Executive Coaching

Coaching Philosophy

Serving individuals and enterprises under the assumption that thriving workplaces are led by people who genuinely inspire others to follow, one of the central tenets of the Institute to Stop Taking Yourself So Seriously! is that optimal relationships are founded on deep trust. When leaders positively capture the imaginations of others in their organizations, cultures are nurtured that drive productivity, collaboration, and innovation. When self-interest (e.g., ego) operates noisily in the background, trust is sorely compromised along with the engagement, loyalty, and passion necessary for sustained success.

As Executive Coach with The Institute, Howie Milstein provocatively asks and deeply listens in a methodology that uncovers blind spots in clients that interfere with self-awareness and the management of biases and other subconscious processes. Owing to Howie’s belief that unsolicited advice rarely serves others, he became Certified in a coaching system (Intrinsic Solutions International/Totally Coached Inc.) that emphasizes the mobilization of intrinsically motivated behavior. A central construct of intrinsic motivation is that people ultimately think and do what they WANT, and not what others think they SHOULD do.

Stylistically, it becomes quickly apparent that Howie doesn’t take himself so seriously. He brings a lighthearted approach to his work where clients will regularly laugh through a process that can be appropriately uncomfortable, a necessary prerequisite to professional and personal growth. Clients can expect to gain confidence in themselves, see increases in the confidence others have in them, transform from being a boss to a leader, and generally excise those behaviors that interfere with goals. Businesses will thrive through the support of teams who WANT to follow their leaders, and not obey orders simply because they SHOULD.

Services

As the needs of organizations and individuals are always unique, The Institute provides customized services to grow leadership and talent. These include:

  • Individual coaching for CEOs and business owners down through the entire ranks of executive and non-executive leaders.

  • Workshops that enlighten, educate, and sometimes entertain.

  • Polling and 360 reviews through the Keyhubs Matrix platform. 

  • Keynote speaking on topics that emphasize the influence of the subconscious brain on sometime dysfunctional behavior. 

  • Peer advisory group facilitation.

Here's a downloadable pdf with Howie's list of services and bio.

 

Promoting Self Awareness

“With a lighthearted, approachable style, Howie Milstein provided just the right dose of insight into surgeons’ mindsets to help us consider the best ways to lead in the operating room. He has clearly been paying close attention to surgeons for many years, and may know us better than we know ourselves. Not one to take himself very seriously, Howie will leave you laughing as he inspires you to improve your self-awareness—and your patients’ outcomes!”

—Andy Schmidt, MD,
Chief, Orthopaedic Surgery,
Hennepin Healthcare