ABOUT

DANIEL FIGUEROA
FRONT ROW PERSPECTIVES

My mission is to equip professionals to lead with confidence, advance their careers, and prosper in life.

I noticed that aspiring managers were not openly thinking and their thoughts were limited by instruction, curtailing great opportunities and ways to gain clarity in the midst of conflict.

In the past 10 years of my EHS career, I started to notice the sometimes subtle difference between teaching, mentoring, and “something else.” It was interesting because “something else,” the “factor C,” was something that a few experienced professionals were able to do, but in general, it was a missing element.

Back then it was easy to grow managers by having others shadowing or being told what and how to do in specific situations + X many years in the previous role. However, something was always missing when uncertainty came, and preparation was not sufficient to lead people; I noticed that aspiring managers were not openly thinking, and their thoughts were limited by instruction, curtailing great opportunities and ways to gain clarity in the midst of conflict. I guess that is when I realized that managers manage resources and leaders lead people and organizations.

That “factor C” is what today is formally known as executive-leadership coaching. It’s the set of skills and competencies that apply to our personal and professional lives, starting with awareness and self-knowledge to later expand through the people that surround us and confide in us to lead them.

Why do I do coaching?

I became particularly interested in coaching when I realized the power it has and the impact on people’s careers and lives. Coaching allows me to connect to a different level, perhaps to a more human level, and at the same time to provoke a thinking process that helps others to bring clarity and creative solutions to countless challenges.

There were many times I “told” others by experience what to do instead of asking “What do we do” I guess it was faster and easier to do it that way instead of being patient and willing to sort through their genius because we all are geniuses we have just been limited to think in a particular way.

Then I realized we are limitless, and I must help others to find that connection and bring out the best of themselves to build better organizations, more fulfilling lives, and, who not, a better world.

To be here today is a big accomplishment.

I came from a small family in the country of Chile where I was born and raised 20 years ago. I consider myself a true immigrant; I got my work visa and went through the whole process to become a resident, following step by step what was required, including all the constraints.

I did not come with empty hands. I had my bachelor’s degree, which quickly, but not without struggle, became a master’s degree in management systems. I am proud of my family, which has been right next to me: my wife, always my support, my energy, and from time to time, my personal coach.

I consider myself a life-long learner.

I am a CSP BCSP Certified safety professional, a CIH BGC Certified industrial hygienist, a CHMM IHMM-certified hazardous material manager, a Certified executive and leadership coach, a Certified career development coach, and a Certified Genos emotional intelligence practitioner. These are the most rigorous credentials in the field, and I am proud to have achieved them.

I hold a Director role for a multinational company in the USA. I mention this because my current title is a big achievement and a bold statement of my continued development and effort, of course, surrounded by the support of wonderful people I have met in my life.

I did some interesting project work in the energy business in construction, commissioning a start-up where I shared with the most talented people I have ever met, some of these projects are: 

I have also visited 10 different countries and have lived at least a year in 5 of them, and I plan to keep adding to the list. I love knowing new cultures.

Certified Executive and Leadership Coach from the Center for Executive Coaching. Strengths coach and Emotional Intelligence practitioner.