Master workplace coach to share insight at upcoming event

When it comes to business coaching, Pete Walsh – literally – is a master.

The owner of Peak Performance Coaching is a former corporate executive who has been coaching others in business since 1997.

As a master-certified coach by the International Coach Foundation in 2001, his client list has included Wells Fargo, commercial real estate firm Grubb & Ellis, Arizona Public Service, which is the state’s largest electric utility, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, a multinational professional services firm.

Walsh will be one of several speakers Sept. 26 at the North Dakota Family Business Forum organized by the Prairie Family Business Association.

His interactive session will help family businesses build a stronger, more sustainable team, including the 10 core skills he says every family business needs.

We asked for his insight ahead of the event and some guidance that can apply to many businesses.

There are many business coaches in the marketplace. What do you think differentiates you and your approach?

My clients have always appreciated that I was in their shoes and have real-world practical experience with many of the issues they are facing. They’ve also enjoyed the fact that I use a blend of humor and “tough love” to help them face their challenges head-on.

Some family businesses might not have considered business coaching. Why might it be valuable for them?

All elite athletes use a coach to help them with objective feedback to improve their performance. Coaching helps leaders identify specific goals for sales, profitability and employee retention and the necessary steps to achieve those goals.

What are some of the most common struggles unique to family businesses that you see in working with them?

Families struggle to untangle the business and family relationships. The business needs to create clear performance expectations for its long-term success and hold family members accountable to achieving those results. Don’t take it personally if your performance is critiqued.

The workplace obviously has evolved since you began coaching in 1997. What are some of the elements you believe are most critical for organizations, family owned or not, to address today and going forward?

Learning to connect with their staff and creating the right company culture. Today’s workforce wants to do meaningful work and have leaders they can believe in. That’s why learning to foster great leadership and communication skills is vital to employee retention.

What would you like participants to leave your sessions having learned?

How to be better leaders and coaches. How to become genuinely curious about their staff and how to create a better work environment for long-term success.

Are there some actionable items most businesses can take back to work and begin using to create change fast?

They’ll learn how to coach their team and create a more mindful approach to leadership and performance improvement.

For information and to register for the North Dakota Family Business Forum, click here.