Lory Lanese is an International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach specializing in leadership and professional development coaching and staff team development. 25+ years.
She coached technical leaders ranging from Executive Vice Presidents to technical experts new to leading and managing.
She also coached CEOs, doctors, managers, supervisors and teammates, and provided coaching to direct reports that she managed.
She used an innovative approach to organizational culture, creating new futures, development of staff and leadership behaviors. She combined her knowledge and skills in behavioral science, coaching, leadership, brain science and habit-building to achieve the desired improvements and building of desired behaviors and practices.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your Entrepreneur journey/venture/initiative.
I started as a Special Education Teacher for middle school age kids. I loved teaching and wanted to continue my career journey so I went and got a Masters Degree in Instructional Design and then a Specialist Degree.
I got an internship at a major corporation then got a position as an instructional designer. After Several years, I became the Corporate Training Manager. I provided sales training and training on automation that was impacting how the company did business with their customers. I was a finalist for outstanding instructional product for the results achieved in increasing automated ordering with an external international professional training organization.
I got married and moved to another state where I got a position with an up and coming high tech company. I was a program manager for Supervisor Training, then became the Instructional Design Manager in a group that supported factories world-wide. After about 7 years I got asked to Manage a Site Training Organization in the state where they had 3 major factories. I got experience managing several organizations with over 100 employees.
Next I went into Information Technology to manage the Enterprise Training Organization. During this time, I took coach training and became a certified coach. I got to have internal partnerships with coaches in other parts of the company while I led and managed my organization.
Next I decided I would like to help coach and develop other managers and leaders and help leaders create the desired culture, behaviors and teamwork. I obtained a position as an Organizational Consultant and Coach in Arizona with what had become the largest U.S. manufacturing site. I had 1:1 partnerships with the Vice President and his staff. I provided 360 feedback and observation data. I provided leadership development workshops.
I retired from the high tech organization that had gone from ~20,000 employees when I started to over 100,000. I still wanted to serve others in a company. I got a position as Director of Leadership, Culture and Training at a DSO working with the corporate leadership team, doctors, managers, team leaders and staff. I provided 1:1 coaching, strategic sessions, workshops, team development, 360 feedback, assessments and debriefs. I had a team that supported sales training and began and internal certification program for office teammates.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say YES, go for it!”
I love coaching, helping others discover, grow and develop. I love providing interactive workshops that help people learn and practice new methods and behaviors. Some examples of the workshops I have developed and facilitated were: The Basics of Coaching, Basics of Good Training, Delegating, Inspiring, Appreciating, Managing up and out, How to have a crucial conversation, Motivating Others…
Tell us something about your initiative or current role. What is it about, and what impact are you trying to make?
I would like to have a combination of several coaches who are wanting to continue to evolve in their careers and to provide some coaching to folks serviced by non-profits. I would love to be able to periodically provide a group with a workshop that supports them achieving a team, group and individual goals and objectives.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
Partnered with the Vice President of the company’s Site Manufacturing to help transform the staff and cultural practices. Helped leaders develop new behavioral habits that allowed them to achieve all-time highs for output. Overall staff improved 10% across all 5 leadership categories in 1 year.
Influenced leadership development plans in support of a major organizational transition from 2 separate factory organizations into 1 merged site organization. Created a staff development roadmap to improve teamwork, increase foundational leadership behaviors, and sustain baseline behaviors.
Partnered with the Vice President for Strategic Capital and Planning for the Technology Manufacturing Organization who managed 5 disparate organizations. Identified 5 Strategic Focus areas with specific actions to improve internal and external connections; created a shared future and picture of winning. Successfully implemented a roadmap and improved cross-staff engagement and support to deliver critical capital and strategic capability.
Leadership Change Ending Blindness and Igniting Intention Measuring and Graphing ChangeLeadership Change Ending Blindness and Igniting Intention Measuring and Graphing Change
Library of Professional Coaching Web Journal · Jul 1, 2015
Some Past Coachee comments:
“Lory helped me identify and understand the behaviors that were preventing me from becoming the leader I wanted to be. I found the experience refreshing and enlightening and I would recommend Lory to anyone who wants to improve their leadership skills.” (Technical Manager)
“She has helped me with introspection. Through simply stated, non-judgmental questions she helped me differentiate perceived challenges from real challenges and helped me realize my natural strengths to focus on what was important.” (Product Manager)
“Lory made a huge impact on me! I’m glad I got to spend so much time learning and becoming better in my personal life and professional life!” (GP Dentist)
“There was a time I was so reluctant to provide feedback, unless it was extremely well thought out, I missed the opportunity to engage in staff level discussions. Lory helped me understand how to identify these moments and overcome this behavior.” (Department Manager)
“Lory profoundly impacted my professional growth and leadership skills. Lory provided invaluable guidance in understanding and relating to others, significantly enhancing my people management capabilities. Through her coaching, I gained a deeper insight into my leadership style and its effects on others, learning effective ways to improve. Lory emphasized the importance of comprehensive training over mere instruction, and she taught me to communicate messages with empathy and care. Additionally, she highlighted the critical role of workplace culture, and she guided me in establishing healthy boundaries, effective delegation, and appropriately handling requests. Her mentorship expanded my perspectives and equipped me with innovative strategies for addressing various situations, ultimately fostering my development as a more effective leader.” (Local Director DSO)
“Identified key behaviors that under some circumstances had been ineffective. Developed an approach and targeted a desired behavior for each situation. I was able to effectively and rapidly improve my behaviors with her help and coaching.” (Information Technology Manager)
“I asked Lory to help me because of her ability to help our staff become a better team and deliver world-class results.” (Engineering Department Manager)
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
Networking and mutual support is extremely powerful. I would like to see woman continue and expand their networking and mutual support. When I started my career, if a woman was in a senior position, she was often titled as a “bitch” or “flirted their way there”. Women would compete with each other rather than support each other. Often on a staff the ratio of men was 90% men and 10% women. I have seen improvement in these areas in the past 25 years. I am seeing women’s sports teams being appreciated and games attended. There are more women CEOs. You can still see on senior leadership teams more males than females. I would like to see the same criteria consistently used for a male and female success. I would like mutual support between women continue to grow.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?
Women can be amazing leaders and entrepreneurs. Every leader needs to have a growth mindset, be willing to continue to learn and grow. Leaders need to understand what behaviors and practices create the best results for people and business outcomes. Leaders need to reflect, admit mistakes and learn from them. Leaders need to understand their strengths and hire to their weaknesses to compliment them. Leaders need to have people who will be honest with them and not just tell them what they want to hear. Listening is key.
What would you want to say to our young leaders/audience reading this?
Get feedback and use assessments to understand your strengths and areas for growth. Ask for help and get support. Develop a network. Create a vision that is memorable and inspiring. I love the book and saying “Small Steps for Big Change.”
