Steven DiMarzo is a business owner, mental health counselor & consultant and completed his leadership program in November 2019. Steven is an experienced, board certified and state licensed behavioral health professional. His expertise are in the are a of organizational development, management and planning. He is a thoughtful helper and tremendous leader.
What is Empathic Leadership?
“Empathic leadership is a combination of skills and morals used to lead in work, community, and other social arenas where one, as a leader, can connect with, develop mutual trust, and engage in vulnerability with teammates and colleagues.”
What skills or competencies did you enhance through the coaching process?
“Working with Michael and the coaching program provided me with an ability to not only understand, but to actually see where I had room to improve. I developed skills to navigate through my growth as a professional and as a person. I have an understanding of the importance of relationship building and management. I see the value in making myself more approachable and can appreciate the need for connecting with others, without business transactions as the priority. I have learned how to communicate with people of different personalities and how to adapt to business cultures that might differ from my personality and philosophies.”
Share an example of a goal that you have realized as a result of coaching.
“I have successfully launched and have grown a mental health counseling practice and learned the importance of building relationships to help the business grow. I see value in these relationships as more than just an opportunity to scale by business.”
What do professionals need to start anticipating as the change needed to be a strong leader?
“It's all about people. There may be many tasks that must be checked off a list but at the end of the day, if you have strong relationships and a network of people you can trust and who trust you, these tasks will be much easier and won't be what drives your success as a leader, it will be the relationships with those around you.”
Describe Michael Sgro as a professional coach.
“Michael is an incredible coach and mentor. He is passionate, patient, and persistent. Working with Michael has inspired me to be more outgoing, genuine, and courageous. I worked with Michael for about 18 months and in that time, he encouraged me to push through the discomfort, or "lean into it" as Michael would say, and that has been the most valuable skill I learned from him. He taught me to face challenges head on and to work through them, rather than avoid them. I owe so much of my success to Michael.”
Our mission is to coach extraordinary leaders and to develop empathy as a core competency. We work with business owners, nonprofit organizations, professionals, universities and community members who are facing challenges in their personal and professional effectiveness or want to reach their full capacity as a leader.