We all use mentors, coaches, or trainers at one time or another. We turn to golf pros to advise us on improving our game. We turn to physical fitness experts to design an exercise program. We turn to trusted colleagues to think through tough issues. We turn to family and friends for advice and support.

Managers, by virtue of their position, have very limited circles of confidentiality in which they can safely “think out loud.” When managers ponder d ecisions and try to consider the consequences, the people to whom they can turn in their organization often have a vested interest. That leaves managers to their own devices in making difficult decisions.

Having an external confidante allows managers a valuable third-party perspective. Two heads are always better than one, especially when the party responsible for a major decision must live with the consequences. By using an external party to fully consider choices, the manager can make decisions with greater confidence that all elements have been considered and the decision is sound.

Addressing specific issues offers some clear advantages:

1) It captures a “teaching moment” because it is dealing with a problem at hand.

2) It creates opportunity to engage the manager in examining their personal style, how it is received by subordinates, and how it can be used to greatest effect.

Macek has the knowledge and skills to deal with wide-ranging personnel-management needs, whether those needs involve helping a board of directors understand their correct functions or helping managers deal with major organizational changes