My Client:  A firm providing time-critical services to clients on an as-needed basis. The 15 employees had expressed a lack of trust and accountability amongst themselves.

Listening:  I listened to the Vice-President who described the issues facing this team and heard his need to bring the team together and to create an environment of trust. He told me that he wanted me to work with the team over a 3 month time-frame, with monthly meetings.

Discovery:  Using an email survey form, I interviewed each employee asking key questions about the "state of the team." The results were used as an anonymous database for the structure of the team meetings.

Clarify:  During the meetings, using the anonymous database of information, we outlined the team's issues around trust and accountability, discussed them openly, talked about the impact of the issues on the team, and developed a plan where each person took responsibility for one issue and developed a plan that would positively impact the issue they had chosen.

Action:  Each team member reported to me at least twice during the month, giving me feedback about the changes they were making regarding the specific issue that they had taken responsibility to impact. One person reported that team members would ask:  "Is that a 'Linda Zuk'?" when someone was not being responsible for the issue they had agreed to make a change in.

Success:  During our third meeting, using a scale I had developed and displayed on an easel, the team reported on the trust and accountability in the team when they started working with me and the trust and accountability in the team after our meetings. The results were visual and startling! There was unmistakable progress, exhibited by an experience of safety and trust throughout the team.

Business Owner & CEO Results:

My Client:  Miles, the owner of a 30-employee service company, was referred to me by one of my clients. Miles is a visionary who has more ideas than he or his staff can implement, is highly disorganized and was frustrated because he has lost control of his office and his staff.

Listening:  As I listened to Miles during our first meetings, he told me how he was always "running in circles and putting out fires." He had an operations manager, three people to answer phones and make appointments, a general manager, a bookkeeper, and 24 technicians, yet none of his office staff were empowered to do their jobs. There were no systems in place, and Miles frequently did other people's jobs rather than "bother them." I suggested that I meet with each of Miles' administrative staff and one of his technicians.

Discovery:  During my meetings with Miles' staff, I recognized that everyone had great respect for Miles. They all wanted to do their jobs, they all knew what they needed to do, and they wanted to be allowed to do it. His staff needed Miles to prioritize his many ideas. I began to coach Miles to let his staff do their jobs instead of doing things himself and to start using his calendar to organize his days.

Clarity:  Over a two-month period, Miles took my coaching and began to empower his employees to do their job. He saw the result of organizing his days and the positive effect of prioritizing his flow of ideas. At my request, Miles' staff made a list of everything that needed to be done in the business.

Action:  During weekly staff meetings, his staff would discuss what needed to be done, who needed to do it and when it would be done. As each staff member was given the responsibility for their jobs, Miles was freed up to be in the office, work on his ideas, network his staff's calendars and email and install an updated telephone system — all of which he'd wanted to do for over nine months.

Success:  After six months of working with Miles and his staff, everyone was free to do their job within the structure that had been created. Miles continues to be the visionary and is no longer running in circles.

Entrepreneur & Individual Coaching Results:

My Client:  I met initially with Jon, a chiropractor, during a complimentary 30-minute "get to know you" session. Jon was frustrated with a two-year old practice that was not growing. He was unable to move forward and did not understand what was stopping him.

Listening:  I heard his fundamental commitment to being a chiropractor and making a real difference in the lives of his patients. His lack of direction and focus were obvious as he talked about trying to find the right office and chiropractic technique. He felt stuck in achieving his desire to "create an average day that I would enjoy," and he talked at length of his inability to move forward.

Discovery:  During our second coaching session, as I asked him several probing questions, Jon was able to see that his perception of his actions, and concern about how others viewed him, stopped him from acting decisively and moving forward. His homework was to notice whenever he was worried about what others thought about him.

Clarity:  As he moved through his next weeks, my ongoing coaching supported Jon in gaining a new clarity and freedom about his future and where he wanted to be. He was able, for the first time in his life, to see where he wanted to go and how he could get there. His homework was to list the steps he needed to take in order to create the practice he dreamed of.

Action:  I coached Jon to create a plan to organize his business, research different models of chiropractic, visit chiropractic offices, begin marketing his ideas and develop a one-year plan.

Success:  Within 3 months, following the Action Plan that we created, Jon found an established chiropractor who wanted to train him in the exact technique that Jon was most interested in and who eventually wants Jon to take over his practice. The practice has a small town atmosphere and is consistent with Jon's values. As he has gained expertise in this new technique, Jon's practice is growing.

"Linda helped me get a plan, get focused and get headed in the right direction. I would highly recommend coaching with Linda to anyone who is ready to grow in their business life or in their family life. Linda has made a huge difference for me and she can make a huge difference for you."
– Jon Yakish, Chiropractor, Valley Chiropractic Wellness Center