Here’s our interview with Eric Nehrlich, Executive Coach and Author of You Have A Choice, about his rules for success.

Eric Nehrlich is an executive coach who helps leaders have more impact by drawing on his 25 years of experience in the tech industry. He loves to identify and challenge mindsets and habits that hold people back from their next level of leadership.

Before becoming a coach, Eric spent ten years as an engineer and product manager across several startups before joining Google, eventually leading business strategy and operations for the Google Search Ads team for six years as Chief of Staff. He published his first book in 2023, You Have A Choice: Beyond Hard Work to Meaningful Impact, which he wrote to share the principles and mindsets that have helped him and his clients

Eric Nehrlich’s Background

Eric Nehrlich became a certified coach after a twenty-year career in the tech industry because he is uniquely qualified to help technical leaders succeed. Eric left Google in 2019 after ten successful years helping Google leaders drive greater performance through my insightful business models, including over six years leading business strategy and operations for the Search Ads product team. Before Google, he worked at several startups over ten years as an engineer and product manager, designing and deploying software solutions across different industries that matched technology resources with end-user needs.

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Eric is passionate about helping leaders become more conscious and purposeful so they can have a greater impact on the world. I believe that impact can only happen if we understand ourselves better.

Eric Nehrlich Questions and Discussions

Here’s a bullet-point summary of the questions and discussions from our interview with Eric Nehrlich:

1. Introduction to Eric Nehrlich

• Eric transitioned into executive coaching after seeing the critical role leadership plays in organizational success.
• He helps leaders get “unstuck” by identifying the habits and mindsets that hold them back.

2. The Transition from Tech to Coaching

• Eric started his career in physics, then moved into tech.
• After witnessing the downfall of a promising startup due to poor leadership, Eric realized leadership’s multiplier effect on success.
• This led him to focus on leadership development, ultimately transitioning into coaching.

3. Burnout and Its Lessons

• Eric shared his personal experience with burnout during his time at Google.
• He emphasized the importance of setting boundaries and saying “no” to avoid burnout, even if it means sacrificing promotions or responsibilities.
• By choosing his health and family over work, Eric regained control of his life.

4. The Importance of Personal Responsibility

• Taking full accountability for one’s choices is central to Eric’s coaching.
• He helps clients recognize the consequences of their choices, pushing them to make conscious, intentional decisions.
• Leadership, Eric believes, starts from within, with clarity on personal values, goals, and purpose.

5. Book: “You Have a Choice”

• Eric’s book, You Have a Choice: Beyond Hard Work to Meaningful Impact, explores the common challenges leaders face, regardless of industry or background.
• He describes how the same themes emerge in different leaders’ struggles and how understanding personal choice can create meaningful impact.

6. Helping Clients Clarify Their Purpose

• Eric Nehrlich often begins by asking leaders to define what success means to them.
• He encourages them to step back from the “hamster wheel” of work and reflect on their purpose and values.
• This process simplifies decision-making and leads to more effective leadership.

7. Overcoming Overwhelm

• Eric’s approach to helping clients overwhelmed by work is by having them analyze how they spend their time.
• He asks them to consider what their ideal schedule would look like and encourages them to prioritize activities that align with their values.

8. Rituals and Frameworks for Clarity

• Eric doesn’t follow rigid rituals but emphasizes reflection—whether it’s a moment during daily routines like brushing his teeth or a weekly review of priorities.
• He believes in reflecting on what went wrong when things don’t go as planned to improve self-awareness and alignment with personal values.

9. Success Advice for Young People

• Eric advises that life is a long journey, and the early part of one’s career is for experimenting and learning rather than racing toward a destination.
• He encourages young people to focus on finding what works for them, rather than comparing themselves to others.

Now, as an author and coach, Eric Nehrlich empowers leaders to discover their purpose and make choices that lead to meaningful success. His book, You Have a Choice, encapsulates the lessons he imparts to his clients, offering timeless insights into accountability, personal growth, and impactful leadership.

If you want to work with Eric Nehrlich so that you can unleash your strength and make the biggest impact and difference in your community, go to https://www.toomanytrees.com.

Onward and Upwards,

Joseph