His questions and his countenance said it all. This young man was nervous but also intent on digesting as much knowledge and wisdom as one can while also enjoying an Anaheim Scrambler during our breakfast.

I had been introduced to Peter Blute just a week prior by Jenn Baugh, the founder of Young Catholic Professionals (YCP). Peter was the first full-time hire for this startup nonprofit, and he was determined to be an impact player in every sense of the word. It was the fall of 2014, and having just joined the national board of YCP that year, I was honored to provide encouragement and guidance for Peter at the start of his journey.

After that initial meeting, Jenn asked if I could start mentoring Peter. We would meet regularly to discuss his role within YCP, the areas where he was seeking growth, the times when he felt in sync or out of sync with others, and his mental and emotional approach to complex people issues. I was impressed by Peter’s desire to learn and his tenacity to dig deeper into the tough stuff.

I would describe young Peter as curious, coachable, and Christ-centered – a pretty good combo, if you ask me.

Over the years, our relationship continued to evolve. For several years, I served as the National Board Chairman while Peter was busy launching chapters and creating scalable support models. During my term on the board of directors, Peter and Jenn had grown YCP from three local chapters in Texas to over 20 nationwide. The technical and operational experience Peter was developing through the necessity of his role was second-to-none.

YCP wasn’t the only thing growing during those years. Since our first meeting, Peter married an amazing woman, and together they have three beautiful daughters. Meanwhile, my wife and I have been blessed to welcome six more children, bringing my total kid count to seven in the domestic church that is better known as the Schiefelbein tornado. Growing organizations and families simultaneously creates opportunities for great joy and heartache, and it seems that almost every lesson learned in one facet is immediately applicable in the other.

Fast-forward to the start of 2024, ten years after my first meeting with Peter, and a major change was underway at YCP. Jenn Baugh had made the decision to step down as the Executive Director and move into an advisory role, as her family had also grown significantly. Jenn is also one of the wisest leaders I have ever met, and she knew the value of making this change as the organization entered its 14th year of operations.

After a thorough candidate search and careful discernment, it was decided that Peter would assume the top leadership position as Jenn’s role evolved, and the announcement would be made at the 2024 YCP Conference and Gala. This would prove to be a pivotal and precarious moment for the organization, and solid execution would set the tone for the decade ahead.

With a breadth of relevant experience and a close working knowledge of YCP, the organization hired Undivided Life to serve as the Executives Down the Hall, and I was tasked with coaching my friend and long-time mentee, Peter. They saw our team as the right partner to support the transition, focusing on messaging, organizational structure, strategic culture building, revenue modeling, and overall mission advancement. Meanwhile, Peter’s extensive operations experience and tactical execution abilities would need to shift as he stepped into his primary duties as a visionary, strategist, and galvanizer.

Peter and I met weekly for the next year, and our coaching conversations delved into every aspect of life and work. We uncovered the root causes of certain issues, identified triggers (both positive and negative) for various reactions, and generated enthusiasm for new possibilities. Our work together served as a key to unlocking and removing false barriers to performance and effectiveness, and what emerged from the other side was an unleashed and undivided Peter Blute.

I can promise you that Peter wasn’t the other person being rewarded during our coaching time together. Peter played a significant support role for me as my family entered the diagnosis and treatment of my son’s brain cancer. We spent a lot of time in prayer and reflected on the trials and triumphs of life, vowing every day to do our best, no more and no less. Peter has also had his ups and downs over the years, and we both know there are more hills and valleys ahead. I’m grateful to journey through them with people like Peter – someone I consider a friend, brother, mentee, mentor, prayer partner, client, and teammate.

It has been a great joy to see Peter and his team honor the legacy of their founder while continuing to grow and expand the work of YCP, now in 43 cities nationwide. I thank God for the opportunity to serve others in this capacity as a primary part of my job.

While preparing to share this post about my time with Peter and the impact that occurred as we moved beyond simple mentorship, he sent me a picture of a journal entry he made on the day we first met. It read:

October 23, 2014. – met Jeff Schiefelbein - believe he’s going to be intrinsic in my life moving forward.

Are you being called to go beyond mentorship and invest heavily in the success and growth of others? Is your organization in need of executive leadership to help bridge a gap and establish a scalable growth strategy for the future? We would love to hear your thoughts and share more about the Executives Down the Hall program from Undivided Life.

Read More – Client Success Story: Young Catholic Professionals