
Arete Coach: The Art & Science of Executive Coaching
“Arete Coach Podcast" Explores the "Art and Science" of Executive Coaching hosted by Severin Sorensen. The “Arete Coach Podcast" is for executive coaches and anyone considering becoming an executive coach. The podcast is especially valuable to executive coaches who are lifetime learners with deep curiosity about the "art and science" of coaching. In this podcast, the ‘art of coaching’ is explored through engaging interviews with leading executive coaches from diverse backgrounds sharing their individual coaching journeys, learnings, methods, best questions, and situational approaches to executive coaching. Beyond best practices, the podcast will regularly mine research on the ‘science of coaching’ and explores ongoing scientific discoveries and studies looking for what works and why, with an aim to improve the core body of knowledge for executive coaches and the industry.
Latest episodes

Aug 7, 2023 • 1h 10min
Arete Coach 1138 Bill Edgar "From Circus Tents to Board Rooms: A Life Journey to Vistage Chairing"
This is Arete Coach Podcast Episode 1138, with host Severin Sorensen bringing you an exciting episode titled: Arete Coach 1138 Bill Edgar "From Circus Tents to Board Rooms: A Life Journey to Vistage Chairing."
Join host Severin Sorensen for an enthralling discussion with Bill Edgar, an executive coach whose story is as colorful as it is inspiring. Before diving into Bill's riveting journey, we kick off with a shared intrigue: the rise of Artificial Intelligence, particularly ChatGPT, and its transformative influence on our businesses and daily lives.
Bill Edgar is not your typical executive coach. With a decade-long legacy as a Vistage Chair and the honor of the Red Scott Award, he's a figure who commands respect in leadership circles. His narrative takes us from the vibrant circus tents his family pitched across the US, to roles in Western Shows, the Army, banking, land development, and several other arenas. Each step in his journey, each hat he's worn, has imparted him with unique insights, which he now channels into guiding today's CEOs and industry leaders.
Certified as a Franklin Covey Facilitator, Bill masterfully employs principles from iconic texts, including 'The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People.' He's adept at steering leaders away from the monotony of routine, advocating for innovative thinking, audacious choices, and actions that leave an indelible mark.
This episode promises a deep dive into Bill's life, extracting pearls of wisdom he's gathered and spotlighting moments that shaped his fervor for coaching and Vistage chairing. Revel in insights like, 'True beginnings don't stem from perfection, but from the journey of learning.' Ponder over the prompt, 'What action today propels you closer to your aspirations?' and let it spark your personal metamorphosis.
The Arete Coach Podcast aims to uncover the art and science of executive coaching. Learn more about the podcast at aretecoach.io.
This Podcast interview was recorded on June 30, 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Jul 31, 2023 • 1h 11min
Arete Coach 1137 David Savage "From 'To-Do' to 'To-Be': A Paradigm Shift in Leadership"
Welcome to Episode 1137 of the Arete Coach Podcast: "From 'To-Do' to 'To-Be': A Paradigm Shift in Leadership". Join your host, Severin Sorensen, for a powerful dialogue with David Savage, a master of transformation. As a renowned speaker, author, executive coach, and president of Savage Management Limited, David is an expert in transforming conflict into collaboration and turning communication breakdowns into breakthroughs.
In this compelling episode, we dive into David's world of 'to-be' leadership, contrasting it with traditional 'to-do' lists, and unraveling a whole new way to view success and achievement. Together, we explore topics such as the art of active listening, the power of mindfulness, and the crucial role of being present in coaching and leadership.
David enlightens us on how to turn 'the great resignation' from a potential disaster into a thriving opportunity. He walks us through his unique methods of handling employee terminations with empathy and respect, while revealing the distinct line between customer service and customer delight.
Drawing from his wide range of life experiences and insights from his nine published books, including "Better by Design, Your Best Collaboration Guide", David shares his philosophy on leveraging even negative experiences, like a truly bad job, into invaluable lessons for personal and professional growth.
Immerse yourself in this journey with us as we delve into the fascinating shift from 'to-do' to 'to-be', offering you the tools to become the best version of yourself in leadership and life.
The Arete Coach Podcast aims to uncover the art and science of executive coaching. Learn more about the podcast at aretecoach.io.
This Podcast interview was recorded on June 29, 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Jul 24, 2023 • 1h 5min
Arete Coach 1136 Nida Leard "One Voice To Impact Millions"
Welcome to Episode 1,136 of the Arete Coach Podcast. Today, our host Severin Sorensen is conversing with Nida Leard, MCC - a dynamic entrepreneur, business consultant, executive coach, and author from Bangkok, Thailand.
Nida's experience as a serial entrepreneur and former Fortune 500 executive spans over 20 years, blending business acumen, psychology, and personal development. As an accomplished author, her book "One to Millions Entrepreneur" is a unique blend of marketing, branding, and mindset guide.
This episode explores active listening, powerful questioning, and other core ICF coaching competencies, such as dancing in the moment and being present with the coachee. We dive into the value-driven approach of coaching, discussing pricing strategies and service delivery. Nida, who specializes in coaching outliers in the top 2%, shares her insights on inner work, a crucial aspect of personal growth.
Join us in a thought-provoking discussion about active listening, powerful questions, coaching tools, pricing coaching, and delivering high value. We explore what is meant by 'doing the work,' that inner work that is so important. We also talk about making a difference. Nida is empowered by Ghandi's saying, 'be the change you want to see in the world.'
The Arete Coach Podcast seeks to explore the art and science of executive coaching. You can find out more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.
This episode was recorded on 19 May 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Jul 17, 2023 • 47min
Arete Coach 1135 Gustavo Razzetti "Remote, Not Distant"
Gustavo Razzetti, an acclaimed workplace culture consultant, discusses the realities of the remote workplace and the innovative concept of job pricing based on value. They explore the challenges and benefits of hybrid work, emphasize the importance of individual preferences, and empowering teams to design their own culture. They also discuss the challenges leaders face in changing mindset and behavior, shifting from hours to value, and the need for flexibility and asynchronous communication in the post-pandemic work landscape.

Jul 10, 2023 • 1h 3min
Arete Coach 1134 Benjamin Ritter "Identify Your Life Intentions, Values, & Expectations"
Welcome to episode 1134 of the Arete Coach Podcast! Join your host, Severin Sorensen, for a captivating dialogue with our esteemed guest, Dr. Benjamin Ritter, a renowned executive leadership and career coach. Dr. Ritter is the driving force behind Live For Yourself Consulting, and the head of talent development and organizational culture at Teknova. With over a decade of experience guiding clients from companies like Amazon, Coursera, DoorDash, Google, Fiserve, Northwestern, Pinterest, and Yelp, he is adept at assisting senior executives who grapple with uncertainties about their career path, executive presence, and self-perception of success.
Live (defined as Life Intentions, Values, and Expectations) For Yourself Consulting, under Dr. Ritter's leadership, empowers these individuals to fine-tune their professional brand, bolster their leadership skills, enhance their executive presence, and design a career trajectory that resonates with their purpose. Dr. Ritter is also known for his educational offerings, such as "Be the Leader of Your Own Career," "Create a Career You Love," "The Three Cs of Self Leadership," and "The Team Model." He also hosts the Live for Yourself podcast and is a globally recognized speaker and facilitator of talent and leadership development workshops.
Dr. Ritter holds a doctorate in education focusing on organizational leadership, value alignment, and job satisfaction, complemented by his MBA in entrepreneurial management and an MPH in health policy administration. His research has been published in prestigious journals like the International Journal of Healthcare Management and the Journal of Global Leadership. He has also gained valuable insights from his tenures at Torch, Better Up, and YPO. His considerable experience in fostering healthy organizational cultures and steering executives towards their future goals make him an invaluable guest on the Arete Coach Podcast, where we delve into the art and science of executive coaching.
In this episode, we delve into various aspects of coaching, including one-on-one sessions, refining client's thoughts through powerful questioning, and emphasizing delivering excellent work rather than merely task completion. We also discuss the role of AI in coaching and much more. Tune in to this illuminating conversation filled with actionable insights!
The Arete Coach Podcast aims to uncover the art and science of executive coaching. Learn more about the podcast at aretecoach.io.
This Podcast interview was recorded on February 27th, 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Jul 3, 2023 • 57min
Arete Coach 1133 Lisa Ann Edwards "Show Your Value: Calculating ROI of Coaching"
Welcome to episode 1133 of the Arete Coach Podcast! We're excited to present your host, Severin Sorensen, as he dives into a riveting conversation with our distinguished guest, Lisa Ann Edwards. An accomplished executive coach, Lisa is the innovative founder and CEO of MyExcelia.com, a trailblazing company revolutionizing how coaches, consultants, and leadership experts quantify and monitor the Return on Investment (ROI) from their client engagements.
Our episode today, entitled "Show Your Value: Calculating ROI of Coaching," uncovers Lisa's wealth of experience gained from her engagements with industry leaders such as Microsoft, Amazon, Google, The Gates Foundation, Pinterest, and many more. Her work primarily revolves around identifying and determining the financial impact of coaching programs on these corporations.
Drawing from her past as the head of talent management for a Bill Gates-owned global media conglomerate, Lisa shares an enlightening narrative on the vital role of robust people development programs. She recounts a transformative moment when senior executives, unable to perceive the concrete benefits, opted to slash these programs. Lisa's innovative strategy proved the undeniable ROI of a coaching initiative, effectively restoring budget allocation for the program within the organization.
In this insightful conversation, we'll also explore diverse topics ranging from the Hudson Institute, the art and science of coaching and mentoring, to the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the paradigm-shifting 'Jobs To Be Done' theory. Don't miss this exciting episode full of valuable insights!
The Arete Coach Podcast aims to uncover the art and science of executive coaching. Learn more about the podcast at aretecoach.io.
This Podcast interview was recorded on May 24th, 2023. And the interview with
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Jun 27, 2023 • 1h 45min
Arete Coach 1132 Beyond Excellence: The Art of Being, Becoming, and Serving as a Chair, Executive Coach, Mentor and Facilitator
This is the Arete Coach Podcast, Episode, 1132 with host Severin Sorensen, with an episode titled, Beyond Excellence – The Art of Being, Becoming, and Serving as a Chair, Executive Coach, Mentor, and Facilitator. Honoring the life and legacy of Bob Nourse.
This episode pays tribute to the life and contributions of Bob Nourse. We will delve into the 'power of peers and professionally facilitated peer executive groups' as well as the TEC-Vistage model, enriched with insights from numerous past and present TEC and Vistage Chairs and stakeholders.
Vistage is the trailblazer of the professionally moderated executive peer group known as "The Executive Committee", and was established in October 1957. Last October marked Vistage's 65th anniversary, providing a perfect opportunity to reflect on TEC's early stages, growth, and evolution into Vistage. Central to this historical exploration is the extraordinary work of Bob Nourse - his identity, leadership journey, thought processes shaped by his personal experiences and era, and the synthesis of these elements into a purposeful framework for CEOs and peer executive groups, which he named TEC.
In this episode, we explore how Bob Nourse's vision for a Chair's role still permeates the work of TEC and Vistage Chairs worldwide. We will also hear sage advice from many of these Chairs.
This podcast was recorded following the the annual retreat of Keepers Of The Flame in Boulder, Colorado. This event also saw the launch of a new book by Severin Sorensen, 'Beyond Excellence' – The Art of Being, Becoming, and Serving as a Chair, Executive Coach, Mentor, and Facilitator, which celebrates the life and legacy of Bob Nourse.
Sources for this book (and podcast) encompass historical records from Bob Nourse's family, testimonials from contemporary TEC and Vistage stakeholders who knew Bob, and material sourced from over 130 Arete Coach Podcast interviews recorded between April 2020 and June 2023.
The Arete Coach Podcast seeks to explore the art and science of executive coaching. You can find out more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.
This episode was produced on June 26, 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Jun 20, 2023 • 1h 6min
Arete Coach 1131 AI Coaching Triad
Join us for Episode 1131 of the Arete Coach Podcast, hosted by Severin Sorensen. In this special episode, Severin introduces his innovative "AI Coaching Triad" paper, recently presented in London. Explore how the triad - Coach, Coachee, and AI Assistant - creates rich dialogues, revolutionizing coaching.
Originating from his BPS Coaching Psychology Division Conference presentation, Severin reveals an exciting integration of AI into the coaching process. Using AI tools like ChatGPT and Fathom Notes, he demonstrates how to enhance coaching sessions, providing ten use cases and client case studies. Severin introduces 10 use cases for AI as a helpmeet for coach and coaches to co-creating greater value and insights in the coaching session.
Listen to this comprehensive insight into the prospects, risks, and ethics of AI-assisted coaching, and understand the significant value it brings to clients. Severin, a seasoned coach and AI Whisperer, shares his wisdom and practical tools for implementing AI platforms into coaching. Brace for an episode set to inspire, challenge, and enlighten your coaching journey.
The Arete Coach Podcast seeks to explore the art and science of executive coaching. You can find out more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.
This episode was produced on June 18, 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Jun 12, 2023 • 1h 6min
Arete Coach 1130 Perry Maughmer "Mindful Being, Mindful Chairing"
Welcome to Episode 1130 of the Arete Coach Podcast with your host, Severin Sorensen. Today we're joined by Perry Maughmer, a distinguished executive coach, CEO, podcast host, and Vistage Chair based in Columbus, OH. With eight years of managing six executive peer groups, Perry also leads the Potential Leader Lab and its accompanying podcast, focusing on transformative leadership through management.
Having operated in various business industries, sizes, and roles, Perry integrates mindfulness and intentionality in his coaching, and is motivated by John Wesley's philosophy of benefiting others as much and as long as possible.
A servant leader, Perry's driving passion lies in empowering others and fulfilling their most crucial needs, which he believes is the heart of effective and efficient leadership. This episode explores Perry's journey into executive coaching, bringing mindfulness into his coaching sessions and facilitated peer groups, his methods for being and doing, his time management strategies, his passion for service, and how his family values shape his coaching approach. It was a fun, insightful, touching, and memorable podcast interview with someone I'm proud to have on our show, where we seek to showcase coaches striving for excellence and beyond.
The Arete Coach Podcast seeks to explore the art and science of executive coaching. You can find out more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.
This episode was produced on 26 May 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.

Jun 5, 2023 • 1h 18min
Arete Coach 1129 Mark Fackler "Love, Learn, and Serve"
Welcome to episode 1,129 of the Arete Coach Podcast, hosted by Severin Sorensen, where we are joined by our esteemed guest, Mark Fackler. Mark, a respected Vistage Chair and contributor to Keeper's of the Flame for 10-year Chairs, is a retired CEO who now dedicates his life to coaching and mentoring other CEOs.
Starting his career as a software engineer, Mark transitioned to entrepreneurship as the founder of Stellcom, a company focused on hardware and services. Over a 16-year period, guided by the principles of honesty, life balance, and continuous improvement, Mark successfully expanded the company, leading it to recognition in Inc 500 twice. Following his successful tenure, Mark divested his shares and retired.
Mark's engagement with Vistage started in 1991 and lasted until 2002, a period during which he was able to significantly grow his business and experience substantial ROI from his Vistage investment. This experience ignited his passion for helping other CEOs achieve similar results in their Vistage groups.
Currently, Mark is not only facilitating Vistage groups but also imparting his wisdom to MBA students at the Rady UCSD Business School as a mentor. Intriguingly, Mark was coached by the highly respected Chair Pat Hyndman for 12 years before being invited to Chair CE 12, becoming the 7th Chair in a series of influential Chairs to guide this group.
In this episode, we delve into Mark's remarkable journey, discussing the qualities of an effective chair, and exploring his transformation from a challenging period to one characterized by sharing light, love, learning, and service. Lean back and enjoy this enlightening episode filled with valuable insights.
The Arete Coach Podcast seeks to explore the art and science of executive coaching. You can find out more about this podcast at aretecoach.io.
This episode was produced on 23 May 2023.
Copyright © 2023 by Arete Coach™ LLC. All rights reserved.