Latest news with #executiveCoaching
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Reinventing The Leader: A Blueprint For Leading Through Transformation
"Reinventing the Leader" offers something increasingly rare in business literature: an honest, ... More practical guide that acknowledges leadership is as much about personal growth as it is about strategy execution. After 25 years of coaching executive teams, I've seen countless company transformations first hand and it's often not pretty. For many reasons, rarely do we get a real look under the hood in the books we read. When I picked up "Reinventing the Leader" by Guilherme Loureiro and Carlos Marin, I found something refreshing: a brutally honest account of what it actually takes to lead through transformation. In "Reinventing the Leader," Loureiro and Marin deliver a compelling dual narrative that chronicles both a massive corporate transformation and the deeply personal journey of leadership growth. Drawing from Loureiro's experience transforming Walmex—Walmart's largest international operation—into a digital, agile company while maintaining record performance, this book offers rare insight into how personal reinvention and organizational change are inextricably linked. The book's strength lies in its honest, vulnerable portrayal of leadership challenges. Rather than presenting a sanitized success story, Loureiro candidly shares his struggles with feedback, his initial resistance to change, and the painful process of confronting his own behavioral blind spots. This authenticity, combined with executive coach Carlos Marin's professional insights, creates a uniquely practical guide for leaders facing similar challenges. The most transformative practice in the book centers on what the authors call "empathic silence"—the discipline of truly listening without interrupting, defending, or immediately problem-solving. Loureiro's journey from an impatient, interrupting CEO to one who genuinely hears his team illustrates the profound impact of this shift. Immediate Implementation: Start each meeting by asking questions and then practicing what they call the "Listening Checklist": The authors provide another practical framework: seeking "feedforward" rather than feedback—this is a focus on future improvements rather than past mistakes. Coined by his friend and renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, this subtle shift transforms defensive conversations into collaborative problem-solving sessions. Perhaps the most actionable tool in the book is the elegantly simple three-question assessment that helped Walmex evaluate readiness for transformation: Immediate Implementation: Use these questions in two ways: The genius of this framework is its simplicity—it cuts through complexity to reveal the fundamental elements needed for successful change: understanding, motivation, and capability. Drawing from the tech world's concept of Minimum Viable Product (MVP), the authors introduce the powerful idea of becoming a "Minimum Viable Person"—focusing on incremental improvement rather than perfection. This approach proved crucial during Loureiro's own behavioral transformation and the company's digital evolution. Immediate Implementation: This approach reduces the paralysis that comes from pursuing perfection and creates momentum through continuous improvement. What sets this book apart from typical leadership literature is its integration of personal and organizational transformation. The authors demonstrate that you cannot effectively change a company without changing yourself first—a lesson many leaders learn too late, if at all. The book's structure, alternating between Loureiro's CEO perspective and Marin's coaching insights, provides both the strategic view and the tactical tools needed for implementation. The inclusion of direct quotes from team members adds credibility and shows the real impact of the changes described. This book is essential reading for: "Reinventing the Leader" offers something increasingly rare in business literature: an honest, practical guide that acknowledges leadership is as much about personal growth as it is about strategy execution. The authors' willingness to share failures alongside successes makes this not just an informative read, but an inspiring one. The ultimate message is both simple and profound: the key to transforming your organization lies first in transforming yourself. For leaders ready to embark on that dual journey, this book provides an invaluable roadmap.
Harvard Business Review
6 days ago
- Business
- Harvard Business Review
Managing Up, One Conversation at a Time
Have you ever realized, partway through a project, that you and your boss aren't on the same page? Maybe your definitions of success differed, or their expectations were unclear. Maybe you couldn't get them to listen, or you couldn't figure out why they insisted on doing things a certain way. Managing up means tackling these disconnects head-on—and doing it through honest, well-timed discussions. Executive coach Melody Wilding joins Amy G to explain why alignment on goals and clarity around working styles are essential. They talk through how to start these conversations without awkwardness, what to say to make them productive, and how to adapt your approach without losing your authenticity. Plus, they answer listener questions and hear from Amy B about how she handles alignment with both her boss and her team. Guest expert: Melody Wilding is an executive coach, human behavior professor, and author of Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge.
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
GOCP Expands Coaching Services to the US Market
05/27/2025, County Sligo, Ireland // PRODIGY: Feature Story // Gerald O'Connor, founder of the executive coaching firm GOCP, has announced the expansion of his bespoke leadership services into the United States market. This expansion signifies his commitment to bringing his methods centered on transforming organizational culture through meeting effectiveness through a broader international client base. With a growing demand for leadership interventions that address cultural and communication challenges, O'Connor is seeking senior leadership teams ready to reimagine how they decide, collaborate, and lead. 'I've spent years observing how subtle power dynamics and poor meeting structures hold organizations back. It's not just in performance but also in morale, innovation, and retention. The US is full of forward-thinking leaders who know something needs to change but aren't always sure where to start. That's where I come in,' says O'Connor. O'Connor's philosophy revolves around the belief that meetings are diagnostic tools and levers for cultural transformation. His unique coaching model begins with an in-depth meeting analysis, which he utilizes to discover patterns in behavior, communication gaps, and decision-making inefficiencies that reflect the broader organizational culture. By improving the design and function of meetings, O'Connor helps leaders initiate cultural shifts that can lead to lower staff turnover, improved efficiency, and more accountable decision-making processes. Catering to the C-suite and senior leadership teams, O'Connor's coaching is highly personalized and usually includes structured one-on-one sessions between the CEO and each board member. This approach is essential to draw out underrepresented voices and nurture more inclusive, balanced decision-making. He helps executive teams understand the informal power structures and communication habits that shape their culture and guides them in using meeting practices as vehicles to influence change from within. O'Connor has witnessed firsthand that many meetings are bloated, underprepared, or poorly constructed. They result in lost opportunities and disengaged participants. 'What we need is fewer but more purposeful meetings, where the right people are at the table, and where everyone feels safe enough to speak up,' O'Connor states. He has seen too many cases where the best ideas were left unspoken because the cultural conditions don't allow for open contributions. Hence, O'Connor helps flatten hierarchical structures to empower teams, promote safer communication, and build a foundation of trust and accountability. The coach believes that meetings are a microcosm of the organization itself. When they're dysfunctional (i.e., dominated by a few voices, under-attended by the right people, or misused as performance rituals rather than decision-making forums), they're symptomatic of deeper cultural flaws. Inspired by a retired US Navy captain, O'Connor promotes decentralized leadership models where authority is distributed and initiative is encouraged. 'Authority should be bottom up rather than top down,' explains O'Connor. Over a decade in executive roles within one of Ireland's most respected sporting organizations informs O'Connor's approach. As a former County Board Secretary, he led initiatives in governance, strategic planning, and cultural transformation. These experiences became the basis for his book, The County Board Chair: The Unofficial Guide. It's widely respected for its candid insights into the realities of leadership in volunteer-driven organizations and its practical guidance for turning complex dynamics into shared purpose. Meanwhile, his work in the voluntary sector was where O'Connor realized the destructive impact of unaddressed power imbalances and workplace bullying. He now integrates this awareness into his coaching, helping leaders recognize the subtle behaviors that can poison team culture, such as information hoarding or strategic ostracization. His experience being undermined by such dynamics only motivated him further to teach others how to build systems of support, transparency, and mutual respect. As he sets his sights on US organizations, O'Connor is eager to connect with mission-driven leaders ready to turn their meeting rooms into engines of innovation. He believes his approach has universal relevance, whether working with startups, scaling firms, or legacy institutions looking to modernize their culture. 'I'm not just trying to fix how people meet,' O'Connor says. 'My goal is to create organizations where everyone can contribute without fear and where decisions are made with clarity, courage, and collective insight.' Media Contact Name: Gerald O'Connor Email: [email protected] Source published by Submit Press Release >> GOCP Expands Coaching Services to the US Market
