Spotlight: Terry Warren

1 - What is your professional background, and why did you become a coach?

Essentially all my career was in corporate roles in global companies. Specifically, Hospital Corporation of America and Willis Towers Watson. I knew I would be retiring from corporate America in 2015, but I am not the retiring type. I wanted to find a way to re-invent myself and have a whole new chapter/career. After about a year of research, coaching stood out as the thing I wanted to do next because I knew it would allow me to continue to have an impact. It has proven to be the best chapter of my entire career.

2 - How did you choose your specialty area?

My specialty area is executive coaching. I chose this because it fit my background of having been an executive and working alongside executives at all levels of the organizations where I worked.

3 - What are the greatest challenges and greatest rewards of your career? 

I think the greatest challenge for me, and most coaches is knowing when to say no. You think you can help everyone. The other big challenge is not focus on my “performance” as a coach and to focus entirely on serving the client in the moment. The greatest reward is witnessing what clients can accomplish through their hard work. I just get to go along for the ride.

4 - How do you enjoy spending your free time?

I have been a visual artist for many years. It is my escape.

5 - What is something that most ICFTN members would be surprised to learn about you?

I used a mental hospital in Brisbane, Australia as my hotel room for a month while I worked on a project at a general hospital across town. Those in ICFTN who I have been around would likely say it was a totally appropriate place for me to be and they wonder how I escaped.

6- What is your favorite quote?

My favorite quote as a coach comes from one of my coaches. He asked me one day whether “my problem was really the problem or was the way I was thinking about my problem the real problem?” Thank you Stephen McGhee.

Connect with Terry on Linkedin