- Clients -
What Does Success Look Like?
Hear directly from our amazing clients.
Building More Trust With My Team
I’ll be honest - I’ve gone through other company trainings before and they usually are about “drinking the Kool-aid”; learning the processes and history of the organization, etc. So when my boss registered me for the Raise The Bar Leadership Bootcamp, I’ll admit I was skeptical and a bit closed off. I did not show up curious and with an open mind initially.
After the first session, though, I realized this training was not like any I had done before. It was about ME and my leadership journey. I loved it.
The Bootcamp has given me the confidence to embrace uncertainty - an essential skill in a fast growing startup like mine, where we are building processes and initiatives from the ground up. I am now empowered with the confidence to be vulnerable and let my team know I don’t have all the answers. This, in turn, has given them the freedom to get messy and embrace change and uncertainty as we explore ideas together.
One of the impacts of my training was that I began holding Stay Interviews with each member of my team, where I simply listen, and give them the space to share their struggles, and support them. As a result, I am building trust and genuine relationships with them and now understand the importance of being a people centric leader who truly cares about her team. Stay Interviews are now a regular part of our routine each quarter.
I found so much value not just in the training but in the coaching too. I’ve continued on with my coach even after the Bootcamp ended.
I found so much value in the Bootcamp and will be sending my team members to upcoming cohorts!
Jennifer Valdez
Role:
Director of Operations
Company:
Lucas James Talent Partners
Management Experience:
8+ Years
Igor Moiseev
Role:
Sr. Director of Engineering
Company:
Standard Cognition
Management Experience:
5 years
Building Consensus and Trust among Team Members
My management style, prior to taking the leadership training through Raise The Bar, could best be described as a bit of a micromanager. In a growing startup, managing is challenging as there are more complexities that you encounter. Team members also want to grow and develop quickly. I had difficulty creating a trusting environment.
The training from RTB provided me with a framework to be a more effective leader through all these challenges. I’ve learned how to provide clarity to my team and clearly communicate expectations. I give both positive and tough feedback regularly now and this has helped create a positive feedback loop within my team.
I also ask them about their aspirations and desired growth - they know now that I truly care about them as humans.
As a result, I’ve now built trust with my team. They know they have a safe environment in which to speak up and share their feedback and ideas.
I oversee cross-functional teams in my role, and during projects and meetings there are lots of opinions. I am now better equipped to manage them, break down silos between different areas, and successfully build consensus by listening to them, identifying common themes, giving them perspective, and providing the framework to move forward.
I no longer feel the need to micromanage; instead, my team members set the path of where they want to arrive and we are more efficient.
Taking Us To The Next Level
We engaged with Raise The Bar mid-way through last year to begin the investment in the development of our leadership team.
By the end of the year, our leadership team was well prepared to scale the business as we merged the organization with a larger entity.
We continue to work with Aaron and the Raise The Bar team as we prepare for significant growth in 2019.
Robert Nathan
Role:
CEO and Co-Founder
Company:
LoadDelivered Logistics
Management Experience:
15+ years
Leading With Purpose
Yvonne Zeman
Role:
CEO and Director of Brand Development
Company:
Monarch & Company
Management Experience:
12+ years
In January, I sat down with my team to discuss how to take our business to the next level—the $10 million level. About a week later, I started working with Aaron and Raise The Bar.
In our first meeting, he stopped me and asked, “why do you do what you do?” It's not a good feeling when you own a company but can’t answer that question.
He asked the same question again and again until we uncovered it. I started Monarch & Company to help others unleash their creativity.
And that was it. Those words sang to me and provided the clarity I was seeking. When I lead from a place of unleashing creativity, I can conquer any obstacle and celebrate any success.
Leading, Not Managing
Joan Harwell
Role:
Senior Director of Operations and Implementation
Company:
Interactive Health, Inc.
Management Experience:
8 years
We are a very heads-down, fast-paced, get things done, kind of team. The training made me and others look at things from a different perspective.
I learned it’s OK to ask difficult questions, it’s OK in a conversation not to have an answer right away. The training makes you take a step back and look at situations, your reactions, and your day-to-day decision making.
I am no longer making it all about me and my decisions. I am trying to take suggestions, brainstorm, and get feedback to better the team, our morale, and how we do our job every day.
Challenging Me To Grow
I started working with Aaron and Raise The Bar because I wanted to grow my business and grow as a CEO and leader. Aaron helped me get clear on the actions I needed to take to grow.
Raise The Bar pushed me. Aaron and I have very real conversations. Even if it doesn’t feel good to hear, he will give me the truth and call me out. It’s special to have someone who knows what I need. And, it is what I need. It’s what helps me reach our goals and breakthrough – and I've had so many breakthroughs.
Sarah Perkins
Role:
CEO and Co-Founder
Company:
DesignerShare
Management Experience:
2 years
Building My Leadership Toolkit
My team is responsible for managing a significant portion of our company's revenue and handling our most complex clients. There is a lot at stake with the clients we service; yet, I would make excuses for underperformers by thinking “oh they are really nice” or “ they are super unorganized internally but doing a great job managing a client relationship”.
I learned that I wasn’t serving myself or my team by making excuses.
Now, I make sure that I am very direct. I make my expectations very clear so they always know what is expected of them. I ask meaningful questions to help get down to the bottom of what we are trying to solve and I lead with intention.
Tracy Roth
Role:
Director of Client Relations
Company:
Interactive Health, Inc.
Management Experience:
6 years
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David Waxberg
Role:
Director of Sales
Company:
Marriott International
Management Experience:
2 years
Finding My Leadership Style
When I first started working with Aaron and Raise The Bar over 18 months ago, I didn’t know my leadership style or what my team needed me to be. I'm now clear on who I am as a leader and it started with getting clarity in my commitment to myself and my team. It helped remind me to be myself when I show up for my team on a daily basis.
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My team is now more engaged and producing at a higher level because I’m hyper-engaged with them. I've even had people from different teams ask to join my team. They’ve heard nothing but good things about my leadership style, about how I show up as a leader, and so I think the proof is in the pudding.
It’s like what Aaron says, “Do the work, do the next hard thing and the outcomes will come". They've come in the form of people wanting to work with me and giving me their best.
And there are metrics to show it; when I joined the team, their engagement percentage was 29%, now after having a year to work with them, the engagement has jumped up to 83%.