Executive Coaching Endorsements

Please allow this letter to serve as an enthusiastic endorsement of Gary Wood’s executive coaching services!

During my search for executive coaching assistance, I was a “newly minted” President & CEO of a 150 year old professional services organization.  I was struggling with several new challenges leading my 120 employee organization and working effectively with my new Partners.  I was beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed and my confidence was starting to waver.

Because I am a Christian, I sought an executive coach who shared my faith values.  It is important to me to conduct myself in accordance with God’s Will and I knew that in order for me to best accomplish this, I needed a Christian-based executive coach.  I feel blessed to have found Gary Wood, who met this requirement in a special way.

I worked with Gary for nearly 2 years.  I looked forward to our telephone coaching sessions.  Gary was able to restore my confidence and help clarify the issues I was facing.  Once I understood the issues with clarity, Gary assisted me in developing an effective means to deal with them.  Gary’s clarity model, coupled with his strong Christian faith, provided me with the tools I needed to be a more effective and confident leader.  To this day, I find myself reviewing the many notes I’ve taken during our coaching sessions, relying on them in almost a “how-to manual” fashion.

I recommend Gary Wood without hesitation or reservation.  I wish you the best of luck and the Lord’s blessing as you and Gary work together to overcome whatever challenges the Lord has placed before you.  Gary has helped make me a better father, husband, business leader and servant.  I’m confident he’ll do likewise for you.  May God bless you.

Very Truly Yours,

E.J.

I realized I didn't need help managing my staff … I needed help finding time for myself. Gary regularly walked me through scenarios that clearly identified that the organization has so much potential and I had the skills and experience to move it to bigger and better things. CG

Thanks for your thoughts yesterday!   Had a great meeting - one person even told me I knocked it out of the park!   Feeling very pleased with progress so far - now for the next challenge - being a Leader and not a Doer!!!   Really looking forward to that step. MB

Gary's strength lies in being able to clarify for the ambitious yet overwhelmed entrepreneur what to do immediately next. This is a great contribution, as in my experience, enterpreneurs are bursting with ideas and know well what needs to be done, but in the reality of tight funds, or not enough time or staff, it is great to find out what exactly one should do next. AW

Thank you for your help in our coaching session last week. I found our time together to be very productive and enlightening. My meeting this past Monday went exceptionally well and *** and I are both very optimistic about the future as we continue to work together. SW

Executive coaching was a new concept for me when my board of directors suggested that I consider a coach in helping me with some difficulties I was having with some of my employees.  As a Christian, I wanted a Biblical approach in addressing my problem areas.  My internet search lead me to Gary Wood and after speaking with him I knew he was exactly what I was looking for in a coach.  I found Gary to be a caring person, a devoted follower of Christ and someone I could easily talk with.

Gary asked me to complete a couple of assessment tools (DISC Assessment) to determine how I functioned in the world.  I found them extremely useful and insightful.  The assessment went way beyond the usual personality testing you may be familiar with.  The results educated me on how I need to receive information from others, but more importantly, how others need me to communicate with them.  This was very crucial for me in that there were four specific areas I had asked Gary for help.  1) Timely and effective communication, 2) improved accountability/follow through - record keeping, tracking/follow-up, 3) confronting undesirable performance/conflict avoidance and 4) stress management.

Over the next six months, Gary and I met by telephone once a week to discuss progress and assignments.  Gary allowed me, in most instances, to take the lead in determining what needed to be worked on during each meeting.  I found having to determine what we were going to talk about to be very challenging at times.  It did force me into confronting real issues that probably would not have been discussed if Gary had just said, “here’s where I think we should start today.  

As I think back on some of the most helpful tools I received during our times together, I would have to say one of the most valuable for me was the “Styles Insight” quadrant.  Understanding and using this tool was a huge breakthrough in understanding how others receive communication.  It is amazing how differently each of us receives information from one another.  Knowing how my employees needed me to communicate with them, based on their personality style, has made a big difference in my effectiveness as a communicator and a leader.

Another revelation from one of our early meetings was the concept of “truth telling.”  This was important for me because it is so easy for me to believe the lie that I don’t have what it takes to be a leader.  I forget that, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength,” (Phil. 4:13).  Gary gave me a scripture verse to hold on to and to remind myself of often - 2 Corinthians 10:5 which says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  I think about this whenever “the lie” creeps into my thoughts with the intent to create a lack of confidence and self-doubt.

I have shared only a couple of things that were meaningful for me in the time that Gary coached me.  My needs are unique to me and my management and personality style are different from yours.  I wouldn’t expect challenges to be the same or even similar, however, if you need someone who has a strong faith in Christ, who offers help that is biblically based and really cares about people, then, Gary is a coach that you can work with to achieve the goals and outcomes you desire from the executive coaching experience. JC

I thank you so much for your help to now.  I have picked up some momentum through this process, and the reorganization, while temporarily painful, will result in much more freedom to expand later.  Thank you again Gary. DF

I was working through some tenuous personal situations while at the same time grappling with some major issues within my organization and Gary was able to ask clear, concise questions which allowed me to see clearly through the 'fog'. Because he knows the industry, he can 'cut to the quick' and get down to the core issues. GS

Gary's coaching in hiring new staff, while I phased myself out, has proved invaluable. We have reached our objectives through this process, and we feel confident and blessed, to have new staff and board members in place. CH

The most important thing about working with Gary is the increased confidence and clarity of direction I have after the meetings. He is able to see in my activities the things that are working for me and to help me organize my thinking to address those areas that have been obstacles. SS

The brilliance of this program cannot be over-stated. Gary Wood has combined his knowledge, experience and skill into developing a cohesive program that incorporates innovative technology with the excellence of his outstanding ability to coach anyone on anything. JS

I interviewed several individuals before selecting Gary as my business coach.  I am a successful real estate agent and wanted someone to assist me in determining what direction to take my business next. 

Gary has been a great partner and mentor throughout the process.  His insight and objectivity were invaluable to me and really kept me focused on my goals and objectives. 

Gary is a very effective coach, and always has something valuable to add during each session.  He asks meaningful questions to get to the heart of matters in discussions.    

I particularly appreciated Gary’s Christian viewpoints on several issues that we addressed.  I always felt like Gary had my best interests in mind at all times.  Never did we cover a topic or issue that I felt Gary was not qualified to handle – he consistently provided thoughtful input and suggestions to all our meetings.

I would recommend Gary to anyone who is looking for a serious business coach/partner to guide them through these times.  Gary is a great navigator and has so much to offer the world and those around him. Thank you Gary! TR

Gary helped me to clarify my vision of combining my love of both law and languages. Many of the ideas that I use now were birthed while talking to Gary. What is most important is that Gary's system also requires you to do deep self-work, in other words, an understanding that our personality and ways of being have a direct effect on our business success. SD

Gary is a gifted Master Executive Coach whose wisdom and guidance greatly assisted me in breaking through to a new level of performance and contribution. With thoughtful care he familiarized himself with my situation and then worked closely with me to clarify desired outcomes. He pushed me forward to deal with those items that were holding me back and encouraged me all along the way. Gary is very insightful and through careful listening and discussion is able suggest just the right mix of solutions. If you are ready to take yourself and / or your organization to the next level, engage Gary in the process, you will be glad you did! JM

Gary provides a wealth of knowledge in leadership, specifically in the area of Christian camps, which has helped move our organization into a much more mature state. We feel better equipped to tackle the ministry opportunities that God has provided for us. God is truly using Gary in the furthering of His work here. TW

Gary is a trusted expert in the field of executive coaching and I truly appreciate his insight, clarity process and (best of all) results. I would highly recommend Gary to any executive who desires to make better decisions, work more effectively and become more profitable. BD

Gary has excellent people skills, strong communication skills, and easily identifies a person's special traits and source of motivation. He does it like no one else I have encountered. He is always very prompt to respond and gets me to really understand my obstacles, how to motivate myself, my team, my clients, and how to obtain results beyond my imagination. What started as a coach/client relationship quickly evolved into "a trusted advisor for life". He's a terrific person with a great sense of humor, to have as a resource and a friend! TR

Through Gary's coaching, I have been able to make numerous difficult but positive decisions to move ahead very significantly. The ministry has flourished as a result but more importantly, I am able to function personally, far more effectively. Most significantly by far, my marriage and family life has been strengthened immensely. DH

I had never worked with a coach prior to hiring Gary. I was somewhat unsure of what kinds of results I could expect or even how to communicate exactly what I was looking for. Fortunately, Gary is a professional who knows how to deal with someone like me. Within our first conversation, Gary had aptly analyzed and summarized exactly what we were dealing with. Through a period of regular contact thereafter he helped me with a strategic approach that proved revolutionary. The final outcome: more revenue from my business and more time with family. LC

Gary Wood's ability to give direction - the right direction - is uncanny. He searches for the why of things, which always directs the how. Even if I am sure of where I want to go, I talk to him, and value his counsel. TB

Gary was a wise, wonderful advisor who helped me transition from my longtime role as a nonprofit executive to a successful entrepreneur in consulting. His patient, gentle guidance was exactly right to keep me moving in the right direction. I recommend him wholeheartedly. KM

It was nice to have someone to bounce wild and wonderful ideas with … who wasn't there to criticize but just to offer thoughtful questions that would lead me into further development of my own ideas and vision for the organization. CG

I had the opportunity this last weekend to review what has been accomplished within the last 8 months, since retaining you as a coach.

• Personal $ reserves are the equivalent of 6 months of living expenses.
• I have been saving in a reserve account 10-25% of every dollar we have received in the company. 
• We have a 2 month reserve of work.
• I am exercising daily through the help of a personal trainer at the YMCA.
• I am spending time with the Lord daily and learning to rely on him for all my needs.

JK