Hi, I'm Allen L. Abbott
Coach, advisor, recovering ladder climber.
I spent years following the default script: work harder, earn more, move up. I moved into senior roles, helped grow a company from a small team into a large operation, and checked a lot of traditional career boxes.
It worked, until it did not.
The higher I climbed, the clearer it became that "more" is not a strategy. It is just more. I watched capable people burn themselves out chasing goals they never stopped to question. I did some of that myself.
Now I help people do it differently.
My Work is Most Rewarding When...
An executive realizes they do not have to, and should not, grind themselves into the ground to succeed.
Someone breaks free from the trap of overwork and actually enjoys the life they have worked to build.
People get off the "more is better" treadmill - the data tells us it is a fool’s errand.
What I Bring.
Two decades in the chairs my clients sit in, plus the formal training to back the instinct with method.
- Experience as a Director, EVP, and COO in high-growth, entrepreneur-driven financial services companies.
- Current work as an Organizational Development Consultant & Executive Coach (internal) at CU Anschutz Medical Campus.
- Founder of Ascent Partners, focused on leadership development, strengths-based coaching, and strategic planning.
- Training in psychology, an Executive MBA, and an MS in Organizational Development.
- CliftonStrengths coaching certification.
How I Work.
Whole Person Focus
Your career is only one of your roles. You will be asked to connect with each of the roles you play in life and set concrete goals for each.
Strengths Aware
We are happiest, less stressed and more effective when we can use our strengths regularly. We will learn your strengths and use this to plan the rest of your journey.
Direct but kind
I will not sugar-coat hard truths or observations, but I'm always in your corner. Honesty and kindness are great partners.
Big Dreams, Practical Steps
That whole "every journey starts with a first step" thing only serves to motivate if each step is reasonable and achievable. We will use Atomic Habits to build and keep momentum.
My Top 10 Strengths.
The same instrument I use with clients. These are the themes I lead with, in order. Hover for a quick definition, or open the theme on Gallup.
University Education.
Leadership and organizational development with an emphasis in executive coaching, in an ICF-accredited (ACTP) program.
A rigorous, team-based executive program building strategic, global, and cross-cultural leadership.
The Psychology program promotes the application of research methods to understand how and why individuals do what they do.
Key Certifications.
Shifts the focus from fixing weaknesses to maximizing strengths, giving leaders a personalized roadmap for growth and better-aligned decisions.
Earned through the ACTP-accredited program at UT Dallas; evidence-based methods, ethical practice, real-world application.
Administering and interpreting CCL’s 360-degree assessments to surface strengths, blind spots, and growth.
Research-backed skills for effective communication and high-performance dialogue.
Equips you to lead high-performance teams, manage complex enterprise projects, and tailor your organization’s "Way of Working" (WoW) for optimal value delivery.
The Strong Interest Inventory® assessment helps people identify their career direction based on their interests.
Let's Talk About What's Next.
If any of this resonates, the next step is a free call - a real conversation, not a pitch.
Book a free call