About-draft

I am fascinated by human potential and development.

We are all such multi-faceted creatures yet, in today's fast-paced world, we rarely get to acknowledge, let alone express, the capabilities of our full selves.

Many of us have parts that we resist, hide, or suppress because we feel ashamed, afraid of being judged, or because we believe we need to act a certain way to belong.

What I've learned is that it's often precisely those parts of ourselves that hold the key to unlocking what we're truly capable of and awakening us to why we're here.

There is a Japanese art form called Kintsugi, or "golden joining" (金継ぎ), where cracks in a bowl or plate are painted with gold, highlighting its unique edges and increasing its value. You may have seen this.

As a philosophy, I love the idea that our unique challenges and pieces shape our journey - stories rich with experience, beauty, and wisdom. That the sum is greater than its parts.

What if we could learn to not only acknowledge, but also integrate and celebrate all pieces of ourselves?

It's an ongoing process of discovery, and the question driving me is, "How can I help others become more of who they really are, so that they can better love and lead those around them?"

Because what I've realized is that it's not about me, it's about what we can do for others.

Churchill said, "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give."

I encourage you to not just make a living, but to design a life that you are proud to live, that inspires you.

It's up to you.

Tidbits

I've been a magician since I was 7.
As a performing close-up magician, I find tremendous joy in helping people get momentarily reacquainted with their sense of childlike wonder and awe. I've performed for kid's birthday parties, university deans, veterans, Krispy Kreme chefs, and audiences of up to 300 people.

<-- Check out that bowl cut.

I come from a family of educators.
My grandfather worked for a university until he was 93 years old. My father recently turned 70 and is still teaching grad students around the world. My mom has helped thousands of graduate students find careers after school. It runs in my blood - here I am as a camp counselor & leadership facilitator for high school students.

I'm a lifelong student of martial arts.
After 3 years of Krav Maga, I dipped my toe into a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class and immediately connected with its principles of experimentation, adaptation, integration, and community. 6 years later and going strong, I'm currently a purple belt under Romulo Melo in San Francisco and now train regularly at Guardian Gym in Oakland, where every adult membership supports one local youth to train for free.

Drop in at an open mat or come find me coaching the youth class on Saturday mornings.

I've leapt out of airplanes over 600 times.
One of my greatest teachers, skydiving has opened up profound experiences and meaningful relationships beyond words. Contrary to most people's assumptions, dancing with gravity is one of the most peaceful and meditative activities in my life where I am fully present and in flow. Where the mind quiets and time slows down. I earned my Accelerated Freefall (AFF) License in 2011, became a certified USPA skydiving coach a few years later, and went on to set 3 world records with the best group of humans one could ask for.

I've participated in Burning Man 7 times.
You can usually find me handing out pour-over coffee at sunset as part of a theme camp we started in 2013. One of my big takeaways over the years has been embracing the beauty and freedom in imperfection. I am forever grateful to have met my now-wife out there dancing in the dust.

)'(

At the end of this life, I want to look back on memories of all the wonderful people I've had the honor and pleasure of serving, knowing that our time together changed their lives for the better in some way.

That's what inspires me the most.

~

I'm not your typical coach.

Most coaches have specialized backgrounds from years of experience

Instead, I look for overlapping principles across different domains.

I draw on a deep understanding of the human condition and behavioral drivers as well as my own leadership experience in fast-paced corporate and startup environments to provide leaders and teams with a transformative and pragmatic approach to their most complex challenges.

I've led teams of consultants, project managers, and engineers to create and deliver products worldwide. Working with teams cross 6 continents, I've built team cultures of collaboration, inclusion, and continuous learning. These cultures contributed to success far beyond the project.

I've led teams at startups, ultra-high-growth businesses, and large tech companies. I've been through hiring sprees, layoffs, multiple funding rounds, and a 9-figure IPO. I've worked alongside some of the top leaders in each field.

I've led strategic projects for enterprise clients including Khan Academy, Google, FedEx, Salesforce, JP Morgan, BMW, Fisher-Price, Costco, and the San Francisco Police Dept. At GoPro, my team was responsible for delivering the camera software which contributed to the two highest revenue quarters in company history and capturing over 80% of the US Action Camera market by unit volume for four consecutive years (2013-2017). I've also built out a team at a K-12 education technology company that is used by 65% of all U.S. K-12 schools today, supporting over 20 million students each month.

I am a professionally certified coach through the Co-Active Training Institute and accredited by the International Coach Federation.

I take these ideas and put them into practice.
Most of the concepts I use aren't my own. They are ideas I've learned from others or discovered through the reflection of others through conversations, reading, podcasts, and videos. I try to look for principles and insights across domains.

What drives me is a passion to be of service in a way that most draws upon my "Leland-ness".
I don't claim to have all the answers and I still have a lot to learn; that is particularly why the coaching profession is such a good fit for me: my expertise is being able to draw out the wisdom, creativity, and solutions from within others.

Values

Curiosity, Service, Adventure, Integrity, Love, and Playfulness

Experience

I am fascinated by human potential and development.

What most people know about me

Service professional for 12+ years: cloud tech consulting, next-gen product development, and education technology
Built & developed teams of project managers, engineers, and consultants who have gone on to work for Apple and Google
Won multiple awards for exceptional customer service & high performance in the face of adversity
Voted best project lead in my consulting org for my dedication to mentoring and developing others
Co-founded the Covid Compassion Project to serve frontline healthcare workers and their families
Born and raised in Hong Kong before moving to the US at age 16
Communicate in English, Mandarin Chinese, American Sign Language, and whiteboard sketches
BA in Business, Entrepreneurship, and Organizational Dynamics from Brown University
Professional Certificate in Strategy, Leadership, and Project Management from Stanford University
Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) from the Coaches Training Institute
Accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF ACC)
Certified USPA Skydiving Coach and active holder of 3 world records in team formation skydiving (video)
Certified Stanford Advanced Project Manager (SAPM) and Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
Certified Microsoft Systems Engineer (MCSE) and Citrix Certified Integration Architect (CCIA)
Always reading on leadership, culture, behavioral psychology, neuroscience, mindfulness, and personal development

What I don't want you to know about me

The root of my greatest fear is letting down the people I love
In chasing what I thought meant success, I've pretended to be someone I wasn't
I've been put on a performance improvement plan
Failed at getting into Stanford's Graduate School of Business, twice
Burned out multiple times, leading to fainting in the middle of a friend's dinner party and (separately) getting pneumonia
Had bad acne as a teenager, and a mild stutter my whole life - I know what it's like to want to be invisible
Lost loved ones to suicide, eating disorders, and cancer

But what I'm really proud of is

I call my mom every week
My partner and I have built a family that is healthy, loving, positive, and mutually supportive
Rebuilding my relationship with my brother
Cultivating genuinely meaningful relationships with people I call friends, colleagues, mentors, and clients
The incredible work my clients are up to in the world and how I get to contribute to their success and wellbeing
I LOVE what I do and I'm learning to build a sustainable life centered around family, service, adventure, and fun
Deep down, I'm happy with who I am, warts and all, and excited for how I'm growing

To learn more, see my LinkedIn profile.

Thanks for visiting!

I also recently became a pandemic puppy dad to Mochi, our Aussie Shepard Border Collie mix sweetheart.

Lifelong student, teacher, mentor, facilitator, coach.

Magician, martial artist, 3x world-record skydiver.

Scientist, technologist, project manager, team leader, trusted advisor.

Born and raised in Hong Kong until I was 16.

Now living in the Bay Area, California.

Pronouns: he/him/his

I'm fascinated by human potential and development.

Kintsugi

There is a Japanese art form called Kintsugi, or "golden joining" (金継ぎ), where cracks in a bowl or plate are painted with gold, highlighting its unique edges and increasing its value. You may have seen this.

So far, I believe that awareness and choice play a large role.

Awareness that it's all invented.
Awareness that we have the ability to pause before we react.
Awareness that the path to success is non-linear.
Awareness that what's in our way is often the key to our path forward.
Awareness that life isn't about having the right answers but rather asking the right questions.
Awareness that authenticity is crucial to leadership.
Awareness that, in any given moment, there are multiple perspectives available to us.
Awareness that collaboration is the new paradigm.
Awareness that our thoughts create our reality.

Choosing to take responsibility.
Choosing how we respond to external circumstances.
Choosing to invest in ourselves.
Choosing people AND profits.
Choosing authentic messiness over the pursuit of perfection.
Choosing what feels right in our heart.
Choosing to love.
Choosing to trust.
Choosing to let go.
Choosing to create.
Choosing to believe.

My multicultural upbringing, diverse professional experience in a range of corporate and startup cultures, and worldview shaped by personal adventures have collectively given me phenomenal insight into what truly energizes people to develop themselves to tackle impactful work beyond themselves, and what it takes to sustain it.

Today, I'm grateful that I get to partner with leaders to accelerate their personal, professional, and spiritual growth so that they can make a bigger impact in their lives, businesses, and communities for generations to come.

I see myself as a conduit, a guide, a companion along the journey for people who are interested in serving others with their unique gifts.

More of my pieces

I've been a magician since I was 7.
As a performing close-up magician, I find tremendous joy in helping people get momentarily reacquainted with their sense of childlike wonder and awe before the logical brain kicks in. I've performed for kid's birthday parties, university deans, veterans, Krispy Kreme chefs, and audiences of up to 300 people.

<-- Check out that bowl cut.