#GrowthMindset Archives - McGinty Coaching

Ethan Johnson on Balancing Work, Family, & Fulfillment

Posted on May 28, 2025 by Tina-Schuricht

In this episode of Success Your Own Way, “Finding your Agency: Ethan Johnson on Balancing Work, Family, and Fulfillment”, Yifat Rogers and I sit down with Ethan Johnson who recounts his career journey. It started with formative experiences like carpentry and washing dishes, which instilled a strong work ethic and creativity. Next, he transitioned to the tech industry where he gained valuable experience in finance and project management as well as roles in payments, marketing, and sales, fostering curiosity and expanding his skill set. Most recently, Ethan pursued entrepreneurial ventures, focusing on advisory roles in startups, gaming studios, SaaS providers, and Athlea – a sports tech company combining AI and physical fitness.

Over the past five years, Ethan’s concept of success evolved from career titles and promotions to empowering teams, fostering collaboration, and creating impactful environments. Drawing on his experience as a rowing coach, he emphasizes understanding individual motivations and tailoring leadership approaches to inspire growth. Ethan advocates for mid-career self-assessment, aligning work with personal values, and prioritizing family dynamics. Ethan highlights the importance of helping others succeed and navigating life transitions with mentorship and coaching. Through deliberate reconnections and holistic exploration, Ethan embraces adaptability, curiosity, and continuous learning as keys to fulfillment.

About Ethan Johnson

Ethan has over 25 years of experience in the tech industry. He led teams in sales, marketing, finance, and operations across consumer and commercial businesses. He spent 18 years at Microsoft, most recently leading multi-channel Go-To-Market strategy and execution for the Surface line of hardware and services in multiple markets. Recently, Ethan took on advisory roles with small businesses and early-stage ventures supporting business development. Ethan lives in Seattle with his family and two huskies. He is a sometimes-competitive rower and rowing coach, woodworker, record collector, and live music enthusiast.

Let me know what you are interested in hearing about in future episodes of Success Your Own Way!

Coaches Help Individuals Master Time Management

Posted on May 16, 2025 by Tina-Schuricht

Coaches help individuals master time management and improve productivity. Do you have enough time in your day to get everything done that you planned? Do you get interrupted by a text, email, instant message, phone call, people swinging by your desk or office – sometimes all at once? How do you stay focused? What do you decide to delegate, defer, or do in the moment? With numerous tasks competing for attention, finding effective ways to prioritize, manage time, and avoid common pitfalls to productivity can significantly boost personal and professional success and help you with your work-life balance. Coaches play a transformative role in helping individuals master time management and productivity. They provide personalized guidance, accountability, and tools tailored to each client’s unique challenges and goals.

Identifying Individual Challenges

Coaches excel at uncovering the root causes of time management struggles. Through targeted conversations and assessments, they help clients recognize patterns such as procrastination, overcommitment, or ineffective prioritization. This self-awareness is the first step toward meaningful improvement and sidestep these obstacles:

Combat Procrastination: Break large tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Tackling one piece at a time reduces the intimidation factor and keeps momentum.
Limit Multitasking: Juggling multiple tasks can decrease efficiency and increase errors. Focus on one task at a time to maintain quality and speed.
Manage Digital Distractions: Technology can be both a blessing and a curse. Turn off non-essential notifications, set boundaries for social media, and use focus modes on devices to minimize interruptions.
Take Breaks: Overworking can lead to burnout. Incorporate short breaks to recharge your mind and maintain productivity throughout the day.

Creating Customized Strategies

Prioritization is the foundation of effective time management. Without it, you may find yourself overwhelmed or spinning your wheels on unimportant tasks. And, not all time management techniques work for everyone. Coaches work closely with clients to develop strategies that fit their lifestyles, work environments, and personal preferences. Whether it’s incorporating the Eisenhower Matrix, refining SMART goals, or scheduling around peak productivity hours, coaches ensure the approach is practical and achievable.

Eisenhower Matrix: Categorize tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance. This helps you focus on critical tasks while delegating or eliminating less significant ones.
Set SMART Goals: Ensure your objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This clarity helps you prioritize actions that align with your goals.
Identify Peak Productivity Hours: Everyone has periods of high energy during the day. Schedule high-priority tasks during these hours to optimize focus and efficiency.

Teaching Effective Tools and Techniques

Coaches are well-versed in a variety of time management tools and methods. They introduce clients to options such as time-blocking apps, digital planners, or prioritization frameworks. They also demonstrate how to use these tools effectively, ensuring clients can integrate them seamlessly into their routines. Time management goes beyond setting priorities—it’s about organizing your day and creating habits that support productivity. Here are some strategies:

Plan Your Day: Start each morning with a clear plan. Use tools like to-do lists, digital planners, or apps to outline your tasks and allocate time for each.
Embrace Time Blocking: Dedicate specific time slots to particular activities. This method minimizes distractions and keeps your day structured.
Follow the Two-Minute Rule: If a task takes less than two minutes, complete it immediately. This prevents small tasks from accumulating and cluttering your to-do list.
Learn to Say No: Avoid overcommitting by respectfully declining requests that don’t align with your priorities. Protecting your time is key to staying on track.

Encouraging a Growth Mindset

A good coach fosters a growth mindset, encouraging clients to view setbacks as opportunities for learning. By focusing on continuous improvement rather than perfection, individuals become more resilient and adaptable in their time management efforts. Improving time management and productivity is a continuous process. Evaluate your strategies regularly and make adjustments as needed. Celebrate progress and view setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow.

Providing Accountability and Building Confidence

One of the greatest challenges in self-improvement is staying committed to new habits. Coaches serve as accountability partners, regularly checking in with clients to track progress and celebrate successes. This support system motivates individuals to stay on course and adapt strategies as needed. Through their guidance, coaches empower clients to make decisions that align with their values and priorities. This not only improves productivity but also promotes a sense of balance and fulfillment in both personal and professional environments.

Unlock Your Full Potential

Mastering these techniques is not about squeezing every second out of your day but about working smarter, not harder. By prioritizing tasks, managing time effectively, and avoiding productivity pitfalls, you can create a fulfilling and balanced life that aligns with your goals and aspirations. Coaches provide more than just tips—they offer a structured, supportive process that helps individuals take ownership of their time and productivity. Their personalized approach ensures that clients not only learn valuable techniques but also sustain their improvements over the long term. If you’re striving to unlock your full potential, partnering with a coach could be the game-changer you need. Reach out if you want to discuss the ways that coaches help individuals master time management and improve productivity.

Coaching Helps Leaders Allocate Investment in People

Posted on March 27, 2025April 23, 2025 by Tina-Schuricht

Coaching helps leaders allocate investment in people. Leaders face myriad decisions daily, but few are as impactful as determining where to invest their time, energy, and resources. Knowing whom to invest in can be crucial to an organization’s success. Have you ever had a leader who invested in you? Or didn’t? Did you wonder if they knew that their investment in various team members was inequitable? Were they transparent where they were making their investment? If so, what impact did that have on you and the rest of the team? The reality is that leaders must strategically decide whom to invest in and whom not to, to ensure they create the optimal mix of resources for both the short and longer term.

Assessing Potential

Coaches can help leaders create or process their frameworks for deciding who to invest in. This framework should involve evaluating skills, performance history, and potential future capabilities. Leaders should invest in individuals who demonstrate a high level of competence, a strong work ethic, and a growth mindset. This assessment should be both qualitative and quantitative, incorporating feedback from peers, supervisors, and measurable performance metrics.

Key Indicators of Potential:

Skill Set: Does the individual possess the technical and soft skills required for their role and potential future roles?
Performance: Has the employee consistently met or exceeded expectations in their current position?
Growth Mindset: Is the individual open to learning and adapting to new challenges?

Alignment of Goals & Values

Leaders should prioritize investing in employees whose goals align with the organization’s objectives. This alignment ensures that the investment will not only benefit the individual but also contribute to the company’s success. Employees who are passionate about the company’s mission and values are more likely to be motivated and committed to their roles.

Key Indicators of Alignment:

Career Goals: Do the individual’s career goals align with the organization’s strategic objectives?
Alignment with Values: Does the employee demonstrate an alignment of their personal values to the company’s mission and values?

Cultural Fit

Cultural fit is another critical factor in deciding who to invest in. Employees who align with the company culture are more likely to thrive and contribute positively to the work environment. Leaders should invest in individuals who embody the company’s culture and work well with their colleagues.

Characteristics of Cultural Fit:

Collaboration: Is the employee a team player who contributes positively to group dynamics?
Engagement: Is the employee actively engaged and enthusiastic about their work?
Embodies the Culture: Does the employee add to (or take away from) the culture?

Impact and Influence

Leaders should also consider the potential impact and influence of their investment. Employees who have the ability to influence others and drive change are valuable assets to the organization. Investing in such individuals can amplify the benefits of the investment, leading to broader organizational improvements.

Questions to Assess Impact:

Influencing without Authority: Can the employee influence and inspire their peers?
Creating Impact: Does the individual have a track record of driving positive change within the organization?

Deciding Who Not to Invest In

While it’s essential to identify who to invest in, it’s equally important to recognize when not to invest in an employee. Leaders should consider not investing in individuals who consistently underperform, resist change, or exhibit behaviors that conflict with the company culture. These employees may require different forms of support, such as performance improvement plans or alternative roles, rather than investment in development.

Indicators for Minimal Investment:

Consistent Underperformance: Does the employee consistently fail to meet performance expectations despite support and feedback?
Resistance to Change: Is the individual resistant to new ideas and reluctant to adapt?
Cultural Misalignment: Does the employee’s behavior conflict with the company’s values and culture?

To Invest or Not to Invest

Deciding whom to invest in is a strategic process that requires careful consideration of potential, alignment with organizational goals, cultural fit, and impact. By making informed decisions about where to invest resources, leaders can foster a motivated and high-performing workforce that drives the organization’s success. Conversely, recognizing when not to invest allows leaders to allocate resources more effectively and support employees in ways that align with their capabilities and the company’s needs. Reach out if you want to learn more about how coaching helps leaders allocate investment in people.