Terry Holmes
Terry Holmes
Executive Coach
Executive coach for senior leaders, founders, and leadership teams navigating conflict, trust, alignment, and high-stakes communication.
Works Best With
Senior executives, founders, and high-performing leadership teams across technology, government, research, and nonprofit sectors. Terry is a strong match for leaders who value a collaborative and candid coaching relationship, and who want to build self-awareness, emotional intelligence, relational effectiveness, and resilience under pressure. He works especially well with leaders facing high-stakes communication challenges, team friction, role transitions, complex interpersonal dynamics, or the need to lead with more clarity, steadiness, and relational skill.
Coaching Approach
Terry’s coaching helps leaders strengthen the judgment, self-awareness, and relational skill needed to lead well under pressure. His work focuses on the moments where leadership becomes most consequential: conflict, trust, difficult conversations, role transitions, team tension, and decisions that affect people’s ability to work well together. He tailors each engagement to the client’s goals, organizational context, and real-time leadership challenges. Clients often come to Terry when technical competence is not the issue, but communication, trust, conflict, role clarity, or relationship dynamics are affecting leadership effectiveness.
Representative Clients
Apple, eBay, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, State of California, YMCA of San Luis Obispo
In His Words
“I help founders, executives, and senior teams navigate conflict, rebuild trust, and stay aligned when the stakes are high. My coaching is direct, practical, and grounded in the human side of leadership: how people communicate under pressure, repair strained relationships, and make better decisions together. I work best with thoughtful leaders who are willing to look honestly at their own impact and build the relational capacity their work requires.”
In His Client's Words
“Terry helped me increase my clarity and confidence in navigating complex leadership dynamics. He brought warmth, curiosity, and probing questions that pushed me to honestly examine my own role, while also offering concrete next steps. I would highly recommend him to leaders who want both strategic perspective and practical momentum in their growth.”
Maureen S., Vice President of Innovation & Initiatives, global agricultural-development nonprofit
Credentials & Certifications
- MS, Organization Development, University of San Francisco
- BA, Interdisciplinary Studies, Virginia Tech
- Advanced Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitator Training Program, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
- ICF-Certified Coach, Coach Training Alliance
- Hogan Assessment Certified
- Leadership Versatility Index (LVI) Certified
- Trained in EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 assessments
- Able to administer FIRO-B, MBTI, and VIA surveys
- 10+ years in coaching, facilitation, leadership development, conflict resolution, and organization development
- 20+ years of client-facing leadership, consulting, and advisory experience
Professional Background
- Executive Coach, Advanced Leadership Development Institute
- Founder, Executive Coach, Facilitator, and Trainer, The Good Org
- Leadership Coach, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
- Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitator, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
- Lecturer, Stanford University Graduate School of Business
- Lecturer in I/O Psychology, San Jose State University
- Consultant, Caravann Consulting
Is Terry Holmes the right executive coach for you? Or maybe another coach on our team?