The day I walked into a room unprepared.

I still remember that workshop. 

A high-performing team, visibly tired.

A VP who had already decided what we were going to do. 

And me — walking in without having met the team beforehand.

That was my mistake. Seven people, one leader in the room, and a silence thick enough to cut. All my careful plans — useless.

So I decided to drop the script. 

I began with something real: 

“What’s in your way today?”

One by one, they opened up. 

Sleep. Anxiety. The pressure of not being heard.

Two hours later, I realized what was really happening: 

the leader was full of good intentions but filtered every idea too fast. 

People had stopped trying.

It wasn’t my best session, but it was one of my most human ones. Because sometimes, showing up imperfectly is what allows others to do the same.

— 👋 Hello! I’m Eric Fingerhut, Executive Coach & Team Facilitator. I help individuals get promoted without burning out, and teams thrive on trust & collaboration. 

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