Transforming Leaders & Forging Excellence

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About Vanguard XXI

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From the President

Dr. Anthony Randall

Welcome to Vanguard XXI!


My passionate calling in life is to transform and forge leaders of excellence with passion, purpose, and precision. Thank you for investing a few minutes of your time to explore how the Vanguard XXI Team may provide you and your team with world class leadership development and coaching.

We are life long practitioners of leadership excellence. We seek to draw out potential and improve performance in leaders and organizations through character development, cultural alignment, and cultivating high performance climates.  We specialize in teaching, training, and coaching leaders to know who they are as trusted leaders of character, how to think morally, ethically, and critically, and how to lead with emotional intelligence.   


Vanguard XXI will dynamically transform you and your team of influential leaders to practice excellence personally and professionally aligning your passion, purpose, and precision. 


We look forward to meeting you and serving your team.


Transforming Leaders. Forging Excellence. Winning.

- Anthony


Vanguard XXI by the Numbers

15,000


Leaders taught, trained, and coached through Vanguard XXI's proprietary Transformational Moral Leadership curriculum and Vanguard Way coaching model approved by the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

20+


Fortune 100, 500, Small & Medium size businesses, professional and college sports teams, local and federal law enforcement, and universities who trust Vanguard XXI with leadership development and executive coaching for their leaders and teams. 

12


Vanguard Teammates each with over 25 years of corporate, military, non-profit, and higher education leadership development and coaching experience.  Our coaches are ICF MCC, PCC, and ACC credentialed coaches with over 10,000 collective coaching client hours.  We have served and worked in some of the most high performance executive C-Suite, military special operations, and professional sports teams in the world.

During my graduate program at an Ivy League university, I took two coaching courses. Neither held a candle to this course. By far the best instruction and learning experience I have had in continuing to develop my passion for developing and coaching leaders.

Jeff Paine - Executive Program Manager at Silverthread, Inc.

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NOW AVAILABLE!

BREAKING NEWS!  Practicing Excellence recently won the International Impact Book Award winner for Social Change. It is also a Top #4 Amazon Best Seller.

PRACTICING EXCELLENCE: RESTORING CIVILITY, FAITH & TRUSTED LEADERSHIP IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE

In this book, Dr. Randall calls for decisive action to teach and empower leaders of strong moral character to serve as trusted professionals in their communities, marketplaces, and the public square. By doing so, he aims to restore civility, faith, and trusted leadership by fostering a growth mindset, cultivating moral and ethical decision-making, and promoting emotionally intelligent leadership that enhances human flourishing.

Practicing Excellence calls on readers to take action and reflect deeply on the principles shared through personal stories, historical lessons, research, and practical advice, then actively implement these insights to lead a more excellent life. 
ORDER NOW!

Schedule an introductory call to explore enrolling as a coaching client, or in one of our professional development courses.

Schedule your session here.

Blog Posts

By Phil McKinney June 2, 2025
Transforming Leaders. Forging Excellence. At Vanguard XXI, we don’t just train leaders—we shape transformative ones. Our coaching team is composed of deeply experienced professionals from the military, business, education, and nonprofit sectors. What unites us is a shared mission: to transform leaders, forge excellence, and win. Meet Our Coaching Team Dr. Anthony Randall President & Founder, ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) Dr. Randall is a transformative leader and the visionary behind Vanguard XXI. With over 17,000 professionals coached across the U.S. Army, Special Operations, MLB, Fortune 100/500 companies, and higher education, he brings a rare depth of experience and a commitment to ethical leadership development. Mike Wall Senior Vice President of Business Development, Vanguard XXI Leadership Coach A retired Lieutenant Colonel with 28 years in military and defense industry roles, Mike is a passionate servant leader focused on cultivating high-functioning, cohesive teams. His visionary leadership and relational approach drive business growth and organizational cohesion. Dr. Phil McKinney II Senior Vice President of Operations, ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Executive & Mentor Coach Phil is a seasoned leader in ministry, higher education, and leadership development. With expertise in coaching, spiritual direction, and counseling, he brings 30+ years of experience and certified training in DISC, EIQ, and Prepare/Enrich assessments to support individuals and teams on their growth journeys. Brett Funck (PCC) Former military leader and course facilitator whose post-service work in coaching and talent management reflects his dedication to developing others through tested leadership principles. Rick Mattson (ACC) With 25+ years in global corporate leadership, Rick is an award-winning strategist and instructor, specializing in organizational transformation, strategy management, and high-performance team development. Javier Lopez (ACC) A retired Army battalion commander, Javier brings over 20 years of expertise in leader development, curriculum design, and organizational growth—now coaching leaders to reach peak potential. Damien Mason A dynamic communicator and Special Operations veteran, Damien leverages his 26 years of military experience to empower individuals and organizations in high-stakes environments. Dr. Art Finch An operational and clinical psychologist, Art is a national expert in executive assessment, team optimization, and personality-driven leadership development. His work supports elite teams across military, federal, and corporate domains. Court Whitman (PCC) Director of Mentor Coaching, Court brings 2,000+ hours of coaching experience to help leaders tackle complexity and drive meaningful results in high-performance contexts. Dr. Kim Zovak (MCC) Kim is a global leadership consultant and coach passionate about multiplying impact. Her expertise supports nonprofits in building cultures of coaching and leadership development. Mike Rauhut (PCC) Author, coach, and educator, Mike’s work spans life transitions, executive coaching, and team development. His influence extends to senior leaders in business, government, and the military. Our Collective Expertise The Vanguard XXI team comprises ICF-credentialed coaches (MCC, PCC, ACC) with over 10,000 collective coaching hours. Our diverse backgrounds span corporate leadership, military service, non-profit management, and higher education, enabling us to serve clients in high-performance environments, including executive C-suites, special operations, and professional sports. Why Vanguard XXI? Whether you’re a senior executive, a transitioning veteran, or a mission-driven organization, Vanguard XXI offers unmatched expertise in coaching, leader development, and organizational transformation. Our team is credentialed, combat-tested, boardroom-proven, and purpose-driven. Learn more about our team: vanguardxxi.com/our-team
By Phil McKinney May 13, 2025
Today’s workforce is more generationally diverse than ever before. In a single meeting, you might find Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Z—all bringing unique values, communication styles, and expectations to the table. The challenge? Avoiding friction and silos. The opportunity? Creating cross-generational strength through inclusive leadership. Here’s how high-impact leaders build cohesion across generations: 1. Seek Understanding Before Being Understood Each generation grew up with different influences—culturally, technologically, and economically. Boomers value loyalty and structure. Gen Z expects transparency and flexibility. Leading effectively starts with curiosity over judgment. Tip: Ask team members about their preferred communication style, feedback rhythm, and work priorities. You’ll be surprised how much alignment you can create just by listening. 2. Embrace a Coaching Mindset The command-and-control style of leadership doesn’t resonate equally across generations. Coaching creates a bridge. It fosters mutual respect, psychological safety, and empowerment—whether someone is 25 or 65. Tip: Leaders trained in coaching techniques often unlock deeper engagement, especially from younger generations craving development over direction. 3. Customize, Don’t Compromise Fairness doesn’t mean sameness. Offer flexibility where it matters—hybrid schedules, career paths, recognition methods—while maintaining a shared sense of accountability and purpose. Tip: One-size-fits-all leadership is outdated. The future is personalized and principled. 4. Leverage Cross-Generational Mentoring Knowledge-sharing goes both ways. Boomers bring institutional wisdom. Gen Z brings digital fluency and fresh perspective. Build intentional spaces where mentorship flows in all directions. Tip: The best leaders create ecosystems where every generation is both a teacher and a learner. Leading across generations isn’t about minimizing differences. It’s about maximizing connection. When you create a culture where every generation feels seen, heard, and valued—you don’t just improve retention or productivity. You unlock an intergenerational advantage. Are you leading with that mindset? 
By Phil McKinney May 5, 2025
ICF Coaching vs. Mentoring vs. Consulting: Why the Distinction Matters
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