Performing the role of CEO can be difficult and lonely. Tom Zahniser used his 20 years of experience coaching CEO’s in many markets to help me succeed and excel at my role. Tom’s impact has made a huge difference to the success of my company. Tom acts at a teammate, partner, advisor, board member, and friend.
There was a time in my career where I was completely at odds with my two business partners around the direction of the company. I was 100% alone with the challenge. With Tom’s input, insight, questions and advise, I was able to navigate my way through this challenge. The company moved forward in the direction I had set, my partners were on board, and the direction proved to be very successful. If I had not had Tom to support and assist me through this, our company would not be the same as it is now.
Keith Whittemore
CEO, Kvichak Marine
Tom helped me create better strategies both personally and professionally than I could have ever developed on my own. He has a unique ability to create trust that allows the real questions and answers to surface.
Mary Marshall
Mary Marshall & Associates
I have been privileged to have Tom as an executive coach. Tom is very effective both in person and on the phone. He knows me and my strengths and weaknesses. His approach is one of listening, asking probing questions, and then getting me to see where I am either on track or vulnerable to going off course. We plan together and then he follows up (darn it!) to see what has happened. He is really good at “quiet accountability” and that is helpful to me!
Tom has been helpful in both my work and my personal life. Just having someone you can share your hopes, fears, and frustrations with is huge. I think the biggest impact Tom has had on me is around processing as to how I show up as CEO, Community Leader, Husband, and Dad. The expectations and impact are high. It’s a conscious decision for me now and I don’t let others make it for me. Consequently, I have been more effective!
Mark E. Mantei, MHSA, FACHE
Chief Executive Officer, Vancouver Clinic
One important thing I learned from Tom was not to look for advice on strategy or direction in my own company, but to find within myself the ability to construct, trust, and execute the decisions I had to make. Tom was very careful to never give advice, but to lead me towards my own answer, a skill I found invaluable in growing and ultimately selling my company. That approach gave me not only skills, but confidence in myself, and the respect of my staff, peers and community.
Hub Gilbert
CEO, Gilbert & Associates
Tom is an experienced former CEO with a depth of knowledge and understanding that can truly help other CEOs. Through our one-on-one sessions, Tom has consistently provided me with keen insights, accountability, and empathy where finding that input is otherwise difficult at best. Tom believes in a holistic approach and he focuses on me, not just as the CEO, but also in the other important roles in my life, like husband and father. He helped me understand that if I am willing to commit to growing and learning as a person, both my relationships and my company will flourish. With Tom’s help, we were able to grow our company beyond our expectations and I am doing more of what I want to do and am enjoying my life more.
Tod Johnson
Lee Johnson Auto Family
Tom Zahniser is combination of authentic, empathetic support, combined with straightforward, no-nonsense talk. That’s a rare combination these days. He helped me see my strengths and (more importantly) blind spots so I can do the personal work I really needed to do to be the best possible leader for my team.
Paul Shoemaker
Consultant & Author of “Can’t Not Do”; Founding President of Social Venture Partners International
When I hit a personal ceiling as a leader in my role as founder and CEO, Tom’s coaching was instrumental in helping me home in on the signals amongst the noise. He helped me see that challenges were far less complicated than I had imagined them to be. Most of the answers/clarity I sought were staring me in the face, and I just needed the courage to decide, act, and truly lead. The result was many invaluable ah-ha moments.
During my work with Tom, I was able to make vital decisions for moving myself and my company forward during a critical period of growth and change. Additionally, Tom’s dignified, empathetic character, his real-world business experience, and his excellent communication skills provided me a wise example to emulate when coaching my direct reports. His example has stuck with me through the years. As I face challenges now, I often wonder, “How would Tom coach me through this?” I can almost always answer that question myself, even though my active work with Tom ended 10 years ago. That is the long-term value of Tom’s coaching – an excellent ROI.
Sands McKinley
Founder / McKinley Irvin / Family Law
I have had the privilege of being coached by Tom for the last 11 years. His insights, listening skills and ability to summarize situations have been crucial in my decision making as our firm has grown substantially. I trust his business wisdom, sense of humor and dedication. I would highly recommend him for coaching any top leader in an organization.
Robert Berntson, CPA
CEO / Berntson Porter & Company, PLLC
I highly recommend Tom for his business coaching skills. My one-on-one meetings with him were a perfect blend of mentorship and compassion. Tom was diligent in keeping me on course in my professional goals and personal journey in life. He had a magical way of holding me accountable, while at the same time encouraging me to push through barriers and achieve results. I am thankful for the impact that Tom had on my career and my life.
Joe Fugere
Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria
Tom is a thoughtful, trustworthy, and caring listener and coach. His tenured experience working with business leaders provides a deep well of helpful insights relevant to whatever issues I’m facing. Tom is always a strong encourager of the business and life I want to create.
Tom helped me clarify the specific issues that were keeping me stuck. He held up the mirror to remind me of what I said I wanted, gently extolled me to consider the issue from a different perspective, and at times pushed back against my opinions and assumptions to make sure I was truly grounded in them.
John Christianson, CFA
CEO / Highland Private
When I first met Tom Zahniser 15 years ago, I had just been hired as the CEO of a software development company. Tom met with me in 1 on 1 meetings as an experienced resource that I could bounce ideas off and get honest and thoughtful responses. Tom gets you into a dialogue about what you are experiencing and what you are thinking as you address the challenges of being a CEO & business leader. Tom’s not a “here’s the solution” coach – he’s a guide. He’ll help you get to your solutions with questions, comments and ideas about what you should consider as you move forward. He’s also truthful. If he thinks you are moving in a direction that you have not thought through, he’ll tell you. My career has prospered having Tom as a resource.
Barry McKechnie
Founder/President CEO Services
I received a tremendous benefit from the one on one coaching sessions with Tom. We met monthly and I always looked forward to my time with Tom. First, the basis for our work together was rooted in Tom’s very thorough understanding of me as a person. Not just as a businessperson but also as an individual – how I view the world, how I was wired, what my strengths were, but also my shortcomings. He knew my family and many very personal things about me. This helped give him context around the issues I might be dealing with. Tom was a great listener. He asked great questions – which is huge! Sometimes we would talk about business issues and solving those problems, and sometimes we would just visit about personal issues. Tom was completely comfortable in any arena and was always able to offer tremendous benefit.
I often walked away from these sessions with more perspective. Tom was great at helping me see a bigger picture. Sometimes I was more hopeful about the world. Sometimes I had more questions to wrestle with. But I was mostly pushed further ahead and usually ended up a slightly better man and leader with each session. I am very grateful for my relationship with Tom.
Brad Dionne
Multiple franchise business owner
Tom’s coaching sessions are very learner-centered. People working with him report that he listens exceptionally well. They describe his style as one of probing with questions that help them discover their own answers to issues. This approach generates the best commitment to change or to desired leadership outcomes.
Personally, Tom’s questioning approach allowed the ‘light bulb’ to go off on a major dilemma I was facing. After wrestling with the problem on my own, one conversation with him helped me reframe the situation in a way that made all the difference! I was then able to move forward confidently, and the outcome has been fantastic.
Marilyn Gist PhD.
Center for Leadership Formation, Seattle University