Dr. Mark Goulston
While sitting in my office one afternoon, my phone rang. The gentleman on the other end of the phone introduced himself as Dr. Mark Goulston. He said he had attended a recent event where I was the featured speaker. He went on to tell me that he had some unsolicited feedback and wondered if we could get together for breakfast.
I took Dr. Goulston up on his offer. From the time we met, I was immediately impressed with his concentration on our conversation. He asked thought provoking questions. He listened. His insight into who I am as a professional and my potential for future success was incredible. It was almost as though he had known me for years.
Dr. Goulston made an incredible impression on me that morning, which is why I consider him a “Best of the Brands.”
Jonathan: Tell me about what you do and your value proposition.
Mark: My passion in life lies in coaching business leaders through their professional blockers in order to realize their potential, or what I refer to as a “Moon mission.” A Moon mission is a personal initiative that, if you’re able to accomplish it, will fulfill you and be the best thing you ever did in your career. It’s the kind of initiative that creates your legacy. You will find yourself telling your grandchildren about it.
Jonathan: Can you give me an example of a Moon mission?
Mark: For a successful real estate developer client, I enabled him to see his competition from a different perspective. Instead of seeing them as potential threats, my client’s Moon mission was to share his knowledge of the industry with them to assist them in growing their businesses. It has been an extremely fulfilling and gratifying process for him.
For another client, I’m a key advisor on a $7 billion joint venture. Together, we are looking to build a business model for companies who operate on different continents and who wish to collaborate with each other. The venture is scheduled to be completed in three years. Our Moon mission is to present our case study to the United Nations.
A third client is an educational reform group whose Moon mission is to have every American student be as excited about math and science as they are about video games. What an incredible aspiration!
Jonathan: Every time I turn around, I see one of your books, articles, newspaper columns, or blog entries. How do you use your writing to support your personal brand?
Mark: Although my writing covers a wide range of topics like communication, leadership and professional development, there is a common thread, which addresses a professional’s success, performance, and fulfillment.
It’s the kind of personal and professional advancement one would never accomplish on their own without a trained professional identifying it and coaching them through it. The types of initiatives are typically counter intuitive. They are hidden in plain site, yet doable by any Jane or John Doe.
Jonathan: Can you give me an example of a client’s initiative?
Mark: One of my clients is a divorcee to whom I suggested should write a narrative about her marriage and divorce. The writing process has been extremely therapeutic. As a result, she is now less angry, more understanding as to the reasons she got divorced, and has a better overall perspective of life in general. She plans to provide the narrative to troubled couples in hopes they will avoid divorce altogether.
Jonathan: How is your personal brand executed?
Mark: I listen for the words that my clients don’t verbalize, yet influence their behavior. Through conversation, my clients reveal those initiatives that, when accomplished, open the road to change, growth and breakthrough results.
Jonathan: What distinguishes you from other professionals within your field?
Mark: I am driven by a higher purpose of empowering professionals to realize their potential. While in medical school, a certain Dean of Students took an interest in my success. He stepped in and stood up for me when I was having difficulty. He believed in me and saw my potential when I could barely see beyond making it through each day.
As a result of his influence on my life, I am always on the lookout for people and companies that have unrealized greatness in them. I coach them to see it and realize it. Bringing out one’s talent, especially when they are unaware of it, is an amazing experience for everyone involved.
Jonathan: What promise does your brand deliver?
Mark: Working with my clients shoulder to shoulder, I identify strengths and the best extension and application of those strengths. Then we go to work implementing a plan that leverages their strengths, significantly impacting their future success.
Jonathan: Any final thoughts on how your brand influences those around you?
Mark: The more clearly I can see someone’s capacity for success, the more passionate I am about pushing them to make it happen. Personal talents and gifts are a terrible thing to waste. I find incredible excitement and fulfillment when I focus on what it takes to make someone else successful.
Jonathan: Thanks Mark! To recap, an individual with a strong personal brand:
- Is passionate about what they do for a living and the value they offer to others
- Is client facing and focused, able to hear the unspoken messages that have a significant influence on success
- Empowers others to use their gifts and talents to realize their potential
Follow
Leave a Reply