Bring Out the Best in Your Team - The Authentic Executive

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in leadership development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Scott David, Owner of The Authentic Executive, located in Silver Spring, MD, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are fundamentally in the business of helping senior executives and organizations build people-first leadership styles that deliver results. Time and time again, we see leaders struggling to find the right balance between delivering results and keeping people happy. Our clients tend to come to us with two problems. Either their teams don’t “get it.” They’re underperforming, and nothing seems to get them focused and taking ownership. Or things just aren’t sustainable. Everything is getting done but at too great a personal cost.

Using a combination of executive coaching and training for the senior leadership team, we provide a roadmap, tools, guidance, and accountability leaders need to develop an authentic leadership style that delivers sustainable results. We’ve seen time and time again that when executives lead with authenticity – committing to both people AND results – they are able to accomplish their goals faster and easier. Leading with authenticity is the key to unlocking your greatest potential - for yourself and your team - no matter what your company looks like.

Tell us about yourself

Between my 15 years as an executive in corporate America and my 20 years in leadership consulting and coaching, I’ve had the opportunity to see time and time again just how powerful a catalyst coaching can be toward magnifying a leader’s natural abilities AND impacting business results across the entire organization. Bringing everything I’ve learned as an executive, leadership consultant, sales VP, entrepreneur, father – and even wilderness instructor – motivates me to share it with others. I draw from psychology, neuroscience, adult development theory, philosophy, and even spiritual traditions to connect my clients with their own authentic leadership style and provide the feedback, encouragement, and accountability they need to step into their roles as authentic leaders. I’m a proud father and partner. When I’m not in the office, you’ll find me in the backcountry - hiking and canoeing with no roads, no towns, and hopefully no cell service.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Growing with my clients. I got into coaching to have a greater impact. Over the years, working one-on-one started to feel like I wasn’t reaching enough people. At the same time, my clients saw the need to bring what I do to more of their teams. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been able to distill what I do as a coach into a program that’s really taking off. Being able to impact business results by connecting leaders to what’s important and each other is incredibly rewarding. And that success has allowed me to build a great team that’s doing amazing things.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Pushing for more and better while being patient with others. In my own experience and as someone who has worked with many business owners over the years, I’ve seen the same challenge. As a business owner, you put everything into your business. You know how everything should be done, how everything needs to be done to succeed. And nobody cares quite as much as you do.

Too often, that feeling causes business owners to hold the reins so tightly the business can’t grow, they can’t take the help they need, and they disempower their team. To strike that balance, you have to get comfortable with discomfort. If you, or your team, aren’t a little uncomfortable a lot of the time, then you aren’t growing. Being someone who leads in service to others means challenging and pushing them from time to time. For many of us, that’s uncomfortable whether you’re being challenged or the one challenging… all while being patient and encouraging. I guess the hardest thing is practicing what I preach.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Don’t try to do it on your own. Form and maintain close relationships. It’s the people around you that will make you successful, whether they’re clients, peers, employees, contractors, or colleagues.
2. Be an enabler. Help the people around you solve problems. If you become the “fixer” in the company, people will look to you for that. Instead, give people a chance to solve problems and support them in doing that. People like nothing more than someone who can help them overcome obstacles. Pay personal attention. Don’t just build a business; build a family and a culture.
3. Embrace courage. Fear will always be there. Courage is being afraid and doing it anyway. When fear does creep in, be present and focus on doing the next right thing.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://theauthenticexecutive.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauthenticexecutive/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottdavid1/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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