Andrew Shaffer is a Tokyo-based Executive and Leadership Coach who holds the Master Certified Coach (MCC) credential from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). As a Co-founder of both InnerCulture Inc. and HummingByrd Inc., Andrew leverages over two decades of international experience to help senior leaders navigate high-stakes transformation.
He focuses on cultivating inner clarity that shapes world-class and people-centered cultures. Andrew combines technical rigor with deep reflective partnership to help clients turn organizational complexity into measurable and sustainable performance.
At the heart of Andrew’s practice is a human philosophy centered on helping leaders rediscover inspiration and joy in their work. Andrew believes that leaders create a positive impact resonating across their teams and global stakeholders when they align with their inner wisdom.
He describes his coaching supervision philosophy as being centered around a specific belief. As he shared in an interview with BOLDLY, he believes that we all have “an innate narrative intelligence and inner wisdom that guides, inspires and enables us to make a profound and lasting positive impact on our lives and those of others with whom we work.”
This approach requires leaders to examine their own internal stories. Andrew emphasizes psychological safety to create a space where leaders can explore this narrative intelligence without fear of judgment.
Andrew frequently shares personal anecdotes to illustrate his leadership concepts. One defining moment in his career occurred in 1994 while leading a community service project in a remote village in Belize. The project spiraled into a nightmare when his team faced robbery, illness, and cultural misunderstandings.
In a reflective article on The Power of Stoic Detachment, Andrew writes about how he initially tried to use empathy to bond with the team but found it insufficient. He realized later that he lacked “Stoic Detachment,” which he defines as the ability to focus on what he could control and let go of emotional reactivity.
He uses this story to teach modern executives that detachment does not mean indifference. Instead, it serves as a tool for maintaining equanimity in the face of challenges. This allows for clearer thinking and decision-making during crises.
A Global Journey: From West Berlin to Tokyo
Andrew has an ability to guide leaders through cultural ambiguity rooted in his life as a cultural bridge-builder. His global experience spans over 20 years across four continents. This gives him a rare and cross-cultural lens on leadership.
His path to coaching included attending high school in 1980s West Berlin, leading development work in Costa Rica and Belize, serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand, and holding educational leadership roles in Mexico and Turkey.
Now based in Japan, Andrew uses this background to help executives lead with cultural fluency. He understands that effective global leadership requires the ability to build shared purpose across diverse identities and generations.
Andrew’s clients include executives from organizations such as Microsoft, Novartis, Pfizer, and Coca-Cola Japan. His services are designed to build resilient and agile leadership cultures.
Andrew partners with C-Suite executives and Directors to strengthen executive presence, complexity fitness, and global team building. His style is often described as “gentle yet precise,” utilizing silence and pause to allow clients to think deeply.
Mentor Coaching & Supervision
As a dedicated advocate for the coaching profession, Andrew is a Certified Mentor Coach and Coach Supervisor. He mentors aspiring coaches pursuing their ACC, PCC, or MCC credentials.
In his supervision work, he frequently utilizes Peter Hawkins’s 7 Eyed Model to help other coaches explore the systemic contexts of their client relationships. This model allows him to guide coaches through multiple lenses, from the client’s situation to the broader organizational system.
His expertise was further highlighted when he was featured in the Real Coaching Sessions Unplugged series. The hosts noted his ability to cultivate trust and safety, observing that he “demonstrated his ability to engage with his client around emotions with ease and respect.”
Through HummingByrd Inc., Andrew facilitates workshops on Strategic Communication, Resilience, and Cultural Mentoring. These sessions equip teams with the tools to thrive amidst continuous change.
How to Get in Touch
Leaders looking to transform complexity into opportunity or coaches seeking mentorship from an industry veteran can connect with Andrew through his primary platforms:
- Corporate Training & Workshops: Visit HummingByrd Inc.
- Executive Coaching & Culture: Visit InnerCulture Inc.
- Mentor Coaching: Visit his MCC Mentor Coach Profile
- LinkedIn: Connect with Andrew Shaffer on LinkedIn
