How
(...I do it)
My approach to coaching and consulting centers around the Aristotle's principle of ETHOS -- how your human character is perceived by your audience. I believe that your ETHOS isn't fixed and immovable, but instead can be influenced by the choices you make in how you communicate, both verbally and physically.
In order to ELEVATE your ETHOS, I focus my work on the foundational principles of performance: Awareness, Specificity & Connection. Gaining awareness of your default habits will lead to an exploration of more intentional and specific choices, which ultimately creates a greater connection not just with your audience, but also with the content of what it is you are communicating and, more importantly, why you are communicating it.
And if you can articulate and connect to your why, you will tap into your authentic self, resulting in greater confidence, deeper impact and, ultimately, greater success, both personally and professionally.
The Ingredients
STORYTELLER
ETHOS
Awareness
Specificity
Connection
THE STORY
CONTENT
The Givens
Objective
Action
AUTHENTICITY
Origin Story of The Approach...
Whether it's Spiderman, Batman, or heck, even the Wicked Witch of the West, everyone loves a good origin story. Mine began 12 years ago, while I was still a full-time actor. I had several conversations with my brother, then a newly-minted attorney, who was sharing with me all the courtroom challenges that he and his peers who practiced trial law experienced. And without fail, every single one of those challenges, I answered "Oh! That's an acting challenge, I could help them with that." And so, I began thinking how could I somehow, in some way, translate and adapt what I loved most about the actor's process -- the connection, the collaboration, the principles -- into a methodology that was approachable and, more importantly, usable by non-actors?
And that's where things began to take off. After beta test after beta test with law students, healthcare human resource leaders and other interested parties, a methodology began to take shape. I opened up a coaching partnership with a fellow thespian. For the past 11 years, we coached and facilitated and worked with high-performing leaders in a wide variety of fields: from biotech to social work education, and from healthcare to hospitality, we left indelible imprints on all of our clients.
And then the pandemic happened.
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And like so many thousands of others, our wonderful journey was disrupted and discombobulated. We persevered and adapted to our new normal: the virtual medium; what had once been merely an add-on to a contract suddenly became the thing itself. Yet even then, even with all the tweaks, the economic pinch of the ongoing covid lockdowns finally took its last, inexorable toll on us. And we were forced to close our company.
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(Cue symphony of tiny violins)
As the old clichéd adage goes: What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger, I find myself in a position of strength and newfound optimism, as I forge ahead on my own path. I was drawn to the name "VERVE" for many reasons (one of those may just be the brand of one of my favorite coffee roasters located in my hometown of Santa Cruz, CA), but with regards to the kind of work I do, it encapsulates the end result of what I challenge my clients to bring to their process of communication. Look no further than the dictionary definition:
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VERVE: (noun) ˈvərv
The spirit and enthusiasm animating artistic
composition or performance. Vivacity, energy, vitality.
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It's a brave, new world, the tinge of opportunity laces the air and the future feels filled with possibility. I look forward to carrying on my mission to bring authentic, meaningful connection to those that are inspired to take their communication and leadership skills to a deeper and more authentic level.
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Let's get to work, people!