About America’s Top Coach®

About Stephen Xavier, America’s Top Coach

Founder, President & CEO of Cornerstone Executive Development Group, Inc., a firm specializing in Executive Coaching and related Leadership Skills Development initiatives. Coaching since 1987, and an early pioneer in the field of coaching, I have worked extensively with a wide range of clients across an equally wide range of industries from start-up to F500. Clients include ABC Television Network, Amgen, BMW, Disney,  Edison International, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Northrop Grumman and Xerox, to name just a few.

Executive Coaching Style:

With my primary focus on C-level Executives, my style tends towards very direct and I have a reputation for being directive and very pointed when needed, although always a gentleman. My assignments are frequently clients from one of two extremes – very introverted or very extroverted – all having difficulty coping with their style being ineffective in the organization which they manage or, with organizations or groups they work most with.

I have been called on with considerable frequency throughout my career to work with Executives dubbed as “difficult personality types” and I have a reputation for a 90%+ turn-around rate with these clients. As a practitioner who takes a truly holistic approach to my work within any large organization, I make it my business to “root-out” actual causes of the challenges I am assigned to oftentimes delving deep into groups or departments to identify sources of obstacles to my clients growth and success.

Career Highlights:

My initial entry into the filed of Executive Coaching was first as Assistant Manager, Corporate Media for Textron, Inc., a F100 Corporation (at that time). My duties included developing every aspect of speaker support materials for the CEO and top 5 Senior Executives. My access to these Executives eventually launched me into offering feedback following their presentations and that in turn led to my exit from Textron in November, 1987 to start my own Coaching practice primarily in the area of Presentations Skills and Executive Presence.

I commuted to Tokyo, Japan for about three years working with a number of Senior Executives from Sony, Panasonic and Motorola before moving there on a full-time basis in 1990. Returning to the States in late-1993, I was called on to work on a Coaching project at Goldman, Sachs & Co., which was the “next start” of my career and foray into F500 work. A solo practitioner from 1987 to 2001, I then founded the Cornerstone Executive Development Group, a company that I now lead as the President & CEO. The firm has 10 Associates plus staff.

Over the past 3 years I have written columns for US Business Review on the topics of Coaching and Leadership. My writing has also been featured in several publications throughout the US and abroad. Recently I have been quoted or featured with frequency in Forbes.com, CNN.com, CNBC.com, MSNBC.com,Yahoo Finance, Morningstar, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal Radio Network and numerous radio talk shows on the topics of business and leadership issues.

Breadth of Experience:

Since 1993 my primary focus has been in the F500 arena and clients include Amgen, ABC Television Network, BWM, Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Ciba Vision, City of Hope, Disney, Edison International, Glaxo SmithKline, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Northrop Grumman, Novartis and Xerox.

Qualifications:

Graduated from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA with a BS in Business Management

Memberships:

ASTD
SHRM
Professional Coaches and Mentors Association – Member since 2001 – Board Member and Board Advisor 2 terms

Interests:

Shotgun Sports (Sporting Clay), Upland Game Hunting, Travel, Photography (Was a professional previously) and, time with family and raising two young children