Erich Baum, COO, Rockford Package Supply
The Problem
On the surface, Erich’s team thought things were moving in the right direction. They were busy, committed, and working hard. But something was off. The results they expected were not coming. Projects stalled. Communication missed the mark. And no one could put their finger on why things kept feeling harder than they should.
The bigger issue was hiding in plain sight. Intention and impact were completely out of sync, and the team was so caught up in the day-to-day that they could not see it. Silos grew bigger. Misunderstandings piled up. Everyone thought they were doing their best, yet frustration quietly hardened into walls.
"We didn't know we were doing a bad job at it. We just knew that the results that we wanted weren't there."
The Shift
Recognizing the problem was the first hurdle. Most teams do not want to admit that what they think they are doing well is the very thing slowing them down. Erich’s team had to get uncomfortable before they could move forward. My job was to guide them to name the invisible barriers they had been dodging for years.
The real shift came when people started dropping the armor. Conversations went from surface-level to real. Communication was no longer about defending a position. It became about finding truth in the messy middle. Trust started to grow where guardedness had lived.
"Heidi led us through the hard work of peeling back all those layers and getting us to the point that we at least recognized that our intentions were not lining up with the impact that we were having."
The Strategy
My approach with Erich’s team was not a one-size-fits-all program. It was targeted, practical, and gritty. I brought structure and refused to let them hide behind frameworks or leadership buzzwords. I tuned into each person, reading where they were holding back and pushing just enough to get them to see it too.
I also modeled what it looked like to be direct and human at the same time. It was not about surface-level change. It was about rewiring how they saw themselves and each other.
"Heidi does such a good job of exemplifying what it means to honor yourself and respect others at the same time."
The Impact
The work did not stop with the team. It changed how Erich led, coached, and developed others around him. The coaching gave him tools that became part of his daily leadership playbook. I challenged old beliefs that were quietly holding him back—and then gave him new ways to think, act, and lead with strength and clarity.
From challenging the “Superman” mentality to embracing authentic, kind leadership, Erich was able to build habits that made a real difference, not just in his work but in how his teams grew alongside him.
"Heidi’s approach takes us out of our comfort zone and pushes us into the growth zone."
The Takeaway
Erich’s experience is proof that leadership is about being willing to get messy, admit what is not working, and do the hard, necessary work to change it. My goal is to push, challenge, and stand shoulder to shoulder with leaders like Erich who are ready to transform.
The result on this occasion? A team that moves faster because they trust each other. A leader who has grown into someone who multiplies success, rather than chasing it. And a story of growth that keeps building.
"Heidi's not surface level, but she's the best."