Lurie Children's

Upsurge Advisors

Goodwill NYNJ

Journyz

In this 45-minute interactive breakout, participants will experience how AI can elevate coaching into a high-performance advantage. Together, we’ll identify real business challenges, compare emerging AI coaching tools, and explore opportunities to co-create future ELE Executive Innovation Sprints focused on AI-enabled coaching.

Unlike traditional coaching platforms with fixed schedules and high dropout rates, AI coaching delivers just-in-time, scalable development. We’ll lay the groundwork for an AI Coaching Playbook—practical frameworks, prompts, and adoption guidance created by peers, for peers.

🔁 <a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qFs__kIJsCLH6ynAeNopOsz6PHEpub9ntpAmvuJt588/edit?mc_cid=e7686c688f&amp;mc_eid=621cbc8540&amp;slide=id.p1#slide=id.p1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ELE Executive Innovation Sprints Proposal</a>

&nbsp;

What’s Next: Following this initial ideation, <a href="https://www.ele.llc/events/reskilling-127" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">on October 31st, Deepa will lead a virtual exchange</a> to refine business requirements before recruiting 4–6 members for our first Solution Sprint.

🔄 ELE Executive Innovation Sprint: High-Performance Coaching with AI

Digital &amp; AI

leadership development

talent development

Coaching

maryann.kennedy

CHIE2025

L&amp;D

HR Technology

executive coaching

nicole.defalco

AI Coaching

deepa.kartha

High-Performance Coaching

dan.kwong

coaching tools

scalable development

just in time learning

AI playbook

practical frameworks

adoption guidance

innovation sprint

ELE Group, LLC

This session pulled back the curtain on why coaching strategies often stall at scale—and what it really takes to make coaching work in today’s organizations.

We’ve long relied on formal coaching programs designed for senior leaders, but those high-investment, executive-level programs don’t reflect how people actually grow across today’s cross-functional, constantly shifting teams. In this ELE roundtable, a panel of seasoned talent leaders unpacked the shift from “Big C” coaching (exclusive, executive-level engagements) to “little c” coaching—the micro-behaviors that build—or break—trust, clarity, and momentum across teams.

But here’s the friction: not every manager wants to coach. Some aren’t ready. And the systems they operate in often make coaching nearly impossible. Through interactive debate and candid reflection, we explored a more uncomfortable—but necessary—question: not whether coaching is valuable (we all agree it is), but whether the way companies are currently investing in it is truly working. The heart of the debate wasn’t about whether coaching is good or bad—it was whether it’s worth it to keep pouring resources into high-touch programs at the top, when the real opportunity might lie elsewhere.
<blockquote data-start="720" data-end="800">
“Leadership is in itself a profession that we lay over people doing other things.” -- <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/nicole-defalco" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nicole DeFalco</a>.
</blockquote>
Too often, we promote high performers into leadership roles and assume coaching will follow. But delivering results and growing others aren’t the same skillset—and without intrinsic motivation, even great managers may struggle to coach well.
Here are key takeaways that sparked conversation:

<h3 data-start="1420" data-end="1441">💡 Key Takeaways:</h3>
<ul data-start="1442" data-end="1916">
 	<li data-start="1442" data-end="1514">
Big C vs. little c Coaching – Not all coaching is created equal.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1515" data-end="1615">
Coaching ≠ Performance Review – There’s tension when your coach also rates your performance.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1616" data-end="1704">
AI as a Coaching Ally – Coaching avatars and GPT-based mentors are already here.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1705" data-end="1821">
Managers Aren’t Always the Answer – Maybe people don’t just leave managers. Maybe they leave broken systems.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1822" data-end="1916">
Coaching Requires Want-To, Not Just Know-How – Without motivation, training won’t stick.
</li>
</ul>
<h3 data-start="1918" data-end="1942">✅ Practical Actions:</h3>
<ul data-start="1943" data-end="2248">
 	<li data-start="1943" data-end="2009">
Introduce the Big C/little c coaching language in your org
</li>
 	<li data-start="2010" data-end="2076">
Screen leaders for EQ and coaching aptitude, not just role
</li>
 	<li data-start="2077" data-end="2123">
Embed coaching moments into daily work
</li>
 	<li data-start="2124" data-end="2184">
Pilot AI coaching tools to complement human feedback
</li>
 	<li data-start="2185" data-end="2248">
Reassess where manager investment is driving actual value
</li>
</ul>
Let’s reframe what scalable, empowered coaching really looks like. How are you evolving coaching in your organization? Share with us on ELE <a href="https://www.ele.llc/idea-exchange" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Idea Exchange</a>.

<div class="group/conversation-turn relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn">
<div class="flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3">
<div class="flex max-w-full flex-col flex-grow">
<div class="min-h- text-message flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 whitespace-normal break-words :mt-5" dir="auto" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="06167a8a-0cf7-4e4b-ac90-418662019320">
<div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-">
<div class="markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert light">


</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

The Shift from Formal to Empowered: Innovative Coaching as the New Learning Paradigm

future of work

dirk.tussing

jane.shlaes

performance management

post-mortem analysis

employee engagement

ruben.contreras

lean learning

workforce transition

learning and development

emotional intelligence

matt.sernaker

yolanda.mangram

brian.gold

amy.leschkekahle

HR leadership

AI in HR

lauren.marder

diana.anderson

organizational learning

team communication

knowledge sharing

innovation culture

Reflective Leadership

Coaching Culture

sheryl.smikle

laura.sandera

adam.walleser

scalable learning

people managers

coaching at scale

workplace coaching

LAK Group

Culture isn’t a poster on the wall—it’s the unwritten rules shaping every decision, every hire, and every exit. In her keynote at the Milwaukee Talent Development Conference 2025, “Culture Shift: Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments,” <a href="https://www.ele.llc/members/shelley-smith">Shelley Smith</a> (Managing Director, LAK Group) challenged us to confront an uncomfortable truth: most culture efforts fail not from lack of effort—but from fuzzy alignment and wishful thinking.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-43036" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Afternoon-Keynote-Shelley-Smith.jpg" alt="Culture Shift - Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments" width="632" height="352" />

This interactive session explores how advanced, science-based assessments can provide clear insights into leadership agility, team dynamics, cultural alignment, and individual readiness, enabling leaders to proactively manage a dynamic workplace and workforce.

<img class="aligncenter wp-image-43038" src="https://wp.ele.llc/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Afternoon-Keynote-Culture-with-Shelley-Smith.jpg" alt="Culture Shift - Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments" width="634" height="351" />
If your culture work feels performative, here’s what Shelley says you’re missing:
🔥 5 High-Impact Moves from Shelley Smith:

<ul data-start="1699" data-end="2389">
 	<li data-start="1699" data-end="1848">
📊 Get brutally honest with assessments: Skip the assumptions. Let the data surface the gap between leadership narratives and employee reality.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1849" data-end="1983">
🚀 Train leaders to see their blind spots: Culture shifts when leaders model the future—starting with their own micro-behaviors.
</li>
 	<li data-start="1984" data-end="2106">
🔄 Redefine ‘change’ as human transition: Change is logistics. Transition is mindset. One sticks, the other doesn’t.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2107" data-end="2248">
🧠 Use neuroscience to rewire habits: Repetition and coaching create new neural pathways. It’s not fluff—it’s how transformation works.
</li>
 	<li data-start="2249" data-end="2389">
🧩 Hardwire culture into your talent stack: Recruitment, onboarding, succession—they’re not separate from culture, they are culture.
</li>
</ul>
Shelley didn’t talk about culture as a vibe—she talked about it as an operating system.
💡Want to lead real transformation? Start with the truth, invest in the brain, and make leaders your culture’s architects—not just its mouthpieces.

Culture Shift - Navigating Constant Change Management Using Better Assessments

Engagement &amp; Culture

Leadership

Change Management

talent management

shelley.smith

Talent Strategy

talent assessment

workplace transformation

organizational culture

HR Strategy

Team Dynamics

Strategic HR

Culture Transformation

wise2025

culture shift

leadership agility

cultural alignment

individual readiness

dynamic workplace

workforce management

science-based assessments

proactive management

talent identification

neuroscience in HR

HR assessments

leadership behavior

culture alignment

transition management

All In! The 28-Day Reset by executive coach Ali Glaser offers a practical, science-backed roadmap to help leaders recharge without burning out. Instead of overhauling your life, Glaser guides you to identify 3–5 small, daily actions that restore energy across four key domains—physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual.
With stories, reflection prompts, and simple tracking tools, this reset builds habits that align with your values, sharpen your focus, and fuel sustainable performance. It’s a playbook for leaders who want to bring their best self to work, relationships, and life—without sacrificing well-being.
Glaser, a veteran coach and senior leader, has spent decades helping executives and teams thrive. Her All In! philosophy is about showing up fully engaged and leading with clarity and confidence—day after day.
Curious? This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters—better.

All In! The 28 Day Reset: A Daily Commitment to Being at Your Best

leadership coaching

Professional Growth

Burnout Prevention

peak performance

Human-Centered Leadership

ali.glaser

mindful leadership

resilience training

well-being in the workplace

behavioral psychology

jerry.oliveira

cliff.cheek

"A completely revised and updated edition of the blockbuster bestseller from 'the personal productivity guru'"—Fast Company

Since it was first published almost fifteen years ago, David Allen’s Getting Things Done has become one of the most influential business books of its era, and the ultimate book on personal organization. “GTD” is now shorthand for an entire way of approaching professional and personal tasks, and has spawned an entire culture of websites, organizational tools, seminars, and offshoots.

Allen has rewritten the book from start to finish, tweaking his classic text with important perspectives on the new workplace, and adding material that will make the book fresh and relevant for years to come. This new edition of Getting Things Done will be welcomed not only by its hundreds of thousands of existing fans but also by a whole new generation eager to adopt its proven principles.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity

Performance Improvement

time management

productivity

Personal Development

Task Management

stress reduction

Leadership Effectiveness

Efficiency

Focus and Concentration

Team Productivity

Strategic Planning

Personal Organization

Workflow Management

Workplace Organization

I found this a very "digestable" way to understand how we get in our own way as humans and as leaders. It contains straight forward tips for getting out to be your best self. It condenses so much science into simple, usable concepts. Great for coaching.

Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine introduces the concept of PQ—your Positive Intelligence Quotient—which measures the percentage of time your mind serves you rather than sabotages you. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and executive coaching, Chamine identifies ten internal Saboteurs (like the Judge, Controller, and Pleaser) that undermine performance and well-being, and contrasts them with five Sage powers that foster empathy, creativity, and clarity. Through practical tools and mental fitness exercises, the book guides readers to weaken their Saboteurs and strengthen their Sage, ultimately unlocking greater happiness, resilience, and professional success

&nbsp;

New York Times Bestseller! In his popular Stanford University lectures, Shirzad Chamine reveals how to achieve one's true potential for both professional success and personal fulfillment. His groundbreaking research exposes ten well-disguised mental Saboteurs. 

Nearly 95 percent of the executives in his Stanford lectures conclude that these Saboteurs cause "significant harm" to achieving their full potential. With Positive Intelligence, you can learn the secret to defeating these internal foes. 

Positive Intelligence (PQ) measures the percentage of time your mind is serving you as opposed to sabotaging you. While your IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence) contribute to your maximum potential, it is your PQ that determines how much of that potential you actually achieve.  The great news is that you can improve your PQ significantly in as little as 21 days. With higher PQ, teams and professionals ranging from leaders to salespeople perform 30-35 percent better on average. Importantly, they also report being far happier and less stressed.   

The breakthrough tools and techniques in this book have been refined over years of coaching hundreds of CEOs and their executive teams. Shirzad tells many of their remarkable stories, showing you how you too can take concrete steps to unleash the vast, untapped powers of your mind.

DISCOVER HOW TO: 
<ul>
 	<li>Identify and conquer your top mental Saboteurs. Common Saboteurs include the Judge, Controller, Victim, Avoider, and Pleaser. </li>
 	<li>Measure the Positive Intelligence score (PQ) for yourself or your team--see how close you come to the critical tipping point required for peak performance.</li>
 	<li>Increase PQ dramatically in as little as 21 days.</li>
 	<li>Develop new brain "muscles," and access 5 untapped powers with energizing mental "power games."</li>
 	<li>Apply PQ tools and techniques to increase both performance and fulfillment. </li>
</ul>
Applications include team building, mastering workload, working with "difficult" people, improving work/life balance, reducing stress, and selling and persuading.

Positive Intelligence

team-building

heather.tunison

work-life balance

Personal Fulfillment

neurodiversity

professional success

mental Saboteurs

PQ score

brain training

sales techniques

Named one of 100 Leadership &amp; Success Books to Read in a Lifetime by Amazon Editors

The world’s most trusted guide for leaders in transition

Transitions are a critical time for leaders. In fact, most agree that moving into a new role is the biggest challenge a manager will face. While transitions offer a chance to start fresh and make needed changes in an organization, they also place leaders in a position of acute vulnerability. Missteps made during the crucial first three months in a new role can jeopardize or even derail your success.

In this updated and expanded version of the international bestseller The First 90 Days, Michael D. Watkins offers proven strategies for conquering the challenges of transitionsno matter where you are in your career. Watkins, a noted expert on leadership transitions and adviser to senior leaders in all types of organizations, also addresses today’s increasingly demanding professional landscape, where managers face not only more frequent transitions but also steeper expectations once they step into their new jobs.

By walking you through every aspect of the transition scenario, Watkins identifies the most common pitfalls new leaders encounter and provides the tools and strategies you need to avoid them. You’ll learn how to secure critical early wins, an important first step in establishing yourself in your new role. Each chapter also includes checklists, practical tools, and self-assessments to help you assimilate key lessons and apply them to your own situation.

Whether you’re starting a new job, being promoted from within, embarking on an overseas assignment, or being tapped as CEO, how you manage your transition will determine whether you succeed or fail. Use this book as your trusted guide.

The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter, Updated and Expanded

Integrated Talent Management

career development

succession planning

organizational effectiveness

Human Capital Management

Strategic Leadership

Leadership Transition

Executive Onboarding

Onboarding Strategies

New Leader Success

anthony.candelario

cindy.pinkstaffmiller

catherine.hebel

This expanded edition of The Go-Giver includes the text of the original business parable, together with a foreword by Arianna Huffington, a new intro­duction, a discussion guide, and a Q&amp;A with the authors.

“Most people just laugh when they hear that the secret to success is giving....Then again, most people are nowhere near as successful as they wish they were.”

The Go-Giver tells the story of an ambitious young man named Joe who yearns for success. Joe is a true go-getter, though sometimes he feels as if the harder and faster he works, the further away his goals seem to be. Desperate to land a key sale at the end of a bad quarter, he seeks advice from the enigmatic Pindar, a legendary consultant referred to by his many devotees sim­ply as the Chairman.

Over the next week, Pindar introduces Joe to a series of “go-givers”: a restaurateur, a CEO, a financial adviser, a real estate broker, and the “Connector” who brought them all together. Pindar’s friends teach Joe the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success and help him open himself up to the power of giving. Joe learns that changing his focus from getting to giving—putting others’ interests first and continually adding value to their lives—ultimately leads to unexpected returns.

Imparted with wit and grace, The Go-Giver is a classic bestseller that brings to life the old proverb “Give and you shall receive.” Since its original publication, the term “go-giver” has become shorthand for a defining set of values embraced by hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Today this timeless story continues to help its readers find fulfillment and greater success in business, in their personal lives and in their communities.

Login