I have worked with Tom for around a decade, meeting him initially on a Leadership Development Programme he built and delivered in the Cayman Islands. He subsequently became my executive coach and business coach. I would recommend him to anyone who seeks to understand who they really are as a leader, wants to achieve full potential in their business and knows they have the potential to grow as a person. He knows the questions to ask, brings a fresh perspective and will quickly understand the challenges you are facing and the opportunities you are missing.
Tom worked with me, my Chair and Board Directors during a pivotal time of growth for Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (CPFF). His role was centred around facilitating our annual board strategy meetings and virtually during the pandemic even thought he was 5 hours ahead of Toronto time!
What I love about Tom, is that he holds your feet to the fire and won’t let you leave the room (in person or virtually) until everyone comes to an agreement. This is so refreshing, as often, facilitators allow the participants to not come to a conclusion, which means you never move forward.
Over the last 3 years Tom has been a wise and generous coach. I look forward to our conversations and always leave them thinking – and feeling – more clearly. Tom is an excellent active listener, and with a depth and breadth of insight from his own experience and his extensive reading, research and relationship, he is a man who can be relied upon for informed support in any circumstances.
Working with Tom in 2020 and 2021, he helped identify, encourage and essentially unlock a positive strategic change in both my personal and entrepreneurial journey.
The shift since has been astounding, with little sign of slowing down. Things were good before and honestly we had little to complain about. But we were not fulfilling our potential, both personally and professionally.
I’ve now moved on from ‘working’ to finding and nurturing my ‘life’s work.’ The energy shift and increased positivity in both myself and those around me has been huge. I have a lot to thank Tom for in helping make that change by ultimately being more me.
Tom worked with me as a coach and advisor from mid 2017 through the end of 2019. He assisted myself and my team with strategic planning, was great as a sounding board, and was particularly helpful at simply keeping me on track! I would not hesitate to recommend Tom for a future assignment.
Tom is an insightful forward thinker with over 30 years of management experience that moves business emotionally and exponentially towards their full potential.
My Shirlaws experience with Tom was an excellent one – he really helped my team come together and focus on our goals. His interest in our success was genuine, and the foundation for a great relationship.
Tom was my coach for nearly two years. Working with him can be expressed for me most succinctly in three famous taglines: “Just Do It” “(Coaching) gives you wings” “You’re not yourself without your (Coaching)” Tom’s coaching provided me with a framework to develop my leadership skills, thankfully free of management-speak but full of practical steps to affect real change both within myself and within my organization. These seemingly small changes had led to a big change in how I see myself and how others see me as well as tangible impact where it matters most to businesses, i.e. the bottom line.
Through our engagement, Tom assisted the CUC executive team with bringing a greater sense of clarity and purpose to the leadership role. The impact down through the organization has been tremendously positive.
Tom has been a mentor and a great source of support and inspiration to me for over a decade. Always willing to share his insight, perspective and wealth of experience, he has always challenged me to do better. Work with him if you get the chance!
