"Peter helped me work through a career crisis.  By using coaching techniques and assessment work, he helped me to efficiently diffuse the crisis and enabled me to think more productively about my career transition.  This generated significant benefit for my firm and for me personally. Peter has significant domain expertise in the investment banking, private equity and hedge fund industries.  We were able to move very quickly to the specifics of my career challenges.  He did not need any background information about the structure of my industry and the career opportunities."

Managing Director
Middle Market Private Equity Fund   

"I found working with Peter to be incredibly helpful. He works with you to define objectives, creates discipline around considering the issues, asks probing, challenging questions and forces a game plan to achieve results. Peter exudes positive energy, he is upbeat, encouraging and a pleasure to work with."   

Former Managing Director

Merrill Lynch Investment Banking 

Growthfrontation - A New Perspective on Conflict

One of my clients, a successful CEO of a thriving services company was recently confiding how she felt about conflict. "As much as I know that I need to confront my employees regarding their missteps, I have a really hard time doing so. I put it off for weeks; I run through the conversations and scenarios in my head repeatedly; I wake up in the middle of the night, stressing about confrontation. I know I should be better at conflict and difficult conversations, given I am the CEO, but it is something I have struggled with throughout my career." Does this sound familiar? Do you put off confronting your subordinates and/or superiors at work?   To overcome this common business challenge - the avoiding of confrontation and conflict - we need to adopt a different and more positive perspective about confrontation. I call this new perspective "Growthfrontation." Yes, the word itself is a mouthful, but if we can all choose to view every conflict or confrontation at work as an opportunity for behavioral and professional growth - for the other person and often for ourselves - we will be far more inclined to initiate such difficult conversations. So, what does Growthfrontation look like? How does one engage in a confrontation that grows people? Here are a few tips:

1. Leave the Drama Behind - Your message to your colleague will fall on deaf ears if you deliver it from a place anger and emotion.       
2. Create the Context - At the beginning of the conversation, say something like "This may be a tough conversation. That said, I want to get to the bottom of this [issue, challenge, problem, project delay, etc.] in the spirit of learning and growth."     
3. Listen with Deep Curiosity - After introducing the general topic, ask for your colleague to recount his/her side of the story, without judging, defending, criticizing or contradicting. Allow your colleague to finish and make sure they know you understand them.       
4. Probe for More Information - Once you have heard their entire side of the story, use open-ended questions to elicit more information about their choice of behaviors and actions. Keep probing until you have a strong sense of the deep level "whys" behind their behaviors and actions.      
5. What Next? - Ask them how they propose to make things right. You are not serving them by finding solutions to the problems they have created. To grow your colleagues as leaders, you must allow them to lead.  Of course, you may have to challenge them to arrive at a suitable solution.      
6. Be a Champion - In wrapping up the conversation, champion your colleague's efforts and let them know you believe they can create the positive desired outcome. Avoid the temptation to threaten and humiliate.

By adopting the perspective of "Growthfrontation", namely that all confrontations should be handled in the spirit of professional growth, you will be far more likely to engage in those confrontations in a timely manner!  The more you use the principles of Growthfrontation, the easier it will become to have the next conversation. 

"I'm constantly impressed with Peter's unique perspectives on the work-life balance challenges faced by those of us in executive leadership. He's sharp, efficient, and sincere.  He challenges me to focus on my most valuable and pressing goals in life, to treat my personal objectives as seriously as those of my clients and investors. I enjoy Peter's insight and style."   

Quayle Hodek, Founder and CEO
Renewable Choice Energy   

"Peter has helped me bring focus to my long-term career strategy, including identifying and working through both challenges and opportunities.  His education, business experience and training make him an excellent executive coach with real world credibility.  In addition to assisting my professional development, his coaching has enabled me to more effectively tackle the work/life balancing challenge that is endemic in business today."

Partner 

Corporate Finance/M&A Law Firm

1.   Global business is becoming more competitive - you need to be your best.

2.   Executive coaching is not just for CEOs any more.    

3.   A recent global PWC study found that 83% of surveyed coaching clients were very satisfied with the results of their coaching.

4.   You deserve to be living your most fulfilling life.

5.   Authenticity in all your relationships is one key to continued career success.

6.   Honing your leadership skills is no longer optional - it's mandatory for accelerated professional growth.

7.   Your direct reports are well aware of your shortcomings as a leader. Isn't it time you learned what they are and began to work on them?  

8.   Executive coaching will help you transition into that big promotion.

9.   Wouldn't it be great to look forward to work on Monday morning? Executive coaching leads to enhanced career satisfaction.

10.  An executive coach will hold you accountable for your goals and make sure you achieve them.