About Rhett
For over two decades in IT and cybersecurity leadership, I dedicated my career to serving local government and public safety sectors. Throughout my career, I have continuously prioritized human-centric approaches to problem-solving and strategic planning. I have a gift for recognizing patterns, making intuitive leaps and holding a whole-picture perspective.
My background in public service helped shape my ability to find the opportunities often hidden within challenges, create strong connections and design practical solutions tailored to diverse, individual needs.
As a consultant serving local governments and public safety, it was my job to solve problems for my clients. This was satisfying in that I was doing good work, but it was akin to giving a man to fish, so he might eat for a day, rather than teaching him to fish, so he might eat for a lifetime. I believe in the creativity and resourcefulness of my clients and that empowering them to solve their own problems leads to more lasting, positive impacts in their lives and work. This focus on the human experience, combined with my passion for empowering my clients to create more fulfilling and successful lives, ultimately lead me away from IT and consulting and toward to Co-Active coaching.
As a Co-Active coach, I create a safe and empowering space for clients to clarify their values, goals, and unique strengths, while working through any limiting beliefs that impede their progress. We balance reflective learning, which supports the client with a deeper, more empowered understanding of themselves, and Co-Active strategy; creating action plans that truly align with clients’ authentic selves in service of moving them powerfully forward, toward their goals.
My values include:
Curiosity • Clarity • Compassion • Integrity • Anti-racism Justice • Equity • Diversity • Inclusion • Care • Adventure • Growth • Self-determination • Courage • Safety • Professionalism • Synergy • Creativity • Transformation
———————————————————-
When I’m not coaching, I’m often behind a camera. You can find some of my photography here:
https://flickr.com/photos/rhettredelings/
What People Are Saying
“I was fortunate to have the opportunity for a sample coaching session with Rhett via Zoom. I chose to address some relationship challenges I am currently experiencing. Without getting into my personal specifics he took me on a journey asking me to select which place I wanted to go then illuminated the stepping stones in front of me with curiosity and care. I felt safe and supported. He was both guiding and boundaried but also giving me control and ownership of the process along with opportunities to decline answering a question or to consider it from a different perspective. It brought me right up to the edge of my comfort zone (where growth occurs) and slowly and steadily we walked hand in hand through the unfamiliar terrain, not sure what I was going to see next but knowing he was by my side. There was real, felt micro growth in awareness within just one session! Emotions and connections came up that I had been long repressing along with a new understanding of how they are affecting my current relationship challenges. When I described painful sensations or experiences he effortlessly transported himself there and experienced them as well. He provided the proper balance of space and support throughout the session. I was shocked at how easy it felt to address something personally difficult and uncomfortable.
We ended the session by defining the actions I was comfortable taking based on my new level of awareness. Completing these were the first concrete steps towards bigger actions that have truly enhanced my relationship. I highly recommend working with him!”
- Chris C., Redondo Beach, CA
“Coaching means different things to everyone and I never really thought of it as a tool I'd want and use. Rhett does what he does best, bringing out the best in people and sparking their own thoughts and energy to fuel progress. He combines honest reflection with gentle humor and compassion to empower those he coaches to embrace their own strengths and examine their opportunities. Many thanks!”
— Melanie Purcell, Director of Finance & Administration, Transportation Authority of Marin
“As a finance professional who has very little experience in the world of IT, Rhett was able to take the various, sometimes competing, thoughts and ideas of myself and my team and not only work them into a plan that is still paying dividends to my organization to this day, but also served to moderate discussion among the team so that all sides felt heard and could understand why one idea could be more advantageous than another.
Along with this, Rhett was also instrumental in bridging the gap between my organization and our IT contractors. Prior to Rhett, we had little faith that our IT contractors could handle larger scale projects due to the fact that we’d only ever used them for small scale support. As soon as Rhett stepped in, he clearly outlined goals and initiatives based on our needs and delivered on them. The budding relationship that Rhett fostered at the beginning developed into a strong bond between our two organizations that will be sure to flourish into the future.
Rhett has a can-do attitude, he’s personable, and is able to take any idea, no matter how big or small, and make it into a success. He is easy to talk to, a great listener, easy to get along with, and an asset to whoever he works with.”
— Trevor Atashkarian, Deputy Finance Director, City of Mill Valley