Inside Executive Coaching with Nathan Tanner
episode
“HR Heretics” | How CPOs, CHROs, Founders, and Boards Build High Performing Companies
24 min
2 speakers
8 chapters
transcribed 17 days ago
Transcript
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Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
For today's Essential Heretics 101 feature, Executive Coach Nathan Tanner shares transparent revenue numbers, client acquisition strategies, and why operator experience trumps weekend certifications.
All right, hey everybody. Welcome back to HR Heretics. Today we have Nathan Tanner joining us as a guest. Nathan was at LinkedIn before joining DoorDash as an HR leader.
Why did Nathan Tanner decide to become an executive coach?
He was then the head of people at Neighbor and is now one of the best leadership coaches that I know. So Nathan, thanks so much for joining us. Nathan, actually where I want to get into is with coaching. And why did you want to become a coach?
Yeah. So I had actually when I moved into HR, I met a couple of coaches. It was actually first at LinkedIn. I was responsible for vetting coaches for this high development, high potential leadership program that we had. And I just thought like that would be the coolest job ever. The coolest job. But it wasn't until I had this experience at DoorDash that I really started moving in that direction. Um, like DoorDash was an incredibly rewarding place to work. It was a very challenging uh time period and challenging role for me. And I just had this moment a couple of years in where I just felt completely stretched and I couldn't stretch. Anymore. Like work responsibilities, personal responsibilities.
What was the breaking‑point moment that led Nathan to quit his corporate job?
We had three kids at the time, we have four now. uh church responsibilities, just like everything came crashing down. And I literally found myself one Sunday morning like On the floor, like crying uncontrollably. And it hit me so hard of like. I can't do this anymore. Like I gotta get my stuff together. Like if I'm gonna show up for other people, I need to better take care of myself. And so I actually went out and and hired a coach. I worked on a lot of different things. And the experience I had working with a coach, plus all the HR experience that I had. put me on that path to then ultimately becoming a coach and helping people who are in situations like that where they're struggling with work and all the responsibilities to uh uh to make real progress.
So help the audience understand like what does a good coach actually do?
Yeah. So so high level, any coach you're going to work with. Is going to help you
Why does Nathan criticize “weekend‑warrior” coaches?
Accomplish your goals. But what I have found is a lot of people who Арлак комплектлі ін over their heads. And in the biggest job they've ever had before, whether they're a startup CEO, head of people, whatever it may be, and they're like Something needs to change. But if you work for the company and you're like the HRBP leader to an executive or even the head of people, you're working with the CEO, it is a very different relationship than someone who has been hired from outside of the company to come in and and work with them. And so the level of vulnerability I get.
Should you fire your coach every year – Nathan’s take?
with the clients that I work with is 10x what any leader at Doordash, neighbor, LinkedIn was was going to give me. Like I'm gonna push on the leader to an extent. But ultimately like My my job's kind of on the line. Where right now I'm a coach. I'm working with 13 different clients. You think I'm an idiot. I push you too far. You fire me. Okay, cool. But like you are paying me specifically to do this job. And so like I can push you and I can say things to you that someone who is in an HR leadership role may not be able to get away with.
Nathan, tell us about in your mind, what makes a great coach and how should a potential client assess for those traits?
Yeah. Um I think the first the first thing that makes for a great coach is experience. Like you you don't need to be a coach for 10, 15 years, but like you have to have been in the arena doing interesting things. Um, like I I I think being an HR leader is a great place to go. Any sort of operator where you're like at board meetings, in the conversation when like really meaningful uh topics are being discussed, like that level of experience where you felt that weight and you feel like you might be like breaking down or really challenged.
How much revenue did Nathan generate in his first full year as a coach?
That I think is really important.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:03–0:38
2
Why did Nathan Tanner decide to become an executive coach?
0:38–1:44
3
What was the breaking‑point moment that led Nathan to quit his corporate job?
1:44–2:50
4
Why does Nathan criticize “weekend‑warrior” coaches?
2:50–3:31
5
Should you fire your coach every year – Nathan’s take?
3:31–5:02
6
How much revenue did Nathan generate in his first full year as a coach?
5:02–5:49
7
What is Nathan’s “Hire me or do nothing” client‑acquisition strategy?
5:49–6:57
8
How does the “burn the boats” philosophy shape Nathan’s coaching business?
6:57–24:57
Speakers
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