I help people come to decisions that make sense in the head and feel right in the heart, so they can move forward with clarity and confidence.  My tools for this include coaching, training, speaking, and writing.

COACHING:

My coaching clients are at a crossroads.  They have major decisions to make, and don't know what to do.  A single 40-year-old wants a family.  A burned-out executive wants a new life . A grandmother-to-be is diagnosed with lung cancer.  A laid-off technology worker considers a major career change.  All too often, big decisions bring with them pain, suffering, and the fear of making the wrong choice.

I guide my clients through important decisions.  My job is not to decide for them.  Instead, I help them find clarity, insight, and confidence in deciding for themselves.  Clarity on what they are truly trying to achieve.  Insight into their own decision-making process.  Confidence that they can follow through effectively.  Working together, I help my clients to

• Take on the responsibility to decide;
• Get clarity on what they really want;
• Identify the questions that need to be answered;
• Engage in research and reflection;
• Consider multiple alternatives;
• Process any difficult emotions;
• Evaluate between costs and benefits of different paths;
• Create a plan, including contingencies and backup strategies;
• Ensure that they come to the decisions that are best for them;
• Follow through on their decisions with clarity and confidence.

One focus of mine is on fertility and family-building decisions.  For more information, see www.fertilitycoaching.com.

"Dave works with you to develop an analytical framework in which to make difficult decisions between options that are not necessarily easy to compare. He helps you identify your decision criteria in a way that is bound to help ensure you're satisfied with your decision.” - M.G., product manager

"Working with Dave has been a life-changing experience for me. He has helped me to gain incredible insight on what it is that holds me back in life and keeps me from pursuing my dreams...Dave has helped me to live purposefully and has guided me to a place where I feel that I am living life more fully, am being true to myself, and am moving forward in a positive direction. In the four months that I have been working with Dave, he has helped to renew my faith in my work as a civil rights lawyer, and helped build my confidence to the point that I was able to leave a dead-end job to start my own law practice. Most importantly, Dave has helped me to help myself and with his guidance, I have developed lifelong skills that will enable me to follow my dreams." - J.H., attorney 

"Dave really helped me get my head around issues that were emotional and messy.  He is an effective guide.  I was led down paths of thinking and brainstorming that helped me make conclusions and decisions that previously were beyond my reach.  He has a personable, gentle manner that is easy to work with, and also is very organized and structured in his coaching sessions.  Not only does he give you "homework" to build upon each session, but he does his own homework on your goals as well.  This makes each session productive and practical." - J.K., attorney

"When I first contacted Dave Reiter, my career questions felt overwhelming and unanswerable.  Through our conversations and various exercises, I've been able to clarify my career goals as well as to understand changes in my life priorities.  Dave asked me the right questions, and provided me with helpful guidance and resources.  Working with Dave has enabled me to better understand my situation and make decisions that I am happy with.  His guidance has been invaluable." - B.M., software engineer

"I can't say enough about the value of having an impartial third party, yet one who is committed to moving the process forward. The structured guidance you provide is invaluable, allowing us to safely explore our differences without (too much) fear of injured egos or hurt feelings. And of course, more than if we just met with a therapist or good friend, your skills at driving toward decisions rather than just helping us feel better gives me confidence we will be successful." – DD, engineer

"I am much more confident, purposeful and have a tangible feeling that I am guiding my life rather than purely being swept along by forces outside of me...I will look back on this period of my life as a positive turning point and I don't think it would have been nearly as good without working with Dave.” - J.S., technology consultant


TRAINING:

I teach a variety of classes and workshops around decision-making in different contexts.  A recent favorite workshop was a session I led for 300 coaches from around the world at the International Coach Federation's 2005 Annual Conference.  I conduct trainings for large and small groups across the country; contact me to learn more.

"Gives the tools to make good decisions and follow through on them...Simple, yet effective." - anonymous 

"Great dynamic presenter - we appreciated the interaction" - anonymous

"Yours was the most valuable breakout session that I have attended in four ICF conferences!" - RZ, coach 

"Great - interactive, personal, relevant." - anonymous  "Fun, creative, opens up new ways of thinking about decisions." - anonymous

"Thanks for the great workshop!  I really enjoyed it and will be able to use the decision-making ideas with my clients."  - MM, coach

"I very much enjoyed your class, and recommended to my president that adding a decision science class can add value to our existing Coach Training Program (we are the first Japanese organization which can certify coaches with ICF certifications.)" - AO, coach

SPEAKING:

I have spoken about decision-making to a wide variety of audiences, including Internet Radio's "The Coaching Show", Mariposa Leadership's "Wise Talk" program, Stanford University's Decision Analysis Working Group, the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science, ProMatch, CSIX, GraceWorks, RESOLVE, San Jose State University, Compasspoint's "Nonprofit Day", and the California Association for the Gifted.

You can listen to my archived appearances on "The Coaching Show" and "Wise Talk".


WRITING:

"Decisions, Decisions" is a free monthly email bulletin designed to help you decide with clarity and confidence.  Subscribe here.

• "The Power to Choose"
• "The Decision Knot"
• "Untangling Hamlet's Decision Knot"
• "What Do You Really Want?"
• "Case Study: Escape from Quicksand"
• "The 3 Steps to Good Decisions"
• "Following Through"

"I really like the light tone you are using in discussing difficult decisions - very friendly, accessible, and, best of all, useful...Can't wait to read your book." - D.S., writer

"Excellent!...Practical, entertaining, and personal." - E.M., management consultant

"'Decisions, Decisions' is a hit!  Very informative." - J.J., personal financial consultant

"Fun, useful, and intriguing." - P.S., author

I write for other publications as well, including a recent article that I cowrote for OR/MS Today on "Teaching Teens How to Make Good Decisions."  Please let me know if you would like me to write an article for a publication that you enjoy.