James Taylor
“My mission is to transform, lead, and mentor others through the cycle of leadership.”
My mission of leadership and mentorship began with deep self-evaluation. Serving as a Fire Paramedic Captain and a member of the Philadelphia Fire Department for 29 years, I was ingrained with the principles of following leadership. To not do so would disrupt the chain of command and could impact member accountability and public safety. Respecting authority, regardless of who was in charge, became second nature. Working together as a cohesive team, despite individual personalities, was essential. Most importantly, I learned to think calmly and critically amidst chaos.
I am deeply grateful for the professional growth this role has afforded me. I rose through the ranks and advanced in my career. Yet, on a personal level, my life was becoming increasingly disordered. This disarray forced me to reflect more profoundly on who I was becoming internally and what I was pursuing externally.
This pivotal period spanned several years. I sought support from personal relationships, counseling, coaching, and accountability from trusted mentors. Through this journey, I embraced the values of personal ownership, integrity, and maturity. These values became the foundation of my long-term commitment to helping others.
Today, I understand through personal experience that the best leadership is built from the inside out. Therefore, my coaching mission is supported by three pillars: 1) Transformation, 2) Leadership Development, and 3) Mentoring. Foremost, I aim to help those I serve to experience a character makeover and a change in values that form the bedrock of their leadership development. I've realized that good skills built on top of bad character, leads to bad leadership.
The next phase involves developing tangible leadership skills such as communication, active listening, critical thinking, and relationship team building. Finally, the last pillar of my mission is mentorship—the “legacy building” aspect of leadership. It involves asking, “Who am I reproducing in this world to carry forward good values? Am I identifying the leadership potential in others?"
I hope that my coaching will serve as a bridge to success for those seeking to become the highest version of themselves. As a recipient of this transformative process, the principles I’ve learned have proven invaluable in my life journey.
Best regards,
The Captain
James Taylor,
START Men’s Group Facilitator
12-step Celebrate Recovery Trainer
Jim has a B.S. in Public Safety Administration and is currently at Liberty University for a M.A. in Executive Leadership. He has served in a leadership role for 10 years, and has done small group work for the last 5 years. His top coaching areas include, but are not limited to:
- Leadership and Character Development
- Organizational and Strategic Leadership
- Leadership Executive Coaching
- 12-step Recovery
