Why did I decide to hire an executive coach? As a new sales manager, I found myself quickly overwhelmed and realized that if I wanted to not just survive, but thrive, then I needed to work with someone who has been there, done that, and could coach me through the gauntlet that is executive leadership.
Knowing the criticality of finding the right coach, as well as appreciating the investment of time and resources, I interviewed several coaches. All seemed highly accomplished, but Coach Simms stood out immediately. In our first conversation, Stephen was able to insightfully ascertain what challenges I was facing, both from a business perspective and from a personal perspective, which I found amazing. The other factor that stood out was that I could tell that his goal was to help me be successful, however I, and not someone else, defined it. This too, was very important to me.
Coach Simms has been incredibly flexible with timing and agenda and is able to shift gears when an urgent situation arises. Yet at the same time, he holds me accountable to the commitments I have made and does not let me avoid the things that I naturally find difficult.
From a skillset perspective, Stephen has a unique mix of strategic business acumen and people management panache. He continues to ask poignant and insightful questions that drive me to think differently about my business and create actionable plans. In addition, having many personalities on my team, some of which can be challenging, Stephen has helped provide insights that assist me in making better decisions to manage my team.
For me, the biggest take away has been a vastly increased understanding of myself as a leader as well as an individual. This understanding will undoubtedly have a lifelong impact as I continue to drive my personal and professional success.
Given I have been promoted since Coach Simms began coaching me, I would say I am more than pleased with the results. I would not hesitate to recommend Stephen to you for your executive coaching needs.
