Unlock YOUR full potential and lead a fulfilling life, entirely on YOUR terms.
ABOUT FARNAZ
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ABOUT FARNAZ
I’m Your Partner for Positive Change.
Embark on a transformative journey with me as your dedicated partner.
Engaging in coaching sessions with me is a deeply personal and collaborative experience, where knowledge evolves into profound change. Your life will undergo a remarkable transformation, leaving you more present and aligned with your purpose.
By delving into mindset work, providing actionable tools, encouraging courageous practice, and embracing discomfort and chaos, I guide my clients toward creating enduring changes that resonate across all facets of their lives.
With over two decades of experience in leadership and personal development, I've not only earned my doctorate and post-doctorate in Organizational Leadership but have also dedicated myself to training, teaching, researching, and coaching.
My journey includes publications, presentations, facilitation, and leadership roles. Today, I invite you to take center stage in your life and actualize your highest potential.
Explore Further: Dive into My Bio and Journey Below.
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Bio
As a highly respected business and leadership coach with over 20 years of experience, I am extremely passionate about helping high-achieving leaders find balance and fulfillment in their lives and reach their true and full potential.
I am a professor at California State University Dominguez Hills where I teach leadership and human resource development. After studying improvisation at Second City Hollywood, I conducted the largest applied improvisation in leadership development research to date as part of my doctoral and post-doctoral studies at Pepperdine University and the University of Florida. My doctorate and post-doctorate degrees are in Organizational Leadership.
I am a Certified Coach and a Certified Career and Job Transition Coach as well as a Certified Myers Briggs Personality Assessment Coach. Featured as one of the fifteen distinguished leaders along with, among others, Leon Panetta, former Director of the CIA, in the book Character: The Leader's Bloodline by Barry Heads II. I live in Redondo Beach with my two daughters and my husband, Scott.
On the right, is a photo of my doctoral graduation with my daughters in 2013.
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Client Success Story
“Working with Farnaz has been a profound transformation for me. I started this coaching journey with her two years ago, and the positive changes I've experienced since then are truly remarkable. Under Farnaz's guidance, I've not only cultivated my authentic leadership style but also learned to recognize and release the grip of perfectionism. Her skillful coaching delved deep into the roots of certain tendencies, fostering an understanding that has been pivotal in my personal and professional growth. Through insightful sessions encompassing agreement-setting, self-compassion, free-form writing reflections, and dedicated workshops, Farnaz has been instrumental in unlocking my inner leadership potential.
Farnaz's coaching has taught me the value of slowing down, approaching challenges with curiosity and patience, and, most importantly, trusting myself to navigate whatever comes my way. This newfound confidence has empowered me to pursue growth opportunities with openness and calm, enhancing my ability to give and receive feedback, embrace new leadership roles, and believe in both my resilience and that of others.
Arguably, the most profound aspect of Farnaz's coaching lies in her skill to guide me toward discovering my sources of genuine joy. This has resulted in numerous "ah-ha" moments and fresh insights that significantly enhance not only my professional work but also my personal life. I am immensely grateful to continue benefiting from Farnaz's wisdom and expertise. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking to become the best version of themselves.”
Siobhan Sheils, Vice President, The Cohen Group
MY JOURNEY
From PERFECTIONISM to IMPROVISATION
As a high-achieving child, I was labeled the "#1 student in town," striving relentlessly for perfection. Early on, I tied my self-worth to external achievements, believing safety and security lay in being flawless.
At 16, I immigrated to the U.S., facing a sudden shift from perfection when English became my second language. Despite excelling in Electrical Engineering at SUNY Stony Brook, my heart whispered a different calling. "Shoulding" myself became a common pattern.
Successful in engineering jobs, I felt a void. At 28, a career coach's revelation shook me: "You should be doing psychology!" Terrifying yet affirming, I pursued a master's in organizational management while working.
Venturing into instructional design, I discovered a passion for coaching and the psychology of change. Ironically, I, once terrified of public speaking, wrote workshops for major companies but hesitated to deliver them. Seeking change, my mentors advised, "Take an improv class!"
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LIFE LONG LEARNER
HOW IMPROV SAVED ME
Embracing improv, I initially battled intense anxiety, nearly leaving the first two classes. Perseverance led me to the Second City Improv program in Hollywood, where embracing discomfort sparked a profound transformation. Completing the program, I recognized the undeniable link between improv and effective leadership, experiencing its impact on both professional growth and personal confidence.
Fueled by newfound confidence, I earned my doctorate, coaching certification, and launched my coaching practice.
VALIDATING IMPROV'S IMPACT
Improv spurred significant change, driving me to explore its impact further. In my Pepperdine doctorate program, I conducted extensive research to establish improv's power in leadership development. After two intense years, my dissertation, "The Effects of Improvisation Techniques in Leadership Development," validated improv's vital role in business and personal effectiveness with over 400 reference letters, marking the largest study of its kind to date.
Now, I seamlessly integrate improv techniques into my workshops and coaching sessions, adding a dynamic and enjoyable dimension to my work with clients.
LIFE LONG LEARNER
As an executive coach, university professor, and workshop leader, I have to be up to date with the latest research and most impactful coaching modalities. Whether it’s a book, a podcast, an online workshop, program, or working with my own 1:1 coach, I am immersed in the work of transformational living. I am a student first and learning is my happy place.
MY BIG IMPACT TODAY
Infusing empathy, love, and possibility into every aspect of my work and life, I aim to inspire others to envision a future of limitless possibilities. In my coaching practice, I cater to individuals in corporate, political, and creative roles, concurrently teaching business and leadership classes. Notable clients include Google, Northrop Grumman, Toyota, and Cannon.
As your coach, my mission is to help you create the life and work you long for.
What do you want to create?
Let's explore that together. Details on how to work with me are outlined below.
LET’S WORK TOGETHER
1:1 INDIVIDUAL COACHING
In our sessions, my commitment is to YOU and creating YOUR dreams. We will create a space where you can pause, reflect, and delve into every facet of your work, and life, charting your path to fulfillment and balance.
GROUP COACHING
Next Level Leadership
A curated 10-week transformative journey for 6-10 high-achieving female leaders and emerging leaders, designed to redefine success and elevate your life and leadership to the next level.
COMPLIMENTARY WORKSHOP
Reinventing Yourself in 2024: Creating Positive Habits That Last!
Unlock the secrets to lasting fulfillment, balance, and freedom in this exclusive workshop designed for leaders, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders.