Leadership Coaching
At the C-suite level, leadership isn’t just about making decisions.
It’s about shaping direction, inspiring performance, and delivering results under constant scrutiny. The pressure is immense, the stakes are high, and the margin for error is narrow. In this environment, even the most seasoned executives benefit from a confidential, strategic partnership that sharpens thinking and enhances impact.
Leaders By Design provides executive coaching tailored for CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CHROs, and other senior leaders navigating complex demands.
Our work offers more than insight—it delivers perspective. Through focused, one-on-one sessions, we help executives challenge assumptions, clarify strategic priorities, and strengthen their leadership presence. Whether you’re managing organizational change, leading a high-performing team, or preparing for a board-facing role, we offer a space for thoughtful reflection and high-stakes decision-making.
Our approach is grounded in business acumen, executive psychology, and decades of real-world leadership advisory. The result: sharper focus, more strategic action, and a renewed sense of confidence to lead at the highest level.
Confidential. Strategic. Built for the C-suite. Contact us to explore how we support leaders like you.
Client Experience
Transforming a High-Performer into a High-Impact Leader
Challenge
The CHRO of a Fortune 500 company engaged our firm to coach Ellen, a senior executive overseeing a $1B business unit with over 1,000 employees across Sales, Marketing, and Finance. While Ellen was known for her intelligence, precision, and relentless work ethic, her leadership style was perceived as cold, unapproachable, and overly task-focused. Morale within her division was deteriorating, and turnover risk was rising—prompting serious concern from senior leadership. As the only woman on the executive team, the situation carried heightened sensitivity.
Coaching Approach
Building a trusting relationship between the coach and Ellen was essential to the success of this engagement. A comprehensive assessment, including the use of leadership assessment tools and a 360, confirmed the challenges she was experiencing and suggested remedies. Ongoing coaching helped her develop the tactics and strategies for success in enhancing her interpersonal relationships at work.
Key Insight
Through trust-building and a comprehensive 360-degree feedback process, it became clear that Ellen was unaware of the emotional toll her style was taking. She believed her performance was under greater scrutiny than her male peers’, driving her to overcompensate with control and intensity. The data was sobering: while colleagues respected her drive, many team members were disengaging or actively seeking to leave.
Intervention
Coaching began with self-awareness and strategic reflection. Together, we built a practical, empathetic leadership shift—anchored in small, deliberate behaviors:
- Personal hallway check-ins and greetings
- Handwritten notes recognizing team wins
- Monthly open-format coffee chats
- Thoughtful scheduling and reduced off-hour communications
These simple yet strategic changes humanized Ellen’s leadership and reconnected her with her team’s needs and values.
Outcome
The transformation was both cultural and performance-driven. Team morale rebounded. Retention stabilized. Productivity rose. Ellen not only regained credibility—she deepened it. The coaching engagement prevented the loss of a high-potential executive and dozens of critical team members, while catalyzing a more authentic and effective leadership style.