Denise M. Kay, Esq., SPHR
From the very beginning of her professional career, both she and others knew she had a gift and passion for helping people solve problems, both large and small. She began her career as a human resource associate in a “big 6” public accounting firm and became a Human Advisory Consultant and Regional HR Manager.
Denise then decided to seek an even more challenging and fulfilling path, law school. After graduation, she like many, got caught up in the instinct to be a litigator. Because the adversarial nature of sensitive employment matters went against her grain, she decided to practice preventative human resource consulting. This practice encompasses coaching, education, consulting and environmental assessments. Subsequently, she became the president of her national employment consulting firm. Denise continues to practice her passion of preventative human resource consulting. The combination of her innate problem solving skills, her desire to help others solve problems, her business experience and life-long career in business leadership, form the basis of her coaching path.
Denise’s success as an executive and career coach can be attributed to her empathy. She has “been in your shoes”. She created a thriving business against significant odds. She has personally managed difficult business changes, economic uncertainty, and has faced Board conflicts, disagreement and tension. Furthermore, she made the choice to move from her role as president to a client service role, to return to a client-centric focus while better managing her work-life balance.
Denise has been conducting workshops, training programs and speaking at conferences for nearly two decades. She is a nationally recognized speaker through the Society for Human Resource Management. Her workshops are designed to be engaging and enlightening. Participants in her workshops leave with new knowledge, awareness and insight. Her philosophy in workshops mirrors her approach to working one-on-one with individuals: Every person wants and deserves to be heard. She believes the role of the coach is to be an objective, non-critical listener who helps the client see the patterns of their business and personal lives. As a result, the client gains a heightened level of self-awareness, develops greater clarity in problem solving and attains a newfound balance in their life.
Denise understands the fear a client feels, knows that it is real and believes it is manageable – “there are always solutions”. The anxiety must be managed for the client to work effectively, efficiently and confidently. She believes that is what the coach is there for, and what can be most helpful to the executive. Anyone can provide answers to business problems, but only a few can offer a shoulder, advice, empathy and tools, to achieve a positive outcome to a challenging situation.
Denise’s passion for coaching stems from her inherent temperament as a sensitive, thinking individual – one who is most concerned about getting to the root of issues, versus finding a quick fix. Her personal preferences are to work in a collaborative concert to better the individual – personally, professionally and socially and therefore, better the situation. The objectives should be focused, yet liberating, and the outcomes are often unanticipated, illuminating and inspirational.