We were lucky to catch up with Dennis LaRue recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dennis, appreciate you joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
This is how I want to be remembered:
“I am the most caring, loving and compassionate man you will ever meet. Everyone who meets me is left feeling encouraged, inspired and filled with hope. I am a great listener and sounding board to share ideas or problems with. My insight, discernment and wisdom are supernatural. It’s as if God is whispering in my ear all the right questions, answers and insights you need, when you need them. I make you feel like you are the most important person in the room. My words and prayers bring healing to wounded hearts. I am being used as an instrument of transformation in lives all over the world. I am a Husband, Father, Grandfather, USAF Veteran, Friend, Mentor, and Coach. I make people thirsty to have more of God’s Spirit, my everlasting fuel source! I love God, my family and people with a passion and zeal that is contagious. My mission is to WRING out all the potential in me and serve leaders in way to hear my Master say, “Well Done.”
Dennis, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am Dennis LaRue, living in San Antonio, Texas. My wife and I have been married 33 years, have three amazing adult children who have blessed us with 5 grandchildren. My family is important to me, second only to my faith in God. I retired from the United States Air Force IN 2015 after a wonderful 23 year career where I was what the business community calls a consultant. My areas of expertise in the consulting community were my research, problem solving, ability to understand and connect with senior leaders, and be an impartial third party to help leaders be fully resourced to fulfill their mission. I was known for my leadership and supervision skills. Many times in my career people were transferred to my office because of my gift of connecting.
I transitioned into Executive and Leadership coaching upon my retirement from the Air Force. My mother-in-law gifted me my first coaching certification with leadership expert, John C. Maxwell. When I learned what coaching was through his program, I realized that was one of the biggest reasons for my success as a leader in the Air Force : Coaching. Not long ago, I asked my wife what she thought my three greatest skills were in my business. She said, Teaching, Facilitating and Coaching. Those are the three areas I focus on for my Coaching business – LDR (Leaders Develop Relationships).
What sets me apart from others? What sets me apart from other coaches is my unique blend of experience and expertise. As a retired USAF veteran, I bring a disciplined, mission-driven approach to leadership coaching that focuses on building strong, trust-based relationships and developing leaders who can inspire teams to follow them. I develop leaders their people deserve! I understand high-pressure environments, teamwork, and the importance of clear communication, which I seamlessly translates into the business world.
In addition, LDR – Leaders Develop Relationships Executive Coaching, reflects my belief that great leadership is built on relationships. I don’t just provide strategies for leadership; I focus on the human side of leadership, helping leaders not only improve their skills but also connect with their teams on a deeper level. I use real-world, practical examples that resonate with my clients, creating an approach that’s both actionable and compassionate. People today desperately need leaders who meet them where they are, show them that they matter, and develop them. My coaching is focused on helping leaders become the kind people want to follow.
Finally, as the author of #steeltoesrequired, a weekly newsletter on LinkedIn, along with my coaching methodology are grounded in personal experiences, offering raw, authentic insights into leadership that don’t shy away from the hard truths. I focus on reducing turnover, building trust, and fostering a positive company culture are skills I’ve honed over years of guiding leaders through challenges. This combination of military discipline, real-world business acumen, and a passion for developing people is what makes my coaching truly distinctive.
I am most proud of my family. My favorite moment in my USAF career was flying in and “taking the stick” of an F-16. Being on stage with John C. Maxwell was a moment I will treasure especially the words of encouragement he shared with me in that moment.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Making the decision to retire from the Air Force was a moment that was the biggest pivot point in my life. I had made up my mind, or so I thought, of staying in for the maximum of 30 years. I remember sitting in my organization conference room, planning for the final promotion to allow me to reach 30 years. I was focused and determined to get promoted this last one. In a moment of silence, I heard a clear voice distinctly say to me – “It’s time to retire. I have other work for you.” Now, I am a person of faith. I believe God was getting my attention in that moment. I can remember wrestling with this idea for weeks. As I was driving to my base one morning, picking up donuts – the price for running late, in a moment of clarity knew it was time. My wife and I discussed it and agreed. I “hit the button” to retire and began the journey of transforming leaders lives through the art of coaching.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
The best advice I can give to leaders is take time to know your people beyond their work performance. It’s not that hard. When people know that they means something to you, you take the time to get to know them and you actually care about them, they will go the extra mile for you. One question I love to ask people is, if they were put in charge of the organization or team for the day, what would they do differently? This gives them a voice to share what they see. It give the leader the opportunity to see from their perspective and potentially reveal blind spots the leader would miss otherwise. I have a list of 10 Great Questions Leaders Should Ask and Answers you can download from my website at https://www.enrichedleaders.com/resources
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.enrichedleaders.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dennis.j.larue
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-larue-jr/
- Youtube: @dennislaruejr2950
Image Credits
#steeltoerequired artwork by Jamie LaRue
Final USAF photo by Ali Brown
Picture with John Maxwell on stage produced by Christian Del Rosario
LDR Logo produced by Callie Roberson