Leadership Philosophy

When selecting a coach, it is very important that the philosophy and expertise of the coach is in alignment with the true direction the leader is taking the organization. While this may sound obvious, the reality is, what people say can be very different than the actions they take when under pressure to make difficult decisions in real time. A core function of the coach is to hold the leader accountable to the values and principles of the individual and the organization. Change is difficult, and sustainable change can only be successful when the leader truly commits to being part of the change equation. Authenticity is critical to a leader’s success and what is verbalized must be in alignment with what is done.

As a leader you must ask yourself if you are in this for ego, power and money or to improve outcomes for customers and employees while in pursuit of personal growth. If it’s the former, the leadership approach tends to be more centralized, autocratic, and coercive in nature. If it’s the latter, the leadership style tends to be more decentralized, employee development orientated and authentic in nature. Of course, there is every shade of gray between these extremes, however the weight of the approach will be either left or right of center and easy to detect.

Fortitude Executive Coaching subscribes to the latter. As the founder, Todd has spent much of his adult life formally studying and experimenting with management and leadership principles within both large and medium size organizations both domestically and internationally as an expatriate. He has found that the use of positional authority and centralized decision making is much more common and the reason most transformation initiatives fail or fall short of their intended target.

Being true to yourself (authenticity) is critical for developing relationships, credibility, and respect. When you are an authentic leader, it is easy for people to decide whether they believe in the direction you are taking them or not. This transparency is important for the organization because there is no such thing as followers under duress and there is no such thing as a leader without willing followers. Without willing followers there is only a group of people who may or may not do what you are asking of them. There is no internal sense of commitment or ownership, only compliance.  Leadership, by definition, has nothing to do with titles or positional power. With that said, Bill George’s, Authentic Leadership theory is foundational to Fortitude’s leadership philosophy.

Having a commitment to something greater than yourself, along with a desire to develop and empower others, is known as “Servant Leadership” (Robert Greenleaf 1973). Mobilizing that emotional connection in others is critical in developing high performance teams, scaling a business through decentralized leadership structures, and fueling an individual or team’s internal motivation to achieve mission critical objectives (aka the desire and fortitude to overcome obstacles). Todd learned the tenets of Servant Leadership as a young Marine, and those principles have remained foundational to how Fortitude integrates this important discipline into its practice. Today many top organizations and institutions have adopted Servant Leadership principles to improve organizational performance.

Employee development, leader as coach and mentor, and the alignment of employee goals with organizational goals are key cultural drivers that shape positive employee attitudes, generate a sense of purpose, and unleash internal motivation.  These are all essential characteristics of high performing teams.  They are also key principles of Transformational Leadership first brought to light by Downton 1973, Burns 1978 and Bass in 1985.  Leaders that consistently demonstrate these principles have the ability to transform employee behavior and their organizations over time. 

Transformational Leadership is the opposite of Transactional Leadership (Weber 1947). These are two sides of the same coin.  Both serve a purpose within an organization, but the latter is geared toward short term gains where employees are externally motivated by rewards and punishment or micromanagement is necessary to put out an unanticipated fire that is burning.  

Fortitude focuses on Transformational Leadership as this is where growth and learning take place in an organization.  Leaders with a growth mindset can truly make a long-lasting positive difference for their employees, customers, and themselves.  It has been said that meaning and purpose are found in the journey not the destination. Having said that, self-discovery, investing in others and the pursuit of worthy aspirations is the fuel that drives meaning and purpose. Authentic leadership coupled with a servant-first mentality are timeless transformational principles that lead to self and organizational improvement, a greater work-life balance and better quality of life for those that choose to be on the journey with you.  

Coaching gives me the opportunity to join you on this journey. Lets get on the road and begin this journey together.