Brian Gareau

Executive Coach

Brian Gareau

Manager, People and Organizational Development, Caterpillar Inc. · Senior Fellow, Human Capital, The Conference Board

“Culture ultimately comes down to two things: what you reinforce and what you tolerate.”

Brian Gareau
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Experience

Caterpillar Inc The Conference Board
750+
Employees across 15 facilities
$60M+
Annual revenue, 15 facility P&Ls
100,000+
Employees in his engagement plan
80%+
Engagement, up from about 50%

Expertise

For 31 years at Caterpillar Inc., Brian was asked to solve problems and drive continuous improvement through structure and process and by developing people. He built the company's first internal organization development group, launched sites across North and South America, turned around a regional distribution center, and created a culture checklist for acquisition due diligence. He reads a culture by what its leaders reinforce and what they tolerate. With rising executives, he works on what he calls "situational fluency," knowing when to dim a strength so others can develop.

Industry

Brian spent 31 years at Caterpillar Inc., a Fortune 100 manufacturer, working across its plants, logistics operations, and dealer network. He held roles in plant operations, corporate communications, dealer services, logistics operations, and organization development. After Caterpillar, he served as Senior Fellow in Human Capital at The Conference Board and founded his own consulting firm.

Specialties

  • Opening a new site and setting its culture early
  • Assessing culture during acquisition due diligence
  • Raising engagement across a workforce in 17 languages
  • Creating sustainable change by reinforcing new behaviors and norms
  • Coaching high-potential leaders who overuse their strengths

Career history

01 of 8

Line Foreman, Caterpillar Inc.

In their own words

Proudest accomplishment?
01
I led numerous startups across North and South America, which became the template for Caterpillar's OD strategy. The lessons from those startups are transferable to mature operations, not just new ones.
Best advice he'd give?
02
Two things. First, be humble: there is always someone who knows more than you. Second, learn to be a great influencer rather than relying on positional authority.
Most fulfilling part?
03
The transition into coaching was not something I sought. It came to me, and I found fulfillment in it because of the emphasis on real-world application, practical tools, and sharing lessons learned alongside best practices.

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Coaching leaders across North America.