Compass Leadership Coaching clients are successful executives and business owners, who want to explore new opportunities for productivity and profitability by developing their leadership skills. Their goals include: understanding behavior styles, improving communications skills and fine-tuning management techniques.

The following client profiles provide examples of how Compass Leadership Coaching can help you get from where you are to where you want to go as a leader in your field.

Growing Construction Company Gets Focused on Goals

Andre is the owner of a construction company that specializes in stone and tile installations. The challenge of encouraging his team to become stakeholders in the company’s future led Andre to a new mode of leadership. At a special staff meeting, he clearly detailed the company’s past, shared financial details and set a clear course for the years ahead. His inclusive, goal-oriented approach also relies on a new sensitivity to the personality styles of his team members.

Working with Mark Fulton and Compass Leadership Coaching has helped me establish consistency in determining my long term business goals, treating each goal as a building block towards future success, so that each step forward builds upon the previous steps our team has already taken together. This philosophy has instilled a sense of personal leadership in our key employees as each of us better understands the importance of working together to accomplish our common goals.

— Andre Hutchinson, Construction Company President

Management Insights That Make a Difference

The responsibilities of leadership are daunting, especially when you have to deal with thorny employee issues. Carol’s team was already a model of productivity and exceptional service when she began her coaching experience. Yet there were a few challenges for which she wanted some new perspective. Carol’s intuitive understanding of people enabled her to put some new ideas for staff meetings, marketing and work policies into place that made a great operation even better.

"I manage an office of nine women in a stressful environment––real estate. During the weekly sessions with Mark, I was able to pinpoint supervisory weaknesses by reviewing the profile he had given me to complete. We worked through a few delicate employee situations and did some brainstorming on two marketing programs that proved beneficial to my office. Our weekly 40-minute calls motivated me to do that which would have sat on the back burner for weeks."

— Carol Butler, Title Insurance Company Operations Manager

Finding Balance While Building a Business

Keeping up with the many demands of operating a successful hearing aid business was stretching Bill to the max. A hard worker who eagerly accepts the challenge the comes with building a business, Bill was starting to feel that his efforts weren’t producing the returns he wanted. He realized he was going in too many directions at one time and needed a deliberate strategy for reaching his goals. With a little bit of brainstorming, Bill has developed a game plan that will get him where he wants to go.

“As the owner of a very busy hearing aid practice, I often found myself frustrated trying to juggle the needs of my family, spiritual, personal, business, and community responsibilities. Mark helped me understand the ‘E-Myth’ and that my frustrations have been felt by almost all business owners at one time or another. Over the past four months our coaching sessions have helped me set goals and make commitments I know I will be held accountable for each week we meet. Mark’s professionalism, experience and insights into word-of-mouth business referrals have taught me to think outside of the box. Consequently, my business is enjoying unprecedented success.”

— Bill Morgan, Hearing Aid Business Owner

Team Motivation that Builds a Practice

Catherine’s orthodontic practice is doing well, but she realizes that she can’t disregard the impact of growing competition. Marketing her practice effectively means implementing a multi-faceted strategy that involves both staff members and patients. Her assistants are a key component for future growth by virtue of the service they provide to patients and their commitment to encouraging patients to brings others into the practice. Team spirit and enthusiasm are essential factors that will attract new business.

"I have revitalized my approach to serving my current patients and finding new ones thanks to Mark’s input. While I still use some traditional marketing techniques, Mark’s ideas for building my practice opened new doors for thinking creatively about how to utilize our team as an effective marketing tool.”

— Catherine Oden Fulton, D.D. S., Orthodontist

Providing Internal Leadership While Serving Clients

One of the challenges of being a partner in a large accounting and consulting firm is stepping up to the plate when leadership opportunities within the firm arise. Mike's strong leadership skills made him a natural choice for added managerial responsibilities in addition to his client service duties. His desire to leave a legacy with his firm motivates Mike to seek avenues through which his communication abilities and people skills can be exercised in his leadership role.

The latest opportunity for a leadership role within the firm is a tremendous challenge for me.  It am altering not only my day-to-day work life, but also the impact I have on the firm as a whole.  Mark and I work together to analyze the ways that I can restructure my routines to accomodate the challenge.  Additionally, we assess the potential outcomes from this role to determine how the opportunity will help me achieve my long-term goals."

–– Michael J. Carter, CPA and Accounting Company Partner

Coaching Provides Accountability and Promotes Execution

For nine years William (“Dub”) has been participating in strategic coaching program that requires him to go to four weekend seminars per year. Dub comes home from those weekends with specific goals and strategies that become the focus of his weekly Compass Leadership Coaching sessions. As a very successful insurance consultant, Dub sets challenging goals and follows a precise plan to reach them, which includes a step-by-step approach to identifying, contacting and closing new business.

I was looking for a personal, action oriented coaching session that featured weekly accountability to help me implement the many great ideas I picked up during the year. Regular 40-minute sessions over the phone keep me focused on the short term and require me to think through the "issue of the week" in advance. The major benefit of coaching is that it helps me implement ideas that would not be implemented if not for Mark’s insights, persistence and guidance.

— William Dungan, Aggregator, Insurance Firm

Prioritization and Perspective Provide Focus

Serving as the pastor of a growing congregation of more than 1500 members and supervising a staff of 25 presented time management challenges for this young pastor. Jim wanted to find a new approach to balancing ministerial and managerial duties that wouldn’t force him to compromise the level of care his was committed to giving to both.

Mark’s style of coaching has been both encouraging and challenging. He has been able to put his finger on those areas of my leadership role that need prioritization and provide me with the tools to look at issues with new eyes. Ranging from approaches for motivating our staff to tools for more effective use and prioritization of my time, Mark’s input has been helpful in zeroing in on specifics, which paradoxically always have a much larger application. His coaching has enriched every aspect of my life.

— Jim Wood, Senior Pastor

Preparing for a Leadership Role in the Family Business

Clark is a smart, enterprising young executive in his family's business. As he works diligently to meet the obligations of his current position as a vice president in the organization, Clark is cognizant of the expectations that affect his future as the leader of the family business. He has rightly focused on his ability to understand and maximize relationships with key employees as a vital skill for the path ahead. By earnestly developing his “people skills” and his own leadership style, Clark is preparing for his role as the next generation. At the same time, he is proactively pursuing a productive and energizing relationship with the current family business leader, in order to glean the wisdom of experience that will help him in the years to come.

I decided to seek out a business coach because I knew that there were better ways to approach relational and leadership related issues and I needed some fresh wisdom and insight. Mark is very knowledgeable in the   leadership and relational aspects of business and has been able to give me a better educational foundation for interacting with my employees.  He has helped me to develop my natural talents and abilities by giving me practical insights on human nature and what makes people tick. As a result of my work with Mark, I have achieved incredible and immediate results interacting with my direct reports. My employees seem much happier and more aware of my expectations of them.  I have learned how to effectively harness their discretionary effort and as a result, the work environment has become less stressful for all .

— Clark Taylor, Vice President, Commercial Property and Warehouse  Management Company

Leading Urban Revitalization

How do you create an exciting, enticing environment for business in a downtown area that has languished in a state of decline for generations? Much of the transformation of downtown Norfolk, Virginia, from a somewhat sleazy, characterless vestige of a bygone era into a vibrant, upbeat and appealing business venue is a direct result of the Downtown Norfolk Council and its executive director, Cathy Coleman. Cathy and her team have worked tirelessly with business owners and city government to transform Norfolk's reputation. Today, Norfolk is home to dozens of downtown restaurants, shops, tourist attractions and other businesses that attract visitors from throughout the Hampton Roads area and beyond.

Through our planning discussions for our Downtown Norfolk Council staff retreat, I became intrigued with the concept of leadership coaching. I have often thought that leaders are in the unique position of being the “go to” person with no one to “go to” themselves. With some trepidation but with an eagerness to hone my own leadership skills, I entered into the discipline of a weekly coaching session. The greatest value I found in the process was the opportunity to methodically and proactively examine my own leadership and management abilities and traits. Leadership coaching offers the opportunity to test and validate strategies, as well as the opportunity to learn new strategies. It is also an excellent opportunity to maximize the value and benefits of relationships by better understanding yourself and others. Leadership coaching makes you think – not just act.

— Cathy Coleman, Executive Director, Downtown Norfolk Council

Big Picture Planning and Proactive Leadership

Working 70 hours per week and being consumed by the day-to-day operational challenges of a growing title insurance company left Dave with little opportunity for thinking about the future. Reducing his direct involvement in daily management through effective leadership tactics enabled Dave to focus on long-term planning that created a plan that has provided him with more flexible and profitable options for his business.

When I sought input from other business professionals, the best advice I received was to hire a business coach to assist with big-picture planning, as well as daily management issues. Mark Fulton came highly recommended and has proven to be a valuable asset to the growth of my company. The most important aspect of my coaching experience has been the weekly meetings with Mark, which have allowed me to take a breath, focus on the future of my company and put strategies in place that further my long term goals. Coaching has helped me become a more effective leader by tuning in my awareness to the goals and personality traits of my employees, customers and vendors.

— Dave Breen, Title Company Owner

High Tech Company with High Aspirations

Talent and ability will take you far in the business world. Larry has both in spades. Yet he was finding it difficult to challenge his employees to think like stakeholders rather than hired hands. Larry hired capable people, but they sometimes seemed less than enthusiastic when it came to thinking about their role as advocates for his company. Consequently, a technician might neglect to take the next step in solving a problem or a salesperson might fail to close a deal. Larry has employed proven leadership techniques to give his employees more responsibility and accountability for their performance. As a result, he is able to think more clearly about the road ahead.

As a technology consultant and small business owner, I often encourage my clients to seek the advice and services of outside experts when in-house knowledge is lacking.  It just makes good business sense.  When I was looking for ways to enhance my business management processes, I took my own advice and engaged the services of Mark Fulton.    Mark has used his extensive business background and coaching skills to assist me in seeing unique ways to enhance and overcome the daily challenges a growing business faces.  His no-nonsense approach to delivering the goods while providing subtle course corrections has produced measurable results.  This has been one of the best investments I've made this year.

— Larry Robertson, Computer Technology Company Owner

Leadership for Life-planning Decisions

Success as an attorney has been a given for Steve for many years. His contribution to his large law firm and his reputation in the community is impeccable. Yet Steve sensed that there was a missing component in the greater scheme of his life. As he began to examine the key motivators in his life and how to devote his energies toward efforts that really matter, Steve started to realize that saying “No” to many of the opportunities that vied for his attention was a must. His dedication to significance in his life has led him to carefully consider the professional and personal endeavors to which he makes commitments.

As I was trying to achieve more balance between my law practice and my life outside my law practice and chart my direction for the second half of my life and career, Mark's suggestions on planning, prioritizing, motivating and implementing the changes we discussed proved invaluable. I look forward to working with him again in the next phase of my life planning.

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