Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Becky Altman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Becky, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

As an executive leadership coach, my mission is to empower leaders to unlock their full potential by deepening awareness, shifting mindsets and behaviors to gain confidence, clarity and the skills necessary to drive themselves, their teams and their organizations forward. Having worked in the nonprofit and corporate space, I have been led by leaders of all types. I experienced leaders who led with ego, credentials and a “know it all” attitude. I also experienced leaders who didn’t quite know what they were doing technically, but were really good people and we all sort of felt bad for them because “they mean well”. Neither inspired me. I didn’t want to be led by fear and intimidation and I didn’t want to be led by someone who couldn’t teach me, guide me, develop me.

The most effective, well liked and respected leaders were those who balanced heart with competency. They weren’t afraid to be themselves, to build relationships, to admit they weren’t always the smartest person in the room. They also accepted responsibility and accountability for setting the direction, establishing goals, giving feedback, and having the hard conversations.

I spent years trying to figure out why leadership had to be so hard? Why weren’t we talking about this? Why were we promoting people into leadership roles, assuming they wanted to lead people, or even knew how? Not everyone wants to lead people. That’s ok – let’s name that and find other ways to accelerate their careers. The worst thing we can do is hand over these critical roles to folks who aren’t interested – or worse, don’t think people leadership skills are important. We know the familiar adage: people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers. As organizations look to hire, retain and grow talent, the role of the people leader is more important than ever. And I don’t think we are doing enough to provide support, training and opportunities for leaders to figure out how to do it.

Leadership is hard. We have to get results and move quick. We are pressured to prioritize profit over people. So we push our agenda, we deprioritize relationships, we avoid hard conversations. We assume if we look vulnerable in any way, we will lose respect and focus. But the research shows over and over again – people who feel seen, heard, valued and cared for will work harder, stay longer and be happier.

Coaching provides a space for leaders to invest in their growth, to safely admit when their attitudes or behaviors might be getting in the way of their own success and of the success of those around them. It is a space that reserves judgement and allows leaders to acknowledge limitations, to work through obstacles, to create action plans and to be supported in the good times, and the challenging ones. It is a sacred space and one that I am deeply committed to providing for leaders who truly want to become the leader they have the potential to be.

Leadership is a journey, not a destination. I am committed to meeting leaders wherever they are on that journey, without judgment, and being a catalyst for continuous learning and improvement.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I began my career as a clinical social worker working with individuals and families in a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals and foster care, before spending twelve years as the executive director of a non-profit organization. In my never ending quest for growth, I took my passion for developing talent and fostering inclusive workplace cultures to corporate America, where I served as the head of culture, community and diversity, equity and inclusion for a global tech company.

My background in psychology and social work provides a safe space in which clients can wrestle with the challenges they face, lean into self-examination, and cultivate alignment of their inner and outer selves with the world as they exist within in it. As a trained clinician, I help process the past to gain insights and awareness, but as a certified coach, I move clients forward by critically assessing and identifying the beliefs and behaviors that are barriers to future success.

My clinical training grounds me in empathy and curiosity while my years in management drive a bias for action and results. I have a keen understanding of human behavior and use that to uncover what motivates and drives others to help them achieve their goals.

I have spent over 20 years in senior leadership roles working with individuals, teams, boards, and C-Suite executives. I started my own practice because I’ve confronted the same sentiments as so many others:

1. Effectively managing, leading and inspiring a team WHILE executing a strategy and driving results is HARD.

2. Shifting behaviors and mindsets to be more effective can be necessary but uncomfortable.

3. Being great technically is not the same as being great at leading people.

4. Navigating interpersonal dynamics and balancing people’s needs with the needs of the business requires self awareness and solid communication skills.

5. Imposter syndrome and that nagging voice of our inner critic limits our performance, satisfaction and wellbeing.

My services include 1:1 coaching, group coaching and leadership development program development and facilitation. I facilitate immersive workshops on on issues related to organizational culture, team dynamics, mental fitness, communication, resilience, inclusive leadership, and change management.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up, I was always led to believe that our career path was linear. You go to school, get a job and retire 40 years later. So I started that path – went to college, got my masters degree, got a job that required said masters degree. But what nobody talked about was that the things we were interested in at 18 might change at 22 and then again at 32 and 42.

When I started my career in social work, I was exposed to so many different people, lifestyles, cultures and opportunities. Each one of those informed my next path. But what felt exciting about exploring a new path felt equally as terrifying. If I stopped doing what I was “trained” to do, then who am I, and was it all for nothing? Did I waste tens of thousands of dollars on a degree I didn’t use?

It has taken age, wisdom, lived experiences (and support from my own coach) to appreciate and learn that there is nothing linear about progress or life. Every experience we have teaches us a lesson – in what we love or don’t love; what we are good at what we’re not.

I would not be successful in my coaching practice if not for my clinical training, my management experience in both nonprofits and corporate settings. Each of my roles, opportunities, managers, customers and clients have shaped my passion and empathy for people, their lives, their challenges, strengths and potential.

There is no one path. There is no one career. We wear many hats and can offer so much to this world. The key is to identify where you can create the greatest impact and go out and do it.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

When we lead teams, we are leading individuals with lives, values and talent. Be the leader who builds authentic relationships and cultivates trust.

Be vulnerable. You are a human being with strengths, weaknesses and hardship. Share those stories. Ask for help.

Admit mistakes. Model that mistakes are opportunities to learn. Ask what did we learn, not who is to blame.

Have the difficult conversation. Give the feedback. But do it through a deep sense of caring for others and wanting them to succeed – not to stroke your own ego.

Celebrate the wins. It isn’t just about the final outcome – take time to acknowledge the accomplishments along the way.

Keep people connected to the greater purpose. We all want to be part of something bigger – be explicit and transparent in how their work contributes to the greater goal.

At the end of the day, people want to be seen, valued, respected and heard. Do that. And if you aren’t sure how, call me. I’m here to help.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beckyaltmancoaching.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-altman-31915b2/