A Discussion (Click here to go to the numbers, the bottom line):

I am a former amateur athlete, a swimmer and a runner.  I like being physically fit, in good, general health, toned, and strong and, like many things, intellectually, I know what to do to achieve my physical goals.  That being said, I don’t always do what I know.  I don’t always use the universal gym or the treadmill in my garage, lift weights, do my cardio or eat right.  It takes a lot of discipline and willpower to carve out the time, to stay the course and to perform consistently at a high level on all of these fronts day after day after day in the midst of the rest of life.  Sound familiar?

So, what do you do if you know this is important but you don’t always get to it if left to your own devices?

You create a structure that helps you to honor the intention and make it real.   For many of us, the best possible structure involves either joining a group of like-minded people with similar goals (e.g., a Mastermind or Life Makeover group) or partnering with someone like a coach or a trainer.

For me, that structure has multiple elements.  I have my own personal coach.  I have my marathon training buddies.  I have my book club.  I have my Toastmasters colleagues.  And, yes, I have a personal trainer.  I like to think of these folks as my “Personal Board of Directors” and as Boards of Directors typically do, they hold me accountable to a higher standard than I would hold myself and, in my case anyway, they make the work fun.  My physical goals were so important to me that I joined a gym and invested further in an ongoing relationship with a personal trainer.  In my case, I chose to partner with Joana.  She is a talented, gifted and masterful training professional who I met at 24 Hour Fitness and who has, over the years, like most of my powerful partners, become a friend.

“Joana” is now a line-item on our household budget, a powerful indication of the importance of this work.  My time with Joana (typically twice a week, for an hour, one-on-one) is, arguably, expensive and it’s worth every penny.  Ask my husband!  I’ve traded off other things in order to prioritize this, both in terms of the money and the time/effort I invest in it.  Knowing I’ve paid and committed to certain times, knowing Joana is waiting for me, and knowing she brings expertise to the table that makes what would otherwise be tedious work interesting, enjoyable and fun, I get myself to the gym and do the work—with her by my side making sure I’m doing it right, with safety in mind and with the intention of honoring my workout objectives, while working my core and all of my major muscle groups. 

She serves as an accountability partner, mixes it up and keeps it interesting, and she supplements her own expertise with articles and other references.  She is masterful at her craft and working with her reminds me of how thoroughly I enjoy partnering with other professionals who take what they do and how they do it seriously, and as a result, do it well.  I see and feel the results, which keeps me coming back to the gym and keeps me signing up for more sessions with Joana.  Without this structure in place, I would undoubtedly trade this off more than I would like to admit and my body, mind, heart and soul would suffer, as would all of my key relationships.  

As a result of my work with Joana, I’ve been able to maintain my weight, my post-baby, hour-glass shape and a size 8, and I’ve been able to develop core strength I never knew I had, complete two marathons successfully, without injury and with reasonable times, and stay in generally good shape.  Even my kids think I look pretty good and they marvel at my ability to do one-handed push ups!  I like how I feel and I like how my husband and my boys make me feel when they look at me with pride and admiration.  This is an investment I will remain happy to make and prioritize above other things I could spend my hard-earned time and money on. 

Coaching has exactly the same positive impact on my life although instead of focusing on my physical health and well-being, the focus is on my personal and professional development and growth; on building personal leadership, relationship, communication and interpersonal muscles; and on achieving a different and very specific set of goals and objectives.

What does your check book say about who you are, what you value, who you serve, what you care about and what takes a priority in your life and work?

Our Fundamentals Coaching Program is a highly customized 16-hour coaching process*, spanning a three-four month period of time.

Clients will feel the affects of the program almost immediately, experiencing positive growth and change in all aspects of their lives and work.  Aside from a personal trainer or equivalent partnership, there is no better investment one can make in his or her personal and professional development than this one; than to partner with a trained and certified coaching professional.  The program, typically designed to support telephone-based°, one client, one-to-one coaching, will enable each client to optimize his or her circumstances for years to come.

Coaching is one of those investments that truly serves you for a lifetime, helping you to become a better version of yourself, even more successful, all the while feeling more assured that you are making meaningful contributions to the world as you grow and evolve.  Each time a better decision is made, a stretch goal is met, more money is earned, or a relationship or a job is saved or enhanced, clients acquire evidence to support the absolute value of this investment.  Even in qualitative terms, as quality of life, relationship-building and decision-making abilities improve and conflicts diminish or occur less frequently, both on the job and at home, everyone wins. 

Coaching is, arguably, one of the best investments one can make in his or her lifetime and is likely, if you are anything like us, one you will continue to make for years to come.  How many elite athletes do you know who operate solo, without a coach?  Most of them have more than one; they are supported by a team; by their own, to borrow a corporate term, board of directors; their Personal Board of Directors.  Consider coaching, and your partnership with a coach, both an investment in and a gift you give yourself and those closest to you, an opportunity to carve out an hour a week to focus solely on your own “stuff”—your own priorities, your own voice, your own purpose, needs, wants and visions —and you will enjoy outcomes you never imagined possible.  If you are serious about optimizing your circumstances and generating more wealth in all aspects of your life and work, you will partner with a coach, whether or not you choose to partner with me, Dori Klass.  I have a coach and have benefited from coaching since the early 1990’s, long before the International Coaching Federation even existed. 

As a competitive athlete, I always appreciated having a coach.   As is the case with most sports, it remains a great analogy for the rest of life and work.  While still a manager in corporate America, I brought coaching to many of my employees, peers and superiors for that matter, and our performance improved measurably as a result.  After 22 years in corporate America and four years as a professionally trained and certified executive, career and life coach, I am convinced that coaching is without a doubt the best way to achieve significant, lasting behavioral change, to learn how to create the conditions necessary to thrive and to enhance individual and team performance and outcomes.  I believe everyone should have his or her own coach, an objective, third party with expertise in the coaching process, trained to listen well and to focus on you and your objectives, exclusively; trained to put this process and a wide variety of coaching tools to work on your behalf; trained to serve as your accountability partner and resource throughout your own change process and transformation. 

Performance enhancement, subtle behavior modification and transition management are three of many good reasons why executives have been hiring six-figure coaches on annual retainers for decades and their Boards of Directors have supported this because they know it makes a difference.  The secret’s out and it makes sense to build these partnerships throughout organizations and the leadership rank and file.  Coaching is arguably one of the most profound and impactful ways to generate meaningful, measurable and needed behavioral change, for the short- and long-run, that directly impacts one’s ability to deliver better results.   Now you can have a coach too.    

The Numbers—The Bottom Line:

Our Fundamentals Coaching Program has been priced to make coaching accessible beyond the executive suite in corporations.  We have made it affordable for individuals, entrepreneurs, small businesses, middle managers, working parents, young adults aspiring to move into the leadership pipeline, and corporate executives—anyone who sees themselves as a leader and wants to live into their various leadership roles more powerfully, intentionally and effectively.  It costs less than a two-day workshop that will take you out of the office and require you to travel to another city for the event, incurring travel, meal and related expenses in the process.  It costs less than a good, one-week vacation or a down payment on a new car.  For $4,800** paid up front, you will have an experience of a lifetime; one that will enable you to create the conditions to thrive and set you up for success after success after success, personally and professionally.  I have no doubt that you will experience a measurable return on investment (ROI) and look forward to you sharing these results with me at the end of our engagement.

* The current rate, which averages $1,200 per month and $600 per each of two Discovery sessions and assumes a minimum commitment of 3 months + Discovery, or 16 hours of coaching, will increase to $1,500 per month and $750 per each of two Discovery sessions for all clients initiating coaching after July 1, 2007.  This assumes a minimum commitment of 6 months + Discovery, for a total of 26 hours of coaching, more accurately reflecting the minimum time clients stay in our coaching engagements.  At $10,500, this remains an exceptional offer when working with an experienced, professionally trained and certified executive coach and 22-year veteran of the business world.  Anyone who has begun coaching at the lower rate will be able to maintain this rate for at least two subsequent three-month coaching engagements after their initial engagement has been completed. There are a limited number of slots for new clients so we recommend taking advantage of this while the lower rate still applies!

** The Fundamentals Coaching Program rate is doubled if conducted face-to-face and travel is within 15 miles of the home office; additional charges may be incurred for travel to destinations further away. 

• The daily rate of $4,500 applies for any coaching, consulting or speaking conducted on-site and requiring significant travel or time away from the home office, along with travel and expenses as agreed upon in advance of any such engagement.  
• A minimum half day rate of $2,250 will be applied under these circumstances.  
• Coaching can also be purchased at the hourly rate of $450 for those of you who want to prepare for an interview, practice a speech, brush up your selling skills, or polish a resume.
• As always, custom engagements are an option and rates will be negotiated to reflect the specific work and circumstances involved.

As you already know, if you invest in optimizing your circumstances, you almost always will; given this, as is the case with my own coach and personal trainer, Joana, the coaching is worth every penny. Make coaching a line item on your household or corporate budget.  Make a decision you will feel good about and that will continue to produce results for the rest of your life.  Invest in yourself and watch your life and work change for the better.  Make your personal and professional development a priority once and for all—whether or not you choose to partner with me, honor your instincts and partner with someone who is right for you—if you’ve gotten this far, it’s time to hire a coach.  If you’ve gotten this far, it’s time to hire me, Dori Klass!  It would be a privilege and an honor to work with you. 

To take the first step towards a new level of personal leadership and professional success, to experience a partnership that unveils the best version of yourself and to have fun in the process, contact us today for your complimentary sample coaching session.