The Agile-Minded Executive

Drive Better Results by Shifting How You Think

Non-Fiction - Business/Finance
149 Pages
Reviewed on 08/22/2016
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

A dyed-in-the-wool Jersey girl, Karla was born and raised here in the Garden State. She describes her early years this way: "My sister and I were fortunate enough to be raised by parents who gave us enough space to grow and fail forward, making sure we understood the lessons learned." She shares that growing up in her home was like living in the United Nations building: just about every nationality, race, and religion were represented by the fascinating people who walked through her family's door and ate at their table. Sharing stories with each other, laughing (a lot!) and learning in this way made a lasting impression. When she reflects on these years she states, "We were not rich people but I always felt wealthy because of these experiences. It was fabulous."

Karla is known as The Executive's NeuroCoach, a keynote speaker and published author of The Agile-Minded Executive. She keynotes at national conferences as well as local associations and has received high marks for energizing and provoking thought in her audience members. She has been dubbed by her clients, "a fabulous confidant and strategic advisor" and creates environments that advance a team's self awareness and cohesion through her workshops and meeting facilitations. Karla started her own company, Shifting Gears® Business Coaching & Consulting, in 1999. She hosted her own internet-based talk show, “The Exceleration Zone” and has been quoted in The NY Times, MSNBC online and other internet and national print publications.

Believing that how we think drives our choices for action and behavior, Karla focuses this perspective on the executive suite and their teams. She states: "I believe in the audacious power of our minds to create better outcomes. In order to create better outcomes, we need to become better decision-makers and leaders. In order to become better decision-makers and leaders, we need to become better thinkers. I help business leaders become better thinkers."

This philosophy is backed by Karla's approach which is a blend of brain science and business focus. Karla's clients consistently define her candor, humor, directness and her ability to ignite insight in their minds and unearth the stories that shape their thinking as the hallmarks of her approach. She has earned trusted advisor status among her peers and executive clients by being a challenger, truth-sayer, sounding board and motivator. She works with executives who are dealing with emerging challenges in a volatile and ambiguous economy. The relevance of her approach and work as a brain-based coach stretches across diverse industries. Executives from top companies across the country such as Wells Fargo, Chase, Navitus Health Solutions, CR BARD, and Willis Towers Watson are among her portfolio of clients. She also has built a following with individual executives who are part of her growing book of private clients who hire her to help them with specific areas such as their career advancement or transition, current business challenges and/or personal development.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Vernita Naylor for Readers' Favorite

When you think about leadership, what comes to mind? Have you considered that a leader is determined by the results that are attained? A leader can be anyone. “The thinking we use that works in one situation (or worked in the past) may not now,” says author Karla Robertson in her book, The Agile-Minded Executive: Drive Better Results by Shifting How You Think. As an agile-minded executive, it's the messages that we convey in our interaction with others - whether it's our employees or team - that demonstrate our leadership abilities. Instead of focusing on self, our concentration should be result driven for the betterment of the whole. Karla provides a wealth of information in The Agile-Minded Executive, using resources from books to TEDTalks to bring the point home. To get to the heart of the matter ask yourself, do I need to change my self-talk, is my usual way of interacting working, or am I receiving what is being said by the other person?

Reading The Agile-Minded Executive: Drive Better Results by Shifting How You Think by Karla Robertson is key because, even with the best intentions, things don't always work as planned. If you are an agile-minded leader, all is not lost; you should always be in a position to learn. To make a mental paradigm shift at the end of each chapter, Karla provides Mind Shift exercises. As Karla states: “Practice makes new neural wiring that will serve you. By practicing, you reinforce that new wiring more and more every time you engage your mind and your actions in these exercises.” As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and the more you practice the better results you will receive. If you are looking for a resource to help you become a more agile minded executive, get your copy of The Agile-Minded Executive: Drive Better Results by Shifting How You Think by Karla Robertson.