Profile

Professional summary

I help people to change - especially when change is difficult. I coach in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German and my clients are individuals, teams, organizations, and couples. My work spans the entire continuum from those doing well and wanting to flourish to those who are overwhelmed and having trouble coping. When coaching, I believe that it is important to work just deep enough to sustain lasting change, but no deeper.

I bring to my work a combination of business expertise (MBA from INSEAD and 9 years at American Express), clinical expertise (MSW from Columbia University, additional training, and experience working with individuals, couples, and groups), and intercultural expertise (I have lived in France, Spain, Switzerland,

Engagement overview

Duration and cost of an engagement depends on the scope of work, identified during the initial consultation.

Insights

A few thoughts:

- It sounds like you are happy with the work she does. You could let her know that

- You have some questions about how that work is getting done and, perhaps, about what the cost to the organization is if her leadership style is contributing to the churn you mention. Without accusing her, as you don't know if there is a relation, you could ask her about this

- You could al... Read more

Presumably, if you had both agreed or been able to understand each other's positions during the meeting, things wouldn't have come to a boil and wouldn't be frosty now.

Would it be possible to set up a meeting with your colleague with the goal of, first, understanding his/her perspective on the issue? Second, and only if you can get to the point of your colleague feeling that you understand his/h... Read more

It seems to me that there are two issues:

- How your subordinates interact with / challenge you

- How to deal with your subordinates going directly to your boss

One question is whether these are related and, if so, how. For example, if your subordinates feel that their input isn't respected by you (which could be related to issue 1), that could be a reason to go to your boss (issue 2). It... Read more

It sounds like there are at least two issues, although they are related:

- Your boss wants you to be on call 24/7

- You are feeling micromanaged and that you shouldn't have to update him with "every detail of your transition."

Building on what has already been shared, what drives your boss to need you on call at all hours? What will it take for your boss to step back and trust that you are doin... Read more

Topics:

Do you know that they believe that they "oversold" you? Do you believe that they "knew" that you could never make the forecasts they showed you? If they believe that you should have been able to make the forecasts, then you are probably not the only one who is disappointed right now and your bargaining position may not be very strong.

Presumably, you know what the variances are between the fore... Read more

Topics:

I don't think that performance appraisals are inherently bad. It depends on what one expects from them. Whether a performance appraisal is formal or informal, it's an opportunity to let someone know how they are doing compared to previously agreed upon expectations and goals.

As others have suggested, simply letting an employee know (or reminding them) that they need to improve in a given area is... Read more

Your specific question is how to evaluate the success of this particular engagement. It sounds like you aren't seeing specific financial results that seem traceable to the coaching engagements.

What if you were to ask those who have been coached what they think they were able to accomplish thanks to the coaching that they wouldn't have been able to accomplish without the coaching? If they can p... Read more

Testimonials

I worked with Jonathan several years ago at American Express and was very impressed. His insight into the application of technology to business need was always spot on. Jonathan impressed me as someone that will excel in anything that he set his mind to.

Fortune 100 technology firm

A great listener and innovator, and one of the few true citizens of the world I know.

Top-tier consulting firm

Jonathan is an excellent executive coach and clinician. Additionally he is a smart guy who is an excellent resource person for both organizations like Board of Directors and Executives.

Management Consultant and Executive Coach

Jonathan acted as a sounding board and kept me focused through problem-solving conversations. Our board is now developing into a cohesive unit.

Chairperson of not-for-profit board