Greg Gillis and Lesly Higgins, experienced corporate coaches, will discuss and demonstrate various methods to effectively communicate; whether it is delivering a yearly review to a fellow Googler, developing your group’s strategic vision, or influencing others towards an idea. By learning about Advocacy and Inquiry, Appreciate Inquiry, and Effective Feedback/Feedforward, you will come away from this workshop with concrete examples and experiences to help you get your message across with impact.

Speaker: Lesly Higgins
I’ve been coaching since 1999. After my first career in software development, with roles that included VP Software Engineering at Commerce One and VP Information Technology at Charles Schwab, I returned to school to complete an MS in Organizational Behavior and Development and also a comprehensive coaching program. I’ve coached at all levels in organizations, most functions, and with both early stage and Fortune 500 companies. Most of my clients are in the tech space, and they include: Agile Software, America Online, Apple Computer, Autodesk, Charles Schwab, Coremetrics, CNET, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Peoplesoft, Pixar, SAP, Shutterfly, Taleo, TiVo, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

I believe everyone wants to be more effective and more fulfilled in life. Usually we don’t know HOW to achieve that. And often we don’t know what skills are important to develop to increase our overall effectiveness and satisfaction in work, and to position ourselves for greater responsibility. I help clients to understand WHAT they need to work on, and then HOW to achieve their developmental goals. I partner with clients as a guide, a mirror, a challenger, a support system, a sounding board—to name a few roles. I help them to develop new awarenesses, master new skills, assimilate new ways of seeing the world and shift their way of being in a way that not only meets their developmental goals but also creates the ability to continue growing—as a person and as a leader. I’ve been coaching at Google since 2003.

Speaker: Greg Gillis
I combine real-world wisdom, gathered through years of high technology corporate experience, with solid coaching expertise and training — to help successful people become even more successful. I help my client’s transition from manager to leader, enhance their leadership skills, better work within political infrastructures, delegate effectively, and collaborate wisely. I often increase their awareness of power in the organization, how it is acquired, manifested, held and diminished. I enhance their influence skills–critical to a leader’s growth in managing cross-functionally. I increase their awareness about emotional intelligence and interpersonal effectiveness while helping them shift to a more encompassing outlook resulting in more successful performance.