Zackarie Lemelle, President & CEO of New Hope Coaching & Consulting has always believed that his number one responsibility is to actively support the development and success of others, to help them achieve the level of greatness they desire for their lives. “Their success is my success!” he proclaims.
Transforming Leaders and Organisations from the Inside Out
When he first started, Zack’s dreams were to simply make his mother proud. Before New Hope, he was in the military, which taught him discipline and structure. Then he worked with small boutique consulting firms where he honed his customer-centric skills and finally went into big corporations where he honed his servant leadership skills. Even during his years in IT and as a CIO, he always focused on the people and not just the task or projects.
Today, Zack is a visionary leader who has spent his entire life in the calling of transforming leaders and organizations from the inside out, by combining his passion for people and savvy for business with an unshakable focus on excellence. He developed his perspective and practice on what it takes to truly nurture sustainable performance thanks to over 40 years of experience working in companies, ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies to not-for-profit organizations.
Zack worked for Johnson & Johnson for 18 years, during which time he held the positions of Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Ortho-McNeil (now Janssen Pharmaceutical), Ethicon, and the corporate headquarters. After that, he was able to successfully transfer those priceless experiences to his pioneering role as Managing Partner of one of the most successful Coach Training firms in the country.
Now at the helm of New Hope Coaching and Consulting, Zack’s experience as a respected corporate leader, purpose-driven business owner, and Certified Executive Leadership Coach (ACC – ICF) gives him a uniquely rich perspective on executive leadership and business transformation. His people-centered approach to discovering those key insights that deliver breakthrough advantages that matter is informed by all of this information and experience.
“Regarding coaching and consulting, I have always used these God-ordained talents, whether it was as an IT professional/CIO or CEO. I’ve always had a heart for people in general and my community specifically. So, I made it my business to get and stay engaged in efforts that build and not tear down,” Zack explains.
He is also a current member of the Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF), as well as a former chairman of the Board of the organization, a position he held for two terms. ITSMF is a non-profit organization that boasts members who hold executive positions at some of the most successful Fortune 50, 100, and 500 companies in the United States.
Zack recently received a call from the White House who informed him that he has been chosen to receive the 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award signed by both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. This prestigious award will be bestowed on him at major event June 3rd of this year. When asked what was his first thoughts when he received the call, he stated, “I wish my mother was here to see her son acknowledged in this way”. “ I owe everything I am to this precious lady, who only had a 9th grade education and raised 6 children on her own, in a Jim Crow environment”.
“If you ain’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.” – Lewis Grizzard
Giving Clients “New Hope”
Zack chose the name New Hope for his coaching and consulting firm because he wanted his business to be known for just that – giving his clients “new hope.” New hope for their aspirations, new hope for their families and loved ones, as well as those they meet along their journey. He refuses to waste his time being concerned about the competition as it would become a distraction, preferring to focus on his business and clients instead.
Zack defines himself as “inspiring” and notes that his journey as a leader has taken many twists and turns along the way. He’s had the pleasure of being exposed to several great leaders during his journey. For example, people like Bob Savage, who gave him his first CIO role, and inspired him to become all he could be. Or Carla Ogunrinde, who inspired him to reach beyond his own limitations to touch the stars. “As I’ve said many times, IT was my profession, but people are my passion!” he declares.
One of Zack’s most profound leadership lessons was learning what it meant to actually lead. While he has always been a leader, he acted from an unconscious state and was on autopilot. But when he learned what it meant to “lead” or be a “leader,” he started doing it intentionally. His definition of a leader or leadership is, “If they take away your title, will they follow you?” If your answer is no, you’re not leading, you’re managing, and people don’t like to be managed. Zack has always tried to reflect that definition in everything he does.
“People will forget what you said or what you did, but they will NEVER forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
Leaving a Legacy of Transformed Lives
Zack notes that, as an African American, roadblocks are a daily obstacle to overcome. “Setbacks are a part of life. In everyone’s life, a little rain must fall. In our case, COVID set back many businesses. We all had to rebound and recover from this devastating pandemic. But life is more about how you rise from a setback rather than how far or how hard you fell,” he reflects.
Zack notes that the coaching and consulting industry, like many others, continues to evolve, with companies embracing a “coaching” culture as a way to profitable growth. The industry is more mainstream now than before, and more importantly, coaching is about growth and inspiring greatness. “Earlier, companies used coaches to try and ‘fix’ people for developmental issues. But let me be clear, coaching does not ‘fix’ people! We provide far more than that,” he insists.
Zack’s major roles and responsibilities as the President & CEO of New Hope Coaching & Consulting, are to grow his business and leave a legacy of transformed lives. His vision for New Hope is to continue transforming lives from their core, with a roadmap to continue speaking, teaching, learning, coaching, and growing.
Zack firmly believes in the power of prayer, supplication, and faith to motivate himself and his team. “I’m up early to prepare my day. First, I give honor and glory to God by reading a Bible-based scripture or story. Then I exercise, then it’s one Zoom meeting after another. I’m spending time with clients, family, and/or friends,” he shares.
Zack’s personal goal is to inspire others to achieve their own greatness and create their own legacy. His message to the AA community is to “Never give up and never give in! We must continue to fight the good fight of faith, so walk by faith and not by sight!” he proclaims.
