Coach House Corner – The Farrell Group Blog

Life is serious in the world of the pandemic.  But then, life has always been serious.  Always. 2020 is a year that has exposed the fragility of life.  Family, friends, and the simple things are appreciated a lot more than they have been in the past.  Our ability to go and to do what we please is now a lot more complex.  Our routines are different.  "Going outside” has become more intense. We're on guard with masks and distancing.  Black Lives Matter. Weather Alerts. Economy on Edge.  Political War.  “Zooming” Out.  Our days…continue reading →

I could tell that the 50 senior leaders in attendance needed more.  There were no smiles, no nods of approval, very few "ahas," minimal smiles, or deep insightful responses to questions posed.  Nothing.  Only blank looks and sneak-peeks at cell phones.  My session was not going well. Suddenly, it came to me.  Bring in the clowns!  That's right - full-fledged entertainers in Bozo attire.  Professionals trained at injecting fun and good times.  The clowns rolled in...on little tricycles...in zig zag formation.  It was working - people became happier - and then my mind…continue reading →

Herbie Hancock, one of my favorite musicians, made a big mistake as a young musician while playing piano with the then world famous Miles Davis band.  Herbie described the incident in an interview,  and his experience was something that many people can relate to. My Experience I had been "kicking myself" about an error made earlier in the day with a big client.  The error was heavy on my mind....it seemed like the only thing I could do was to dwell on the mistake.   The mistake that I, and I alone, had made.…continue reading →

The Executive Leadership Academy, a signature program of The Advanced Leadership Initiative in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University announced its inaugural cohort of 24 individuals in January 2019. The Advanced Leadership Initiative is a new initiative for the Pittsburgh region whose mission is to address corporate diversity by investing in African American executive talent. Carnegie Mellon serves as The Advanced Leadership Initiative’s Academic Partner for the Executive Leadership Academy, an eight-month executive education program.  The Initiative is designed to provide the tools, exposure and training necessary to increase the visibility and success of high-performing African-Americans…continue reading →

mod•u•late - to vary the tone, intensity, frequency, amplitude, and/or phase.  My work in the Executive Development Program (EDP) at Kellogg Graduate School provides constant reminders of how important it is to modulate our behaviors in relationships.  By adjusting to other people, we create and maintain strong anchors to our relationships. In EDP, small groups of leaders from all over the world - the Far East, Africa, Europe, South America, other parts of the U.S. - work together for 3 weeks on ways to become better equipped to realize their potential for general management roles. My role as a group facilitator is to…continue reading →