Coaching for people leaders
I've spent over two decades leading technology teams, so I've done the job you're doing now. We'll work on the tactics of that job, and on your own growth as the person doing it.
There's no sales pitch or obligation. You can reschedule or cancel for free up to 24 hours ahead.
Arsenio Santos
Leadership coach and technology leader
Who I work with
Chances are you got the job because you were great at your old one. Now most of your work is about people, and if you're like most new managers, nobody trained you for it.
Tactics that worked with a team of 10 stop working somewhere around 30. You can't attend every meeting anymore, so your team needs to be able to make good decisions without you there.
Most people don't go looking for a coach when things are going fine. Chances are, something like one of these is happening:
I've led teams through these situations myself, and I'm happy to tell you how they went.
I work with leaders in all kinds of fields, though I'm most at home with engineering, product, data, and IT teams.
How it works
Ask me anything. You tell me what's hard for you right now, and I'll tell you honestly whether I think I can help.
For our first real session, I'll ask you some standard questions about where you are in your career, what you want to change, and by when. We'll also discuss how we'll work together, and settle on our most immediate goals.
50-minute sessions, one at a time or in a bundle. If it isn't a good fit after the first session, I'll refund the whole bundle.
About me
I'm Arsenio Santos. I've spent over two decades leading technology teams, at startups and Fortune 100 companies alike, and I've managed teams directly, day to day. I don't coach from a framework or a certification program. What I have to offer is a long time spent doing this job, including plenty of mistakes that I've had to learn from.
Over those years I've led teams through layoffs, shutdowns, team merges, and an acquisition. I've inherited projects that were already months behind schedule (in one case, a full year), been through my share of death marches, and helped teams come back from burnout and attrition to the point where they were growing again. I'm happy to get into the details of any of these in our sessions, including what I'd do differently now.
None of that was only about tactics. Along the way I've had to work on my active listening, on recognizing when my ego gets in the way of being an effective leader, and on learning the difference between curiosity and passive-aggressive disagreement. I've also come to believe that work-life balance is something leaders have to observe and model themselves, since your team pays a lot more attention to what you do than to what you say. That personal side is half of what we'll work on together.
Four things those years taught me to care about:
What clients say
Arsenio was leading with clear intentions and real listening long before candor was a trend. He helped me own my human-centered, service-first style, and the teams I've led since have done things none of us thought were within reach.
Arsenio is a thoughtful coach who approaches leadership with equal parts analysis and empathy. If your goals as a leader include bettering yourself and those around you, Arsenio will help you find the path.
Writing
Most new managers step into the role with little or no training, and the research on how they get picked isn't encouraging. Here's what the data says, and what I'd add to every new manager's syllabus.
Daily meetings often devolve into status readouts that leave teams sapped. Here are a few ways to make them a source of energy again.
That's what the free Q&A call is for. No pitch, just my honest read on whether I can help.
