My Before and After Story as a Leader
In my late 20’s after being in various functional staff roles for five years, I was offered a management position of a newly acquired company in Houston, Texas. I was asked to leave my well-established network within the parent company and move to another location of the acquired company, where I was knowingly entering ‘hostile territory’. I was viewed as the ‘enemy’ from the acquiring company and it was clear that nobody wanted me there. My task was to help this particular marketing group in the natural gas pipeline industry make its transition through de-regulation. No small task! This experience was a foreshadowing of the rest of my career path. I've been known to dive into the deep end, even though I’m advised to start in the shallows.

My role expanded and I eventually was responsible for three interstate natural gas pipeline marketing groups, managing the complexities of transacting business in this new and undefined de-regulated marketplace. Here’s where the part of me that was unaware and unconscious took over. I was really good at the logistics. I could figure out what needed to be done and then tell people what to do. But, my relationship skills were another story. A greater conscious awareness and development was imperative!

I’ll never forget the first step in becoming conscious. One afternoon, there were about 15 of us in a meeting room, sitting around one of those large board room tables. There were staff employees from six functional areas, outside technical consultants, key managers and leaders working on a complex large-scale multi-platform systems integration project. The lead Information Technology guy provided a lengthy and complicated description of an issue that needed to be addressed. It was evident by the look on people’s faces, that nobody understood what he was talking about. So, I asked, from my emphasis on task efficiency, “Can someone translate what Joe just said?”

I thought it was harmless, but can you see what was wrong here? One very brave soul in my department spoke to me about this in a very caring way and allowed me to see the damage I had done, unconsciously. I was aghast! It was certainly not what I intended. Time had passed since this particular event, but it was clearly a pattern in the way that I operated. I managed well up the chain, but I was damaging relationships with my peers and staff people in other departments. I had been asleep at the wheel and it concerned me greatly.

This launched what turned into a life-long commitment to being a conscious leader. I took development courses offered internally and sought out meaningful workshops where I could get at the heart of it and find new ways of relating to people. I had some fence-mending to do and over time I was able to build up a positive reputation. I continue to learn, grow, and develop in my leadership and relationship skills today – recognizing that the joy is in the journey and the journey continues on.....!

Professional Expertise
I draw upon my prior 18-year corporate career in the natural gas field which included management experience and a variety of functional areas: financial reporting, regulatory affairs, marketing, and internal organization development consultant. I have been in business since 2001 and have experience in a variety of industries, including oil and gas, chemicals, high tech, retail, health care, manufacturing, advertising, supply chain management solutions provider, and financial services.

When I’m not Coaching
I am a musician. I play a variety of drums…. African, Middle Eastern, bongos, and a very interesting and unusual inverted steel drum called a hang drum from Switzerland. I was classically trained in my teenage years in piano and cello and was playing concertos on the cello by the time I was a senior in high school. But, I gave up my music when I entered college. It wasn’t until about 2004 when I picked up a hand drum and discovered I had natural rhythm with percussion. So, I enjoy discovering new instruments and new ways to express myself through music.

Credentials and Professional Training

Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
Credentialed by the International Coaching Federation.
Trained and additionally certified by The Coaches Training Institute
Coaching since 2001

Masters of Science in Organization Development (MSOD)
MSOD through Pepperdine University in California. Focus on the behavioral sciences (psychology, anthropology, sociology, etc.) combining strategy and change management.

Qualified to deliver various assessments:
Myers-Briggs (MBTI)
Birkman
360 tools
Emotional Intelligence
TKI Conflict Mode Instrument
CPI 260 Coaching Report for Leaders
Career Interest Reports (Strong Interest Inventory/MBTI)

Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Accounting (BBA)
University of Texas at Austin

Member of the International Coach Federation

Board Member of Tucson Coaches Chapter, Communications VP, 2006

For more information about my services and how I work, please feel free to call me at 520-319-5988 or send an email to info@theconsciousleader.com. Click here for other contact information.






Lynn Mychelle Rousseau
520.319.5988
3305 North Swan Road, Suite 109-330
Tucson, AZ 85712
www.theconsciousleader.com
lynn@theconsciousleader.com