Dr. Behar-Courtois

Most leaders don’t struggle to set goals—they struggle to set goals that actually lead to performance. That’s where the SMART Goal-Setting Template for Coaching comes in. It isn’t just about ticking off boxes or framing tasks with tidy acronyms. It’s about building commitment, clarity, and momentum that translate into measurable improvement. What It Is The SMART Goal-Setting Template is a precision tool for performance coaches…

Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching has been awarded the Editor’s Pick by Booklife Reviews. Highlights of the review below: “Smart, practical framework for best-practice performance coaching.” “His advice is easy to follow, practical, and strengths-based, aiming for a collaborative relationship between employees and coaches.” “Outlines benchmark practices: regular, direct feedback; routine self-reflection; psychological safety; and strict confidentiality.” “A wealth of real-life examples…

By the time you find out someone’s leaving, it’s usually too late to fix it. That’s why I created the “Stay Interview Guide & Risk Tracker”—a practical, proactive tool designed to help managers spot retention risks early and build loyalty through meaningful, structured conversations. What Is the Stay Interview Guide & Risk Tracker? This isn’t a fluffy chat or a feel-good engagement survey. It’s a…

Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching has been awarded 5 stars by Literary Titan. Highlights of the review below: “A practical guide… full of case studies, personal stories, and actionable tools meant to empower leaders, HR professionals, and coaches alike to create high-impact coaching cultures.” “It’s rare to find a book that mixes business savvy with raw honesty in such a relatable way……

Most performance challenges don’t start with incompetence—they start with misalignment. When people are working outside their natural strengths, even talented teams stall. That’s exactly why I created the “Strengths Mapping Worksheet”: to help leaders get laser-focused on what their people do best and realign responsibilities accordingly. What Is the Strengths Mapping Worksheet? This isn’t another feel-good exercise. It’s a structured, evidence-based process for uncovering individual…

Review of Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching on NetGalley: “A Practical Guide for Leaders Serious About Change – Maximizing Organizational Performance is a refreshingly practical and insightful read that delivers exactly what it promises—real tools for real leaders. Dr. Behar-Courtois does an impressive job blending evidence-based coaching principles with modern organizational realities, including remote work and DEI strategies. I especially appreciated…

Review of Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching on NetGalley: “Finally—a business book that doesn’t put me to sleep! Okay, THIS is the kind of leadership book I wish I’d had 10 years ago. 🙌 It’s smart without being snobby, and honestly, I was highlighting every other paragraph like “Yup, that’s my team. Yup, that’s my CEO. Yup, that’s me!” 😅 Dr.…

Culture isn’t just a backdrop to coaching—it’s the terrain. And if you’re leading, managing, or coaching across borders, you need more than just intuition and goodwill. You need precision. That’s why I developed the “Global Coaching Toolkit: A Quick Guide to Cross-Cultural Performance Coaching”—a practical, field-tested resource built on over 25 years of working across 27 countries. What Is the Global Coaching Toolkit? This toolkit…

Review of Maximizing Organizational Performance: A guide to Effective Performance Coaching by Benjamin Tan, author of Suit Yourself: A Portfolio Strategy for Every Personality Type: “This book offers thoughtful, real-world coaching insights that help reframe our engagement with team members. It emphasizes the value of structure, alignment, and meaningful performance reviews—not just as corporate checkboxes, but as tools for unlocking potential and promoting growth. The…

“In a rapidly changing world, what will leadership look like in 2030?” The workplace is evolving faster than ever. Technological advancements, shifting employee expectations, and global challenges are redefining what it means to lead. For HR decision-makers and business leaders, the question isn’t just about meeting today’s demands—it’s about preparing leaders to thrive in the unpredictable future. Leadership development must adapt to this new reality,…

🎖️ What’s New: I’m delighted to share that Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching has been awarded the Literary Titan Gold Book Award—a prominent monthly honor recognizing outstanding books in the realm of nonfiction leadership and coaching. Why This Award Matters The Literary Titan Book Award commends nonfiction works that exhibit exceptional broad appeal, structural clarity, and actionable content, translating complex organizational theories into practical tools. The Gold…

Review of Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching by John Henry Weiss, author of Hired! Fired! Retired!: Navigating Your Career in the Worldwide Workplace: “Practical. Insightful. Timely. MAXIMIZING ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE offers direction to HR Directors, executives and managers seeking valuable coaching programs. This is not just academic gibberish; it articulates a means to performance coaching that actually works. A key feature is…

“Engagement metrics tell part of the story, but what’s driving the numbers behind them?” Employee engagement is often treated as the ultimate barometer of organizational health. High engagement scores? Things must be going great. A drop in engagement? Time to launch another survey. But here’s the truth: engagement scores are just the surface. For HR decision-makers and business leaders, focusing solely on engagement metrics can obscure the…

I recently had the opportunity to discuss the deeper purpose behind my book, Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching. In this interview, I share why coaching shouldn’t be treated as a standalone intervention or luxury reserved for a few. Instead, I explore how coaching—when embedded into the fabric of strategy, culture, and leadership—can become a true engine for sustainable performance. Some of the…

In today’s demanding and time-constrained work environments, leaders are expected to drive performance, maintain engagement, and resolve challenges—often all before the next meeting. That’s precisely why I created the “5-Minute Performance Intervention Playbook”: a pragmatic, no-fluff toolkit designed for real leaders facing real constraints. This guide delivers high-impact coaching interventions that take minutes—not hours—to deploy, while maintaining depth, clarity, and cultural intelligence. What Is the…

“The secret to innovation? It starts with how you coach your team.” In an era defined by rapid change and fierce competition, innovation isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a business imperative. Yet fostering creativity and problem-solving in the workplace remains a challenge for many HR decision-makers and business leaders. The good news? Innovation isn’t a mysterious force. It thrives in environments where employees feel empowered, supported,…

“Avoiding tough talks is easy—but it’s also costly.” Every leader has been there: the moment you know you need to address a difficult topic with an employee or peer, but you hesitate. Whether it’s providing critical feedback, addressing a performance gap, or navigating interpersonal conflict, these conversations can feel daunting. Yet avoiding them doesn’t make the issue go away. In fact, it often makes things…

September 2019. I sat across from the CEO of a mid-sized manufacturing company with an immaculate track record. Multiple degrees. Technical expertise that rival executives envied. A reputation for reliable execution in stable markets. Just four months later, I watched her freeze as COVID shattered global supply chains. Despite her impressive capabilities, she found herself paralyzed by uncertainty. Unable to make decisions with incomplete information.…

What separates good teams from great ones? The answer might surprise you. High-performing teams are the engine of organizational success. They innovate, adapt, and consistently deliver exceptional results. But for HR decision-makers and business leaders, the challenge isn’t identifying high-performing teams—it’s understanding what makes them thrive and replicating that success across the organization. The answer lies at the intersection of psychology, culture, and leadership. The…

The growing global nature of organizations and diversity of workforces demands performance coaching to move past generic models. My twenty years of coaching experience across 27 countries has shown me that cultural factors greatly affect the reception, interpretation, and application of coaching methods. The majority of coaching frameworks continue to adhere to Western-centered principles which fail to apply across different cultures. The result? Coaching efforts that come from…

“Emotional intelligence isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation of effective leadership.” When we think of high-performing teams and exceptional leaders, qualities like strategic thinking, technical expertise, and decision-making often come to mind. Yet one of the most critical drivers of success—emotional intelligence (EQ)—is often overlooked. For HR decision-makers and business leaders, understanding and fostering EQ within your teams isn’t optional. It’s a necessity for…

Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching has been awarded a “Get it” verdict by the prestigious Kirkus Reviews. Read the review below: “International business consultant Behar-Courtois offers a management-centered guide to improving corporate effectiveness. In his nonfiction debut, the author presents a method for diagnosing organizational flaws and implementing practices to remedy them. The book concentrates on performance coaching, pointing out that it’s…

What if the way we deliver feedback is holding back progress?” For years, feedback has been the cornerstone of performance management. We’re told it’s critical for growth, but let’s face it—traditional feedback often feels more like a critique session than a catalyst for improvement. It’s time to rethink how we approach these conversations. Enter feedforward, a concept that shifts the focus from past mistakes to future…

For decades, performance improvement has followed a predictable formula: The performance improvement strategy comprises pinpointing weaknesses before developing plans to overcome them and subsequently tracking progress. The logical strategy involves locating broken elements and attempting to repair them. What if the basic premise we use to improve performance doesn’t actually work? The consistent pattern I’ve noticed across dozens of organizations where strength-based coaching approaches are applied shows…

“We just can’t find enough qualified people.” I hear this complaint in boardrooms weekly. Then I look at their job descriptions—nearly all requiring degrees for roles where academic credentials have zero correlation with success. Three years ago, one of my tech clients faced this exact crisis. Despite throwing money and prestige at candidates, key technical roles sat empty for months. Their radical solution? They actually…

Leadership isn’t about managing people; it’s about unlocking their potential. For decades, organizations have relied on traditional management approaches to drive results. Managers set goals, enforce rules, and monitor performance. It’s a system that has worked—until now. Today’s workplace demands more. Employees are not just looking for direction; they’re seeking purpose, development, and a sense of contribution. For HR decision-makers and business leaders, this shift…

The race to implement AI has revealed a truth that’s both counterintuitive and expensive: the greatest barriers to successful transformation aren’t technical—they’re human. While C-suites obsess over algorithms and infrastructure, the cultural foundation that actually determines success gets ignored. Until the resistance emerges. Until the expensive new system sits unused. Until the promised ROI evaporates. I’ve seen this pattern repeat for decades. The Hidden Costs…

A modest moment of pride: Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching has been awarded the Editor’s Pick by BookLife Reviews. Read the review below: In a nod to the uncertainty of contemporary work environments, Behar-Courtois offers readers performance coaching guidelines designed to build “a culture of continuous improvement that permeates every level of the organization.” After losing his job—which he attributes to a “win-at-all-costs…

Can you believe it? We’re just one month away from the official launch of my book, “Maximizing Organizational Performance: A Guide to Effective Performance Coaching”! I have to pinch myself every morning to make sure I’m not dreaming. It feels like just yesterday I was staring at a blank page, wondering if I had it in me to write a whole book. And now, here…

I walked into a client’s office last year and saw something I couldn’t unsee. Three huge monitors displayed heat maps showing when employees were active on their computers. Green meant typing or mouse movement. Yellow meant “idle” for 3+ minutes. Red meant offline. The executive proudly called it their “productivity dashboard.” Two months later, they couldn’t figure out why their top performers were quitting. After…

Two manufacturing companies. Identical market disruptions. Similar resources, talent, and starting positions. Eighteen months later, one grew market share by 17%. The other tanked. The difference wasn’t strategy, technology, or talent. It was structure. The successful company reorganized into customer-focused, cross-functional teams with real decision authority. The failed one clung to their traditional hierarchy with centralized decision-making and functional silos. When conditions shifted dramatically, one…

What’s the real price of underperformance in your organization? It’s likely more than you think. For HR decision-makers and business leaders, underperformance can feel like an abstract issue—difficult to measure, yet undeniably present. We notice it in missed deadlines, high turnover rates, and disengaged employees. But what if I told you that underperformance isn’t just a silent drain on resources—it’s a visible, solvable challenge that…

Performance coaching programs must increasingly prove their value in today’s businesses that operate based on data. Organizations face difficulties when trying to accurately quantify coaching effectiveness because they often depend on ambiguous satisfaction surveys or informal feedback instead of solid business performance metrics. Successful coaching program evaluation methods that I discovered through my work with numerous organizations create comprehensive evaluation frameworks which go beyond basic measurements…

The business landscape demands constant organizational change. Major shifts such as mergers, restructuring, digital transformation and leadership transitions have transformed from rare events into standard occurrences. Research from McKinsey reveals that 70% of organizational change efforts fail to reach their objectives because employees resist changes while management remains unsupportive. Throughout the last twenty years I have worked with hundreds of leaders who navigated their organizations through major…

In the world of performance coaching, the old adage rings true: what gets measured, gets managed. But how do we effectively measure the success of our coaching efforts? Let’s dive into the art and science of coaching metrics. The Measurement Challenge Coaching impacts can often feel intangible, making it challenging to quantify success. Yet, without measurement, we risk operating in the dark, unable to demonstrate…

In today’s talent market, retaining top performers has become a critical strategic priority. When top performers exit their organizations they remove institutional knowledge and client connections while often leading other skilled teammates to depart. Replacing top talent may incur costs that equal 200% of their yearly salary without considering the hidden losses to team momentum and morale. But what really keeps top talent engaged? The conventional…

The annual performance review is a corporate tradition that has survived decades of workplace evolution. Yet according to research by Gallup, only 14% of employees strongly agree that their performance reviews inspire them to improve. Even more concerning, a mere 8% of HR executives believe their performance management process drives business value. After 20 years of working with organizations across industries, I’ve witnessed the quiet…

In our increasingly digital world, the ability to coach effectively in a virtual environment has become a critical skill. Let’s explore how to adapt our coaching practices to thrive in the realm of remote work. The Remote Reality The shift to remote and hybrid work models has transformed the coaching landscape. While the core principles of coaching remain the same, the virtual environment presents unique…

“What do the world’s top leaders have in common? They never stop learning.” Every organization has its standout leaders—those who inspire teams, navigate challenges with ease, and deliver exceptional results. But what separates these high performers from the rest? For HR decision-makers and business leaders, understanding what makes these leaders excel isn’t just fascinating—it’s critical for building and nurturing the next generation of talent. The…

In the world of performance coaching, goal-setting is often touted as a crucial step. But not all goals are created equal. Enter SMART goals – a framework that can transform vague aspirations into concrete, achievable objectives. The Goal-Setting Dilemma We’ve all been there – setting lofty goals at the start of a new year or quarter, only to see them fizzle out as time goes…

The pandemic disrupted conventional office setups which left numerous leaders scrambling to achieve team performance among distributed workforces. Hybrid work models have become permanent but managers continue to encounter difficulties coaching remote workers. New research demonstrates that 72% of managers feel they lack the skills to manage remote teams with coaching being their most significant obstacle. The conventional coffee chat coaching style fails to adapt to digital…

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“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” In today’s fast-paced business environment, talent development is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s a strategic imperative. However, many HR decision-makers and business leaders struggle to answer a critical question: How do we measure the success of our talent development efforts? Traditional metrics like training attendance and satisfaction surveys provide some insights, but they fall short of capturing…

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, change isn’t just constant—it’s accelerating. Yet, many organizations struggle to implement and sustain meaningful change. Enter performance coaching: a powerful tool for navigating the choppy waters of organizational transformation. The Change Challenge We’ve all seen it: ambitious change initiatives that start with a bang but fizzle out over time. The reason? Often, it’s because we focus on the ‘what’…

“One annual review isn’t enough to drive meaningful change. So what works?” For years, organizations have relied on annual performance reviews as the cornerstone of employee development. However, research and experience show that these once-a-year conversations are often too little, too late. Employees crave more frequent feedback, actionable goals, and ongoing support to truly thrive. For HR decision-makers and business leaders, the shift from static…

As leaders and coaches, we often focus on what we’re going to say next. But what if the most powerful tool in our arsenal isn’t speaking, but listening? Active listening is a game-changer in performance coaching, yet it’s often overlooked or undervalued. The Communication Conundrum In our fast-paced work environments, we’re constantly bombarded with information. It’s easy to fall into the trap of half-listening, already…

In the battle for talent, many organizations focus on exit interviews to understand why employees leave. But what if we could prevent departures before they happen? Enter the stay interview – a powerful tool that’s often overlooked in the talent retention arsenal. The Retention Dilemma We’ve all felt the sting of losing a top performer. It’s not just about the cost of replacement – it’s…

Culture eats strategy for breakfast—but how do you build a culture that wins?” Organizational culture isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation of everything your business does. From attracting talent to driving innovation, culture shapes outcomes in ways that no strategy, process, or technology ever could. Yet for many HR decision-makers and business leaders, culture remains an elusive concept. How do you define it, change…

Talent is your greatest asset, but are you investing in it wisely? When budgets tighten and priorities shift, talent development is often one of the first areas organizations cut back on. Yet research and real-world experience tell a different story: organizations that invest in their people outperform those that don’t. For HR decision-makers and business leaders, the question isn’t whether to invest in your people—it’s how to…

Coaching  Goal setting is the backbone of performance coaching. But not all goals are equal. Enter the SMART framework. This powerful model helps to convert a vague goal into a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound target. Here’s how it can help with your coaching and achieve better outcomes.   SMART is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound – each of which is essential to create goals…