Leadership Coaching

Lead with Purpose

Better leadership starts with better thinking. As responsibility grows, so does complexity. Decisions get harder, relationships matter more, and there are fewer places for honest reflection. Coaching creates that space: the challenge, perspective and accountability to step back, think clearly and lead with intention. Not by giving you the answers. By helping you find better ones.

Let's talk about coachingExplore the 5-Week Sprints

Who it's for

Executives, senior leaders, emerging executives and leaders stepping into a bigger role, going through change or facing a hard season.

What is coaching?

Your goals, your outcomes

A lot of the hesitancy to work with a coach comes from a lack of understanding of what coaching actually is.

Good coaching provides actionable insight and opportunity for growth based on specific areas you wish to improve such as better decision-making, communication or conflict resolution skills or work-life balance. In every session the purpose is clear and the outcomes are defined. But not by the coach, but by you.

Coaching is the mechanism to help you achieve the success you define for yourself, the coach is the ally or thinking partner that helps get you there.

This article and video will help you understand what coaching is (and isn't!)

Mike Pola coaching at a whiteboard covered in sticky notes
International Coaching Federation

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential”.

What we work on

Character and capability

Great leadership needs both. Capability without character erodes trust. Character without capability limits impact. Coaching works on both, so you grow as a person and as a leader.

Character: who are you becoming?

As responsibility grows, it tests who you are as much as what you can do. People follow leaders they trust, and trust rests on character and formation.

  • Leadership purpose, identity, values and presence
  • Self-awareness: your strengths, blind spots and how you show up under pressure
  • Integrity: closing the gap between what you say and what you do
  • Courage and humility: holding your convictions while staying open to challenge
  • Resilience: leading well through a hard season without burning out

Capability: what do you need to be able to do better in your role?

The practical skills your role now demands, built by working on the real challenges in front of you.

  • Stepping into a bigger or more senior role
  • Influence, stakeholders and difficult relationships
  • Hard decisions and leading through uncertainty
  • Courageous conversations
  • Coaching and empowering others rather than solving for them
  • Leading leaders and building a stronger team
  • Leading across cultures

How we work

Discover → Focus → Challenge → Practise → Embed

We start by agreeing on your goals for the coaching (whether character or capability). Then we work on real leadership challenges, not hypothetical ones.

How do the coaching sessions work?

ICF Credentials and Standards: Associate Certified Coach (ACC) badge

Since being accredited as an ICF Associate Certified Coach in 2020, I have coached senior leaders and executives in not-for-profit, corporate, government and community organisations around the world.

Circular coaching flow: Discover, Focus, Challenge, Practise, Embed, looping back to Discover, with Leadership Coaching in the centre

Formats

Coaching formats

  • 5-Week Leadership Sprint

    One challenge, five focused coaching conversations, practical workplace experiments and a 90-day Leadership Plan.

  • Leadership Transition Coaching

    Targeted support through the first three to six months of a significant new role.

  • Leadership Coaching Partnership

    Six to nine months for deeper, sustained growth, with 90-minute one-to-one sessions, diagnostics and progress reviews.

The aim isn't to depend on a coach. It's to lead with more intention without one. In person in Sydney or online anywhere in Australia.

Let's talk about coaching

Let's talk about coachingExplore the 5-Week Sprints