Art Akerman
With over three decades of corporate leadership experience at technology-driven giants like Microsoft, Capital One, and FICO, I bring a unique blend of technical expertise and executive acumen to my coaching practice. My journey from software engineer to senior executive has equipped me with valuable insights into the challenges faced by today’s tech leaders.
Walking in Your Shoes
Like many of you, I once believed I could navigate all leadership challenges solo. I never looked for a coach. I relied on mentors and leadership training, thinking it was sufficient.
Then came a pivotal moment: a promotion to lead a large global engineering team—a role I had never tackled before. My manager’s words, “You’re a good leader. You’ll figure it out,” were both a vote of confidence and a wake-up call.
This was when I realized the power of combining mentorship with coaching.
My mentors provided invaluable advice and industry best practices, sharing their experiences and guiding me through specific technical and managerial challenges. They were instrumental in helping me understand the landscape of engineering leadership.
However, I discovered that coaching offered a different, equally crucial dimension to my growth. A coach became my trusted partner in this journey—a sounding board for my ideas, fears, and aspirations. Unlike mentors who provided direct advice, my coach asked powerful questions that led me to my own insights and solutions. They held me accountable for my commitments, challenged my limiting beliefs, and helped me align my actions with my core values.
This combination of mentorship and coaching was transformative. Mentors equipped me with knowledge and best practices, while my coach empowered me to apply this knowledge effectively, develop my unique leadership style, and navigate the complex emotional and strategic aspects of executive leadership.
The impact was profound, catalyzing my success in ways I hadn’t imagined possible. It’s this powerful combination of experiences—being mentored, being coached, and successfully leading teams—that now informs my approach to coaching tech leaders. I understand firsthand the challenges you face and the transformative power of having the right support along your journey.
Why Tech Leaders Choose Me
My clients, ranging from aspiring managers to seasoned executives, come to me with diverse challenges:
- Feeling stuck and seeking a clear path forward
- Needing to evolve as leaders but lacking actionable feedback
- Seeking a safe space to tackle complex problems without jeopardizing their image
What unites them is a burning desire to achieve more, to amplify their impact, and a commitment to continuous growth and change.
Tech leaders choose to work with me because they feel understood; they know that I have successfully navigated a leadership career myself and have helped many others do the same.
My Coaching Philosophy
I believe in a holistic approach to leadership development in the tech industry:
- Balancing Technical Prowess with Business Acumen: Helping you leverage your technical background while developing the strategic skills necessary for executive roles.
- Fostering Innovation and Cross-Functional Collaboration: Enabling you to break silos and drive organizational success through integrated leadership.
- Personalized Development: Combining training, mentoring, and coaching to create a tailored approach that allows you to learn, apply, and excel.