For the past 22 years, I have had the opportunity to live in a PhD world.
I like to joke with my colleagues that I did not waste a good education spending
too much time in school. This is said with love, respect and appreciation. My
trusted colleagues have been great learning guides.
My educational expedition has been very different than my colleagues.
I received a B.S. degree in marketing and a minor in philosophy. I graduated in
the top 80% of my class from an East coast Jesuit Prep School and University.
After graduation, I signed on with the U.S. Navy. Once again a free man, I
traveled between Aspen and Cape Cod for a few years. During this time law school
called me twice, and I discovered the legal profession was not for me.
I started learning about the power of relationships, met my wife, settled down
and became an actor. We spent 6 great years in New York City. While acting and
directing in theaters, we were the very first tenants in Manhattan Plaza, an
artist community located in the middle of Times Square that became known as the
“Miracle of 42nd street”.
In 1980, my acting career took a turn when I was called to Los Angeles to appear
in my first big film: A Change of Seasons. Bo Derek had created a screen name
for herself in “10” and “Seasons” was her 2nd starring role. My role in the film
was one I had rehearsed in real life, ski bum. While in LA, I had several guest
staring roles on the television series, “Dallas” and was actually on the episode
when in infamous JR was shot. Most importantly, my two children Morgan and
Christopher were born in 1980 and 1983.
In parallel with my acting “career”, I was working and learning at the Center
for Leadership Studies While at the Center, I met Paul Hersey, Marshall
Goldsmith and Frank Wagner. My life was forever changed. My leadership learning
journey had begun.
By 1984, I was totally out of the film business and fully immersed in
consulting. I was an early member of Keilty Goldsmith and Boone and started to
lead “The Excellent Manager Workshop” for middle managers and above at IBM,
Warner Lambert, Citibank, Apple and many other fortune 500 companies. Twice a
year I teach in the UCLA Technical Manager program. These classes are largely
comprised of scientists from our government labs: Lawrence Livermore, Sandia,
and Los Alamos. I also had the opportunity to teach management and leadership
at Gonzaga University in Florence Italy. I had found my calling.
Through the years, learning, developing and leading the following workshops has
been my passion.
I currently use my talent and teaching experiences to effectively coach for
high-potential and senior-level managers and executives. Since 1999 I have been
one of the most utilized behavioral coaches for the Marshal Goldsmith Behavioral
Change process with great results.
John McLaughlin, best known for “The McLaughlin Group” TV series, was my
homeroom teacher senior year in prep school. He told me I would be a teacher
and a great one. I thought he was crazy. HE WAS RIGHT!
