Leading Minds Executive Coaching engagements include a nuanced and individualized focus on 4 encompassing dimensions of human wellness and stress management. Throughout the coaching process, my Associates and I take care to support clients in ensuring that they proactively attend to the “4 M’s”: Medical wellness, Mindfulness, Mindset shifts, and Meaning Structures:

  • Medical wellness. Individuals can only develop leadership capacity, grow their businesses, and achieve fulfillment if they have a foundation of basic health. That is why we have regular coaching discussions about life fundamentals such as sound sleep, good nutrition, exercise, and “downtime.” We encourage clients to consult with physicians for appropriate medical care when necessary and with mental health professionals if they struggle with challenges like anxiety, depression, or attention deficit disorder.
  • Mindfulness. In addition to basic medical wellness, we encourage and empower clients to hone their stress management skills. Mindfulness strategies (such as meditation and controlled breathing) are particularly powerful for some clients who need help with pausing in the midst of their frenetic daily lives, so that they can think more clearly, set priorities, plan strategically for the future, and execute on their goals. We help clients to develop practical strategies that they can realistically incorporate into their hectic daily lives.
  • Mindset shifts. All Leading Minds clients receive expert coaching on how to recognize their self-defeating and self-limiting beliefs. We all sometimes doubt and criticize ourselves. Strong coaching helps clients to choose positive, yet realistic, beliefs about themselves and their situations. Drawing on cognitive psychology and the power of a “growth mindset,” we challenge clients to question their negative underlying assumptions and choose a forward looking belief system that can drive action plans for success.
  • Meaning structures. In both careers and personal lives, human beings thrive when they tie to their everyday activities to a higher life purpose. Coaching conversations can help clients to identify their core values and define their “highest good.” This self-understanding enables clients to strive toward joy and fulfillment in all aspects of their lives. It can also deepen their sense of interpersonal connectedness, which in turn can strengthen the quality of life and success of other people in their work and personal lives.

You can read more about the Leading Minds model for wellness and stress management in the following publications:
Harvard Business Review: To Succeed as a First-Time Leader, Relax

Harvard Business Review: Manage Stress by Knowing What You Value

Huffington Post: Coaching Executives to Regulate Their Emotions: The Role of Mindfulness Strategies