Barbara A. F. Greene’s professional career began at an early age. For the whopping wage of ten cents an hour, as a child, she set up a school in her backyard with her five siblings. “We became the teachers of our neighborhood.”
Not coming from money, she pursued elementary education degrees by working as a restaurant server/hostess, housekeeper, jet manufacturing line worker, Fuller Brush door–to-door salesperson, babysitter, care assistant, shoe-shiner, curb address painter and grocery story inventory clerk. She also worked at her university’s residential life and counseling center.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree and teaching in inner city Kansas City, Kansas schools for a few years while juggling a graduate degree program, she took a sabbatical to finish her master’s degree. Back to living on little money, she became a peanut butter and jelly sandwich aficionado.
After various career stops, Barbara decided to start her own company to help people become proactive with their careers. She took a risk in starting her own business. Fortunately, her first big client was IBM. “We focused on helping thousands of people manage their careers amid immense change,” she says. 25 years later, Barbara has four employees and adjunct coaches and consultants to support clients of her firm, Greene and Associates, Inc. In addition, she is an equity owner in a global organization Career Partners International.
Barbara aspires to be a philanthropist. Joining the Stakeholder Centered Coaching pro bono program for nonprofit leaders is an important step in that direction.
Barbara’s connection with SCC began 25 years ago when she learned of Marshall Goldsmith and invited him to participate in one of her community causes, the American Heart Association – Go Red event in San Antonio. At this program, he demonstrated the “No, But, However” problem and had attendees pay $20.00 each time they used those words – no excuses. Marshall generated $250 in cash, which he gave to Barbara. She gave the money to her organization and henceforth at each meeting, the “No, But, However” ban was enforced, resulting in even more money being raised for the organization.
Barbara became SCC certified in 2018 and obtained the SCC-HR certification in February 2021. In addition, she is an International Coach Federation MCC.
As an SCC coach, Barbara embraces the three core characteristics necessary for a successful coaching outcome: courage, humility and discipline. “SCC coaching is not for the faint hearted,” she states. “Leaders being coached will need to go the distance.”
Barbara especially likes SCC’s emphasis on engaging stakeholders. “What a powerful way to scale the SCC,” she says. “When a stakeholder of the coachee is truly engaged – they often reflect upon what they can do better and learn from the person that is currently being coached. The impact of SCC is multiplied and is sustainable for years and throughout the organization.”
Barbara is passionate about engaging leaders from different industries and cultural backgrounds to move from transactional to transformational leaders. She exemplifies a style of “Grace with Grit, which magnifies the results of developing people throughout their organizations and their life ecosystems. With each person internalizing their humanity, we will have a world that exemplifies global inclusion.”
Lastly, Barbara has a word of advice for coaches: “Be involved in a SCC mastermind group once you complete the certification – keep learning – keep growing.”
Barbara is celebrating 25 years in business and her theme is “Connect. Inspire.” Her clients have described her as “the #1 Connector for Life.” Barbara and her team inspire people from diverse backgrounds “to reach beyond the stars. Our universal language is unconditional acceptance.”
