basketball Team (1986-87). Key highlights Celebrating the life of Richard Bosworth Timestamp 00:46 Severin shares the life and legacy of Richard Bosworth, the first guest of the Arete Coach Podcast. Richard was a “delightful, insightful, sage, witty, and inspiring” individual who impacted the lives of those around him greatly. Unfortunately, four months after his interview on the Arete Coach Podcast, Richard passed away from a heart complication in August 2020. Richard was a dear friend of Severin and the Arete Coach community. His interview was a powerful, insightful, and impactful lead to what has become a “strong line up of great coaches and coaching topics.” The Arete Coach™ community Timestamp 03:43 The Arete Coach Podcast has hosted guests from all over the world. Guests of the podcast have originated from the United States, England, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Greece, and Spain. In 2022, the podcast will expand its global perspective with guests from India, Mexico, Romania, Switzerland, and Thailand. Guests of the podcast are not only diverse in geography, but also in their coaching programs. Within the first 12 months of the Arete Coach Podcast, over 51,000 episodes were downloaded. By 13 months, the Arete Coach Podcast reached the 3rd highest ranked podcast globally on Google for the search term “Executive Coach Podcast.” ListenNotes has also placed the Arete Coach Podcast in the top 0.5% percent of podcasts. With listeners from the United States, United Kingdom, Middle East, United Arab Emirates, India, Bangladesh, Canada, Australia, Spain, Luxembourg, and China, the Arete Coach community has become a global and culturally diverse community of idea sharing and discussion. The top 10 podcasts Timestamp 06:20 Severin shares the top ten most popular podcast of the year: Episode 1007 Steve Ramerini: Prosperity and Charity as Motivation Episode 1037 Conor Neill: Powerful Stories Stimulate Action Episode 1001 Richard Bosworth: Asking ‘what if?’ Episode 1034 Don Myers: Power of Referrals Episode 1002 Ozzie Gontang: Asking with Listening and Skill Episode 1036 Janet Fogarty: WAIT = Why Am I Talking? Episode 1009 Larry Cassidy: From Commanding to Coaching Episode 1035 Steve Leach: Using Metaphors in Coaching Episode 1027 Sally Rhoads: Covid19 Mental Health Crisis and Coaching Considerations Episode 1033: The Future of Work after COVID-19 Powerful questions Timestamp 10:24 Severin reviews powerful questions discussed in previous podcast episodes from Ozzie Gontang, Bill Clark, Glenn Waring, Larry Cassidy, and Jeannette Hobson. Thoughts on COVID-19 Timestamp 12:11 Throughout the pandemic, the Arete Coach Podcast fostered collaboration and discussion on how to best manage its affects on life and business as we know it. The Arete Coach Podcast and AreteCoach.io insights have covered everything from digital nomadism, remote working, case studies, current data and research, real estate, mental health, and a variety of other related topics. Stories of life change Timestamp 14:17 During the first year of the Arete Coach Podcast, many guests shared stories of how executive coaching has impacted the lives of others. Severin reviews these stories from Episode #1034 with Don Meyer, Episode #1019 with Phil Holberton, Episode #1011 with Barry Goldberg, Episode #1038 with Allen Hauge, and Episode #1022 with Mark Taylor. The heart of executive coaching Timestamp 15:53 The heart of an executive coach is the “desire to help others and make the world a better place. One executive, one CEO, one peer group, one business at a time.” Severin reviews several quotes and stories from previous episodes that display the heart behind executive coaching. The tools of an executive coach Timestamp 17:09 The tools that executive coaches use is a popular topic of discussion on the Arete Coach Podcast. In this section of the podcast, Severin reviews some of the popular coaching tools that past podcast guests have shared with the audience. What to expect in 2022 Timestamp 18:25 What should listeners of the Arete Coach Podcast expect in 2022? They should expect more. More insights, collaboration, coaching tools, data, research, deep dives into the science of executive coaching, inspiring quotes, and ideas. Listeners should also expect to find a place where every week they are “introduced to wonderful people, committed to serving and helping others, enjoying the pressing forward of this work, we call executive coaching. Listeners of the Arete Coach Podcast can expect excellence, the ‘core essence of the word Arete.’” Download the transcript Click here to listen to the podcast, or click below to view the podcast outline and transcript: Copyright © 2022 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.