Christian Executive Coach Gary Wood
Bio: The Informal Version

Christian Executive Coach Gary Wood bio - who I am and what has formed me? Here's the somewhat tongue-in-cheek version that will give a glimpse of some of the influences that have determined who I am and what I will bring to our work together. 

Who is Gary? I want to know him. I want to see if he understands me and my situation. What kind of a life has he lived? I want to see why I should trust him with my personal, professional and organizational information. Who is Gary Wood?

G.E.Wood & Associates is led by a real person ... who's lived life. It's not theory or AI augmentation.

• I was brought up on the farm, knowing how to get the job done and learning the values of rural life and the relationships that were knit by a hard working community of people.
  
  
• I knew I was loved by my Dad and Mom who (looking back) sacrificed more than I even know, so I could be where I am today.
  
  
• So I have the benefit of having lived and worked in the country, town and city (sounds like a country song!)
  
  
• Worked ninety minutes to clear the beaver pond to play hockey for 30 minutes. When I think back, clearing the pond was my best hockey skill.
  
  
• I've thrown hay, picked potatoes, worked the jack hammer and built houses as a kid. That got me through all the years of schooling.
  
  
• Have had my life enriched by knowing, learning from and working with wonderful people (lots of them)

• In my last year of high-school, I realized I wasn't on good terms with God. Jesus found me and met me where I was. Got right with God and life was never the same after.
  
  
• Married the girl of my dreams who completes who I am (I got the best - I am the most fortunate man on earth.)
  
  
• Read the Bible daily and I endeavor to treat, lead and coach people in alignment with its changeless truths.
  
  
• Pray daily, have for years, will pray for anyone who touches my life
  

Christian Executive Coach Gary Wood. The Experiences that Have Shaped Me

• I've been in the big company (yes, I was a number!) I worked on computers when they were bigger than some cars.

• I've also moved out of the city, where there were no computers and started all over again.

• I have worked for people, with people and leading people. My life has been all about people - a major portion of that, harnessing their capabilities to accomplish good things together.

• I've started businesses, doing very well at some and poorly at others. I think I now know the differences. All these things contribute to who I am as Christian Executive Coach Gary Wood.

• Designed things, made things and sold things

• Planted a church along with another couple. Watched it grow. Watched it shrink. Watched it grow again. Saw great things happen. Wept for the tough things. Left the end results to God. 

• As a business entrepreneur and leader, I've never stopped learning. I believe in keeping fresh, stretching myself and moving forward.

• Did business plans, marketing plans, house plans, ministry plans, strategic plans and planned how to plan

• I have served on boards of directors with a bunch of great people. And I've been through those 'not so stellar' board meetings too.

• Created new directions, programs and initiatives

• I've written and read, spoke and listened a lot, still do. Seems a lot more people want to listen to me now, but it only makes me more aware of how much I still have to learn.

• Spotted, encouraged and trained emerging leadership. I've even given some my job. I love nothing more than watching emerging leadership grow and work shoulder-to-shoulder.

Still More ...

• I've done business in retail, wholesale, service, trades, and worked in non-profit (The early years seemed like a lot of non-profit)
  
  
• I have invested (wisely, I believe) my adult years in Christian service - sometimes 'part-time', sometimes 'full-time'. What I have seen accomplished in lives will forever motivate me to keep working with people to see them be all that God created them to be. (Now that's a Christian Executive Coach Gary Wood bio point that encourages me.)
  
  
• I've worked with volunteers, hundreds and hundreds of them, motivated and excellent people, a highlight for sure. I've had the great privilege to articulate vision that captured their imagination and motivated us to work hard together to reach our goals.
  
  
• And I’ve had great employees too. Some of them stand out for sure, but it was an honor to work side by side to accomplish good things.
  
  
• Seems like I have always been working with people - one on one coaching before Coaching was even a recognized profession.
  
  
• I've resolved conflicts and a million other things. This is the stuff of real life. It was mine to do and I did it, not always perfectly but with integrity.
  
  
• I've been encouraged, discouraged, needed courage and found courage
  
  
• Listened to and cried or rejoiced over almost every life situation going
  
  
• I have had the incredible privilege to serve thousands of youth. These are the men and women who are in important positions of leadership and influence right now.
  
  
• Worked with hundreds of couples and families
  
  
• I am happily married with grown children. My wife is wonderful. (I know it's a repeat, but it's worth saying.) "Many" years of great marriage behind us - God willing, more to come
  
  
• Kids, marriages and now Grandchildren – And some of them are bigger, older, and uniquely themselves. Beginning to accomplish things ... and, who knows what they will achieve!

And On and On to the End

• I've held long time commitments, week in and week out.

• I know about caring for an elderly parent. 4-1/2 hours away. Went to heaven at 99 after 34 years of living on her own. Lots of stories there. 
  
  
• I've experienced break-ups, make-ups and shake-ups in organizations. Wherever you have people you have challenges. You also have incredible potential for change.
  
  
• I know what it is to run with stress and overload. I spent several years "running in the red." It helped me understand leaders who are traveling that road right now. A formative time for sure.

• Have had a tired body, tired brain and tired soul and made it through. I did say it was the real Executive Coach Gary Wood bio!
  
  
• Have had the severe privilege of being very near big stuff like cancer, suicide, eating disorders, marriage breakups, all sorts of failures, heartaches, and death

• I am no stranger to disappointment, but in it I've found appointment, good work to be done. I've seen God redeeming any disappointment for His use.

• I have lots of laughs, tons of memories and friends to share them with. The list of enriching people in my life just seems to keep growing.
  
  
• I worked hard to master coaching skills and get recognized professional credentials, but my clients seem to give me more than I give them. (At least that's what I often feel after a call.) 

• That's a lot of working under leaders, with leaders, leading leaders, training leaders, and coaching leaders.
  
  
• And I have great coaching clients, who are ready, willing and able - successful people on the move who only want to do better. Seems I hear something on the news, and some client will have a connection to it. Vital and compelling.

• I completely gave up other coaching related work (and income) so I could focus entirely one on one with leaders who are on the edge of burnout. It turned out to be a great move to meet yet another pressing need. 

To contact Christian Executive Coach Gary Wood and discuss your concerns, click here. I would be honored to have a conversation if appropriate.

• I've collaborated with amazing colleagues who sparked me to learn, stretch and grow
  
  
• I read, research, and ponder, and really believe that leaders are readers.

• I love creating. I have a hundred and one "tools" I'd like to create for clients, articles I'd like to work on, and on, and on. I suspect life will be too short to achieve it all.

• The body's good. The brain is sharp (that's a good thing!) However, I've been told I've shingled my last roof. "That's it. No more up on the roof," she said. (No, I did not fall off.)
  
  
• I love life and even looking back at a lot of tough stuff, wouldn't trade mine

• Did I mention I'm married to the love of my life? Of course I did. We're still enjoying our journey together, (even though she said I can't go back up on the roof.)

• No roof, but I do have "the barn," (a.k.a. the shop) a place to build, repair, and tinker on a day off. We call it "the barn that family and friends built." It's well equipped. The only warning I've received is to not cut digits off. 

That’s only a fraction of the story ...

There you have it ... the Executive Coach Gary Wood bio. If you allow me the honor of working with you and your organization, I will bring the best of all that I am into serving you and seeing you successfully move forward.

For a more formal, (but less lively) business-like summary of Executive Coach Gary Wood click here. 

To initiate a conversation and explore coaching with Christian Executive Coach Gary Wood, click here.