Diane Reid, Executive Director of United Cerebral Palsy of the MidSouth, speaks about her coaching experience with Bill.

Bill Burtch’s executive coaching program has helped me to become a more effective and successful business leader.  He led me through a process in which my strengths and weaknesses were evaluated in a very straightforward but nonjudgmental way.  We then developed a plan that incrementally improved my leadership capabilities.

 

Through working with Bill I learned how to develop and strengthen my business relationships.  He helped me gain perspective on complex situations as well as how to deal with various difficult personalities.  I was able to develop confidence in my personal interactions, from the board level on down.  I am now better equipped to anticipate and meet the demands of my superiors.  I have also learned the value of developing a team and having my expectations clearly communicated and acted upon.

 

The result of the work we did together is that I have a high level of confidence in my abilities and I know how to approach my day so that I can reach my full potential.  This has not only helped in my work life but it has provided me with an overall sense of accomplishment and well being.  The coaching program I undertook lasted several months and required substantial commitment and effort, but it was well worth it.  It easy for me to recommend Bill Burtch as a coach, he’s the best.

Joe Jones, Controller

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Thank you for providing me with a wonderful executive coaching experience. You applied a wealth of knowledge and experience to all your coaching sessions, as well as to your preparation and follow-up coaching. I acquired excellent leadership tools, guidelines, methodologies, and best practices for my leadership development. During the coaching sessions and activities, I learned to apply appropriate techniques to handle complex and varying work situations. By working through these sessions, my level of confidence and leadership skills have dramatically increased. As a result of this coaching opportunity, I learned to establish a healthier work-life balance. I feel better equipped to successfully handle the consistently changing work environment and corporate initiatives. Your willingness and openness to share knowledge, experiences, techniques, and strategies positively impacted my professional growth, as well as benefiting FedEx. This coaching opportunity helped me professionally and personally and you have proven to be an invaluable coach.
Elise Michaelson, Manager of Customer Identity, FedEx



I've had incredible success with the coaching process. My enhanced understanding of my strengths, blind spots, and communication style have increased my ability to see the same in others and manage, lead and coach more effectively! With Bill I've been able to maximize my leadership style to create a more knowledgeable and empowered staff with a strong vision for the hotel's future. The chances I and my management team have made resulted in a climate survey score increase of 29 percentage points and an annual decrease in turnover of 25 percent! Bill has great ideas, is a great resource for brainstorming and leadership development and stays focused on attaining the concrete business results we identified at the beginning of the coaching relationship.
Mary Eckhoff, General Manager Embassy Suites



I would recommend Bill for those who are going through a significant career change and/or are in the position of helping others make a significant career change. Bill's expertise in coaching and personal experiences in the work setting give him a powerful set of skills and tools that will guide leaders to achieve positive changes in their professional and/or personal lives. He is truly an active listener which leads to a dialogue that is personally impactful and on target. His rich experience based examples and thought provoking questions will undoubtedly facilitate insight and growth for anyone fortunate enough to work with him.
Ginger Bryant Whelan, Performance Associates



Enlisting the services of Harmony C&C and Bill Burtch was on of those key "life experiences" in my professional development. I was able to achieve and even exceed the goals we set at the beginning of the engagement. The accountability aspect with the coach was one of the most profound components of the process. In many cases, Bill served as my conscience by asking challenging questions, and providing the framework for me to identify the "root causes" of challengers on my own, and then establishing a safe environment for me to think, talk through and crystallize my thoughts and necessary next steps. Bill's background and credentials make him qualified, but his attitude, approach, and wit make him exceptional as an executive coach and consultant. Working with him on a path of discovery and introspection allowed me to discover my own strengths and understand how I can be more effective as a business professional and leader.
Managing Director, FedEx Express



The power of Bill's coaching is in the results -- greater productivity, a more cohesive team and achieving more of my goals at a faster pace. What's more, looking in the mirror at your leadership habits isn't always fun or easy, but Bill makes the coaching process enjoyable. I highly recommend working with Bill. It has made me a better leader.
SVP Marketing -- Fortune 50 Company



Working with Bill was an excellent experience. I came to Bill at a time when I was unhappy with my career and I was looking to make a change. Bill helped me to identify my strengths and weaknesses. He helped me determine my goals and how to take steps toward achieving them. Bill's honest, realistic approach was refreshing and meeting with Bill was a joy! I always felt Bill was supportive and encouraging and Bill also provided me with a constructive feedback. His energy was motivating and his knowledge and experience was a valuable tool. Bill held me accountable and helped me make significant progress. I am truly grateful for my coaching experience.
Career Coaching Client



Based on the coaching I have become more thoughtful in determining my work and personal needs, plan more effectively, and think through projects in a more timely and orderly way. I learned more about myself and my direct reports which is allowing us to work more effectively together. Bill is a great "modeler" of behaviors that I want to employ such as listening carefully, noting key facts, encouraging assumptions and asking questions.
Nancy Williams, Executive Director, Memphis Child Advocacy Center



Bill helps to fill-in foundational tools that may not be learned through self-discovery and self-education. His coaching is a definite for those who plan on growing in their professional endeavors.
Tracie Robinson-Woods, Corporate Director, Recruitment Services Methodist-Le Bonheur Healthcare



When I began my coaching experience with Bill, I did not know what to expect. However, at the conclusion of the first meeting, I was more energized about my non-profit position than ever before. Through Bill's coaching, I have been able to address human resource, time management and over commitment issues that had cluttered my work day. Six months after, I find myself asking "what would Bill advise?" when dealing with difficult situations or tasks at work. Thank you Bill, for helping me regain my sanity and performance level.
Brady Tanner, Director of Development, UCP of the Mid-South



Bill did a great job of keeping the process on track and ensuring that I followed up on my commitments. As a result we continued to accomplish the goals of the process. We could have easily let some things fall through the cracks but Bill did an excellent job of making sure we covered all that was planned. I feel like I learned a lot about my style and how I come across to others as a result of this process and that will very much help me on a go forward basis.
Karl Haas, Senior Vice President of Operations, Storage USA



I can truly say that your guidance (Bill) has led to some of my best growth and professional development in years.
Director, First Horizon National Corp.



Overall, I was extremely pleased with the results.
Vice President Acquisitions, medium-sized service organization



I came to the coaching process when I was at a crossroad in my career. Through the assessment of my personality and tendencies, ongoing dialogs about what I wanted to accomplish and the evaluation of my decision processes, I am feeling more confident in my abilities and not as hesitant to take calculated risks. With the help of coaching, I was able to make critical decisions about my current job and find a new position in a very short time. The coaching process has been instrumental in charting the course for the future of my career. I am more confident in my abilities to be a successful manager and leader.



The coaching process is the one completely selfish activity that I am doing for my career and myself. Bill is the only person that is completely neutral in all interactions and has no hidden agendas. His is the person that is consistently on the sidelines cheering me on and asking me key questions about vital decisions. After our sessions, I am excited about how far I have come and how much more I can accomplish. He and the process force me to look at each side of every issue before making a decision that matches my natural strengths and abilities.
Jennifer McNary, Executive Director of GMAQ



I enjoyed and benefited from the individual coaching sessions. Bill is very easy to talk to and I appreciated, very much, his insights. Bill really helped me to see the bigger picture like "manager as leader" not just task supervisor. I was skeptical going in to this experience about what coaching would be like. I'm very glad I did it. I leaned a lot of practical things -- like tools and skills -- and also examined and improved my mindset. Thanks!
Kim Campbell, Intervention Services Director, Memphis Child Advocacy Center



Bill attempts to gain a deep understanding of who I am so that he can help me better my life. In addition to the actual coaching, Bill provides me with ideas and tools on how to resolve those "difficult" issues that are getting in my way. He definitely expects a lot but I know that he is genuinely interested in my progress.
Financial Analyst, Buckman Labs



Coaching isn't about re-hashing the past, it's about focusing on today and the future. With Bill's help, I have learned to create specific goals and have developed the courage to put them into action. He challenges me to step out of my comfort zone and reach for what I want and need. His expertise has given me insight, and his encouragement and support have given me the motivation to keep trying.
Teresa Franks, Entrepreneur



Under Bill's gentle but firm guidance I have been able to understand the "self' roadblocks that keep me from fully excelling in my corporate role and then take a planned approach to trying something different to see if I get more effective results. Bill also challenged my sense of balance by helping me come to an understanding that "Renewing" myself would make my hours spent on the projects at work more effective and leave more of me for the other roles in my life.
Jill Bridges, HR Legal Strategy Manager, Union Planters Bank Corporation



Thanks Bill. I have enjoyed our sessions together. You are very talented, knowledgeable and challenging. You have made it fun, informative and interesting.
Area Sales Manager, regional banking organization



Bill started our coaching relationship with a self assessment profile which provided me with detailed insight about my natural leadership style and what was needed for the job. This allowed for us to have discussions around how I may approach my new position. This process has helped me both professionally and personally and has created self-awareness around my strengths and my development area. The thing that I value most about my relationship with Bill is his ability to be positive and supportive yet provides me with constructive feedback when needed. My coaching relationship with Bill has proved to be invaluable to me achieving my professional goals.
Angela Moss, Senior HR Business Partner, Regions Bank



In particular, I find Bill's ability to adapt to different situations the most valuable. His coaching is demonstrating great awareness to the needs, or quirks, of senior managers as well as the ability to work with coaches who have different needs.
A Coaching Sponsor, First Horizon Corp.



Bill, we just finished our fiscal year and I had a terrific year and got an outstanding raise. I would give you ALL of the credit but then you might want some of my raise. I will have a drink in your honor though. I really do want to tell you that I appreciate what you did for me last year!
Certified Public Accountant, Executive Coaching Client



I had a great start to the year. I haven't been this enthused about my work in a long itme. I can thank you (Bill) for that.
Solo-Entreprenuer Coaching Client



The coaching not only helped my professional development, but also my personal development. I have leaned so much about myself and how I interact with others. I am a more effective communicator and this is essential in my development and directly impacts my organization. I loved the way Bill offered professional suggestions, but he also "kept it real." He is approachable and realistic about situations; I learned so much just hearing myself talk. He really knows how to make you think and solve issues from within. It was great!
Tony Billings, Human Resource Manager, Independent Bank



My life is good but I want to make it GREAT. I initially started the coaching process to focus on my career goals, but it has taken on a much more holistic approach. Working with a Coach (Bill) helped me define my core values and how to apply these to every aspect of my life. It's a very deep process that requires self-examination and contemplation. I will continue to use coaching as a tool to help me identify and achieve my dreams.



I think one of the most helpful parts of the coaching experience was the opportunity to take the assessments. They really helped me better understand some of the things about myself that I'd known but was unable to express. Knowing more about myself helped me when engaging others.



Bill was an excellent coach. He seemed to know just what to say and how to say it so that it would be meaningful to me. He was always professional and made this a very memorable experience. I will definitely take the things I learned in coaching with me throughout my career.
Vanessa Roberts, Team Services Director, Memphis Child Advocacy Center

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