Ignite your excellence
I’m often asked, “Why were you named the #1 Coach in the world by Marshall Goldsmith and one of the top 8 by Thinkers 50?” On one hand, I don’t know. There are many of us who are truly outstanding. On the other, I and others like me, work hard to know as much as we can on multiple levels. Frameworks, models, the latest research, what’s going on in the market and how to work with our specific client and their organization. Even more, to work on ourselves.
You cannot give what you do not have. To be a great coach you must be dedicated to the truth about yourself, to overcoming having an overly high, or an overly low, opinion of yourself. Only when you are determined to be the best, have also been humbled and have experienced your core, can you walk with another on their journey.
Some of the most meaningful moments in coaching are when swirls of data bits come together and the sparks ignite to create excellence. What does this mean? It can be the moment my clients discover something truly important that impacts how they lead and who they are. Or, when they thought there was only one way to react, or one path forward, and now see there are many.
Over the past twenty five years, I have had the privilege of working with leaders across a myriad of industries, walks of life, and stages of careers—from young high potentials, to senior leaders at multinational companies to entrepreneurs to royalty. As a trusted advisor and coach I get to live my life’s purpose – and to help leaders have the greatest impact.
Ignite Excellence
My purpose is to ignite excellence with people who can matter to the world.
Why? I love to ask the questions, make the challenge or share a tiny tutorial that will change how you think about the world. Then options open up. New things are possible.
We find your ignition temperature and take off on your next journey.
Excellence by the way, is not perfection. Sometimes it means knowing where to sub optimize.
Create Impact
As a leader you have to be acutely aware of his or her impact—and that it is often not what you expect. You not smiling at someone can ruin their day and you think, Seriously? Yes. The higher you are, the more people read into your actions. Like the kid’s joke, where does a 800 pound gorilla sit? Answer: anywhere it wants. If your decisions impact someone’s resources or livelihood, you are the gorilla. What kind of gorilla do you want to be?
Just Carol
People think that because I teach at Harvard, started a journal and an institute and coach top leaders that I must have been a little powerhouse that grew up. Not so. I was a mediocre student and the dumb one in my family (this is not humility I have over the top smart relatives). The guidance counselor told my mother, “you don’t have to send this one to a 4 year college.”
Then my interest in people connected to psychology and I ignited. I share how I was able to fast talk my way into graduate school and don’t need to conform to what others think good looks like.