Nowmorethanever,businessesneedgreatleaderstonavigateanever-evolvingandshiftingbusiness landscape.Organizationsnowmustnavigatethroughsucharapidlychangingworldthattheyare confrontedbythreewavesofdisruption—technologically,themarkettrendsareconstantlyshiftingandallbusiness orgovernmentfunctionsneedtohavemoreagility
Underthesecircumstances,leadershipcoachesarevitaltohelpleaderscopewithcomplexity—andinturn encourageinnovationwhichdrivesanorganizationtosucceed.Inthisedition,MirrorReviewcompiledalistof “TheExceptional10LeadershipCoachesof2024,”whohaveempoweredleaderstoembracethesechangesheadon.
Employeeengagementiscriticalfororganizationalsuccess.AGallupstudyrevealedthathighlyengagedteams show21%greaterprofitability.Leadershipcoachescanhelpleadershonetheircommunicationskills,becomebetter listeners,andfosteracultureoftrustandrecognition.This,inturn,leadstoamoremotivatedandproductive workforce.Byequippingleaderswiththetoolstoinspireandengagetheirteams,thesecoachesarenotonly enhancingindividualperformancebutalsocontributingtotheoverallhealthandgrowthoforganizations.
OurcoverstoryfeaturesJimMcCarron,FounderandCEOofMcCarron&Company,whoseinnovative approachtoleadershipcoachinghasmadeasignificantimpactonnumerousorganizations.Throughhiscompany, McCarron&Company,Jimhaspioneeredstrategiesthatfocusonpersonalizedcoaching,deepself-awareness,and strategicthinking.Hiscommitmenttodevelopingresilientandadaptiveleadershassetanewbenchmarkinthe industry,makinghimastandoutfigureamonghispeers.
Theprofilesfeaturedinthiseditionprovideinsightsintothediversemethodologiesandphilosophiesemployedby thesedistinguishedcoaches.DerekSloan'sexpertiseinexecutiveleadershipdevelopment,MarshallGoldsmith's renownedbehavioralcoachingtechniques,LeifMeneke'sfocusontransformationalleadership,andLeilaCentner's holisticapproachtopersonalandprofessionalgrowthillustratethebreadthanddepthoftalentinthisfield.
Eachcoachbringsauniqueperspectiveandsetofskillsthatcontributetotheirclient'ssuccess,underscoringthe multifacetednatureofeffectiveleadershipcoaching.
HappyReading!
Parag Ahire Project Editor
J I M M C C A R R O N Cover Story
Founder & CEO | McCarron & Company
Keypoints:
· JimMcCarron,with30+yearsofentrepreneurshipandextensivecorporateleadership, passionatelyuseshis practicalknowledgeanddynamiccoachingstyletoempowerhisclients.
● Hisfirm,McCarron&Companyofferscustomizedleadershipdevelopmentservices.Theseinclude executiveandbusinesscoachingandarobustProfessionalDevelopmentProgram,designedtonurture effectiveexecutiveteams,strengthenmiddlemanagement,facilitatestrategicplanning,anddrive culturaltransformation.
● Jimsays,“Whileawardsaren’tafocusforus,seeingourclientstransform,succeed,andgrow–that’sthereal awardwe’relookingtowin.”
“ I
Intoday’sleadershiplandscape,threechallengesare particularlyprominent.Thefirstchallengeis“performing whiletransforming”.Manyorganizationsfindthemselvesina positionwheretheymustcontinuetooperateeffectivelywhile simultaneouslyundergoingsignificantchangestomeetnew andevolvingdemands.
Thesecondchallengeinvolvesnavigatinganentire organizationwhereconflictsofinterestoftenarise.Itis crucialtoensurealignmentamongeveryone-from employeestoallstakeholders,includingthecommunitiesthey serve.Withoutthisalignment,organizationscanexperience internalconflictthathamperstheirchancesofsuccess.
Thefinalchallengeliesincreatingastrategicroadmapthat complementsavision.Whilemanyleaderscanpaintthebig picture,theyoftenfailtobuildalignmentanddeviseaplanto achievetheirvision.AsJimMcCarron,thefounderand CEOof McCarron&Company,putsit, “A strategy is not a plan, and a plan is not a strategy, but to accomplish your strategic priorities, you need an executable plan.”
AboutJimMcCarron
Jim,fondlyreferredtoas“CoachJim”byhisclients,isa seasonedleaderwithauniqueblendofexperiencein Operations,BusinessDevelopment,TurnAround Management,ChangeManagement,CulturalTransformation, andOrganizationalDevelopment.
Hisbackgroundinathleticsandcorporatesectors,coupled withapassionforLeadershipDevelopment,enableshimto drivechange,coachbusinessleaders,andserveasastrategic mentorforanyteamacrossanyorganization.Heis recognizedforhisworkindevelopinghigh-performance teams,collaboratingwithexecutiveandmanagementteams, andenhancingthecultureandmoraleofdiverse organizations.
A strategy is not a plan, and a plan is not a strategy, but to accomplish your strategic priorities, you need an executable plan
Withover20yearsofcompetitivecorporateexperiencein strategicsalesandoperationalexcellenceandapassionfor LeadershipDevelopment,heoffershisclientsauniquemix ofhands-onoperationalexperienceandarobustleadership andcoachingstyle.
JimfoundedMcCarron&Companyafterholding leadershippositionsintwoofthelargestcompaniesinthe residentialconstructionindustryandservingasthe Founder/CEOofhisownsuccessfulcompanyforadecade.
AsthepersonatthehelmofMcCarron&Company,he practiceswhattheypreach,focusingonstrategicexecution andcreatingavibrantworkenvironment.
MirrorReviewrecentlyhadaconversationwithJim,who stated,“Whileawardsaren’tafocusforus,seeingour clientstransform,succeed,andgrow–that’stherealaward we’relookingtowin.”
MirrorReview:Tellusaboutyourbackgroundandhow yourcareerhasprogressed.Whatmadeyouchoose leadershipcoaching?
Jim:Myjourneyintoleadershipcoachinghappenedby accident.Itookpartincompetitivesportsandalsocoached duringmycollegeyears.Thisexperiencesparkedmy interestinthebusinessworld.Ialwaysgroundedmy leadershipstyleinacoachingmentality,applyingthe lessonsIlearnedonthefieldtotheboardroom.After spendingmanyyearsinthecorporateworld,Irealizedthat whatIlovedmostwascoachinganddevelopingpeople. ThisledmetoestablishMcCarron&Company,drivenbya desiretoaddressthegapIobservedinleadershipsupport andtraining.
MirrorReview:Pleasebriefusontheestablishmentof McCarron&Company.Whatarethespecificleadership developmentservicesdoyouoffer?
Jim:IfoundedMcCarron&Companybasedonmybelief thatbusinessmirrorsateamsport.Isawthattheprinciples ofachampionshipsportsteamcouldalsorevolutionize businesses.Isawmanytalentedindividuals,from employeestoCEOs,stumblingduetoinsufficientsupport, andIdecidedtochangethis.
Ourservicesaretailoredtomeettheuniqueneedsofeach client.Weprovidebespokeexecutivecoaching,usingthe toolswewilldiscussinthenextquestion.Weaimtobuild highlyeffectiveexecutiveteamsandrunarobust
professionaldevelopmentprogramforboth existingandemergingmanagers.
Inaddition,weassistexecutiveteamswith strategicplanning,execution,andcultural transformationbypromotingthefivebehaviors ofacohesiveteam.Wealsoprovidesupportto organizationsduringtheirhiringprocesses.
MirrorReview:Whatmakesyourcoaching servicesunique?Whattoolsorframeworks doyoucommonlyuse?
Jim:Ourcoachingservicesstandoutduetoa combinationofreal-lifebusinessexperience,a coachingmindset,andastrongcommitmentto honestyandvulnerability Webelievein addressingallthehiddenissues.
Weemployavarietyoftools,includingPXT SelectLeadership,EverythingDiSCWork ofLeaders,and360Feedbackassessments. However,ourprimaryfocusishelping executiveskeepmovingforward,actingasa thinkingpartnertoidentifyandreframe challenges,andenergizingteamstoward effectiveexecution,makingadjustmentsas needed.
MirrorReview:Whattypesofclients typicallyseekyourservices,andwhatare theirmostcommonpainpoints?
Jim:Ourclienteleprimarilyconsistsofmidsizedcompaniesaimingtoscaleup.They oftengrapplewithineffectiveexecutiveteams andalongingforgreatercohesion.Common issuestheyencounterincludemisalignment, conflictsofinterest,anddistrustwithinthe executiveorganization.Iassistbyaligning teams,fosteringtrust,managingconflict,and leadingtoamoreeffectiveandunified leadershipthatpropelstheentireorganization forward.
Moreover,wealsoreceiveinquiriesfrom smallercompaniesaspiringtogrowintomidsizedentities.However,theyoftenfind themselvesstuck,failingtorealizethatthe strategiesthatbroughtthemtotheircurrent positionmaynotbetheonestotakethem further.
“
Leadership isn't a solo sport. Don't go at it alone. Share the responsibilities and burdens of your role with your team and allow them to rise up to the occasion
MirrorReview:Tellushowyourcoachinghas helpedyourcurrentorpreviousclients.Feelfreeto provideafewbriefexamples.
Jim:I’dbehappytosharethreeofmyfavoritesuccess stories.ThefirstinvolvesaCEOwhowasdealingwith highemployeeattritionduetohisold-school managementtechniques.Heusedtodictateorders, lackedactivelisteningskills,andcreatedatoxicwork environment. Wecompletelytransformedhisleadershipstyle, enablinghimtofosteropendialogue,encourageteam collaboration,practiceactivelistening,andtrulylead ratherthanjustbossaround.Thistransformationhelped himretainhishighperformersandtriplethegrowthof hiscompany.
Thesecondexampleisaboutafemaleexecutivewho neededtodeveloptheself-confidencetotakeonthe roleofCEO.WhenIjoinedtheorganization,itwas cleartomethatshewastherightpersonforthe leadershiprole.However,nooneelse,fromtheboard totherestoftheorganization,includingherself,saw herpotential.Wehelpedherbuildherconfidenceand skillsetandsupportedherwhenshemadethebidfor CEO(whichshesuccessfullyachieved),andthe companyhasnowquadrupleditsgrowthunderher leadership.
Lastly,wehelpedanorganizationincreaseitsannual revenuefrom65milliontoover300millionwithinfive yearsbyoverhaulingitsstrategicsalesapproach.We restructuredtheirsalesteam,fromtheirhiringprocess todevelopment,deployment,andcompensation.With ourguidance,theybuiltahigh-performingsalesteam thatconsistentlyexecutedataveryhighlevel.
MirrorReview:Whenmotivatingtheirteam,what commonmistakesdoleadersoftenmake,andhow cantheyavoidthem?
Jim:Manyleaderstendtooveremphasizetheir technicalskillsandstrategicthinking,oftenneglecting thepeopleandsoftskillsthatarecrucialforfostering anengagingworkenvironment.Thisimbalancecan leadtodisengagedemployeesandhighturnoverrates.I consistentlyencouragemyclientstofocuson emotionalintelligence(EQ),personalgrowth,andthe developmentofteamsthatenhanceeachother’s strengths.
MirrorReview:Howdoyoumanagetohavea perfectwork-lifebalance?Whatareyour hobbies/interestsbeyondthecabin?
Jim:Iadvocatea3-circlemodelformyclients,which encompasses“Me,”“Family,”and“Work.”It’s essentialtomaintainabalanceamongallthree,ifone falters,theyalldo.Iunderstandthatthisiseasiersaid thandone,butattheveryleast,it’scrucialtoensure qualityinallthreeaspects.My“me”circleincludesa commitmenttofitnessandahealthylifestyle,aswell asgeneralself-care.Ifthiscirclediminishes,itleaves verylittletocontributetotheothercircles.
MirrorReview:Asanesteemedleadershipcoach, couldyousharethreetipsformodern-agebusiness leaders?
Jim:Certainly,Ihavethreekeypiecesofadvicefor myfellowleaders:
1. Becomearesonantleader:Thisinvolvesa commitmenttodevelopingyouremotional intelligence(EQ),becomingadaptable,and buildingresilience.Communicate, collaborate,andcoordinate.It’snotjust abouthavingatalentedteam;it’sabouthow yousynchronizeyourteamthatsetsyour organizationapartfromthecompetition.
2. Committothestrategicmanagement process:Thisisespeciallyimportantwhenit comestoexecution.With70%ofallstrategic plansfailing,it’scrucialtocommittoareal processthatbuildsalignmentanda systematicapproachtoexecutingyourplan. Parallelwiththis,committodevelopingyour middlemanagers.Theyareresponsiblefor deliveringonyourstrategicprioritiesbutare oftenoverwhelmed,under-resourced,and under-supported.
3. Embracesharedleadership:Leadership isn’tasolosport.Don’tshoulderallthe responsibilitiesandburdensofyourrole alone.Sharethemwithyourteamandallow themtorisetotheoccasion.You’lldiscover hiddenleadersalongtheway.Remember,the bandwidthofaleadershipteamfarexceeds thatofasingleleader.
Management-
URL-www.pamkurt.co Founded-2021
Description-
Management-
URL-www.centneracademy.com
Founded-2019
Description-
Management-MarkMoses(FoundingParterandCEO)
URL-www.ceocoachinginternational.com
Founded-2008
Description-CEOCoachingInternational(CCI)isa globalexecutivecoachingorganizationthatspecializesin assistingCEOsandtheirleadershipteamsinachieving outstandingresults.ThecoachesatCCIareex-CEOs,expresidents,andaccomplishedexecutives
Management-DerekSloan(Founder)
URL-www.derekleads.com
Founded-
Description- Derekoffersmentalandbehavioral healthservicestoindividuals,couples,and organizations.Hefocusesincognitive,existential,and humanisticapproachestohelpingpeoplediscover meaningandpurposeintheirlives,soenhancingtheir mentalhealthandqualityoflife
Management-KevinS.Kaplan(Chairman,CEO andFounder)
URL-www.coachingcharities.com
Founded-2002
Description-Thebusinessisdedicatedtoassistingits customersinachievingtheirphilanthropicobjectives andisareputableleaderinfoundationmanagement Theyhaveastrongdesiretochangetheworldand thinkthateveryonehasthecapacitytodogood
Grey Fox Consulting
Management-LeifMeneke(Founder)
URL-www.greyfoxconsulting.com
Founded-2019
Description-Forconsciousleaderswhowantto maximizetheirentirehumanexperience,GFCprovides transformativecoachingandconsultation.
Management-MelodyHossaini(FounderandCEO)
URL-www.melodyhossaini.com
Founded-2009
Description-TheprogramsofferedbyInspireEngage Internationalcanbetakeninanumberofdifferentforms, suchasliveworkshops,onlinecourses,andone-on-one coaching.Clientsofthecompanycomefromavarietyof nations,companies,andorganizations
Mari Vasan Coaching
Management-MariVasan(Owner)
URL-www.marivasan.com
Founded-2012
Description-MariVasancreatedtheEasyChange technique,whichisapowerfulprocessthatassistsyou inbreakingthrougholdhabitsandboundaries,allowing youtoemergefeelingmorealive,radiant,andreadyto enjoyyoursecondhalfoflife
McCarron & Company
Management-JimMcCarron(FounderandCEO)
URL-www.mccarronandcompany.com
Founded-2011
Description-JimMcCarroniswell-knownforhis effortsinelevatingthemoraleandcultureofvarious businesses,workingwithleadershipandmanagement teams,andcreatinghigh-performingteams
Management-MarshalGoldsmith(ExecutiveCoach)
URL-www.marshallgoldsmith.com
Founded-2009
Description-Top-notchleadershipdevelopment programshavebeendesignedandfacilitatedbyThe MarshallGoldsmithGroupformanyyears.Its workshopdesignsarebasedontheorganization's leadershipframeworks,beliefs,andprinciplesandare tailoredforeachclient
“Buildresiliencyinyourselfandthosearoundyou.”
That’sthemantraDerekSloan,LPCC,NCC,livesby —it’salsobecometheguidingprincipleforhiswork asaLicensedTherapistandCertifiedMasterLife Coach.
AsaLicensedProfessionalClinicalCounselor(LPCC) andaNationalCertifiedCounselor(NCC),Derek providesmentalhealthandbehavioralhealthservices toindividuals,couples,andgroups.Hespecializesin cognitive,existential,andahumanisticapproachthat helpsclientsfindmeaningandpurposeintheirlives, ultimatelyimprovingtheirmentalhealthandqualityof life.
HiscompanyDerekLeads,LLChelpsexecutive leadersintop-levelandindustry-leadingorganizations, helpingthemenhancetheiremotionalintelligence, communicationskills,anddecision-makingabilities.
Inadditiontohiscounselingwork,Derekhostsa popularpodcast,“MentalStillness,”availableon Apple,Spotify,andYouTube,wherehesharesinsights onmentalhealthandleadership.Heisalsotheauthor of“TheResiliencePlaybook,”aguideforprioritizing thepsychologicalneedsofeveryindividualinthe organizationtomaximizeresultsandwell-being.
MirrorReviewrecentlyinterviewedDerek,whosays,“My missionistohelporganizationsachievetheirgoalsby prioritizingbothleadershipandmentalhealth.”
MirrorReview:Tellusaboutyourbackgroundandcareer journey.Whatinspiredyoutostepintoleadershipcoaching?
Derek:Ispent15yearsofleadershipinthenonprofitsector Overtime,I’vebuilt,sold,andfoundedmultiplebusinesses.I foundmywayintocoachingbecauseIstartednoticinghow rewardingitwastohelpempowerpeopletosolvecomplex problemsinthemarketplace.Theopportunitytoaccompany someoneontheirjourney,witnessingtheirgrowthand overcomingleadershipandcomplexorganizationalchallenges,is incrediblyrewarding.
● DerekSloan,LPCC,NCC,is dedicatedtoenhancing leadershipdynamicsand fosteringpersonalgrowth throughhisrolesasaLicensed TherapistandCertifiedMaster LifeCoach.
● With15yearsofexperiencein nonprofitleadershipand degreesinYouthandFamily Studies,Leadership,and ClinicalMentalHealth Counseling,Sloanoffersa uniquemixofskillsinhis coachingwork.
● AtDerekLeads,LLC,hehelps top-levelleadersimprovetheir emotionalintelligence, communication,anddecisionmakingskills,focusingonthe linkbetweenleadershipand mentalhealth.
Let’stakealookatmyacademicqualifications:
IholdaBachelorofArtsinYouthandFamilyStudies,a MasterofArtsinLeadership,andaMasterofArtsin ClinicalMentalHealthCounseling.
Asformylicensesandcredentials,IamaLicensed ProfessionalClinicalCounselor,aNationalCertified Counselor,andaCertifiedMasterLifeCoach.
MirrorReview:Basedonyourexperience,whatare thetop3mostpressingleadershipchallenges businessesfacetoday?Howhavethesechallenges impactedoverallbusinesssuccess?
Derek:Inmyview,thefirstmajorchallengeis engagement.Weareinthemidstofanengagementcrisis. Asleaders,weneedtogaugeourteam sengagement ’ levels.Questionslike Areweattractingtalent? and Are ‘ ’ ‘ weretainingthattalent? becomecrucial.Equally ’ importantiswhetherwe reabletoarticulateacompelling ’ vision.
Thesecondchallengeisempowerment,whichalways followstrust.Employeesareattheirbestwhenthey’re givenapartofthebusinesstotakeownershipofand steward.I veobservedthatpeopletendtodisengageor ’ “quietquit”whentheycan tlinktheirroletothebroader ’ impactofthebusiness.
Asleaders,wemusthelpourteamconnecttheirday-todaytothebroadervision/missionoftheorganization.We needtodothisALLthetime.It snotjustabout ’ onboardingnewemployeesbutalsoaboutkeepingour seasonedemployeesinspiredandengaged.
Thethirdchallengeisempathy.Maintainingafresh perspectiveiskey.Itisquiteremarkabletoseehow productivepeoplecanbe,evenwhenfacedwiththemost dauntingchallengesiftheyfeelunderstoodandvalued.
MirrorReview:Couldyoupleasetellusaboutthe leadershipproblemsthatDerekLeads,LLChelpsto solve?Whatmakesyourcoachingdifferent?
Derek:DerekLeads,LLChelpswithmanyleadership problems.Theseincludefixingunhealthyorganizational culture,helpingleadersavoidburnout,identifyingblind spotsinleadershiporteams,andprovidingguidancewhen therearetoomanyproblemsorwhenit shardtoknow ’ wheretostart.
Weofferone-on-onecoachingforleaders,workshops,training sessions,personalassessments,andassessmentsforwhole organizations.
Evidence-basedapproachesarenecessaryintherapy,andin myopinioncoachingaswell.I vegreatlybenefitedinthis ’ fieldduetomycareerinhigh-levelleadershipandasa clinician.Thisgivesmeauniqueunderstandingthathelpsme connectwithmyclientsonadeeperlevel.
MirrorReview:Canyoupleaseletusknowwhattypeof clientsapproachyou?Whataretheirmostcommonpain points?
Derek:Theclientswhotypicallyapproachmearebusiness ownerswhofindthemselvesstuckduetovariousreasons. Often,theseareindividualsleadingteams,facingspecific issues,orhavereachedaplateau.Ialsoworkwithclientswho aregrapplingwithengagementandcultureissueswithintheir organizations.
Additionally,Iassistthosewhohaveachievedsignificant successbutfindthemselvesatacareercrossroads.Thiscould beduetoashiftintheorganization sdirectionortheleader s ’ ’ attempttostrategizeforthelatterhalfoftheircareer
MirrorReview:Astheleaderofthecompany,couldyou shareyourprimaryrolesandresponsibilities?We dalso ’ lovetohearaboutyournotableawardsandachievements.
Derek:Myprimaryresponsibilityatthecompanyisto provideleadershipcoachingandconsulting.WhenI mnot ’ engagedincoaching,Ispendmytimevisitingorganizations andinteractingdirectlywithleaders.Thisallowsmetogaina deeperunderstandingofthemandthechallengestheyface.
Asformyawardsandachievements,Iwasinvitedtospeakat thestateconferencefortheKentuckyCounselingAssociation onthetopicofcomplexgriefin2021.
Additionally,in2024,Iwasinterviewedbyanother publicationasaleadingvoicetodiscussthecurrenttrendsin coaching.
MirrorReview:Couldyousharesomeexamplesofhow yourcoachinghasbenefitedyourcurrentorpastclients?
Derek:Ihavehadtheopportunitytohelpseveralleadersat crucialjuncturesintheircareers.Myapproachinvolves helpingindividualsidentifytheobstacleshinderingtheir personalorprofessionalprogress.Iworkcloselywithmy
clientstounearththesebarriers.Together,wedigdeep, assess,andeliminatetheseobstacles,pavingtheway forthemtomoveforward.
Ibelievethatsometimes,peoplejustneedsomeoneto sharetheloadwiththem.Whenyouacknowledgethe immensetalentandcreativityinpeople,problemsolvingbecomesarewardingprocess.
MirrorReview:Inyourexperience,whatcommon mistakesdoleadersoftenmakewhentryingto motivatetheirteams,andhowcantheyavoidthem?
Derek: ‘ ’ Ibelievetheterm inspiration ismorefitting than motivation inthiscontext.Inmyinteractions, ‘ ’
I'vefoundthatpeoplepossessamazingtalent.These individualshaveyearsofexperienceandtypicallyhave adesiretogrow.Isuggestthatsupervisors,bosses,or managersneedashiftinmindset.Theyshouldask themselves, “What if I stopped worrying about ‘motivating’and spent more time‘inspiring’?”
Inpracticalterms,individualsfeelinspiredwhenthey seetheirsupervisordemonstratethevisionandvalues oftheorganization.Theyfeelinspiredwhentheir supervisordarestoshowvulnerability.Theyfeel inspiredwhentheyaretrustedwithasignificantpartof thebusinessandunderstandthattheirworkhasrealworldimplications.
Lastly,individualsfeelinspiredwhentheirsupervisoris observantandnoticeswhentheyareactivelylivingout thevision/values.
MirrorReview:Howdoyoumanagetohavea perfectwork-lifebalance?Whatareyour hobbies/interestsbeyondthecabin?
Derek:Theconceptofwork-lifebalancehasoftenbeen criticizedandevendeemedimpossible.However,I thinkthiscomesdowntoaweakdefinitionor misunderstandingoftheconcept.
Work-lifebalanceisn’taboutaperfectlybalancedscale of50%workand50%life.Idon’tthinkthisidea resonateswithpeople,andit’spracticallyimpossibleto measureorevaluate.
Instead,Ibelievethegoalshouldbetoeliminate distractionsandstriveforefficiency.It’seasyforyour mindtowanderwhenyou’reatwork,leadingto
inefficientbehaviors.Thesamecanhappenathome,where yourbodyispresent,butyourmindisstillatyourdesk.My adviceisnottosettle.Remindyourselfthatyou’realwayson theclock,whetheratworkorathome.
Yourbosswouldn’tbethrilledifyouwereontheclockattwo placesatonce,andyourfamilyshouldn’thavetoacceptthat either.
Asformyhobbies,Ienjoyplayinginthedrivewaywithmy kids,travelingwithmyfamily,andgoingongolftripswithmy friends.
MirrorReview:Asarenownedleadershipcoach,couldyou sharethreetipsfortoday’sbusinessleaders?
Derek:Tip#1:Understandthebasicsofpsychology-This doesn’tnecessarilyrequireformaleducationorcertification, althoughthatcanbetremendouslyhelpful.Abasic understandingofpsychologycanbroadenyourimpactasa coach.Italsohelpsyoustaygroundedandhumble,recognizing thathumanbeingsaredynamicandcomplex.Thefieldof psychologytakesyouonawildadventurewithsomany differentperspectivesandexplanationsforhumanbehavior.
Tip#2:Becomecuriousbeforeyoubecomeconvinced-We oftenmakejudgmentsordecisionsinafractionofasecond. Therearesomesituationswherethiscanworkinourfavor However,Ithinkthiscanimpairourjudgment.Wemustfight againstthiswhenweareworkingwithpeoplebecausetheyare complex,andtheirlivedexperienceissodifferentthanours. Forceyourselftoleadwithcuriositybeforeyousettleintoa decisionorjudgment.
Tip#3:Establishawaytomeasureprogress-Asacoach, youneedtodefineyoursuccessmetrics.Similarly,youshould encourageyourclienttodeterminetheirownsuccessmetrics. Thesemaysometimesalign,andothertimesdiffer.It’s beneficialtodiscussthesemetricstogethertoensuremutual understanding.Thiswillallowyou,asthecoach,tochallenge andencouragemoreeasily.Theclientwillunderstandthe WHYbehindyourcoachingguidance.Thereisalso accountabilitywhentheseareverbalized.
What if I stopped worrying about ‘motivating’ and spent more time ‘inspiring’? “
MarshallGoldsmithstandsasatoweringfigure
intherealmofleadershipdevelopment, celebratedforhisremarkablecontributionsas anauthor,coach,andglobalinfluencer Withanextensive repertoireofaccomplishmentsandadistinctcoaching philosophy,Goldsmith’simpactonthefieldisundeniable, reshapingthewayweperceiveleadershipandchange.
Boastinganimpressiveliterarycareer,Goldsmithhas penned30booksthattraversetheintricaciesofleadership andpersonalgrowth.Amonghismostnotableworksarethe best-sellers“WhatGotYouHereWon’tGetYouThere”and “Triggers.”Thesevolumeshaveproveninstrumentalin guidingindividualsandexecutivesaliketowardselfimprovementandtransformativeleadershipstrategies.
Goldsmith’sacclaimisfurtheramplifiedbyhisconsistent recognitionastheworld’spremierleadershipthinker, securingtheprestigioustopspotintheThinkers50ranking in2013,2019,and2021.Hisprofoundinsightshave permeatedrespectedpublicationssuchasTheNewYork Times,TheWallStreetJournal,andForbes,solidifyinghis reputationasaluminaryinthegloballeadershiplandscape.
Hisjourneytraversesthecorporatecorridorsofrenowned Fortune500companies,includingAlliedSignal,Johnson& Johnson,andHoneywell.Drawingfromhisextensive executivebackground,Goldsmithhasimpartedhiswisdom toover1,000CEOsandseniorleadersworldwide.His uniquecoachingapproachhingesonthebeliefthatthere’s alwaysroomforadvancement.Byunearthingblindspots andfosteringchangestrategies,heempowershisclientsto pushbeyondtheircomfortzones,spurringprofound personalandprofessionalgrowth.
CentraltoGoldsmith’sphilosophyishisdistinctive“tough love”coachingmethodology.Withunwaveringcandor,he challengesindividualstoconfronttheirlimitationsand catalyzeimpactfulchange.Thisapproach,whileundeniably intense,hasyieldedtransformativeoutcomes,propelling individualstoreachheightstheyneverthoughtpossible.
TheripplesofGoldsmith’sinfluenceextenddeepintothe watersofleadershipdevelopment.Regardedasoneofthe mostinfluentialleadershipthinkersofourera,hisworkhas fundamentallyreshapedourunderstandingofleadership dynamicsandthemechanicsofchange.Hisinnovative ideashavesetthestageforamoreholisticandadaptable approachtoleadership—onethatacknowledgestheeverevolvingdemandsofthemodernworld.
Thebiggestobstacletosuccessisourselves.Weall haveblindspotsthatpreventusfromseeingourown weaknesses.Goldsmithteachesleadershowto identifytheirblindspotsanddevelopstrategiesfor overcomingthem.
Feedbackisagift.Weshouldbeopentofeedback, evenifitisnegative.Feedbackcanhelpusimprove ourperformanceandbecomebetterleaders.
Changeishard,butitispossible.Goldsmithhelps leadersmakelastingchangesintheirbehavior.He teachesthemhowtosetgoals,tracktheirprogress, andovercomeobstacles.
Leadershipisarelationship.Leadersneedtobuild strongrelationshipswiththeiremployees,customers, andotherstakeholders.Goldsmithteachesleaders howtobuildtrust,communicateeffectively,and resolveconflict.
Goldsmith’slegacyisimprintedonthefabricof leadershipdevelopment.Hispioneeringideas continuetoilluminatethepathforaspiringleaders, guidingthemtowardafuturecharacterizedby innovation,resilience,andeffectivedecision-making. Throughhisworks,podcasts,andworkshops,he consistentlyimpartshiswealthofknowledgeand experience,equippingindividualswiththetoolsto becomeexceptionalleadersintheirownright.
Inconclusion,MarshallGoldsmith’sindeliblemark onleadershipdevelopmentremainsunrivaled.His statusasatrailblazer,coupledwithhisunrivaled insightsandtough-lovecoachingstyle,haspositioned himasaguidinglightforthoseseekingtotranscend theirlimitationsandascendtonewheightsof leadershipexcellence.Goldsmith’senduringimpact ensuresthathislegacywillcontinuetoshapeleaders andtransformorganizationsforgenerationstocome.
The World’s #1 Leadership Coach and Thinker
Everwonderwhatmakessuccessful
peopledifferentfromeveryoneelse? Isthereamagicformulaorjustpure talent?Inactuality,mostgreatachievershave acommonsetofhabitsthatbuildthewayto success.Let'sexaminethehabitsof successfulpeopletodiscoverhowtheymight helpyouachieveyourowngoals.
Inthisblog,we'llexplorethepowerofsetting cleargoals,themagicofcontinuousreading, theimportanceofbuildingastrongnetwork, andmore.Moreover,we'llalsocoverthe secretweaponofsuccessfulpeople:awelldefineddailyroutine.
So,preparetoexplorethehabitsof successfulpeoplethatwillenableyouto reachyourgreatestpotential.Let'sbegin!
Settingspecificgoalsisoneofthemain habitsofsuccessfulpeople.Ithelpsinthe creationofasuccessroadmapforthem. Moreover,Settingobjectivegoalshelpsyou staymotivatedandprovidesyourlife direction.Itassistsyouinunderstanding betweenwanderingandhavingadefined coursetopursue.
Accordingtoastudy,individualswhoset goalsare10timesmorelikelytobe successful.
Interestingly,theactofwritingdowngoals canalsomakeasignificantdifference.Those whoputtheirgoalsonpaperare42%more likelytoachievethem.
Forinstance,OprahWinfreyfamously declaredatayoungageherdreamtobecome atalkshowhost.Bysettingthiscleargoal andrelentlesslypursuingit,shepavedthe wayforanincrediblysuccessfulcareer
Persistentreadingisamongtheessential habitsofsuccessfulpeople.Thishabit particularlyhelpsyouincreaseunderstanding, widenviewpoints,andstimulatecreativity. Besidesthat,readingregularlyinyourroutine
caneffectivelyadvanceyourpersonaland professionalgrowth.
Accordingtodata,thegloballiteracyratecurrently standsat87%,upfrom12%in1820.Additionally, readingfor15minutesadayissaidtoincrease happiness,relaxation,andaccomplishmentby33%, 55%,and69%,respectively
Areal-lifeinstancewouldbeMicrosoftco-founder BillGates,whoiswell-knownforreadingan astounding50volumesayear. Hedevoursavariety ofgenres,frombusinessstrategytohistory, constantlyseekingnewknowledgeandperspectives. So,pickupabookandstartreadingifyouwantto succeed!
Successrarelyhappensinavacuum.Arecentstudy byLinkedIn(2024)foundthat85%ofprofessionals believebuildingstrongrelationshipsiscriticalfor careeradvancement.Eventhemostsuccessful individualsbenefitfromanetworkofcolleagues, mentors,andfriends.
Moreover,networkingwillhelpyoufocusonmaking connections,offeringhelpwhereyoucan,and learningfromothers.Thiswin-winapproachwill strengthenyournetworkandpositionyouforlongtermsuccess.
SherylSandberg,COOofMeta(formerlyFacebook). Shecreditshersuccessinparttoherstrongnetwork, whichsheactivelybuiltthroughattendingindustry events,volunteeringforprofessionalorganizations, andfosteringgenuineconnectionswithpeopleacross differentfields.
Successfulindividualsunderstandthevalueof havingapositivemindset.Maintaininganoptimistic mindsetwillenableyoutoprogressandthriveasa person.Inaddition,you'llbemorepreparedtohandle theunavoidableobstaclesonthepathtosuccessif youhavefaithinyourselfwithapositiveattitude.
Moreover,87%thosewhohaveapositiveviewof lifearemorelikelytoleadhealthierlivesandmake betterdecisionsfortheirwell-being.Inaddition,
havinganoptimisticoutlookcanaddupto sevenyearstoyourlifeexpectancy
SteveJobs,thevisionaryco-founderofApple. Jobsneverlostsightofhisvision,eveninthe faceofmanyobstaclesandevenbeingfired fromhiscompany.Consequently,hisabilityto motivateothersandhispositivementality helpedhimeventuallyreturntoApple.
Theroadtosuccessisrarelysmooth.Inthe quicklychangingcorporateworldoftoday, failureisanecessarycomponentofgrowth. Youcanturnlossesintosteppingstoneson yourjourneytosuccessbyacceptingand embracingthemasanopportunityfor personaldevelopment.
Currently,ninetypercentofnewventuresfail inanyfield.10%ofnewlyestablished companiesfailwithinthefirstyear. Furthermore,thesuccesspercentageoffirsttimestartupentrepreneursisonly18%.Thus, failurefostersunderstandingandlearning,and itdoesn'thappenovernight.
HarryPotterseriesauthorJ.K.Rowling. Beforebeingfinallyapproved,herdebutbook wasinfamouslyrejectedbytwelvepublishers. Insteadofgivingup,Rowlingusedthe feedbackfromthoserejectionstorefineher manuscript,demonstratingtheperseverance thatisahallmarkofmanyhabitsofsuccessful people.
6.
Intheprofessionalworld,takingactionisone ofthekeyhabitsofsuccessfulpeople.Think ofwell-knownfigureslikeOprahWinfrey, DanaWhite,orSteveHarvey Theyallstarted downthepathtosuccessbychoosingtotake action.Likewise,yoursuccesscomescloser witheachstepandactionyoutake.
Interestingly,theglobalsurveyshowsthat 69%oftheworld'spopulationiswillingto contribute1%oftheirincometofightagainst
climatechange.Thisshowsasignificant globalcommitmenttotakingaction. Moreover,itisalsoclaimedthat20%of youractionsprovide80%ofyourresults.
Bytakingaction,youfaceyourconcerns andprovetoyourselfthatyouarecapable ofmovingforward.Asaresult,you developlittletriumphs,yourfeardecreases andyoubecomemoreconfident.
Havingadailyroutinecanhelpyou managetimeeffectively,leadingto increasedproductivityandsuccess.Itcan alsohelpyouprioritizeyourworkand blockoutdistractionstostayfocusedand accomplishyourgoals.Besides,following yourroutinedesignwillensuresuccessand productivity.
Importantly,leaders.comreportsthat92% ofreallysuccessfulpeoplehavea consistentmorningroutine.88%ofrich individualsreadforatleasthalfanhour everyday.63%ofsuccessfulindividuals setanightalarmandgetupearly.
Aboveall,oneofthehelpfulhabitsof successfulpeopleismaintainingaroutine. Havingastructureddailyschedule providesaclearbeginningandend,which canboostconfidenceandoverall effectiveness.Importantly,consistency oftenleadstosuccess.
Breakingbadhabitstakestimeandeffort, butit'sachievable.Herearesome strategiesthatcanhelp:
● Identifyyourtriggers:What situationsoremotionsmakeyou morelikelytofallbackintothe badhabit?Areyoustressed, bored,oraroundcertainpeople? Knowingyourtriggersallowsyou toprepareforthem.
● Replacethebadhabitwith agoodone:Insteadofsimplytrying tostoptheunwantedbehavior, replaceitwithsomethingpositive. Thiscanbeespeciallyhelpfulfor habitsthatprovidesomekindof satisfaction.Forexample,ifyou snackmindlesslywhilewatchingTV, tryknittingorreadinginstead.
● Makesmall,gradual changes:Don'ttryto overhaulyourentirelife overnight.Startwithsmall, achievablegoalsand graduallybuildonyour success.
● Treatyourselfwell: Mistakesareunavoidable.If youexperiencedifficulties, trynottobehardon yourself.Simplyacceptit, takewhatyoucanfromit, andmoveon.
Inconclusion,weexploredthehabits ofsuccessfulpeopleanddiscovered thatthereisnotauniversalstrategy forachievement.However,thekeyis tofindwhatworksbestforyouand incorporatethesepracticesintoyour routine.
Besidesthat,reflectingontheirhabits willhelpyoufindyourrhythm,and don'tbeafraidtoadjustasyougo. Aboveall,areyoureadytostarton yoursuccessjourney?Whathabitsdo youthinkwillbemostbeneficialfor you?
AsJohnHeywood'ssayinggoes, “Rome wasn't built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour.” Likewise,takeyourtimebutmake suretoletyoursuccessmakethe noise.Thanksforreading!
LeifMenekeisthefounderofGreyFoxConsulting,a boutiqueleadershipcoachingandconsultingfirm.For nearly25years,Leifworkedinleadershipdevelopment andhumancapitalmanagement,mostofthattimeserving aseitheraninternalorexternalconsultantonandaround WallStreetforglobalorganizationssuchasAmerican Express,Pfizer,andDeutscheBank.
Leifbeganhisprofessionalcareerinleadershipcoaching in1999whilepursuingaMaster’sdegreeattheNew SchoolforSocialResearchinNewYorkCity.There,he studiedExecutiveCoachingunderBobLee,thefounderof therenownedconsultingfirm Lee Hecht Harrison
Backthen,coachingwasrelativelyunknownoutsidethe contextofsports.Asoneofthekeypioneersinthefieldof coaching,Bobhadaprofoundimpactonthe professionalizationofcoachinginthebusinessworld,and Leifwasprivilegedtolearnfromoneofthebest.
Whileingraduateschool,Leifwasrecruitedintoahighly selectiveleadershipdevelopmentprogramatAmerican Express(Amex),which,accordingtoLeif,wasa “leadershiplab.”NotonlywouldLeifstepintotheroleof peopleleaderwhileatthecompany,butitwastherethat hestudiedtheartandscienceofleadership,whichwould formthefoundationof hisapproachtoleadership.
Leifsays, “The future of leadership is human” and promoteswhathecallsWholeHumanLeadership,which recognizesandembracestheentirehumanexperience.In thismodel,Leiffostersaworkplacecultureofauthenticity, connection,community,andoptimalperformance,anditis gainingtractionamongbusinessesandleadersglobally.
DuringourconversationwithLeif,wediscoveredvarious dimensionsofhisleadershipapproachandstylethatmake himapowerfulandinspiringleader Hisabilityto integratedifferentdisciplinesandhiscommitmentto placingthewell-beingofemployeesattheforefrontmake himaleadingfigureinthefieldandoneofourTop LeadershipCoachesfor2023.
MirrorReview(MR):Whatisyourtakeonthecurrent scenarioofbusinessleadership?Howhasitchanged duringthelastfewyears?
LeifMeneke(LM):Wecurrentlyfaceaglobalcrisisof leadership.Thisisplayingoutineverysector,industry,and region.Reportafterreportdemonstratesthatemployee engagement,trustinleaders,leadershipcapability, leadershipcredibility,andbenchstrengthareatall-time lows.
Tomakemattersworse,itdoesn’tseemtomatterhow muchmoneywethrowattheproblem.Weinvest approximately$366billionglobally($180billioninthe US)annuallyinleadershipdevelopmentprograms.By companies’ownadmission,asmuchas3/4ofthatmoney iswastedwithnodiscernibleROIorimpactonthe business.
Theoldmodelsofleadership,basedonscientific managementthatbasicallytreatspeopleasmachines,have failed.
WhatIseeemergingisanewapproach—onethathonors andembracesthewholehuman.Icallthisnewapproach “WholeHumanLeadership.”Moreandmorebusinesses
andleadersareembracinghumanity, humanconnection,community,and authenticityintheworkplace.
EvenmanagementguruTomPeters’ newbookiscalled Excellence Now: Extreme Humanism
Thisisatrulyexcitingtimetobeinthe field.
MR:Tellusabouttheestablishment ofGreyFoxConsultingandwhat inspiredyoutostartthiscompany.
LM:Businessleadersandbusinesses holdthegreatestpotentialtomovethe needleonpracticallyeverycrisiswe faceasaspecies,fromclimatechange tosocialinequity Theproblemisthat somanyofourbestleadersareoutof alignment,burnedout,orworse.
Iwasoneofthem.Whileworkingas VPofTalentandLeadershipfora globalinvestmentbank,Igotsosick thatIwasforcedtoleavemyjobto focussolelyonmyhealth.Inearly casheditin.
Thiswasahugewake-upcall.While recovering,IrealizedthatalthoughI taughtleadershiptothehighestlevels oftheorganization,Icouldn’tlead myself.Iwasoutofalignmentand sufferedthetraumasanddramasofmy past.Thissetmeoffonajourneyto reclaimmyhealthandlife.
ThisiswhyIamsopassionateabout mywork.Leaderscanservemore peopleandhaveagreaterimpactin theirbusinessesandtheworldwhen theyleadfromafoundationofhealth andwholeness.
MR:Howareyourservicesdifferent fromyourcompetitors’offerings?
LM:Muchofmypersonalhealingand integrationcamethroughindigenous
ceremonyandritual,whichhasdeeply influencedmyworkandlife.Modern scienceisonlynowcatchingupwith thewisdomofourancestors.Our ancestorscouldn’tflytothemoonor splittheatom,buttheyknewwhatit meanttobehuman.Manyofushave forgottenthis.
Ourapproachblendsmodernscience, neuroscience,psychology,and leadershipresearchwithindigenous scienceandwisdomtraditions.We focusoncoreissuesaroundidentityand guideleaderstoliterallycreatenew versionsofthemselvessotheycan servemorepeopleandhelpbuilda betterworld.Someofourclientscall theirexperience“initiatory.”
Ourclientsendupnotonlybeingbetter leadersandbusinessownersbutalso betterhumanbeings.
MR:Whattypesofclientsor businessesapproachyou?Whatare theirmostcommonpainpoints?
LM:Ourclientsareprimarilybusiness leaderswhohavebuilttheirdream businessintoamonsterthatsucksthe lifeoutofthem.Mosthavefiguredout howtoconsistentlygettheresultsthey wantfromtheirbusiness;theproblem isthatthewaytheygetthoseresults wreakshavocintheirlivesandthelives ofthosearoundthem.
Mostclientsapproachusbecausethey areatapivotalpointintheirbusiness. Somewanttosell,otherswanttoscale, butallwanttoshifttheirrelationship withtheirbusinessandprepareitfor what’snext.
Intermsofcommonpainpoints,we findthatclientsoftenstrugglewithtime management,stress,burnout, ineffectiveteams,andcashflow stressors.Theseare,however,often surface-levelsymptomsandusually
pointtosomethingdeeper
MR:Couldyousharewithushow yourcoachinghashelpedyour currentorpreviousclients?
LM:Ioftensay, “Transform yourself, transform your business.” AtGreyFox Consulting,weareinthebusinessof human transformation Weguideour clientstoreinventtheirrelationship withtheirbusinessbyrecreating themselvesfromtheinsideout.From there,wealigntheirteamand organizationtogetthebusinessgoing inthedesireddirection.
MR:Howdoyoumeasurethe successofyourcoaching?
LM: Weobviouslytrackbusinessand financialresults;however,thereare twocoremetricswealsotrackforour clients:theirsleepandstress.Weknow thatifourclientshavebettersleepand lowerstresslevels,theyaregettingthe resultstheydesire,andtheyaredoing itinawaythatisinalignment.
MR:Asaleader,howimportantis yourteam?
LM:Teamiscritical,regardlessof whereyouareinyourleadership journey.Itisespeciallyimportantto havealltherightpeopleontheteam whenyouwanttoscale,sell,ortake yourbusinesstothenextlevel.Ifyou havethewrongteam,itisunlikelyyou willaccomplishyourvisionwithout tremendouspersonalsacrifice.
MR:Canyousharesomeinsightson howyoukeepyourteammotivated andefficient?
LM: Thisisoneareawheresomany leadersgetitonlypartiallyright. Leadersoftenhavecriticalteam membersormemberswholackasense ofownership,aredistractedor unengaged,oraresimplynotdoing
Leaders can positively change the world when they lead from a source of health and wholeness.”
theirjob.Ifyoubuilttheteam,or evenifyouinheritedit,ifyourteam isnotperformingatthelevelyou desire,thisisyourresponsibility
Intermsofmotivatingyourteam, youcan’tmotivateotherpeople.The stickandthecarrotdon’tworkinthe contextofhigher-levelteams.
Toleadasuccessfulteam,youmust firstgettherightpeopleonboard, thensettheconditionsforsuccess andtrustthemtodotheirjobs.Keep inmindthatthe“right”peoplemay notnecessarilybethesamepeople whogotyoutowhereyouaretoday.
Iwasfortunatetobementoredbya womannamedLisaWestlakewhile atAmericanExpress.Lisawasone ofthefewfemaleCFOsinfinancial servicesinthoseyears.Shetoldme, “You can only trust your team as
much as you trust yourself.” Meaning, ifyoudon’ttrustinyourabilitytolead ateamandyourabilitytocoach,and bringoutthebestinyourteam,you willlikelyfail.
MR:Whatareyourhobbiesand interestsoutsideofyourbusiness?
LM:Iamanavidoutdoorsman.I spendasmuchtimeaspossiblein nature,hiking,camping,backpacking, andadventuring.Ispendalotoftimein ceremonies,sittingwithandlearning fromNativeAmericanelders.Ialso lovefood,cooking,film,theater,and reading.Ihavelatelybecomevery interestedinstand-upcomedy
MR:Howdoyoumaintainaworklifebalance?
LM:Idon’tbuyintotheconceptof work-lifebalance.Tome,it’sabout
beingintentionalaboutwheretoinvest yourtime,energy,andfocus.
Whatare3tipsyouwouldliketogive tomodern-agebusinessleaders?
• Lead yourself before you lead others:Ifyouareleadingfroma placeofegoormisalignment,you aregoingtoburnyourselfout.
• What got you here won’t get you there:Themindset,skills,andhabits thatworkedinthepastmaynotbe sufficientforfuturesuccess.Focus ondevelopinganewsystem.
• You can’t do it alone:Every successfulleaderneedsacoach, mentor,andpersonalboardof directors.
“Vision begins with the eyes, but truly takes place in the brain,” saysFeiFeiLi.
Haveyoueverdreamedofyourmobilecamerascanninga photoandprovidingyouwiththedesiredresults?Almost everytech-savvyhadthisontheirmind.But,thequestion was,HOW?
TheanswerisAIandMachineLearning(ML).Theyare themostadvancedandhottopicsinthecurrent technologicalarsenal.Thesetrendingtechnologiesare influencingeveryhuman’slife,directlyorindirectly.
DoyouuseGoogleLensoranyotherAIphotorecognizingapponyourphone?Well,almostevery smartphoneuserhastriedthis.Itisveryconvenientand getsbetterwitheverysoftwareupdate.
Areyouwonderingwhichbrainlaidthefoundationofthis noveltechnology?ItisFeiFeiLi,aSequoiaProfessorin theComputerScienceDepartmentatStanfordUniversity Sheisalso,aCo-DirectorofStanford’sHuman-Centered AIInstitute.Heranalyticalapproachandvisiontomake ourbestmachinetrulysmartfueledhercreationfor makingAIunderstandimages.
Further,Li’sconsistencygavebirthtoImageNet,a massivedatasetthatrevolutionizedcomputervisionin 2010.
WhoisFeiFeiLee,orthe“GodmotherofAI?”
Fei-FeiLeeisacomputerscientistwhoisapioneerinthe fieldofAI,particularlyincomputervision.Lee,whois
sometimescalledthe “Godmother of Artificial Intelligence,” believesAIhasthepotentialto greatlybenefitsocietyinamultitudeofareas.
BorninChengdu,China,in1976,Li’sfamily immigratedtotheUnitedStateswhenshewas ateenager.Thismoveinstilledinherthevalue ofhardworkandperseverance,assheadapted toanewcultureandlanguage.Herparents, whoworkedinfactoryjobs,emphasizedthe importanceofeducation,whichlaidthe groundworkforherfutureacademic achievements.
Liexcelledinscienceandmaththroughouther schooling.Sheeventuallygraduatedfrom ParsippanyHighSchoolinNewJersey,where shewasinductedintotheirHallofFamein 2017.Heracademicjourneycontinuedat PrincetonUniversity,wheresheearneda bachelor’sdegreeinphysicswithhighhonors.
Whilephysicswashermajor,hercuriosity extendedbeyondasinglediscipline,andshe alsotookcoursesincomputerscienceand engineering,foreshadowingherfutureinterest inartificialintelligence.
TheChallengesofEarlyAIImage Recognition
BeforegettingintoLi’sAIjourney,wefirst needtounderstandwhatchallengessheis tryingtosolve.
EarlyAIimagerecognitionsystems,while groundbreakingfortheirtime,facedsignificant limitationsthathamperedtheiraccuracyand versatility.Here’salookatsomeofthekeyhurdles theyencountered:
● LimitedTrainingData:Amajorchallenge forearlyAIimagerecognitionwasthelackof large-scale,labeleddatasets.TraininganAI modeltoeffectivelyrecognizeobjects requiresfeedingitavastamountofdata containingimageswithclearlabels identifyingtheobjectspresent.Intheearly days,suchdatasetswerescarce,leadingto modelswithlimitedknowledgeanda tendencytostrugglewithunseenvariations.
● OverfittingandUnderfitting:Withlimited data,earlyAImodelsoftenfellpreytothe problemsofoverfittingandunderfitting. Overfittingoccurswhenamodelmemorizes thespecificdetailsofthetrainingdatatoo well,leadingtopoorperformanceonnew, unseenimages.Underfitting,ontheother hand,happenswhenthemodelfailsto capturetheunderlyingpatternsinthedata, resultinginageneralinabilitytorecognize objectsaccurately
● ComplexityofObjectsandScenes:Thereal worldthrowsavarietyofcomplexobjects andscenesatus.EarlyAIimagerecognition systemsoftenstruggledtohandlethis complexity.Variationsinlighting,pose, occlusion(whenpartoftheobjectishidden), andbackgroundcluttercouldallconfusethe models.Recognizingobjectsinabusyscene withmanyelements,forexample,proveda significantchallenge.
TheBirthofImageNet:AGameChangerforAI ImageRecognition
ThefieldofAIimagerecognitionreceivedamajor boostwiththecreationofImageNet. Thislarge-scale imagedataset,spearheadedbyFei-FeiLi,addressed thelimitationsthatplaguedearlierAImodels.
AttheheartofImageNetliesthecriticalconceptof humanlabeling.EffectivetrainingofAImodels requiresvastamountsofdatawithclearlabels
identifyingtheobjectspresentineachimage. ImageNet’screationinvolvedamonumentalhuman effort,achievedthrough:
● DataCollectionandLabeling:Millionsof imagesweregatheredfromvarioussources, oftentheinternet.Ameticulouslabelingprocess thencategorizedeachimagebasedonthe objectsitcontained.
● ThePowerofCrowdsourcing:Thesheer volumeofimagesnecessitatedcrowdsourcing. ImageNetleveragedonlineplatformswhere individualscouldcontributebylabelingimages, collectivelybuildingthismassivedataset.
ThescaleofImageNetwastrulyrevolutionary.With millionsoflabeledimages,itofferedarichtraining groundforAImodels.Thisabundanceofdataallowed modelstolearnandrecognizeavastspectrumofobjects andscenes,overcomingthelimitationsofearliersystems withlimiteddata.
TheImageNetChallenge:PushingtheBoundariesof AIVision
Buildingonthefoundationofthegroundbreaking ImageNetdataset,Fei-FeiLididn’tstopthere.Tofurther propelthefieldofAIimagerecognition,sheintroduced theImageNetChallenge(ILSVRC).Thisannual competitionservedasaplatformto:
● BenchmarkAIModels: Thechallenge providedastandardizedwaytomeasurethe performanceofAImodelsonimagerecognition tasks.Researcherscouldtesttheirmodels againstacommonsetofimagesandcompare theiraccuracywithothers.Thisfosteredhealthy competitionandacceleratedprogressinthe field.
● FuelInnovation:TheILSVRCbecamea breedinggroundforinnovation.Researchers aroundtheworldcompetedtodevelop algorithmsthatcouldachievethehighest accuracyinimageclassificationandobject detectiontasks.Thiscompetitiveenvironment spurredsignificantadvancementsindeep learningtechniques,acoreareaofAIthat allowscomputerstolearnfromvastamountsof data.
TheimpactoftheImageNetChallengewasnothingshort ofremarkable.It:
● SparkedaDeepLearningRevolution:The challengeservedasacatalystfortherapid developmentofdeeplearningtechniques. Researchersconstantlypushedtheboundaries, devisingnewarchitecturesandtrainingmethods thatsignificantlyimprovedthecapabilitiesofAI models.
● BirthofPowerfulAIModels:Thecompetition witnessedtheriseofpowerfulAImodelscapableof recognizingobjectsandsceneswithunprecedented accuracy.Theseadvancementspavedthewayfora neweraofAIapplications,impactingfieldsranging fromself-drivingcarsandmedicaldiagnosisto facialrecognitionandrobotics.
TheLegacyofImageNet:ALastingImpactonAI
ImageNet’sinfluenceonthefieldofAIisundeniable.It servesasalandmarkachievement,leavingalastingimpact thatcontinuestoshapethelandscapeofartificialintelligence today.
PavingtheWayforDiverseAIApplications:ImageNet’s legacyextendsfarbeyondtherealmofimagerecognition competitions.Thevast,labeleddatasetandtheadvancements spurredbytheImageNetChallengeplayedacrucialrolein enablingawiderangeofAIapplications:
● Self-drivingCars:Imagerecognitionisparamount forself-drivingcarstonavigatetheworldsafely ImageNet-trainedmodelshelpthesevehicles identifyobjectslikepedestrians,trafficsigns,and othercars,allowingthemtomakecrucialdecisions ontheroad.
● FacialRecognition:Theabilitytoaccurately recognizefacesisakeycomponentoffacial recognitiontechnology.ImageNet-trainedmodels contributesignificantlytothisfield,with applicationsinsecurity,socialmedia,andeven unlockingsmartphones.
● MedicalImageAnalysis:Inthemedicalfield,AIis beingusedtoanalyzemedicalimageslikeX-rays andMRIs.ImageNet-derivedtechniquesarebeing adaptedtoidentifyabnormalitiesandassistdoctors indiagnosingdiseases.
WhileImageNet’scontributionsareundeniable,it’s importanttoacknowledgesomecriticismsand limitations:
● Bias:Thedatasethasbeencriticizedfor containingbiasesreflectingtheimagesused duringitscreation.ThiscanleadtoAImodels thatperpetuatethesebiases,raisingethical concerns.
● LimitedScope:Thefocusoneveryday objectsmaynottranslateperfectlytoall domains.Forexample,medicalimagescan haveaverydifferentvisualstylecomparedto everydayphotos.
Theselimitationshighlighttheongoingneedfor diversedatasetsandongoingeffortstomitigatebiasin AIdevelopment.
Despitetheselimitations,ImageNet’slegacyremains significant.Itstandsasatestamenttothepowerof large-scaledatasetsandopencollaborationtopushthe boundariesofAI.Theadvancementsitfostered continuetofuelinnovationandpavethewayfora futurewhereAIcantackleincreasinglycomplexvisual tasksacrossvariousfields.
Inthemedicalfield,forinstance,AI-poweredmedical imagingcouldassistdoctorsindiagnosingdiseases moreaccuratelyandefficiently Thiscouldleadto earlierinterventionsandbetterpatientoutcomes.
AI-controlledrobotscouldalsobeusedtoperform delicatesurgeriesorassistwithrehabilitation.In disasterrelief,AI-powereddronescouldbeusedto surveydamagedareasandidentifypeopleinneedof help.
AIcouldalsobeusedtoanalyzedataandpredictthe spreadofwildfiresorfloods,allowingformore effectiveevacuationandreliefefforts.Andinscientific discovery,AIcouldbeusedtoanalyzevastamountsof datafromtelescopesormicroscopes,helpingscientists tomakenewdiscoveriesabouttheuniverseorthe humanbody
Everygreateducationalleaderunderstandsthat
buildingacommunityrequirestheeffortof many.Theypossessanunquenchablethirstfor self-improvementandapassionforenhancingthelives ofothers.Theystrivetocultivatealoveforlearning, embracemistakes,andpushthemselvestobecome betterforthebenefitoftheworld.Theseleadersbelieve thatstudentsthrivewhentheyusetheirmindstosolve problems,createsolutions,andcollaboratewithpeers tomakeadifference.
Tocultivatefutureleaders,itiscriticalthateducation focusesondevelopingcriticalthinkingandproblemsolvingskillsratherthanjustmemorizingfacts.The futureofeducationrequiresleaderswhounderstand thatcultivatingdisciplineinchildreniscrucial.These leadersunderstandthatacommitmenttosupporting childrenwithtoolssuchasmindfulness,selfawareness,andself-regulationisnecessaryforthemto growintoemotionallyintelligentandresilientadults.
LeilaCentner(FounderofCentnerAcademy)isan exemplaryeducationalleaderwhoistransforming educationandempoweringthenextgeneration.Her visionaryapproachtoeducationisrevolutionizingthe wayweteach,learn,andgrowandismakingalasting impactonthelivesofcountlesschildren.
FromAdversitytoAmbition
Leila’sjourneytowardeducationalleadershipisrooted inhertumultuouschildhood.Growingupinarough neighborhoodwithoutafatherfigure,shewas surroundedbynegativeinfluences.Herfriendswere becomingpregnantatthirteen,andsheevengotchased homebyagangwithknivesonce.Itwasachallenging environment;however,itmotivatedhertostrivefor moreandtocreateabetterlifeforherselfandher family
Leila’sambitiontoimprovethingsforherselfand othersfueledherpassionforeducationalleadership. Whensearchingfortherighteducationalinstitution forherdaughter,shefoundthatnoschoolmether highstandardsforengaginginacademicsandthe holisticdevelopmentofchildren.Ratherthan settlingforless,Leiladecidedtocreateherown school,CentnerAcademy,aConsciousDiscipline schoolthatempowerschildrentobecomefuture leaders.
CentnerAcademy:RedefiningEducationfor FutureLeaderswithHeart
Leila’sbrainchild,CentnerAcademy,isa trailblazingeducationalinstitutionthatfocuseson buildingfutureleaderswithheart.Foundedin2019, CentnerAcademyislocatedinMiamiandhasthree campuses,withnewconstructionintheworksto furtherexpanditsreach.
TheAcademy’sapproachtoeducationiscenteredon developingcriticalthinkingandproblem-solving skillsoverrotememorizationandfactrecall.Their signatureEntrepreneurshipProgramisan excellentexampleofthis.Studentsexperiencethe entireprocessofbringingaserviceorproductto market,includingcreatingabusinessplan,makinga SharkTank-styleinvestmentpitch,andbringingthe productorservicetothepublicattheBeeHappy Marketplace.
CentnerAcademyisknownforitsforeignlanguage program,whichincludesHebrew,Mandarin, Spanish,Italian,andFrench.Theschoolalsohas competitiveLegoRoboticsandSpeech&Debate Teams,aswellasTennisandSoccerprograms.They haveauniquepartnershipwithCentner’slocal regenerativefarm,Regener8Farm&Retreat.
Moreover,theschoolprioritizes developingemotional intelligenceandresilienceinits students.AsaConscious Disciplineschoolthatfocuseson thedevelopmentofdiscipline withinthechild,Centner Academyiscommittedto providingtoolssuchas mindfulness,self-awareness,and self-regulationtosupporttheir students’growthinto emotionallyintelligentand resilientadults.
TheAcademy’sBrain Optimizationprogramis anotherstandoutfeature,with nutritiousandhealthyfoodanda physicaleducationprogramthat supportsneurodevelopment.The academicsareequallyrigorous
“At Centner Academy, our academic approach is designed to prepare our students for success in a rapidly changing world.”
andengaging,withacrosscurricularproject-basedlearning approachthatallowsstudentsto divedeeplyintotopicsofinterest whilemasteringessentialskills.
LeilaseesherselfastheChief HappinessOfficerandfocuseson motivatingherteamandleading byexample,alwaysemphasizing theimportanceofkindness, compassion,andhumilityin everythingtheydo.AstheCEOof theschool,shetakesonavariety ofrolesandresponsibilities,allof whichareaimedatcreatinga thrivinglearningcommunity.Her toppriorityistoensurethateach student’sindividualneedsaremet,
whichsheachievesbyprovidinga broadrangeofacademicprograms andextracurricularactivitiesthat fostercriticalthinking,problemsolving,andcreativity
Leila’sapproachiscenteredon cultivatingfutureleaderswithhearts whocannavigatetheuncertainand ever-changingworldwithintegrity, grit,andagrowthmindset.Inaddition toshapingtheacademicprograms offeredbytheschool,Leilaalsotakes ahands-onapproachtocultivatinga cultureoflearningandgrowthwithin theinstitution.
“We have a strong culture of learning, growing, and problem-solving.” “If we model this for our students, we are successful!” addsLeila.
Leilaiswellawareoftheflawsinthe currenteducationsystemandthedire needforchange.Accordingtoher,the educationsystemwasdesignedfora differentera,anditnolongercatersto theneedsoftoday’sstudents.The traditionaldefinitionofsuccess, namelyfinishingcollegeandpursuing traditionaloccupations,isnolonger theonlyoption.Sheunderstandsthat happinessleadstosuccessratherthan theotherwayaround.
Inlightofthis,CentnerAcademyis focusingondevelopingskillsthatwill helpstudentsthriveinany circumstance.Emotionalintelligence, resilience,agrowthmindset,and criticalthinkingareemphasizedto helpstudentsbecomesuccessful regardlessofthechallengestheymay faceinthefuture.
Leilaunderstandsthattomakea positivechange,heracademyneedsto beagileandresponsive.Beingastartupinstitution,theycontinuously
“
“We empower our learners with research-backed learning strategies that foster problem -solving and critical-thinking skills.”
iterateandrespondtonewinformation toensurethattheeducationsystem theyprovideisrelevantandbeneficial tothestudents.
Leilaisoftenaskedabouthowshe maintainsahealthywork-lifebalance. Inherresponse,shehighlightsher personalpassionforherworkandher commitmenttomaintainingher physicalandmentalhealth.Having spentyearsoptimizingherbrainand
health,Leilahasahighlevelofenergy comparedtotheaverageperson.This enableshertoworklonghours,asshe isdeeplycommittedtoherworkat CentnerAcademyandCentner Wellness&Spa.
Despiteherbusyschedule,Leilamakes timeforherhobbiesandinterests outsideofwork.Sheenjoysspending qualitytimewithherlovedones, exploringnewplacesandcultures,and throwingpartiestobringpeople together
