Leaders engage me because they want to keep getting better.
I have walked alongside top leaders for over fifteen years. In that time, I have learned a lot about leadership and about how leaders grow.
My Philosophy
Every leader is unique, has his or her own leadership DNA. And my coaching process is designed to recognize that uniqueness and then help capitalize on strengths while mitigating for weaknesses.
I help create a space of mutual respect, trust and safety where a leader can have a conversation they’ve never had before. They can then look at themselves honestly, vulnerably in a way that enables new insights into themselves.
Real, transformational change takes time. My job is to provide the tools, accountability and encouragement for leaders to transform.
My Story
I know first-hand the challenges facing leaders at the top. Prior to becoming a professional coach, I led companies in a variety of industries – financial services, banking, commercial construction, technology, entertainment, biotech – for nearly 20 years. I have shepherded organizations through start-up, turned around troubled companies, and infused new vision into established, mature businesses. Having “seen it all,” I draw on my experience to help leaders craft tools and solutions unique to their personal style of leadership.
After receiving a degree in Business from Wheaton College, I served four years as an Army Armor officer, leading combat-ready forces in Europe. I earned an MBA from the Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, and completed postgraduate studies in Leadership Coaching at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The International Coaching Federation has named me a Master Certified Coach (MCC), a designation held by less than 5% of all professional coaches worldwide.
In 2015, after ten years of developing and refining a process that delivered consistent results for leaders, I began training other coaches in my “McKinnon Way” of leadership coaching. In 2019, I co-founded, with Brad Sytsma, the McKinnon Leadership Group, a boutique collection of professional coaches who follow a common approach in their work with senior leaders and leadership teams. My book, Lead Like You Were Meant To: Make the Switch from Autopilot to Intentional, is scheduled for release Labor Day 2020.
I live with my wife Marta in Charlottesville, Virginia.
