From “Too Much” to a Strategic Powerhouse
CASE STUDY
“I feel like I’m shouting to be heard.” That’s how Sarah, a Senior Director of Strategic Operations at a global tech company, described her experience in our first coaching session.
She had the résumé. The results. The respect from peers in past roles. But this new seat at the table? It came with unexpected silence. Her presence didn’t land the way she needed it to. Her voice—strategic, sharp, solution-oriented—was dismissed as “abrasive.” She wasn’t seen as a peer. She felt invisible.
Before Coaching: The Quiet Collision of Identity and Environment
Sarah was six months into her new role when she reached out. On paper, it looked like a win: more responsibility, higher visibility, a fast-growing company. But behind the scenes, she was wrestling with:
- Feeling excluded in a male-dominated leadership team.
- Struggling to be seen as strategic rather than “operational support.”
- Over-preparing for meetings, then feeling frozen when the conversation veered off-script.
- Being caught in a classic double bind: too assertive, and she was “difficult”; too measured, and she disappeared.
She didn’t want a performance tweak. She wanted a transformation. “I know I’m a leader,” she said. “But I don’t feel like one in this room.”
The Journey: Shifting from External Validation to Internal Authority
Using the Leadership Integrity Framework (Purpose, Presence, Partnership, Perspective), we co-created a coaching journey tailored to her leadership growth.
🧭 Purpose
She reconnected with her values, clarified her leadership philosophy, and practiced mindfulness to regulate emotional triggers. The shift? From over-explaining to showing up grounded, clear, and intentional.
👣 Presence
We role-played tough meetings and feedback conversations. She practiced responding instead of reacting. Feedback from peers began to change: “You feel more composed. More influential. Like you belong here.”
🤝 Partnership
Sarah learned to stop bracing for critique and start building coalitions. She shifted from trying to “win over” colleagues to co-creating influence with them. She even mentored rising leaders—a stretch that made her feel expansive instead of contracted.
🌍 Perspective
We worked on strategic storytelling and systems thinking. She went from granular updates to framing enterprise-wide challenges. That’s when the real turning point happened.
The Breakthrough Moment
During a high-stakes strategy session, Sarah challenged a long-standing assumption with clarity and calm. No defensiveness. No over-explaining. Just insight and impact.
A senior executive pulled her aside after and said:
“That was the most composed and confident I’ve seen you. You didn’t just challenge the idea—you reshaped the conversation.”
The Outcome: Rewriting Her Narrative
By the end of our engagement, Sarah wasn’t just “visible.” She was valued.
- Her peers now sought her input before key meetings.
- She became a trusted thought partner to senior leaders.
- She was named as a candidate for a senior leadership promotion.
What changed wasn’t her competence—it was her leadership identity, refined and fully owned.
“I used to feel like I had to prove myself in every meeting. Now, I show up as the leader I already am.”
This story isn’t about polishing your presence—it’s about reclaiming your leadership voice and learning to lead from a place of clarity, not performance.
The full case study—including assessment insights, developmental stage analysis, and coaching methodology—is featured in my upcoming book, Leadership Integrity Framework: Purpose, Presence, Partnership, Perspective.
Curious what this kind of transformation could look like for you?
You don’t need to commit to a long-term coaching engagement to begin. I offer a one-hour, high-impact Discovery Session designed to help you step into the next level of your leadership. It’s not a sales call—it’s a real coaching conversation, focused on a challenge or opportunity you’re facing right now. You’ll leave with greater clarity, fresh perspective, and tangible next steps.
If you’re navigating complexity, seeking alignment, or simply ready to lead with more intention— let’s start the conversation.