Dallas’s story: Coaching that strengthens confidence, clarity and leadership
When Dallas McCready stepped into the role of President and CEO of Atlantic Lottery Corp., he knew expectations would be high.
With a diverse background across multiple roles, he brought deep experience – but also the awareness that leading a billion-dollar organization would require new levels of confidence, clarity and presence.
Atlantic Lottery had built the conditions to help.
Since 2017, its work with Pivotal Leadership™ propelled a coaching culture grounded in the principle that everyone in the organization is a leader – embedding coaching skills across teams, investing in coaching for executives and directors, and encouraging leaders at all levels to grow.
It was through that program that Dallas was matched with Emily Rodger of Vision Coaching, a Pivotal Leadership partner, and the relationship has been central to his evolution as a leader.
Her mix of competitiveness, authenticity and openness immediately resonated. Their coaching began in 2023 and continues today, providing him with a trusted thought partner through one of the most significant transitions of his career.
Much of their work centres on sharpening instincts, managing the emotional load that comes with big decisions and creating space to show up well in high-stakes moments.
Coaching has helped Dallas recognize when his thinking becomes cluttered, trust his judgment more readily and approach difficult conversations with greater calm and purpose.
“It’s helped me notice what’s happening in real time,” he says. “I can catch myself, reset and lead the way I want to lead.”
One major breakthrough came when Emily encouraged him to reassess his schedule during a demanding period that included the corporation’s annual general meeting, national meetings and his first national conference panel.
By feeling empowered to cancel lower-priority commitments, he created space to prepare fully – and walked onto the stage with far more confidence, clarity and ease.
“That shift made a huge difference,” he says. “I felt prepared. I felt like myself.”
Dallas describes Emily as a consistent, intuitive partner who understands his tendencies and helps him reflect, reset and move forward with intention. Their sessions include accountability check-ins, post-mortems on decisions and practical strategies he applies daily.
“It’s not a trend for us,” he says. “Coaching is part of who we are becoming.”
That transformation has been a shared effort.
Pivotal Leadership's long partnership with Atlantic Lottery has shaped the organization's coaching philosophy from the ground up – creating the environment in which leaders like Dallas can do the deep work that one-to-one coaching makes possible. Vision is proud to be part of that work.
For Dallas, the impact is clear: coaching has helped him become a more grounded, confident and intentional leader – one better equipped to guide Atlantic Lottery through a fast-changing future.
Interview and testimonial provided by Vision Coaching